Quick, before I get Sidetrack'd

Summer is in full swing around here. The heat was a little late to the party, but it rolled in just in time for VBS this week.

VBS week is always “tired week” around here. Evening VBS throws off all of our schedules, and by Thursday we’re in a bit of a tail spin. But we persevere and enjoy the insanity this one week a year.

This year the kids are also attending morning VBS with friends. They are loving every minute of it! There is nothing that says “Summer” to church kids like VBS; the more the better.

Our church’s VBS theme this year is “kids serving others”. Each night the Bible story is a launching point for another area that can be served. The areas we’re covering are family, friends, neighbors, community, and God. The kids are challenged to find ways to serve each day and bring them back written on paper hands when they come to VBS each evening. It is such fun to see the kids brainstorm ways to serve others and to see the excitement in their faces as they report their kind deeds.

So as we make our way through this week filled with VBS, late lunches, late naps, rushed dinners, evenings away from home, and being up past bedtime, I cherish the moments where my older kids think of ways to serve and reflect on ways they’ve helped others throughout their busy days.

Even as my weary mind and body crave caffeinated coffee and a nap.

My baby girl isn’t much of a baby anymore. On Friday, she will be 19 months old; officially closer to two years old than one year old. I try not to think about that too much, though.

This is the first child that I’ve truly been able to enjoy this early toddler phase. When E and J were 19 months old I was 8 months pregnant. When S turned 19 months old I was 4 days from delivering baby M. It is so much fun to see her develop and learn and grow.

Most of her current milestones involve speech. The little booger is repeating everything and adding new words to her flourishing vocabulary by the minute it seems. At her 18 month check up (23.5 pounds, 31 inches, 25th percentile in both – for the record) I was asked if she had 4 to 10 words; oh yes, she sure did.

Mama (and now Mommy), Dada (now Daddy), ball, dee-dee (blanket), please, thank you, dee-bee (baby), i-eee (eye), ees (ears), nu (nose), be-dee (belly), schee (cheese), bi-bah (ipod), heh-o (hello), hi

And since then she’s added…all three of her siblings names, cu (cup and cut), wa-wa (water), no, my (mine), dog, kitty, ca (car), rah-rah (stuffed tiger), bu (book)

She waves, she claps, she signs please, thank you, amen. She says “I see” and “I want”. She smiles and plays and runs and loves to snuggle in your lap with dee-dee and rah-rah. She likes to look at books as long as she is in charge of turning pages. She loves her siblings and wants to do everything they do. She screams “peas” if you don’t catch on soon enough.

She is a perfectly imperfect full-blown, no going back toddler. As she is just as cute as she can be.

Today I am thankful for warmth – warm clothes, a car with working heater, a house to block the wind, and a furnace for said house, plenty of quilts and blankets.

We spent a couple of hours at the park this afternoon with a friend, and it was cold. My poor kids were shivering as they ate their lunch because I failed to realize how cold it would be and bring coats (instead of light-weight jackets).

And while it was great visiting with my friend, it was nice to get in our car and warm up and then come into our warm house.

By the way, we had to give in last night and turn on the heat in the house.

Today I am thankful for Bible Study Fellowship. There are so many things I could say about BSF and the place it has in my life and in my heart.

This year is the sixth year that I’ve studied God’s word in a BSF class and the second year that I’ve been a leader in the children’s program. A lot has changed in my life in these six years. E had just turned a year old when I started BSF, and Jack was born the Spring of that first year. But there is one thing that has not changed in the last six years – God.

BSF is an in depth Bible study that focuses on one book or group of books each year (30+ weeks during the school year). I have really learned how to dig into God’s word and have come to love reading and studying the Bible over the time I’ve been in BSF.

BSF also has a fantastic children’s program. I really can’t say enough good things about it. It has been such a blessing to have well-trained leaders come alongside Matt and I as we teach and train our children. BSF strives to provide parents with resources to help you train your children and allow the whole family to study together.

I feel so blessed to be able to participate this year as a children’s leader. I love teaching my sweet little three year olds every week and seeing them learn about Jesus and the character of God.

I also feel privileged to sit in the leaders circle with women of faith and study God’s word.

I am truly thankful for BSF.

J ran through the house calling for E, “Hurry, E! Come and look, there is a robin in our backyard!”

They watched through the glass door in wonder as the birds frolicked in the yard.

“There’s a black one with a shiny blue tummy!”

“There’s an all red one, Mommy!”

I told them the red one is called a cardinal.

“A cardinal! A cardinal!”

“Now there are two robins. No, three!”

“Maybe if we’re real quiet we’ll hear them tweet.”

They watched intently until the birds flew on to their next destination.

Today I am thankful for the wonder on the faces of the children as they observe the beauty of the world God has created for us to enjoy.

Too often I get so caught up in the “things” of life that I forget to take time to observe and enjoy. Studying Genesis these last few weeks has been a great reminder of God’s loving provision in creating the world.

Take some time today to wonder at the birds.

Today I am thankful for November. The first of November comes as a reminder to be intentional about counting my blessings.

Each day this month I will post something for which I am thankful. It is both a challenge to be grateful and to blog daily.

I also hope to do a Thanksgiving memory book with the children recording the things for which they are grateful this month. Thanks for the idea, Lu!

A couple weeks after her actual birthday, we celebrated E’s sixth birthday with friends. This was the first year we’ve had a party where we invited her friends, and she was so excited!

We even had an unicorn as a guest!

E loves all things art and crafts. I was fortunate to be chosen as an in-home party host for Creativity for Kids (via MomSelect), and the timing couldn’t have been better. We had oodles of fun crafts to enjoy with E’s friends at her birthday party. I mean, really, I wish I had taken pictures of the two huge boxes of craft goodies that were delivered to my door.

As part of the Creativity for Kids party we received kits for making headbands, bracelets, necklaces, and lots of goodies for take-home bags (design your own tote bags, tie-dye bandanas, fashion design books, and more). We also received several kits for E and I to enjoy in the weeks and months to come. It was wonderful! E had so much fun sharing her passion for crafts with her friends.

These craft kits are great! They include everything you need to carry out your projects down to adhesives and scissors. The kits are easy to use, and most important of all, they are fun. It was unanimous among the moms that every craft kit made should include the tape adhesive that was included with the bracelets. And let me tell you, the moms enjoyed the crafts as much as the kids.

Because the in-home party was geared toward girls, I had to get creative when it came to the boys’ activities. With Matt’s help, I settled on pirate eye patches, pom-pom shooters, and alien puzzle pieces. I think the kids were happy (and the girls made as many of these as the boys did). I mean, what kid doesn’t like glue, foam stickers, and glitter glue?

We had a great party. E got lots of fun gifts, and we had delicious cake (chocolate with vanilla icing and fresh strawberries). It was everything a sixth birthday should be.

Even M got in on the party action.

I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to host a Creativity for Kids in-home party through MomSelect. It made for a fun party that was right up my “baby” girl’s alley.

Disclaimer: I was given a variety of Creativity for Kids craft kits in order to facilitate this party and review. I did not receive any additional goods or compensation for this post. All opinions expressed here are those of myself and the party participants.

(only a week late)

(yes, that was the best I could get)

(such is life around here)

On June 27 we passed a new milestone in this house…E’s first lost tooth!

She has been anxiously awaiting her first loose tooth since she was about four and a half. This bottom tooth got slightly wiggly a couple of months ago, and I really hadn’t thought any more about it. On the 26th, she came to me with another mouth issue, and while I was looking in her mouth my finger bumped against this tooth. It was so loose it practically fell down!

Her daddy tried to convince her that the tooth had to come out before she could eat dinner, but she was having none of that. The next morning she asked for apple for breakfast, and while she was eating it the tooth popped out. No tears, no blood, no drama. That’s how loosing a tooth should be!

As most of you know, we don’t do Santa, the Easter Bunny, tooth fairy, etc around here. So when she asked when the tooth fairy (knowing it was really mommy and daddy) was going to come the following conversation ensued…

Me: maybe the tooth fairy won’t come at all.
E: but that wouldn’t be fair.
Me: why don’t you think it would be fair?
E: because the tooth fairy visits everyone else!
Me: well, what do you think the tooth fairy should bring?
E: I don’t know.
Me: what if she only brings you 3 pennies?
E: okay!

So, the tooth fairy brought her 1 dollar and 3 pennies. And she is very proud of her lost tooth and her money!

Last month our little sprite of a girl turned 2 years old.

She is such a fun and entertaining girl.

S’s favorite thing to do is spin in circles. It’s just a natural part of her day, like walking or eating. She spins until she falls down and then gets up and spins some more. The other day she was spinning around as she ate her banana. She also likes to hold a stuffed animal or doll and spin while singing “Ring Around the Rosies”. One day she was jumping while she spun and told us it was a “spinning show”. She is a trip!

She loves to read books, play with her siblings, and love on baby M.

Her favorite toys are definitely baby dolls (and playing mommy). She loves to swing and slide, ride her ride-on toy, and run around outside.

S’s favorite food is “bunnies” (Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies) or cheese, and her favorite drink is orange juice.

She is still a tiny thing weighing in at 22 pounds. She is moving into size 24 month clothes but still fits pretty comfortably in many of her 18 months (except dresses; all of her 18 months dresses are way too short. Guess she has long legs for her size?). We finally made it onto the growth chart at our doctor visit last week. She is 10th percentile in height (as she has been for a while) and less than 5th percentile for weight. The doctor was fine with her growth, though, so that is definitely an answered prayer.

She talks like a big girl now; in complete and (mostly) comprehensible sentences. Some of her speech funnies are “uh vekum” (your welcome), “harms/heyes/hyegs” (arms/eyes/legs), “singers” (fingers), and “mah doocie” (more juice).

S loves to sing Jesus Loves Me and Holy, Holy, Holy. She says the prayer God Our Father at mealtimes and bedtime. She has also been heard saying a “real” prayer: tank you for bubba, tank you for Mah-Mah, tank you for sunshine, tank you for friends, etc. So sweet!

I can’t imagine life without our “miniature” girl.

We love you Boo-boo. Happy 2 years old!