Christmas, Kwanzaa, and The New Year

Today's post is just an update.  Nothing too interesting.  

I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday! Ours is not quite over yet, we have decided to observe Kwanzaa.  I say observe and not "celebrate" because we aren't lighting the candles, reciting poetry, or wearing the dashikis this year.  We are, however, discussing the Nguzo Saba (Seven Principles) and attempting to live by them.  My dad has even tried to teach us a Kwanzaa song.

It's different, but next year I think we will actually celebrate it.  It's a beautiful celebration, and it is the first African- American holiday recognized in America.  So there is defintely some history and meaning behind it! It'll be nice to come together for a week and celebrate heritage, education, family, and life.

We still celebrated Christmas, since Kwanzaa doesn't begin until December 26.  We visited all our family on Christmas Eve and ran away on a mini-vactation that night! The kids were spoiled rotten, and so was I. I believe my husband was spoiled a good bit as well.   And our hotel continuously baked fresh cookies.  I enjoyed that perk more than anyone else!  Our Christmas could not have gone more perfect.

Since we took an adventure for Christmas, we will stay home for the New Year.  We will write resolutions, pig out, play games, drink wine, watch TV, light fireworks, and enjoy our family time.  It's the same thing we do every New Year, and it is the best way to bring in a New Year! Together, optimistic, and at home.  

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE! 

I will be back on regular schedule January 2, 2017...

Our Trip to the Nursing Home

Doing a Saturday blog, just to share yesterday's experience. 

The boy's got to hand deliver their cards yesterday to every resident of the nursing home.  Skyland had an embarrassing moment, I won't lie.  And after that, he was kind of rude, asked why everyone's hands looked so "old".  (Luckily for me he's 3, and old and cold are interchangeable.  People thought he was asking why it was so cold.)  I'd be a big liar if I didn't admit that there were multiple times I wanted to bolt and abort the entire mission, because it wasn't going as planned.  

But everything doesn't go as planned.  And even though I was embarrassed, stressed, and felt completely idiotic: their faces, their reactions were absolutely priceless. 

I had one lady shake my hand and tell me thank you. 

Another lady, held and kissed all over my boys and cried. ...She.Cried. 

A man tried to sneak them soup for an extra card, we gave him one for free.  

And all around there was smiles and giggles from everyone.  

Despite my son's behavior, everyone smiled, everyone was happy to see them. 

Everyone was happy to get a card.  

I can't explain how incredible it felt to know that my two little people were responsible for bringing all that joy. 

I'm sharing my experience, in hopes that it encourages just one person to deliver cards to their local nursing home.  

It's that important to me, that I'd blog about it twice...Once on a Saturday.

"Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it." - Proverbs 3:27

Christmas Cards for the Elderly

Let me start by saying: I AM SO PROUD OF MY BOYS! They made 70+ cards in about a month, on top of regular and holiday crafts and activities.  These 70+ cards are for the residents of one of our local nursing homes.

I feel awful for posting this so late. It's 10 days until Christmas.  But I would like to encourage any person to do some goodwill, and to make and deliver at least one card to a local nursing home.

There's a piece of my heart that goes out to those who suffer from anxiety, depression, and/or mental illnesses.  I suffer from a mixture of the three, so I will pretty much do anything I can do to help someone for just a second.  Did you know that there is a serious increase in depression rates among senior home residents during the holiday season?  There's a name for it: Seasonal Affective Disorder.  The holidays can make some seniors feel alone and long for "home".  There are some who don't get many visitors, and they are reminded of that when Christmas comes around.  And there are others who just don't feel the cheer they once had.  Not all residents feel this way, but you'll possibly be bringing a smile to the sad while sending cheer to the cheery if you send out cards.

This day last year, I worked at a day care.  My class alone (of 7 students) sent out over 100 cards to the nursing homes! Although, I never saw their faces, I just know that some of our cards can made an impact.

Even just signing or drawing pictures on store bought cards can make a difference. (Dollar Tree has packs of 20 or 40 for $1!)  So you don't have to be creative, and it doesn't have to be super time consuming.  Any kid or adult can do this.

You never know what one small gesture means to someone.  So I really want to encourage however many people I can, to spread some holiday cheer.  Let some of the local nursing home residents know that they are important, and they have not been forgotten about!

'Tis the season, right?! We'll be hand-delivering our "jolly" tomorrow morning.  

Why We Don't Do Santa

Every year I am asked, "Why don't you do Santa for the kids?" Multiple times.
That's just a decision my husband and I made for our family.  I don't talk down on anyone who does allow their children to believe in Santa.  I don't think there's anything wrong with having Santa, but more than once I've gotten negativity for not choosing to participate.
So I'll explain why Santa is not for us. I AM NOT TRYING TO SWAY ANYONE FROM SANTA, THIS IS JUST AN EXPLANATION FOR WHY WE CHOOSE NOT TO BELIEVE.
Growing up, I did not believe in Santa.  Christmas still happened and it was still magical. We put out milk and cookies, and then consumed some it. We went to take pictures with the man in the beard, we just knew it wasn't real. We knew mom and dad bought our gifts. That made us more grateful for everything we got. As a daycare teacher and as a kid, I've heard too many kids complain about what Santa did or did not get them. I heard to many kids compare their gifts from Santa to other kids. And it really bothers me. As a child I knew mom and dad did the best they could, and they did pretty good! But I didn't cry when I never received an American Girl doll, because it wasn't some magical man slacking. It was something my parents didn't get. It made Christmas a little bit more real for me.
Christmas is great without Santa. I believe it is more honest and  magical. Full of movies and love. We bake cookies, we paint ornaments, decorate the tree, make gingerbread disasters, and the kids tell me what they want. We even went to a parade this year, where we waved at Santa. We watch movies that have Santa in them. So I'm not anti-Santa. But my kids know he's a "bunch of men that get dressed up for Christmas." Trust me, my kids will have a whole discussion with you about Santa.

Did I mention, I'm really bad at Santa? My children ask questions. Like 5, 10 at a time. I'm not doing it. My husband isn't doing it. I don't know how old Santa is. I don't know why the reindeer fly. I have no clue why Santa doesn't wear a seatbelt! He's up in the air, a seatbelt would be ideal. These are questions I've answered about fictional movie Santa's, it would be so much worse if they believed in him.  And that's just not something I want to do, I'd much rather answer questions about Christmas!
Our goal isn't to get my children to ruin Santa for anyone else. We teach our kids to keep the truth about Santa a secret.  They know some kids don't know yet, and they are not ruining it for anyone.  Our goal is just to celebrate the holidays as a symbol of Jesus' birth and to make memories. Our goal is to avoid dozens of questions on a fictional character and to teach our children to be more appreciative at a younger age. The idea of Santa Claus does not help us achieve that. Although, I do hate not being able to whip them into shape with just a threat of "the naughty list" . I do love that we are sticking with our choice for our family.  And the holidays are special and Christmas is magical, with or without Santa Claus. There's no need to try and discourage people for doing what works for their family.

Adding A Little Peppermint

I've been watching a lot of Food Network. A lot!  Last night, they were doing something with peppermints on a holiday edition of some show. Peppermints have been running through my mind All. Day. Long. They are a candy that's "in season".  So here's 20 things that can be made a bit more festive with peppermints, peppermint sticks, or candy canes. 

These are all things I've had . 

1. Chocolate Milk 

2. Tea 

3. Water 

4. Milk (I have not had this, but I put some crushed candy cane in my boys' milk this morning and they've been asking about it all day 

5. Applejuice

6. Applesauce (Especially with cinnamon)

7. Cola - I tried this today, and its my new favorite thing

8. Smoothies

9. Salad -Again, something I did today and it was a really good salad! Especially since all I had handy were candy canes, carrots, croutons, and lettuce. 

10. Orange juice 

11. Hot Chocolate 

12. Coffee

13. Yogurt 

14. Ice-cream

15. Milkshakes

16. On top of waffles

17. In muffins

18. In ice cubes- I eat ice cubes, so you bet I'll freeze a tray of peppermint cubes! Cold and refreshing! 

19. In chocolate cereal 

20. In pumpkin bread! (Or 21. Banana Nut Bread)

21. In oatmeal

Wrapping Paper Silhouettes

I don't know if it's the same for yall, but Christmas means lots and lots and LOTS of wrapping paper. And wrapping paper, because I'm no pro, means plenty of scraps.
So I made a craft with my boys using my many scraps. 

I gave them a red and green sheet of construction paper and let them glue on all the scraps they wanted to. Finding Dory came on, so they didn't really try. But they enjoyed the five minutes they (somewhat) dedicated to the craft. I even got a blurry picture of them trying to show off their finished products.
After they were finished gluing, I outlined a Christmas shape on the back. You can do a star, sleigh, tree (I didn't do a tree because of our ToiletTree  that we still have up), gift boxes, snowflakes, a bell, Christmas hats, holly, snowmen, gingerbread men, a wreath, any silhouette you can think of!  Trace any silhoutte and cut it out. I tried to free hand my bell and star silhouette, and it was not my finest artistic moment.
Because I already had the trees on a toilet paper roll, and we've already made ornaments I didn't make an ornament or stand out of them (but you can!). I also thought about framing them and hanging them up, but didnt feel like finding a frame. Ultimately, I decided to decorate our fridge with them, our kitchen was lacking Christmas cheer anyhow. 

The wrapping paper silhouttes came out cute and they were so easy that I plan on making a few extras. But instead of Christmas silhouttes, I'm going to cut out into their little handprints and we're going to mail them off as bookmarks with our Christmas cards this year. 
Like the ToiletTrees, you don't have to use wrapping paper. You can use glitter, stickers, other construction paper, tissue paper, crayons, anything Christmas-y you have lying around. Flexible crafts are the best crafts!

Kitchen Creations: Beef & Potato Stew

Today I pulled out the crock pot! It's December, it's chilly, and the holidays are right around the corner! So I went for southern comfort, and decided to make beef and potato stew over cornbread and rice for dinner.  Tonight, I'm going to share my stew recipe with y'all. Spoiler alert...in involves wine!!

My recipe is super easy, and I set the crock pot on high so it took about 4 hours. You can set the crock pot on low, and it would take the same recipe about 6 hours. This recipe fed 4 adults and 2 preschoolers...So I'm going to say it feeds 5. But that's just a guess! 

Ingredients: 

Stew beef 

1 1/2 cup of Beef Broth

 1/2 cup of Chicken Broth

Seasonings of Choice

  2 Potatoes

1 Celery Stalk

1/4 cup of Butter 

1/4 cup of Flour

1 Onion (optional)

1/4 cup of Moscato...or any sweet wine, really (optional) 

Salt and Pepper (to taste) 

Directions:
1. Put stew beef in the slow cooker. 

2. Clean and cut the potatoes. (You can skin them, but we don't, We eat the skin. It's good for you!) If you are using real onions, cut those up. Then add them to the slow cooker. 

3. Using the seasonings ( I used basil, minced onion, seasoning salt, pepper, and salt-free seasoning) season the meat and potatoes to taste. (I never measure my seasonings.) And turn the slow cooker on high for one hour. Side note: You do not need minced onion if you're using a real onion.  

4. In a saucepan set on medium, mix the butter with the flour. Beat out all the lumps. Then slowly add beef broth,chicken broth, salt and pepper (to taste) and let it thicken. This takes about 5 minutes. Then add the gravy to the stew. If you are using the wine, add that too.

5. Chop celery stalk into little pieces and add to stew, and let stew simmer for a total of 4 hours. Stirring... and tasting, occasionally.

About 30 minutes, before the stew was done. I baked Jiffy cornbread in a pan, according to the directions. And I boiled  the rice. (Because I used two cans of broth, I boiled the rice in all the leftover broth, instead of water, to give it a bit more flavor.) 

When it was all done, I put a ladle of stew over my cornbread and rice.

It's southern and starchy, but it's most definitely a comfort food. It had us feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. It was just right for the weather and the season! 

9 Ways to Do Christmas Year Round

I've found myself in the Christmas spirit, doing a lot of extra stuff. And spending more time doing things with the kids. I feel guilty, to be honest. Christmas shouldn't be an excuse for more kid time, everyday should be. So I out together a list of things I can do even when its not the holidays. This is mostly for me to use as a point of reference, because I'm so lame I go back and read my blogs. But maybe someone else out there could use a reminder too! 

1. Bake cookies, cakes, pies, and brownies. They are available year 'round, we can bake them year 'round! And it'll be just as delicious in May as it is in December.
2. Christmas Movie Night. We have movie night often. But why not randomly have a Christmas movie night on a rainy day in August?! Some of these movies are too good to enjoy only once a year. I vote to set an entire day aside to  completely binge on the Christmas classics in June!
3. Hot Chocolate. We can drink that anytime its cold, and just switch it to chocolate milk when it gets warm. Where has my common sense been?
4. Keepsake Arts and Crafts. Sure ornaments are out the picture, but that doesn't mean we can't make keepsake foot and hand print dough just for kicks. (And for mommy to cry over when their hands grow a little .)
5. Gifts. We can make and mail gifts year 'round. We may as well let our aunt in Iowa and their grandparents in California know we think about them all year long, and not just when it's "time" to! Besides, nothing brightens a day like a surprise package in the mail. And you'll have a valid excuse for getting rid of the crafts you aren't so fond of!
6. Concerts and Games. The schools and communities have concerts and games for things other than Christmas. There's no need for me to wait until December to go searching for them. You may not find a parade, but it'll still be some pretty good stuff going on.
7. Play Dates/Visits. This can be done whenever two adults are free and have the means and the energy. It doesn't have to just be done when you're making your Christmas rounds. Come on, Kayla, do better! Show love to those you love all year long.
8. Christmas music. Because 'Nsync's "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" is an awesome song any time of the year! And if you practice all year, you will be able to sing "The 12 Days of Christmas" effortlessly come next year.
9. Do for Others. We often wait until the end of the year to consider the less fortunate. So I'm going to think of the homeless year round. I'll have the kids visit nursing homes in the Spring. And we're going to just try and give back to the community as much as we can throughout the year, instead of waiting for the holiday season.

Easy ToiletTrees

Horrible name, right? Well my husband thought of it and it was pretty Punny. So I stuck with it. 

Anyway, the week before Thanksgiving the boys and I did a "sit at the table" class, it was our first one in over a month. 

But I had a really cool idea for a craft that I wanted to try out. 

I love trees. Especially when they're bare. I think they're beautiful! Autumn is definitely the time of year to do some tree crafts.  (I know it's Christmas time but stick with me here- this was an in between craft!) 

We all loved doing this one because there were no directions required. 

I handed the boys construction paper. I used yellow and orange. But you can use red or green (since its close to Christmas)! In my mind, red makes the most sense; it would easily fit in with Autumn and Christmas decor. I handed the boys fall colored crayons: deep purple, red, brown, yellow, orange.  They colored the blank papers until their little hearts grew tired. 

I outlined a CHRISTMAS tree. Cut it out. And and glued it unto cardboard rolls.

Simple. Easy. And oh-so-cute. (And you can totally use markers or paint instead of crayons). The craft looks absolutely adorable beside their Autumn Wine Glasses. One tree fell down, and one of my monsters destroyed it before I got a picture of both of them.  But the one I still have is adorable enough to feature. 

During this activity I got the kids to count crayons, review colors, and talk about weather.  So you could even consider it educational art!

The Story of the Circle

I wrote an entire post and forgot to save it! But let me tell y'all life has been getting to me the past few weeks.
We took an impromptu weekend beach trip, and other than that I've been all over the place mentally and emotionally.  This is a big reason for why I have not been blogging consistently the past few weeks.
I would apologize, but life happens. I'm out my funk, and Im back today. I even wrote a story that I'm going to share.

Today I am telling the story of the circle below.
On the outside, the circle seems to have it pretty well put together. It's got visible flaws, blemishes, imperfections. But its a whole and happy circle, clearly.
But ket's be frank here, we don't know what is going on inside the circle. It's mostly full of red and blue scribbles. That can be whatever you want to call it: yin and yang, happy and sad, sunshine and rain.  Emotions, senses, thoughts, And they over lap often. At any given moment, I-- I mean this circle can feel two, three things at once. Intimate and withdrawn. Angry and relieved. Grief and excitment. Happy, smart, and lonely. Full and empty. 
And it's completely normal for the circle. The circle just goes through life never fully red, yellow, or blue. Always happy. Always sad.  Never consistent.
Beside the emotions scrambling everywhere, there are bursts of purple fear and anxiety, and spots of white. Spots of nothing. The circle feels nothing. It shuts down. Sometimes, unprovoked. The sun is yellow; the rain is wet; 2+2=4. Yeah, but there's nothing there more than fact. There are brief moments lasting  seconds or minutes. But they are still very real, tangible moments when the circle is just merely existing. I'm assuming, to come back from that must be an exhausting mix of fear, happiness, regret, sadness, confusion, anger, and lonliness .

It's no ones fault; the circle was made this way. The circle has accepted who he is, and will probably always be. The circle ruins conversations with open awkwardness, and has trouble maintaining friendships.  The circle is an intellectual shape, yet it's the most confused. The circle doesn't fit in, and doesn't even try to anymore.  It tells lies to stay home, and considers anything with music a party.
At the end of the day, this train wreck of a circle somehow manages to  light up another's world. Wearily and differently, it functions. And that makes it a good circle; a circle with a purpose.
The end.

Cheap (& FREE) Outings

It's FRIDAY!!! YAYYY!!!!

So the boys are starting to go crazy being home every day.  So I have been putting together a list of things to do that are free or almost free. Some of these things I've done, and some are on my to-do list.  I think they're all worth a try.
(I understand that everyone doesn't live in my area, but maybe this will give you an idea of things to do with your little ones.)

1. Library Visits. Check your local libraries schedule, there may actually be events held for kids.  My local one has one every Monday at 10am. But even if they don't, an impromptu story time is still pretty awesome.  The library may also hold pretty cool kid-free events too; if you can manage to get an hour of baby free time.
2. Play Dates.  Play dates are hard to make, but if you can schedule them don't waste that opportunity! It's a great way for kids (and sometimes even moms) to make a consistent friend.
3. Restaurants with Play Areas.  I don't feel obligated to buy meals in order to take my kids to play at the fast food restaurants.  I will gladly pay for a $1 tea to sip on while my boys run around acting crazy.  I think of them as indoor parks.
4. The Fire House. Please, call first. But a lot of fire house will do pop up tours for your little ones. They get to meet firemen, hear about what they do, and see the trucks.  Bonus points for this activity, it's educational
5. Nursing homes. Kids and elderly go hand in hand.  It's flu season now, but once the winter is over  call around and see if you and the kids can visit.  They'll learn and teach so much.  Come this March, my boys will be going twice a month.
6. Picnic in the Park (or the Backyard).  Simple. Cheap. Fun.  Enjoy food while the kids run around.  It's an adventure if you don't do it often.
7. Downtown Walks.  Our downtown is pretty huge! A downtown walk is our go-to family date! It's scenic and since we're constantly moving, we don't have any issues from the kids.
8. Movies. My kids are 3 and under, so I only have to buy a ticket for me.  The matinee ticket is like $6, and the kids' movies aren't so bad.
9. Museums.  We have museums with family days and neighborhood nights, where admission is free or around $5.  It's a great way to educate the kids and learn something yourself.  We even have free museums,
10. Chic-Fil-A.  They're a regional thing, but they host a lot of community events! Ours has a crafty toddler time, So check their events page, if you're lucky enough to have one nearby! Also, they usually have a play place.
11. Sporting Events.  Whether it's school, community, or church.  The local football games are usually $5 or less (and small kids get in free).  They can jump, they can stomp, they can yell.  It's quite exciting if they've never been.  Basketball games work the same way, but the outdoors gives them a little more space with a lot less echo. (My kids don't like echoes.)
12. Park Explorations.  Go to a different park other than the one nearby.  This may cost some in gas, but I've recently found that there are literally dozens of parks within 10 miles that I have never taken my kids to.  The different layouts and play areas make every trip an adventure for them.
13. Nature Trails. Not my favorite, but my kids are in love with them. (Until they get tired of walking.)
14. Skating. If you have your own skates, admission into a rink is much cheaper.  Or you can just skate for free on a sidewalk, around the neighborhood, or at the park...  Or bicycle.
15. Basketball. There are courts literally everywhere.  My kids can't quite make the hoop, but balling together is a good way to get your heart pumping and get family time in. Who says you can't bring a mini hoop or make up your own game?
16. Car Rides to Nowhere.  My kids like to be in the car. Well, the boys do. So riding around to absolutely nowhere is so much fun for them. We sing, talk, tell stories, dance, observe.  It's a really good bonding experience.  And I have an excuse to have the Chicken Nugget Song on repeat.
17. Children's Theatre.  Our local Children's Theater has events starting at $1 per person.  So look into your local theatres.
18. Bookstore.  Especially Barnes & Noble.  They have story time and a little play area.  Check their page, and it'll have the dates and times listed.  If you don't have a Barnes & Noble, it doesn't hurt to call and ask.
19. Pet Stores. Kids like animals; animals like kids.  We all did this once, and it wasn't too hard to pry our kids from the adorable pets, but there was a major pep talk beforehand.
20. Concerts! Concerts! Concerts! Music makes the soul feel good.  Look around for local concerts, at restaurants, schools, churches, community centers or even outdoor areas.  They are more common than you think, especially around the holidays! Let those little ones dance the night away! 

*Sorry there's no visual, my husband decided on an impromptu vacation, and I had no time to make a poster. 

Kitchen Creations: Cheese & Crackers

Okay, you may think this is a filler post, but I really wanted to share this ...

When we were kids my mom would make this snack for us.  We'd eat it all up over giggles and homework, and it was me and my little brother's favorite thing! This magical snack is cheese & saltine crackers.  I know, it's not really that great sounding. And to most, it's not blog-worthy.  But this is a snack that speaks to my soul, so I'm dedicating a post to it.

My mom would tear up the cheese (any kind of cheese), put it on a cracker and microwave it until the cheese bubbles. So, I do the same for my kids.  And it's as big of a hit with them as it was with me.  I'm lying; I love it way more than them.  But they love it enough, we have even made a lunch out of it by adding meat (tuna, turkey, ham, bologna, etc.) to the crackers before microwaving and pairing it with celery or fruit on the side. Sometimes I even give them ranch to dip it in. 

I don't know whether it's because the snack itself brings me back to a happy place full of fond memories, or if it's because of the convenience (the ingredients are always on hand), or if it's just that good. But there's something about these simple cracker snacks I just had to share! 

Kitchen Creations: Steak Bites & Sides

I'm going to give you guys the entire dinner recipe today. Because some days I feel like I belong on the food network. 

I bought stew meat because it was on sale. But let's be honest here, it is literally cut up steak.  So I threw the stew meat in the crock pot (that's what it's made for!) and made a delicious, tender steak dinner.  

With the stew meat, I seasoned it to taste, added butter, and put it in the crock pot for two hours. I did one hour on high and one hour on low, because those are our only two settings.  I imagine you can just do two hours on medium.  This made the meat tender, pink, and juicy just like we like it. Obviously, if you like your steak well-done you'll have to cook it longer. 

I paired our meal with unsweetened applesauce. I warmed up my applesauce for a minute in the microwave and sprinkled cinnamon on top. My husband ate his plain and cold, like his soul. (Ha, I found that funny!) Seriously, y'all applesauce is a very versatile side dish, especially without the added sugar. It's slightly sweet, but not too sweet and it genuinely compliments most of our meals that aren't chicken or pizza. I love having it with dinner! 

Balancing out our applesauce we had no-bake baked potatoes. This idea came from my husband's awesome cousin! We boil the potatoes for 30 minutes (or until you stick it with a fork and it'a soft in the middle) and then microwave them for 5 minutes. The inside is perfect and soft, and the microwave gives the outside a slight crunch and makes it so easy to peel (if you don't eat the outside). It's quicker than a regular baked potato and just as good! 

And there you have it: Medium steak bites, baked potato, and cinnamon applesauce. From your wannabe bootleg food blogger of the day, Kayla. Enjoy! 

Halloween

It's been a few days since I've posted. Between Halloween shopping, babysitting, cleaning, church, parties, appointments, The Walking Dead, and a few other duties. I've been way busier than usual. I'm actually pretty busy today, but I wanted to tell everyone HAPPY HALLOWEEN (and share random fun facts). 

We're taking our kids trick - or -treating at Chic-fil-a & Publix later on, and we just got home from Spooky Storytime at our local library. They are having the best time celebrating Halloween! Did you know that Halloween originated 

with the Celtic people (what is now Irish)? They called it something different. But on October 31, they put on costumes to scare away ghosts! (They believed that on this day ghosts came to the Earth.) Halloween was not originally a "scary" holiday. It was just meant to be superstitious and fun. So I'd like to thank Ireland, for bringing its roots over here to make such a fun (and possibly, expensive) holiday. Do y'all think my princess & blue crayons can ward the ghosts off?

Girl vs. Boys

Noelle is 5 months old today. So I will dedicate today's  post to my littlest angel.  Noelle is the only girl, and honestly, I was terrified to give birth to her because I had no idea what to expect.  But she has been the biggest blessing to our family, and I can't believe I was actually afraid of my little drooling ball of fluff at one point. But she is completely different from her brothers, I was right to think that it would be a completely different experience. 

This list is not based on any facts; it's honestly, just a comparison between my two boys and my girl. 

1. Noelle is sweeter.  My sweet girl gives kisses. She drools all over my face, and she pulls my face to hers constantly. 

2. Noelle is calmer than her brothers were. She squeals and screams all day long, but she's not aggressive like the boys were.  She's a different type of crazy. 

3. My girl needs more attention.  Okay, maybe, we did this to her.  But she basically enjoys being looked at.  Literally, she wants you to just stare at her, while she does nothing.  She has big brothers that kiss her feet, a mom who totes her around, and a daddy who picks her up anytime she makes a cute face... Her need for attention is totally our fault. 

4. The clinginess is real in this one! My sons were true momma's boy.  Skyland could not stand for me to leave him, he'd kick, scream, hit, etc.  And Azariah would let me leave but he was not happy about it if  I wasn't back in time for his nap/bedtime.  That's when he'd let it all out! I thought for sure, Noelle was going to be more independent. But this baby literally grabs me by the face whenever we're out, just to keep other people from holding her. And I have to be in eyesight if she does let someone other than her daddy or I hold her. 

5. She sounds so different.  A girly giggle, a girly squeal, a girly coo, and even her cry lets you know she's a girl.  She's all girl. Her high-pitched voice alone informs you of that. 

6.  Noelle looks more like her daddy than Skyland and Azariah.  Skyland looks like Daddy; Azariah looks kind of like me if you wiggle your nose, stick your tongue out, and squint.  But Noelle got features that the boys did not.  She's her daddy's twin with her light colored hair and beautiful baby blues. She's got his chin, lips, ears, and complexion.  She's got my nose. That's it.  I complained about the boys, and this little girl looks more like her daddy than they do.  

7. Noelle stinks and she likes it.  My little funky girl may not have the worst smelling diapers.  But she enjoys drooling milk into her neck crevices to get her that tang of spoiled milk.  She gets mad when you clean her and takes the first opportunity to achieve her much-loved neck funk. On top of that, her pee smells like pee.  Never dealt with that one before, but since I'm her mom: I, oddly, find all her scents adorable ...  Daddy does not. 

8. She makes weird sounds.  My little girl makes sounds similar to birds and piglets when she's bored.  Her brother's only made general baby sounds.  Not Noelle, she has to go the extra mile and make you wonder when a pigeon got in the house.  

Noelle is crazy, beautiful, smart, and fun just like her big brothers, but she is a completely different individual.  How do your girls differ from your boys? 

My Review: The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do The Time Warp Again

The Rocky Horror Picture Show gave me life last night! My review is completely biased because I am in awe of Laverne Cox.
But it was cute, funny, and awful all at the same time!
Tim Curry's appearance was just adorable and oddly charming. Laverne Cox's outfits were absolutely stunning. And all of the vocals were as fabulous as Laverne. (I'm going to just call her Laverne because we're close friends in another dimension.) Victoria Justice showed a slightly non-Nickelodeon part of herself; her vocals were incredibly ranged. And Christina Milian got on my nerves- like she was supposed to.
There were three things that caught me off guard. 1. It was a bit performing artsy and colorful. Rainbows, reds, golds, and so much glitter! I Didn't see that as either or good nor bad thing...Just, different. 2. The lip syncing was off. I think they did that on purpose, but I did not care for it. And 3. The dance moves. The movie was made for TV, and I expected them to play it a bit more safe than they did.  But the dance moves in some numbers were not that great, they really took me back to High School Musical.  Which is funny, considering that it was directed by the same guy! I guess old habits die hard.
All in all: The original is better; The original is better. But the remake stayed true to its roots in praising originality, vulnerability, and- yes- sexuality.  All while morphing to appeal to both the old and a new audience, and remaining fun!
The transvestite from transexual Transylvania was everything. It's on my DVR, and I will be doing the time warp again tomorrow. Singing louder, with popcorn and newspaper in hand, with some kind of bloody, inspired drink (that's not a Bloody Mary).  Ready to yell- in the words of my sister: "YASSSS!!!! COME ON THROUGH HERE, LAVERNE!"

Be Back Tomorrow!

No long blog today!
I will be tuning into Fox at 8PM tonight to watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do The Time Warp Again!
I'm super excited to watch Laverne Cox and Victoria Justice run the screen.
Not to mention, Adam Lambert and Christina Millian are also starring in it.
The music in this film is going to be mind-blowing.
I'll be back tomorrow with a review.
I have to spend the rest of the day practicing my songs, so I can sing loud and proud come 8pm!
Yes, it's THAT important!

8 (Non-Caffeinated) Tips to Help Boost Energy

I've been extremely tired lately. I've literally been having to push myself to get out the bed.  I just have an extreme fatigue and lack of energy.  

I'm anemic (among other things), so this is a pretty regular experience for me. But someone, somewhere may be having a rough time, so I put together this list of my personal energy boosts. 

Now I am not anti-caffeine; I drink it daily.  But a lot of times caffeine just is not enough to get me going. Some days, it doesn't even seem to be helping me. And there are people who can not or do not consume caffeine at all, so I omitted it from my list.
1. Vitamins B6 & B12- I'm almost always out of this stuff. Currently, I don't have any. But this vitamin definitely gets me going.  It doesn't give me energy, but it takes away the drowsiness.
And there's no crash.
2. Shower- Shower's quickly boost my mood and productivity. It's a relaxation and energizing technique all rolled into one amazing, steamy experience.
3. Movement- I choose to dance, but walking, running, even yoga all help your brain function better.  Get some movement in before you start your day It's even scientifically proven to make you more focused and alert. Can't argue with science, right?
4. Reward System- I reward myself, daily. Whether it's a well-deserved drink of water (or wine), chocolate, or a book. For every one- or half of one, on my bad days- thing I check off my to-do list; I do one thing for myself.
5. Make Tasks Fun- Whether you are working, cleaning, or cooking. Find some way to make it more tolerable.  I make dishes fun by simply singing to them, practicing my karaoke. When I clean the bathroom, I actually pretend I'm filming a scene in a movie. (It works for me.) I used to work in a call center, and I dreaded it. I made that fun by pretending to have different accents every time I answered the phone.  Sometimes I thought I was from New York and other times I was from out west; I even tried an English accent once.  And who hasn't hosted their own cooking show while making dinner? Sometimes you just have to change your mindset in order to get things done.
6. Music- Music makes the world go around.  What can I say? If it's playing, I'm more likely to get things done and make up some awesome dance moves that no one should ever see along the way.
7. Breakfast- I'm more of a Carnations and go, person.  But on my really bad days, breakfast makes the biggest difference. Even if it's something light like fruit and yogurt or cereal.
8. Go Outside- Sunshine, rain, or just really cold.  It's going to wake you up one way or another.  Besides, it's always nice to get a moment or two of fresh air.

How does everyone else get the energy to get moving on their "off" days? 

Homeschooling

I'm having trouble sticking to the daily school thing. This is my first year doing school at home, and it's boring at times. I know that they're only 2 and 3, but it is a crucial time for their brain development, so I take it pretty seriously. But homeschooling gets tedious and repetitive, and I don't believe that they should have to deal with that at such young ages. One of the main points of me teaching them myself (and I am planning to homeschool in a couple of years as well), is to have the freedom to teach them how I want.
So I've decided to incorporate learning into activities. I teach better that way because it's more engaging. And they learn better because it's more interesting. Everyone wins! I'm trashing the flash cards and I'm going rogue.
Every day we will read and do ONE worksheet that corresponds to the lesson: letters, number, color, shape. Do a verbal review and read a story. And then I'll just take it from there. We may do a craft. go on an outing, or watch YouTube videos.  We may incorporate science, history, or even physical education. This should keep us all engaged enough; it gives me some much-needed spontaneity and them a schedule.
Last week, we went to McDonalds for lunch and to play. Because we were learning the letter C  (we were and are still are way behind schedule), I had them do things that start with C. Chomp, chew, climb, crawl, clap, carry. We also reviewed things that started with C around us: cup, cars, car seat, chicken nuggets! By the end of the trip, Azariah (2) could tell me what sound C made and Skyland (3) could tell me the sound and list of things that started with C. This was fun because it didn't take a lot of focus. They spoke to me as we ate,  and when they played I randomly asked them to do "c" words. I even joined them for a very short period.
I realized, anything can be an educational experience; it doesn't have to stay at the table.  And I'm not going to go McDonalds everyday or every week, but I  am going to apply what they are learning into everyday life. 

Kitchen Creations: Garlic Bread Salad

From now on I vow to blog regularly. Not daily, but regularly.  I know people love consistency: daily, monthly, weekly, etc. I aim for daily, but some days I may not make it to the laptop.  I'll be honest about my inconsistencies. 

That being said. This will be my simplest blog post yet. 

Today I heated up leftover baked spaghetti, garlic bread, and salad for dinner.  It's Monday. And if I can manage leftovers on Monday, it's a great day! But during dinner, I had a revelation: put my salad on top of my garlic bread, and it was the most delicious pairing. 

Two weeks ago, I thought of this- so I guess it was a re-revelation- but I was doing too much at once and burnt the garlic bread. But today I successfully tried it. And my taste buds are still ecstatic. 

I may have just changed the way I eat salads and garlic bread forever. I even think I'll be making mini chicken salads on top of garlic bread later this week! 

Kitchen Creations: Buffalo & BBQ Ribs

For a while now, I've been baking our chicken tenders this way, but today we tried it out on ribs. We were not disappointed.

 My boys don't mind a little spice when I can get them to eat dinner, and Jeffrey likes a little too much spice. (Seriously, the man puts Tabasco in his grits.) So I thought this would be fun and harmless to try today.

Ingredients:
Seasonings of choice-- used salt, pepper, oregano, and seasoning salt.
BBQ Sauce-- I used Sweet Baby Rays Sweet 'N' Spicy
Buffalo Sauce-- I used Louisiana Supreme Chicken Wing Sauce, it's one dollar at Dollar Tree.
Ribs

I did not do any measuring. Everything was "to taste".
First, I seasoned the ribs and boiled them for about 20 minutes. Around 10 minutes in, I preheated the oven to 400F.
Then I placed them in a pan. (Make sure to line it with foil; I forgot that step at first as you can see). Put a good amount of buffalo sauce on each one, and even more barbecue on each one (You can also mix the buffalo and barbecue together, but I enjoy the delightful surprise of  "buffalo sauce spots".) I then put the ribs in the oven.
After 30 minutes in the oven, I flipped them, completely covered them with more buffalo & barbecue sauce, then baked them another 30-40 minutes .
 You can cook them longer to make them more tender, but I was hungry so they only baked 60-70 minutes. They were done & they were fantastic! My husband had sauce all over his hands, chin, and neck- that's how good they were.  I'm just sorry I didn't have more than one rack of ribs!

Autumn Wine Glasses

The last few days I haven't had much going on. Instead of wasting everyone's time with fillers, I just did not post. I'd rather say what I want to say than take the time to write something that I don't even find interesting. 

The last two or three weeks I've been slack. I will be the first to admit, I am easily distracted from my to-do list.  We went on vacation a couple of weeks ago, then we weren't feeling well, and I pretty much dropped the ball on my boy's schooling. We've verbally reviewed everything randomly, but they haven't sat down and done work in a while.  

Today we resumed class work, and the boys weren't too psyched. So I planned an awesome activity to kickstart their mood (and mine) before we did our overdue table work.

After breakfast, I collected fingerprints on wine glasses. I stuck with Autumn colors: red, yellow, orange.  

We then cleaned up,  headed outside & collected some Fall memorabilia.

I gave them both plastic bags & told them what to collect: leaves, acorns, tiny sticks.  While we tread the yard, I incorporated some education. I had them describe the weather  (which was perfect and  "Autumn" like) , review colors and count things.  And my sweet boys even gave me a few gifts of dirt and kisses.  And fought each other with sticks.

 

Once we came in, we sat at the table. I let them explain all their findings. We compared things and I even had them describe the textures.  After we finished discussing everything, they put their findings in their wine glasses, and I sat them on the mantle for everyone to see.

I guess I had the right idea;  we got through school seamlessly afterwards. They were focused and energetic (but not too energetic), and I couldn't be happier with how our afternoon began.  Not to mention our outdoor activity mixed "adventure" with science, English, and a little bit of math.

Originally I was going to use jars, but we didn't have any. I am glad, though, I think the wine glasses added a special touch that made this project look just perfect.

Chores for Preschoolers

Instead of an activity today. My boys and I cleaned.  I enlisted my little heroes (who were dressed the part in honor of a true hero, Jacob Hall), and had them help and save me from my never ending chores.  That became our fun activity of the day. 

I knew they'd be pretty decent helpers, considering they are always pulling the brooms and Swiffer out of the kitchen closet.  But I was not expecting them to enjoy themselves as much as they did.  And my chores were actually more fun with their giggles and little hands involved. Everything also took twice as long, but since they weren't making a mess, fighting, or being sneaky while I was cleaning it was totally worth taking the extra time. 

Cleaning time is officially mommy and kids time.  I did have to go behind them and help them some, but for the most part, they were a proud and independent little ninja turtle and batman.  While my boys aren't quite ready to save the city, they did an awesome job of saving mommy today! 

I put together a list of chores for tots, specifically 2-4-year-olds. My sons helped me do all of these today: 

1. Putting clothes in the dryer 

2. Taking clothes out the dryer 

3. Holding the dustpan 

4. Putting dishes in the dishwasher 

5. Wiping the tables and chairs 

6. Throwing things away. 

7. Cleaning up floor with a towel (with one of the floor towels they cleaned up the water they splashed on the bathroom floor at bathtime)

8. Picking up toys 

9. Dusting 

10. Wiping window sills 

11. Putting clothes up- one. at. a. time

12. Putting up shoes 

13. Wiping bottom cupboards 

14. Putting clothes in the washer 

15. Helping unload the dishwasher

Please note: I didn't use any of our cleaners. They used soapy or dry rags when they had to wipe something. 

Kitchen Creations: Cookies & Crumbles Chocolate Shake

I'm feeling pretty "ugh" today. I guess Monday blues hit on Tuesday. So my "ugh" blues lead to one of the most gluttonous posts you may ever lay eyes on. I completed every task on my list today, and I did that only to make my shake as a "reward".  It's been a day that has just dragged on, but this shake has pushed me forward. 

Dieters, diabetics, healthy eaters, High glucose fruit syrup haters, & dentists beware: this post is definitely NOT for you.  I'm sorry to kick you out, but I just had to share My cookies & crumbs shake. And I don't want you shaking your head at me the entire read. 

If you're still reading, here's a list of ingredients. This shake is pretty flexible, but you will need: 

1. Bourbon ice- cream

This stuff is nasty, but it's got chocolate & alcohol in it. My husband bought it, and I'm not about to waste it. So I figured it would be great when mixed with more chocolate. It's also my choice because it's the only ice-cream we have. Normal ice cream would work too! It all depends on what kind of shake you want to make. 

2. Chocolate milk. White milk does just fine, but I used chocolate because of my sweet tooth. 

3. A few Peanut M&M's or any other chocolate candy of choice 

4. Chocolate sandwich cookies. I am not faithful to Oreo; I will not be faithful to them until they begin to sell cookies without cream. (But that's a rant for another day.) 

5. Carnation French Vanilla Instant Breakfast. I know, it's weird. But trust me on this one. 

I like my shakes thicker. So I used about 10 M&M's, 8 cookies, 1 cup of chocolate milk, and 2.5 scoops of my chocolate bourbon ice-cream . I combined everything in a blender. Blended and poured.

And it was an extremely gluttonous, instantly mood lifting snack.  And do you know what? I'm not mad at myself for the extra calories. I'm happy with myself for boosting my mood on this dreary Tuesday evening. 

And I could barely taste the bourbon in my ice-cream, so it was a successful endeavor all around. 

A List of 98 Names: Boys, Girls, & Unisex

I know my blog is all over the place, but I basically pull from whatever I have going on that day. Somedays I know what I'm posting when I awake, others I don't know what I'm doing until I start typing.  Today, Azariah asked me to name his Power Ranger. I called him Fred; he called him "Matman" (2-year-old speak for Batman). But since I do love names, and I often find myself looking at random lists of names. I decided to put together my own list of boy, girl, & unisex names, with meanings (& a few with short explanations). Just for fun! 

BOY NAMES: 
1. Nytiere- This is a name I made up a long time ago; I dubbed the meaning as "night air", very similar to the sound ny-te-heir

  My nephew (who was born before my son) has the middle name Nycier . So I didn't  even try to use my name; my nephew is close enough.

2. Silas- of the forest

3. Kason- a variant of Carson which means "Carr's son"
4. Elliott- Jehovah is God
5. Elijah- my God is Yahweh
  I have a few friends that have used this name, so I never used it.  I'm completely against name-stealing from friends and family, even if it's an awesome name,
6. Ian- Gift from God
7. Asher- happy/ fortunate/ blessed
8. Azarias- God has helped
  I actually wish I named Azariah this. 
9. Zacharias- the lord has remembered
10. Angel- messenger/ angel
11. Ezra- help/ helper
12. Azai- strength
13. Sergeant- to serve
  I love this name, it just screams "little boss", or "big boss". You know depending on the age. 
14. Kaine- tribute
  Spelled differently because I wouldn't want my child linked (closer) to the Cain of the bible. Spelled this way the name also has an entirely different meaning than Cain 
15. Parker- park keeper
16. Nicolai/ Nico-  victory of the people
17. River- river
18. Wyatt- guide/ wide/ wood
19. Myles- destroyer
  Simple, one syllable, and sweet sounding, despite the meaning.
20. Harley- from the hare's meadow
21. Dominic- of our Lord
22. Kasey- observant/ alert/ vigorous
23. Kovu- Yes, like from Lion King 2.
24. Thessius- super ultra old school, but doesn't he sound so mighty & noble.
25. Kofi- my brother & I used to have a toy named Kofi. I loved it.
26. Addison- I think of an artistic and quiet person. One that's brilliant, & has a cool name.
27. Rain- abundant blessings from above
28. Jasper- my favorite name that my husband just had to hate!
29. Casper- treasurer
30. Caspian- Caspian Sea
31. Kellen- powerful/ bright- headed
32. Jonas- a gift from God
33. Noah- comfort/ long- lived
34. Joseph- may Jehovah add
35. Caden- friend/ companion
36. Exodus- going out/ departure
  An unusual name, but it's pretty solid, right?
37. Abraham- father of multitude
38. Pierre- rock/ stone
39. Declan- man of prayer
40. Hunter- hunter
41. Wolfe- wolf
  Boys are strong, crazy, energetic, strategic, wise, leaders. Like wolves. 
42. Titus- title of honor
43. Samson- what better sign of strength than this name?

GIRL NAMES: 
1. Winter- year
2. Quinn- wisdom/ reason/ intelligence
3. Wynette- beautiful
  Uncommon & elegant 
4. Shy- bashful
5. Freya- lady
  This is actually what I figured Jeffrey's name is girl form, that's why I adore it 
6. Rainy- counsel power
  I love nature names, can't you tell? 
7. Misti- misty
8. Charli- small beauty
  My personal opinion: Charli is a better name for a boy than a girl (even if spelled Charlie, keep in mind Charlie means man). 
9. Harlee- hare meadow
10. Riayn- little King
11. Sapphire- gem/ beautiful
12. Adalyn- pleasant
13. Madalyn- magnificent
14. Stormy- tempest
15. Jana- (yah-na) God is gracious
16. Aspen- the name of a tree
  I had a doll named Aspen; she was an avalanche worker. 
17. Della- noble
18. Genesis- birth
19. Jade- means stone of the colic; it's a pretty green stone
  Familiar story: for years my daughter's name was going to be Jade
But my niece, born 4+ years before my daughter, was named Jayda. She was actually born a month after my nephew, so two of my names were taken at the same time. 
20. Capri- whimsy & playful
  I love this name. It was Noelles middle name, originally. But she just didn't look like a Capri, so I named her Noelle Katia instead.  I think of Colbie Cailat's Capri every time I hear the name. 
21. Caprice- fanciful
22. Abbi/ Abigail- father's joy
23. Nyla- cloud or champion
24. Nya- purpose
25. Zana- graceful lily
26. Zuri- beautiful
  A little girl at my daycare way named Zuri. She was precious, cool, smart, & full of life. She was also a bit funky (in a cool way). 
27. Raine- queen
28. Skye- Sky
29. Naomi- pleasantness
30. Skyler- scholar
31. Tyler- door keeper of an inn
32. Ryder- knight
  Like Charlie, I like this name better for girls 
33. Cosette- victory in war
  From Les Miserables. Oh, Cosette! Isn't the name just dreamy?
34. Yasmin- jasmine flower
35. Yazlyn- free
36. Elle- she
37. Vega- star / meadow
  A name from the Galaxy. How cool.
38. Journee- a trip or experience
39. Mac- it means son of Scottish
  But isn't Mac the coolest name for a girl! She sounds all sporty and cool. Everyone's friend & a complete daddy's girl! I just think this is darling. 
40. Ginger - ginger (spice)
  I tried to name Noelle, Ginger when she came out with red hair; Jeffrey wasn't having it. 
41. Kloë- young, green foliage
42. Ivy- faithfulness
  Same story as Ginger. But she does get to be poison Ivy for Halloween; close enough right? 
43. December- tenth

UNISEX NAMES:
1. Averi- counsel
  I am a fan of trading Ys for Is. 
2. Salem- peace
3. Shiloh- the one to whom it belongs
4. Adley- Judicious
5. Phoenix- a fiery bird that is reborn in it's own ashes.
  This name is extremely symbolic, and it was Noelle's name if she were a boy.  
6. Harper- one who plays the harp
7. Elian- the Lord is my God/ God is family
8. Ashe- Ash tree
9. Kansas- south wind
10. Harlow- army
11. Snow- snow/ fair skin/ fair completed
12. Wyn- blessed/ white/ fair
  Simple, 3 letters, & just beautiful for a boy or girl. Reminds me of an honest child. 

3 Secrets for Going Out with Multiple Kids Under 3

We had a few errands to run this morning, so my kids were in and out of the car for a while. Six hours to be exact. For six hours and eight stops, I was taking a 3-month-old, 3-year-old, and 2-year-old in and out of businesses (that were not grocery stores). And at every single stop, I got the Oh-So-Southern "You got your hands full, don't ya?" The answer to that is "Obviously."  But I also got asked "How do you do it?" multiple times, at every single stop. One lady even said to me, "I have 4 kids, and they're pretty far apart.  I was never as calm and content as you are." 

Well, my friends, I have a 3-part secret. Part 1: I don't rush.  I hate errand days because I literally have to pull kids in and out of the car for hours. Just the thought itself is tiring.  But I mentally prepare myself for it, by reminding myself not to rush.  If I am at the post office, the person behind me can wait an extra 40 seconds while I put my money up, open my boy's well-deserved lollipops, and give Noelle her binky before we get out the way.  I am well aware they may not want to wait the extra time, but no one has ever tried to rush me out the way.  And I am not about to break a sweat and lose $10 trying to be a convenience someone else.  Most of the time people chuckle, wave or talk to one of the kids while I am getting everyone and everything together.  So it's not like I am putting a damper on anyone's day.

Part 2 of going out with young kids: I have a stroller.  It's a double stroller with three kids, but I make it work. One of my boys sits on the bench seat, and the other just stands and holds on while Noelle is buckled in. Yes, I take an extra five minutes (added to the extra time it takes to get everyone out of the car) and put everyone in the stroller at every stop.  It is tedious and exhausting, but it is necessary and makes the rest of the trip much easier. I can sit the baby in the stroller as I fix a bottle, or I can buckle either of the boys in when they act out or get sleepy.  I only have so much lap, so if we're stuck at the DMV the stroller makes it easy to get across the parking lot.  And it's a good place for them to sit and watch PBS Kids or play with their dinosaurs if there are no seats.  I literally have to fight every single door with my bulky stroller, but it's better than wrangling them up the entire time I have to wait wherever I am at for whatever I'm doing.   

My last secret is planning.  Planning is very important when you have preschoolers, especially my preschoolers.  Every time we get out the car: I check diapers and ask about the potty.  Because life can change so drastically in 26 seconds with toddlers, once we get inside, I ask if anyone needs to potty and I check diapers.  And I do that once again before we leave.  If it's been two stops since anyone has pottied, we go to the bathroom anyway.  Another tedious and tiring strategy, but I haven't had any accidents in a while.  And I haven't dealt with any long whining about having to pee. (The diaper baby poops at will, there's nothing I can do about that.)  I also plan out my route and what I have to do  and have a perfectly timed lunch in the middle.  Some days I even take them somewhere with a play place for an hour, other days we have peanut butter sandwiches and long stories in the car.  It depends on my mood and my budget.  Planning ensures I don't forget any tasks, and the consistency lets the boys know what to expect any time we do errands.  And the lunch is a real mood booster for everyone! 

There you have it! A little planning, a stroller, and taking my time go a long way when it comes to running errands and keeping my sanity with my three kids.  

Breastfeeding: 7 Reasons To & 4 Reasons Not To

Breastfeeding is one of the hot topics of parenting.

There's co-sleeping, breastfeeding, organic foods, "rough play", discipline, circumcision, ear piercing; you'd be surprised how easy it is to upset someone just because your parenting and opinions differ from theirs.

So today I'm going to bring up the hot-button of breastfeeding.  To do or not to do is completely up to you.  Just make sure your baby eats, whether it's formula or boob magic.  I pumped for my first son, and formula fed my second.  Noelle is actually the first baby that's gotten "on-the-boob" action outside of the hospital. She eats both formula and breastmilk since I don't pump, but she breastfeeds more than anything.

Here's why I breastfeed:
1. All though her poop is looser, leading to more accidents.  It stinks less, so I don't mind it as much.
2. She's my last born, and it seems to make her more baby-ish.  It keeps her in my arms longer.
3. Health benefits, blah, blah, blah.
4.  Pumping hurts.  So I just stick her on the boob.
5.  My boobs are not saggy when they are full of milk; although, they are leaking.  They just seem perkier, and I enjoy that.  They look like wrinkly old cantaloupes when I'm not breastfeeding.  Having babies destroyed my boobs.  Small price to pay, though.
6. If I forget a cup, milk or water; I always have milk. For FREE.
7.  I am lazy.  This is perhaps my biggest reason for breastfeeding.  If I'm asleep (we co-sleep), I can just stick my boob in her mouth.  No sitting up required.  If she's hungry, I don't have to make a bottle; I just stick my boob in her mouth. My boobs are always with me; I never have to find them.  I wash them in the shower so I know they're always clean enough.  Breastfeeding enables my laziness, so I continue to do it.

There are cons and a few reasons not to breastfeeding:
1. I have leaking boobs.  They are not fun.  Sleeping topless is not a comfortable option; that's how you awake in a cold, smelly pool of milk. Worse than a leaking boob is an evil engorged boob.
2.  They are no longer my boobs.  They are Noelle's.  They belong to her, I'm just allowed to carry them around...on my body.
3. I get pinched, nipple chewed, scratched, and grabbed.  Like I said they are no longer my boobs; my 4-month-old mistreats them at her will.  There is nothing I can do about that.
5. Another reason not to breastfeed is because you don't want to or you can't.  As long as the baby eats and receives the nutrition he or she needs, it does not matter.
  

I seriously can stress my last point enough.  I chose to breastfeed, some don't. That's OKAY.  Whether you do it or not, and are public or private with it: as long as your little one is getting proper nutrients you are doing it right. My reason for posting today isn't to encourage or discourage anyone about breastfeeding; I am just sharing personal reasons I have and have not breastfed. 

(The picture attached is her breastfeeding all wrong, she gets no nutrients this way.  But it was so cute I HAD to share. If my nipple offends you, get over yourself!)