Jul 15 2011

Mama Loves to Read

I love to read.

I love the library.

I love all things books.

…..however…..

I have 3 littles who need me.

I have loads of laundry that await me.

I have carpets that need vacuuming and floors that need washing.

I have dishes to be cleaned and errands to run.

….how is reading a good book possible with little children?….

I have 6 tips that might help you find more time to read. I’m currently reading through the Bible in 90 Days and I’m in the middle of the Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson.

Bible in 90 Days

and yes, I have found time to read, you can too!

1. Take it everywhere. I bring a book with me everywhere I go, it’s become a habit that has proved beneficial when I’m waiting and need something to read.

2. Use your phone. Download your favorite book onto your phone, it’s one less thing to carry around. I have the Bible app on my phone through YouVersion (I highly recommend it!)

3. Look for opportunities. I sometimes am like a lion on the hunt for it’s prey when it comes to looking for chances to read. You might find me reading:

at swim lessons
at Sports Camp
during nap time or play time
at the car wash
in between loads of laundry

Always be prepared for those moments when you can break out your book and read; even if it’s only 5 -10 minutes.

4. Put kids down for naps. As we all know, it’s important that our little ones rest. I make (yes I said make) my children lay down every day; whether or not they sleep is beside the point. Everyone benefits from quiet time; I use mine to read, blog or rest myself!

5. Turn off the TV. At night it’s so easy to pop on the TV and zone out. However, if you designate certain nights to reading, you might find that turning off the boob-tube is refreshing.

6. Look for a system. Don’t give up if you haven’t had time to read in months. If you have a good book that you really want to read, keep looking for a system that allows you to read 10 – 20 minutes every day. You have the time, it’s about rethinking and adjusting our priorities or activities!

Don’t give up, you can do it!

For more Encouraging Monday posts go here.

Jun 8 2011

Rocking Chair

This is the rocking chair I sat in when I was a little girl.

Here’s my baby enjoying it now.

Thankful my parent’s have saved it all these years.

This post is inked to 5MinutesforMom

May 29 2011

Little Friends

This post is linked to 5MinutesforMom

Mar 16 2011

10 Tips for Room Sharing

With the idea of a new little one coming in a few months my mind is already churning with where we’ll put him/her, and how we can reconfigure the space we have.

We’re currently renting a 2 bedroom – yea it’s crazy to think we’ll have 6 people in a 2 bedroom triple wide mobile home, but it’s where we are at the moment as we become completely DEBT FREE…so you sure won’t hear this mama complain about cheap rent and crammed corners, I know it’s only temporary.

I’ve recently moved our 14 month old into the room with her sister (3yrs) and brother (5yrs). It’s been interesting to say the least, but we’re making it work!

Here are 10 Tips that might help you
combine siblings into one room.

http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2009/08/05/PH2009080501363.jpg

1. Talk with older child about the positive parts of sharing a room: you get to be together all night long, you get to be Mommy’s helper, etc. You want them to be excited and not feel like they’re being encroached upon.

2. Stagger bed times. At the beginning I’ve found it helps to put the younger child to bed first. Once they’re asleep, bring in the older child.

3. Use fans and music. I have two fans going all night long and music that plays as they fall asleep. The louder the fan the better, in my opinion!

4. Explain what to do if younger child cries. Mine know not to yell at baby, scream for mom or get out of bed. I’ve told them to simply cover their ears or put their pillow over their ears, then mommy will come in shortly to quiet baby. They need a plan of action to follow, so you must find what works for you and the kids.

5. Tweak it. Kids are by no means cookie cutter stamps, it’s always a trial & error. Try something for a few nights then tweak parts of it until you find the best solution.

6. Check out a few good books from the library to help with transition. We like: A Room of My Own, There’s Room in the Forest for Everyone, Room to Share, It’s Time to Sleep in Your Own Bed, Bedtime, and Sharing

7. Let baby cry. I have a huge tendency to rush in and quiet baby the moment she stirs or makes a peep; but I find that if I wait 1 – 5 minutes she falls back to sleep. Other times she doesn’t, and when that happens I go in to comfort her. It’s okay to let them stir and fuss for a few minutes, they’ll eventually learn to put themselves back to sleep.

8. Make it fun! Young children are all about having fun, it’s just their nature. If you must, rearrange the furniture, put up some new posters or pictures of the siblings playing. Create an enjoyable room they want to be in and share together!

9. Be consistent. Once you find a basic system that works, stick with it. If you bring baby back into your room after a few days you’ll find you have to start all over. Once you make the transition, make changes to the new system but try not to revert. Going back to the way it was is temporary relief but can cause confusions and frustration for everyone later on.

10. Relax. This is a big one for me. Every time I’ve had to combine children in a room for the first time, I’m nervous. You probably will be too and it’s normal. I worry that the other children will wake up and then I’ll have three kids to calm down and put back to bed. So far that’s only happened twice, but guess what? We survived!!! It’s okay to feel anxious, just remember everyone is learning to adapt to a new system. It will take time.

Feb 10 2011

Care Bears watching themselves!

Wordless Wednesday Link-up

Feb 1 2011

10 Encouraging Tips

Here are my Top 10 Encouraging Tips to help you
Maximize Your Mornings (MYM)!

Remember:
YOU. CAN. DO. IT.

1. Set low goals.
If you keep hitting snooze and can’t seem to get out of bed; tomorrow morning, wake up and go sleep on the couch. You’ve done step 1 in MYM: Get out of bed!

2. Give & Take.
Sometimes, my sink stays full of dishes so I can go to bed at a decent time so I can wake up early.

I find there’s always a give and take if I want to have my mornings.

3. Remove the Competition.
It’s just our human nature to compare and compete. I even compare myself to myself. If I have a great morning on Monday, but Tuesday my phone dies and I wake up an hour late, it’s okay.

MYM is not a race or a competition, it’s an unfolding experience of growth that happens with time.

4. Try 1 step at a time.

I’ve had more success with my Mornings when I take it slow. I practice one step at a time.

When I’ve tried to do all four MYM steps at once I fail. It’s all about Baby Steps!

5. Prep the night before.
First and foremost, plan at night. My mornings run smoothly when I prep at night. No night = No morning.

6. Be Patient.
Again, it’s not a competition, but an unfolding experience that happens with time.

MYM is much like a budding rose that has begun to bloom, it will happen with the right environment and time. Cut yourself some slack, you’re doing a great!

7. Goodbye Night.
I can’t say “HelloMornings if I don’t say, “GoodbyNight”. Going to bed early is definitely overrated!

8. Accountability.

I overlooked this point in Kat’s book the first time I began MYM; and to be honest, I didn’t do so hot.

Having someone to be accountable to is like using handrails when you’re going down the stairs, it’s there to help you balance. Find accountability on FaceBook and Twitter or even better, have a friend text you each morning!

9. Tweak it.
When I first started MYM, it took a few weeks of trial and error to figure out what worked for me. You have to find that groove that works for you: what time to go to bed, where to spend your quiet time, what to read, where to exercise, etc. If plan A isn’t working, don’t be afraid to tweak things to find what works best for YOU!

10. Aim for growth.
Perfection is not the goal.

Having a morning time is to help replenish us so we’re full and ready to pour into our family. There is no score chart or grade, only growth!

If you haven’t downloaded and printed Kat’s free e-Book, I highly suggest it! Go here for all the details.

Photo Credits: Photo1 Photo2 Photo3 Photo4

Jan 26 2011

Sidewalk Paint

If you live in the Southern California area you are blessed with warm weather. It currently feels more like Spring than it does Winter. Am I bragging? Well maybe a little, it’s hard not to crack a smile when there’s sunshine and blue skies everywhere! Can you say shorts, flip flops and park days?!

So here is an easy craft I do with my kids that brings out their fun and messy side and lets their creative juices flow.

It’s called Sidewalk Paint. And it is E-A-S-Y.

Here’s the recipe:

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

Food coloring

Yep that’s all there is to it.

In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and cold water. Stir in as many drops of food coloring as you need to get the color you would like. Repeat this process for each paint color.

Use a paintbrush to make fun designs on the sidewalk or driveway.

To wash the paint off, simply spray the area with water.

Cornstarch is all natural and biodegradable which makes it safe for kids, animals, or plants!

I recycle old butter and sour cream tubs and keep our paint in those.

When the sidewalk paint has become dry, I’ve added water to it and it softens up quickly!

Linked to: Works for me Wednesday

Jan 18 2011

Top 10 Books

Top 10 Parenting or Mom books I plan to read, re-read or finish this year!

Momology

Taking Care of the Me in Mommy

The Duggars: 20 and Counting

Bringing up Boys

Bringing up Girls

The 5 love languages of Kids

Parenting from Cradle to College (CD series)
A powerful set of 12 CD’s on parenting from ‘Cradle to College’. Each CD is approximately one hour in length, recorded live, and filled with Bible based teaching on how to raise Godly children.

Dr. Denny Nissley, a published author, has been in full time ministry for 29 years. He has preached the Gospel in 50 states and 12 countries around the world. He and his wife Sandy have been married for 28 years, have 11 children and speak internationally on Marriage and the Family.

Go to their website here, to order.

The Home Experience by Devi Titus

Steady Days, A Journey Toward Intentional, Professional Motherhood

The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections

Dec 3 2010

Living Closer is a Finer Thing

Today I’m celebrating family.

We recently moved closer to our family and it’s been quite wonderful to say the least.
Cousins.
Sisters and Brothers.
Aunts and Uncles.
Grandparents.
Family.

I’m surely celebrating the finer thing of living closer to family this Friday!

Schedule

Schedules:
Hard to make.
Hard to maintain.

For some reason after having kids, scheduling became harder and harder and then I kept having more and more kids.

I fell out of my habit of a daily routine, I mean, sure I had a routine with the baby but an actually schedule just wasn’t working for me early on.

So now I have 3 littles at home, and a schedule has quickly become my lifesaver. I’m finding having a schedule with my kids is bringing peace to my home during the day.

Our day

Wake up / Watch morning cartoons
Eat breakfast / Clean up
Kids do their responsibilities
Play outside (if weather is nice)
Craft time
Snack time
Free play with toys
Eat lunch
Clean up / Play with toys
Get ready for quiet time
Have quiet time
Wake up / Cartoons and snack
Focused play / start prepping for dinner
Set the table / Eat dinner / Clean up
Spend time with Dad
Ready for bed

If you notice there’s no times next to each item, that’s on purpose. I can’t live solely by a clock with three littles running around; however, having a general schedule keeps things in order and peaceful.

I also must factor in bad weather, errands, sick kids, play dates, etc. On a whole though, this is what a general – average day looks like and the kids know what to expect.

I find there’s peace in my home with a schedule, it works for me and helps keep everyone happy and heading in the same direction each day!

For more Encouraging Monday Posts, go here. This is also linked to Works For Me Wednesday.

Practical Tips for Happy Parenting

The HappyAndersons Blog

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