before and after

Just a brief before and after. My husband and I have debated when to cut our baby boys hair. We were torn because it was so beautiful, and it just gave him so much personality. He was a spectacle. You don't see a five month old with hair on his shoulders everyday. About a week ago hubby woke up and thought our little girl was laying next to him because he had long flowing hair in his face. It was our baby boy. I cut his hair that night. In the bumbo seat on the bathroom counter. He didn't like it! He hardly fits in the seat to begin with but he kept throwing his whole body backwards in protest. But I got it done, and I think he looks so cute! I know I am partial.

Raising homemakers.

Just found a new blog I am excited to follow. Maybe you would like to check it out as well. It is a blog about teaching our daughters the art of homemaking and encouraging them in do it for the glory of God. http://raisinghomemakers.com/

Hand Prints

I love this! I am such a sappy person, who gets attached to small treasures like this. I wish I would have done this with G & J from birth, but better late than never!

1st Day!

For the past few years my husband and I have debated over the homeschool option. We have felt strongly that this was the best option for our family for so many reasons. We both attended public school as children, and turned out just fine but that wasn't the reason for this choice. We wanted the chance to teach our children about this world from a christian worldview. We wanted to be hands on to relay to them that it is all about Christ. Everything from A to Z is from Him and for Him.
We have a number of homeschoolers in our lives, family, friends, and former church members. Some are just beginning and some have homeschooled numerous children from Kindergarten through 12th. We have received lots of advice and some sneers from folks who aren't so supportive. I am sure that it is a drastic choice in the minds of some but it is the best choice for us.
We want our kids to experience the same special moments that every other kid does when they start school. So this past Monday we began our new adventure of Homeschooling. We took pics of our Big Kindergartner. We made a special space for her downstairs. She has a desk, art center, a huge white board, a reading nook, and computer. We are using A Beka Homeschooling curriculum. We are so pleased with it. It is so Christ centered and I feel that it is excellent academically.

Pinterest

Just discovered www.Pinterest.com. Just one more thing for me to gaze at for inspiration and to get the creative juices flowing. Really love the DIY section.

My kids love this!

Kitten's inspired by Kittens.

Isn't this beautiful!

My SIL wrote this on her blog and it is so sweet I had to share it! She is truly a blessing to me and I am so thankful to have her as a sister! God didn't bless me with a biological sister but he blessed me with a Sister in LOVE! Thanks Amy!

Decor ideas.

G got a "NEW" room due to gaining a new brother. The boys will be sharing and she go to move into Daddy's former office. He still has a few things (a desk, and filing cabinet) left in the room. However we are looking forward to decorating her new space. I found this picture today and thought it would be really cute to add color to her room that is wood paneling. They are just left over scraps of fabric inside of embroidery hoops. I think it is a great way to use some scrap fabric we have from hubby's Mom's stash that I was given!

The Big Picture.

Every night after dinner our family has "Bible Time." We have gone through many children's bibles over the past few years but we recently receive by far our Favorite. It is called "The Big Picture Story Bible" It goes through the whole bible, Old and New Testament as one continuous story. It allows the kids to hear the Bible on their level WITHOUT watering it down. I love what the back of the book says, "The Bible is a big book, about a big God, who keeps a big promise!"
This particular children's bible shows you not a moralistic view on popular Bible figures but shows you how those figures or stories point to Christ.
Our copy came with a CD of the author reading through the book with signals for you to turn the page and our daughter has listened to it several times alone.
This book was a precious gift to us from dear friends for the birth of our second son and it has been a blessing to us already. Thanks M & B!!

This is so true!!!

How to prepare for nursing. The following is an article that was taken from a parenting magazine years ago after I nursed my daughter. Starting out was one of the roughest things I have ever done in my life. I ended up nursing her for 21 months, J for 24 and am just starting out again with P and it is one of the most rewarding experiences as a mother but honestly painful and @ times discouraging and draining. I hope you enjoy and get a laugh or two.

How to PREPARE for Nursing

1. Gently rub your nipples with sandpaper.

2. At bedtime, set your alarm clock to go off every two hours. Each time it rings spend 20 minutes sitting in a rocking chair with your nipples clamped with a pair of chip clips.

3. Draw branching lines all over your chest with a blue-green marker and stand in front of your bathroom mirror and sing "I Feel Pretty."

4. Open your already crowded freezer and make room for five dozen plastic milk bags.

5. Fit the hose of a vacuum cleaner over one breast and set on "medium pile." Turn off vacuum when nipple is three inches long. Switch breast.

6. Obtain "DO NO CROSS" tape from your local police station and wrap firmly around your chest. when your spouse asks about it, say, "Get used to it."

7. Tape a water balloon to each breast and squeeze into a maternity bra. Repeatedly hook and unhook the nursing flaps with one hand while using the other hand to balance a sack of squirming puppies.

8. Dine in the fanciest, snootiest restaurant you can afford, making sure to arrive with a big wet spot directly over each nipple.

9, Record your mother proclaiming, "Just give the baby some cereal like God intended and and she'll sleep right through the night." Play in an endless loop at 1 A.M., 3 A.M., and 5 A.M.

10. Slather your breast with peanut butter, top with birdseed, and stand very still in your backyard.

11. Go someplace public -a museum, a courthouse,, the steps of your office building-and stuff a lifelike baby doll under your shirt. Use the doll's arm to suddenly hike the shirt up past your collar bone. Lower shirt. Feign nonchalant smile.

12. Suckle a wolverine.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You are now ready to nurse a baby. Maybe!

(Melissa Balmaain, a freelance writer)

The Baby is here!!!!

I am NOT pregnant anymore!!!!!!!!!!! I am so very thankful and I am feeling so so so much better. Our son "P" was born on my husbands mother's birthday. She passed away 21 days before our son J was born which was almost 3 years ago. Our daughter got to know her. Our son J was named after her. And now P shares her birthday. They all have a piece of her. My labor was easy as can be expected. I had a very good epidural! The delivery was easy peasy. My hubby pushed the epidural button moments before delivery so I was completely numb for the pushing. It turned out to be a good thing because I had to wait while I was 10 centimeters for the Dr. to get there. He wasn't even at the hospital! But he got there and it was 3 contractions to push through and we had our newest bundle of joy. We are so very blessed! He is so precious and such a good baby. I couldn't ask for a sweeter little boy. He was 9.2 lbs! I was shocked to have an over 9 pound baby. But I knew that he had to be big because I was HUGE and I hurt so bad. I am enjoying this new adventure of 3 children. I am in a bit of a dreamland for now because my mother is here helping me and she will be greatly missed when she returns home. But I am not thinking about that for now.
All glory to my loving Heavenly Father for knitting together in my womb this child, and trusting him to my care. Let me teach him to Fear and Love the Lord!

Quote of the Day!!!

Yesterday our family was watching the extensive coverage of Bin Laden's death. Fox news had interviewed many, many random people at Ground Zero. G was taking it all in. She was very attentive, so I shared with her why people were so happy about this mans death. I told her about 9/11 and how he had planned the whole thing. I told her that people were happy that this man wasn't going to be able to hurt anyone else.
She says, "Yeah, he is in Hell now!"
Hubby and I looked at each other in shock. I remembered back to the interviews on Fox. A man had said "He split Hell wide open". So, I guess that is where she got that.
Regardless, of who is in office. I just have to say I am proud to be an American. I am not rejoicing in Bin Laden's death but I know that the Lord does deliver justice. I am proud that our country offered him more respect in his death and burial than he showed others. I am so thankful for our servicemen and their families who sacrifice for our freedom. We were all enjoying our Sunday afternoon together, enjoying fellowship with one another, playing with our children, while men were risking everything so that we could enjoy that freedom. So, thankful!