New Nick Name

I need some suggestions for a new nick name for our baby # 3. It sounds to institutional to call him/her baby #3, and both of our other babies had nick names (Dade was Jim-Jon, and Matia was Sweet Pea). I have to say that Squirt and Bean are the only two that I will not consider as they are too popular and I want something a little different. I'd love to mull over your suggestions for an interim name for this new little one.

To Nap or Not To Nap, That is the Question

So my kids are growing up. Dade is 4 and Matia is 3. I have been extremely blessed with children who sleep well. Up until now, my kids have naps from around 1pm to 3pm daily, with bed time set at around 8pm. I know if I push the issue I could still get the kids to keep on napping, but it is becoming more of a struggle and then bed time gets pushed back further and further. I'm reluctant to give up the naps because I really appreciate the quiet time it gives me, also we have several melt downs between 3 and 6pm. What I'm trying to come up with are some ideas of the kinds of things I can do with or for the kids to keep some of that quiet time atmosphere now that the naps are nixed. Any tips?

I Can't Get No Satisfaction, but I Try, and I Try...

So last week my goal was to make more home made nutritous soups. Over the course of the week I made Spinach Soup (I'm the only one who ate it), Chicken Vegetable Soup (Grandma's recipe), Grandpa Al's Hamburger Soup, and I had Borscht on hand from last week, but no one had any. The challenge I find with soup is that with preschoolers it is messy. They have made a request that I purchase some straws so they can slurp up the soup instead. Sounds good to me, I'll have to put them on the list. Also, right now I'm expecting and I find the smell of onions and garlic a bit off putting. It tastes fine once I can get past the smell, but that seems to be the base of most low cal soups. Interspersed between the soups we had Chicken Cordon Bleu, Pulled Pork (no buns) and Roast Chicken. All in all we ate fairly healthy. I find though that I'm not satisfied. I'm full, yes, but satisfied? No. What I want is a nice big dose of sugar or starch! Sigh.

I guess this week my goal will be to find some healthy, fresh tasting, and satisfying snacks and treats. I'd welcome any suggestions. I'm thinking yogurt parfaits might be the first thing on my list.

The Highs and Lows of Unplugging

I'm back from a week of being unplugged. I'm glad to be back, but I am also more guarded of my attitude toward this world of virtual communication and entertainment. Here are some of the highs and lows from my week...

High: I took time to catch up on rest, as I felt achy and tired quite a few days this week.
Low: I was not distracted by the computer, but because of how I was feeling I didn't spend as much quality time with my kids as I had intended.

High: I tried out a whole bunch of recipes and caught up on some over due cleaning.
Low: There is no catching up for good, and my list isn't any where near complete. This experiment has shown me how important it is to use the minutes in my day more wisely. I'd like to get to the point where I have a routine to maintain, rather than always trying to get everything done in a few days after procrastinating or having unexpected events come up. This is another good reason to limit my computer time indefinitely.

High: I did get to have some fun with the kids. We did a few crafts and made some favorite foods, read some stories, watched some movies, and cuddled.
Low: I still feel like they watched too much t.v. this week.

High: I didn't miss much. Friends and family still pick up their phones. My DH kept me abreast of various Facebook statuses. I pondered on what was happening on my friends' blogs, but I can catch up eventually. Though I like to, I've learned I don't need to read every detail of everyone's lives. Though they are very helpful and interesting, they are a treat and need to be consumed in moderation.
Low: I had to go on line for a couple of recipes and to confirm an email for work reasons. So I did cheat just a little. I didn't get side tracked though, I only got the essential information and then shut it off.

It wasn't as hard as I thought I would be to unplug this week. Though I had withdrawal symptoms ( my thoughts constantly turning toward what people were doing, and thinking that I should email so and so about such and such) my journal and my bible and my recipe books filled the gap nicely. I realize again the value of working and resting and connecting and how those elements in my life have been shaped by the availability of internet.

So, I have decided that web surfing and all other forms of electronic communication needs to take place after my kids are in bed. Just like a good movie or a book or a game, it needs to be something I choose to spend a limited amount of time doing. The rest of the day I need to be really present for my kids and my husband and my home. I will still have days where I don't accomplish much, those days are a given. What I must not do is surrender my time without thought or compunction as to what I'm giving up in order to laugh at someone's ironic story, or discover the next yummy recipe. This is my real life and I need to live it, or else what do I really have to blog about anyway?

Here's a peak at some of our projects please don't judge on the home decor or the fashion :) we're a work in progress!

Working on some fine motor skills, cutting out an indoor snowboard made of underlay foam. Like totally dude!

You're not going to believe me but there are no fumes in this paint, she just has her Grandma Heather's knack for closing her eyes when the camera flashes.

Keeping them on their toes with a carefully developed obstacle course.

Matia actually fell asleep while watching her brother do puzzles on www.poissonrouge.com it must have been riveting!

Enjoying the valentines that Grandma sent

Matia helped me make Pink Pudding Pies just for us. Yum! They were so enticing that Dade actually ate his supper after vowing not to. Hamburger soup isn't so bad after all!

Gotta Go

Well for the first time, since I've started reading blogs and hanging out here in bloggy land I need to take a break.
I have been finding it hard to pay attention to my duties at home because I've been feeling yucky/pregnant, and because I've been procrastinating shamelessly.
I need to remember what it is like to get things done. To look directly into my kid's eyes when they talk to me, instead of sideways with the glare of the computer in my glasses blocking my vision. I need to rely on my own creativity instead of reading about a bunch of cool craft ideas and then book marking them for a later date when I'll have TIME to do them with the kids. If I turn off this computer I'll have the time, any time!
I get frustrated because my house isn't clean, but then I sit down and look for a blog that I can read and look for cleaning and organizing tips. It's so silly!!!
So today was the last day, and I binged majorly on the blog roll today. It was a true sit on my duff Saturday, and it ends tomorrow!!

1. I get to go to church and worship, clear my head and my heart and get ready for the week to come.
2. Enjoy fellowship with friends.
3. Develop a PODA list (Parade of Daily Adventures) for the week.
4. Set a timer. Work 15 mins, take a break for 15 mins, until the job is done (whatever that job may be according to the PODA)
5. Take time to connect. Call a friend. Cuddle the kids. Write some Valentines. Plan a Date night with DH (See Project 52 on side bar)
   
6. Make a place and times to pray. Work on implementing a quiet time with the kids.
7. GOSAM!(Get OutSide and Move!) Kick that cabin fever's butt!
8. Journal. Find a pen and paper and jot down thoughts from this experience.
9. At the end of the week blog about it :) Use journal for notes.

S-eeeewww-p

I have soup issues. I make soup for lunches because it is economical and healthy. Very good, sensible reasons, so why can't I be sensible about eating soup. I always look for an alternative when I am serving soup. Something high in fat and sugar please. I usually turn up my nose at soup, until... I take a bite. If I can just get a spoonful in my mouth I quite enjoy it and even go back for more, but the self discipline it takes to just put a teaspoon of the stuff in my mouth is quite ridiculous. I have great recipes and somewhat great success most of the time when I make it. Today's specialty is borscht. It was delicious and now I'm trying to convince myself to fill up my bowl again instead of boiling up some pasta with butter...
This will be my nutrition goal this week, to consistently prepare healthy soups for the whole family to enjoy for lunch, and also eating them myself! If you want to join a fun nutrition challenge with me check out the Mission Family Nutrition button on my side bar, or click on the link above.

this and that

Today I have nothing of consequence to report, but I have a lot of inconsequential stuff!

• I now have a doctor. The local GP took pity on me and took me on as a patient. He will eventually hand me over to a OB/GYN closer to the end of my pregnancy, which means I'll get to deliver in the hospital I was hoping to deliver in. Yay, everything worked out in spite of my grumbling, complaining and cynicism.
• I managed to clean up my entry way today. That sounds like it should be a small job, but there were piles of stuff that I didn't know what to do with, not to mention that everyone in the family has at least 3 pairs of foot wear hanging out on the entry mat. If it had not been for Mike carting out a bunch of stuff to the shed, and my BFF encouraging me on the phone, there would have been no victory. Thanks you guys, you're great! Now I should attack my desk, but I have no back up recruits to get me through it so I'm a bit afraid and may leave it for another day.
• I'm currently reading Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I'm hooked, though it took me 4 months just to get up the gumption to open the book. It is very thick and I figured there was no way I could carve out enough time to read something that long, but exam week happened and I got to sub for it, which gave me the quiet time I needed to get into this book. It has an interesting plot and well developed characters, but the forward was a bit dry and put me off a bit. Once I got through the first chapter though I was over my initial disinterest and found I am more than able to carve out time to read.
  
• Dade and Matia and I made chunky crayons today. Go here to see how, they are cooling right now, so hopefully they work out and it won't be difficult to get them out of my muffin tins!
• I like buttons. I wish every blog that I read had a button so I could put it up on my page. I know RSS Feeds are way more convenient, but I like going to my page and clicking on buttons to see if there is anything new. I don't know why, I'm just weird like that.
  

I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations." Ps 89:1

Tonight I sang my kids to sleep. I haven't done that in a long time, usually their wakeful stamina outlasts my repertoire, but tonight they are suffering with colds and just needed a bit of extra mommy time. I have to say I'm the one who probably enjoyed it the most, seeing as they were both zonked well before I stopped. Sometimes I forget how nice it is just to praise God with a song. I love all kinds of songs from the old Psalty the Singing Song Book to Hymns and choruses we sing in church today. I'm not a "singer", I can carry a tune and I'm not shy (especially in preschool circles), but I'm no worship leader. I just like to sing. I love the poetry in songs. I like thinking about the message of the words. I like to place emphasis on particularly meaningful lines. I like being able to change the tone and pitch of my voice, trying different styles from jazzy to a more crisp classical sound. My favorite memories of singing include: washing dishes with my sister, long road trips with my whole family, singing around the camp fire while my Dad played guitar, belting out funny songs at camp, jamming at worship practice on Saturday night at church, and of course rocking my new born sleeping babies. Sometimes I forget what a privilege it is for me to be able to just burst out in song any time I like. I don't take advantage of that privilege enough because I'm worried about what someone else might say, or I feel like there's no time, or I'd rather talk on the phone or read a blog or escape into some quiet time. I'm so glad I have kids that ask me to sing to them or I might forget my voice altogether and lose that connection with my savior that I've had since childhood. I want my kids to have that connection too, so I will sing on.

Some of the songs I sang tonight include: It is well, Amazing Grace, Ascribe to the Lord (Come & Sing Praises), Seek Ye First, Micah 6:8, Jesus He's the Way Maker, King Jesus is All, Beautiful, Make Me Like You (Servant Song), Be Still and Know, The Lord's My Shepherd (He Leadeth Me), The Love of God, Jesus, How I Want to Be Lord Just Like You, Jesus Loves Me...

What are some of your favorites?