37 Weeks

Well, I am 37+1 weeks and feeling pretty good.  I have all of the normal aches and pains for this stage in the game. We had our weekly appt. and both baby and I are doing well.  Surprisingly I lost 1/2 lb since last week.  I've heard that is one sign that labor is fast approaching, which really excites me.  Baby McGrew dropped 3 days ago, so I can breathe a lot easier, but with that also comes the intense lower abdominal/pelvic pressure.  So thankful and excited to see and meet and hold our little man.  

Everything is falling into place though.  We had our hospital tour a couple weeks ago, we've turned in our paper work and birth plan. We've met with our friend that is in training to be a Doula and will be attending our birth, Labor & Delivery Playlist is all set, and the hospital bag is almost completely packed. The rest is all in God's hands! 

Lyrical Latte Monday-June 2013

Photo by Amber Spung

The following song is Worn by Tenth Avenue North. It was inspired by Mike Donehey's (the lead vocalist) struggles and trails with having young kids.  Sometimes it's really difficult and let's face it, kids don't seem to need any sleep...especially young ones. :)  Which in turn, means little to no sleep for the parents.  

I first heard this song a few months ago and it was in the same time frame that our oldest was teething and we weren't getting much sleep.  First, I connected with the song, and then when I heard what inspired Mike to write the lyrics, it helped to bring me peace and strength.  No matter what age your children are, there will be times in life's journey that you may feel tired and worn. Seek the Lord on behalf of your children. God honors that big time. 

 I hope this song and the message behind it brings you strength.  

Pregnancy Journal Entry-Week 34

Hi Little Caterpillar!

Yes, you have been VERY active the past couple weeks.  I've heard it said that the majority of babies start settling down by around week 32, but you are still wiggling and rolling around like a little Caterpillar.  This week you are weighing around 6-7 lbs and are approx. 20 inches long. The Lord is finishing up with the final details of what will make you-"You". While you are complete (on the outside), your lungs and brain are continuing to mature as well. It's amazing to think that we will be meeting you in only a few short weeks. There are a lot of people thinking and praying for you and your journey as you arrive Earthside. 

Love you and see you soon,

Momma

Lyrical Latte Monday-June 3rd

Photo by Amber Spung

I heard this song a couple of months ago while driving in my car. I was just beginning to put together my labor/delivery playlist. I found that some of the lyrics in this song, plus the beat, would be great to listen to while laboring and so I decided to add it to my playlist. 

Pregnancy: 7 Ways to Aid in Waking Up

Photo by Jason Sheveland

Stretching

While still lying in bed, I begin stretching by rotating each of my ankles 3-5 times, then I flex my toes towards my head (as my calves can get extremely tight throughout the night). I hold this stretch for approx. 15-20 seconds on each foot.  Next, I (very slowly) rotate at the waist and stretch my lower back (Lumbar & Sacral regions) both sides. Finally, I do a full body stretch and take another deep breath.

Deep Breaths

By the time you get to your Third Trimester, your lungs begin to have less room as baby continues to grow and prepare for his or her arrival.  Although I find that I can breathe fairly well when lying down, it is always nice to sit on the side of our bed, raise my arms up over my head (to create just a bit more room) and then take a couple deep, rejuvenating breaths.  Ladies, you know the kind of breathes I mean. The kind of breath where you feel it awaken your body, all the way from your fingertips down to your toes.  

Photo by Sandara Lee

Shower-But With a Twist

There is nothing like stepping into a nice hot shower in the morning. However, if you are still feeling groggy and dreary eyed by the end, try switching over to cold water and letting it run on you for your final 10-15 seconds before you end your shower.  Whoa! Now wasn't that invigorating? 

Essential Oil

***First, there are Essential Oils that should be avoided during pregnancy. Before venturing into the world of oils, I encourage you to take a look at the following link. It lays out what oils pregnant women should steer clear of. http://bubbleandbee.blogspot.com/2010/08/essential-oils-and-pregnancy.html

Second, because Essential oils are highly concentrated, they should not be used directly on the skin.  The way that I use them is 1) I take the lid off and smell the fragrance, 2) I add a few drops of the oil into a couple table spoons of oil (usually Grapeseed or Almond Oil) and then rub it onto my skin. 

My favorite "wake me up" fragrance is Peppermint. 

 Ice Water

Grab a glass ( I usually just use the same glass I had by my bedside), fill it with fresh, cool water and then add a few ice cubes (add cucumber, strawberries, lemon or lime) and drink it down.  Having a glass of water before eating breakfast has been shown to awaken your digestive track-preparing it for breakfast. After my first glass, I often refill it immediately, and then aim to drink at least 10-12 glasses of water throughout the rest of my day. 

 Breakfast-Fruit & Protein

During my first pregnancy I dealt with 14 weeks of "all day sickness".  My Midwife mentioned that although it may not sound good, eating protein for breakfast was really important and could help alleviate some of the nasty nauseousness I was feeling.  She was right!  When I started to feel nauseous this pregnancy, I remembered what she said and ate some protein.  Sometimes it's a few slices of cheddar cheese, other times it's been beans/nuts or scrambled eggs.  Most of the time (not all), eating protein has helped me not only feel better, but has increased and lengthened my energy. 

Photo by Amy Aldworth

Fruit is another great source of energy because of the natural sugars and antioxidants found within it. Many times, I've added some blueberries and banana to hot (or cold) cereal, or waffles.  Other times I enjoy eating a small bowl of mixed fruit or for a nice mid-morning snack I may cut up apple slices and dip them into plain Greek yogurt mixed with Peanut Butter, Cinnamon and Honey.   This pregnancy I have been craving watermelon, so there are moments I have sliced and diced some watermelon and enjoyed that.  Yum! Make it your own. Whatever fruit you like, have some on-hand
 for your morning meal or mid-morning snack. 

Day Light

When I get a chance to either sit inside (by a window where the sun is shining directly in), or if I get a few moments to venture outside to lounge in the sun, I find that my senses seem to awaken almost instantly.  Any areas of my mind or body that are still fighting grogginess, seem to awaken as I take a deep breath of that morning air and close my eyes.  If you are able to, another great way to enjoy the morning is by taking a stroll, which of course get's your blood pumping. 

Have a great day!! 

Philoteknos {Re-post}

The following was my first blog post ever and I decided that I wanted to re-post it today.  Enjoy! 

Q. What does God's Word (the Bible) say about being a Christian Momma?

A few days ago I had a conversation (on Facebook) with one of my cousins about this very subject and found what the Bible has to say pretty encouraging and insightful. So, if you are a momma, a soon-to-be momma, or if you have the desire to be a momma some day,  I highly encourage you to take a moment and read further. 

Although there are many examples of how to be a godly woman spread throughout God's love letter, there seems to be only one address that speaks directly to the special love that a mother has for her offspring and a very crucial role that God has bestowed and blessed many women with.  In the New Testament, in Titus 2:4-5, this is what it says, 

"4Then they (older women/mothers) can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the Word of God." 

Now, although there is a lot in those two verses we could unpack, we are only going to focus on the first half of this section. The word 'love' that is mentioned in this scripture derives from the Greek word, Philoteknos (pronounced fē-lo'-tek-nos). This word expresses a specific and unique kind of "mother love". The idea that this word brings across, is that when we as mothers care for our children--nurturing them, teaching them a biblical word view, playing with them, embracing them affectionately, being available to them, and as gotquestions.org states, "tenderly befriending each one as a unique gift from the hand of God", we, as momma's, are walking in obedience before the Lord. Now if that wasn't the biggest run on sentence, I don't know what is? :)  You get the point though right?  Our kids are special...really special, and they are a unique display of God's abilities to imagine and create. 

One more thing, from what I've read, the Bible never states that every single woman on the face of this planet should be a mother.  Some have no interest, some physically cannot, however, for those women that God does bless with children (whether biological or adopted), we need to take that responsibility seriously.  We are assisting in the shaping and molding of that human life.  

If you want, check out some of these other address that have to do with raising kids. 

Availability-Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Teaching-Psalm 78:5-6; Deuteronomy 4:10; Ephesians 6:4
Training-Proverbs 22:6; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12
Disciplining-Ephesians 6:4; Hebrews 12:5-11; Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14
Nurturing-Titus 2:4; 2 Timothy 1:7; Ephesians 4:29-32

Lord, 

Thank you for our son, thank you for the joy and life he brings to our lives. Please teach me to be more available and nurturing.  Let me see him through your eyes and please give me wisdom, discernment and patience in raising and teaching him about the big and small things in this adventure we call life.                                                        ~In Jesus' Name, Amen                          

Lyrical Latte Monday-May 27th

Photo by Amber Spung

Whether you have a career in the business world, or are a homemaker like me, Mondays can sometimes seem to drag by, in fact, they are notorious for being a day that most seem to dread. Then I had this thought, "Hey! I love music and so does almost every other person on the face of this planet. Why not post some great tunes on Mondays to help get us going?"  

We all know that music and lyrics can have this amazing melodic 'power' to help encourage and inspire the human soul to keep going (to persevere), or get going (a good swift kick in the bootie). So I have decided to begin posting a music video each Monday and I'm calling it, "Lyrical Latte Monday". Catchy eh?   "Lyrical"-explanation not needed. "Latte"-because there is nothing like an iced or hot cup of coffee (or tea) to give you a bit of a 'pick-me-up' and zest when it comes to your day.  

I chose this song to kick off this Lyrical Latte Monday thang, because I really dig The Crowder Band, and I have been a huge fan ever since my good ol' days with Y.W.A.M. Denver ('02-'05). 

Take a listen and enjoy! Happy Monday!

10 Things Not to Say to a Pregnant Woman

Photo by Dinidh OBrien

When a woman is pregnant, her body is changing and growing throughout those 9 months, and with those changes can come fear, apprehension, and insecurity about her body. A word to the wise, it would be very advantageous for those around her to never say...or sing...any of the following.  :) 

10. Are you pregnant? 
9. You are HOW far along? Wow! You look like you could give birth now! 
8. People, don't ever refer to a pregnant woman as an elephant or any other type of large mammal.  
7. You are looking "over gross" (commenting on the woman's weight). 
6. How many DO YOU have in there? 
5. You're HUGE!!! 
4. You look about ready to explode!!!  
3. Singing as pregnant woman walks by, "Rolly Polly, Rolly Polly".....Yes, this actually happened.  
2. Are you sure you aren't having twins?  
Drum roll please.........
1. You could use that thing (belly) as a table to eat a meal.

The Need for Taking a Moment to Stop & Rest

Yesterday afternoon, while my 16 month old was cozy and warm, asleep in his crib.  I turned off the TV, turned off the radio, put the laptop aside, and slowly slid the window open. The melodic lullaby's of birds was first to greet my ears, then with it, the soft sound of a spring shower as it began to perform a sweet cadence against the windows and rooftop.  I sat down in our rocking chair, leaned back, closed my eyes,  and just listened. 

My lungs took in the fresh fragrance of springtime blooms and water soaked earth.  As my eyes watched transparent rain drops slide down the glass, I was flooded with memories of my childhood.  I remembered the simplicity of it all. I recalled my families first spring in Western Oregon, having recently moved over the Cascades from Eastern Oregon. 

I focused on one of my memories--our first home on this side of the mountains...my Great Grandma's home...or it had been. After Great Grandma passed, we had the honor of living in that sweet little home for a short time. I can still remember the familiar smell that permeated the inside of her home, and the bookshelf in her dining room that was designated for us kids. It was filled with boxes of all kinds of treasures that a child seeks to know and play with.  

 Memories of my first experiences within this house, day after day of good ol' Northwest spring rain storms, sweep past my minds eye....

There were several years growing up that my parents chose not to have a TV in the home, (looking back now, I am so thankful, for it taught me to listen and to play) instead, most of my entertainment came from playing with my two pet Gerbils,  listening to the radio, petting my cat (Katrina), playing outside (I was a complete "Tom-boy"), and sitting by the window of my bedroom. I would rest my head on my arms while watching and listening to the rain drops fall.  Having lived the last several years of my life in the desert, where we didn't get a lot of rain, my 7 year old self was easily mesmerized by the little drops of water zig-zagging their way down the window. 

As time progressed, so did technology, and with it my tendency to stop and listen to the sweet sound of the rain and drink in the smell of its' earthly goodness. Between the business of life: school, family, kids, friends, jobs, TV, Netflix, CD players, Ipods, Pandora, the Internet, and the day to day sort of stuff...somewhere in the middle of all of that...I forgot what it was like to be serenaded by the simple beauty that is all around me.

 I remembered, and it was rejuvenating and calming all at the same time.  With the constant "noises" of our lives that are, many times, 24x7. It's so refreshing to remember to have those moments of turning off all that "techy stuff", and just resting and enjoying the solitude with it's natural and organic goodness.  It's good for us--holistically (had to throw in that "buzz word"), and it's a great and valuable thing to share with our tech saavy kids as they grow up in an age where time without something on--is rare. 

Our To Do List

Although this week is probably going to be pretty busy, I'm hoping that it will also be productive. Today I am working on being intentional by scribbling out a "To Do" list.  On it are things that we will need to get done before Baby #2 arrives.   Some of the things on this list include: moving 3 dressers to different places, putting up a shelf, moving another shelf, putting up curtains, taking a load to Good Will, and moving some items to our garage for safe keeping. Of course this is besides all of the day to day chores.   Our goal is to do a couple of these things each week over the next few weeks. 

Hope your week is a great and productive one! 

Until next time....

Mother's Day 2013

Pregnancy Journal Entry-Week 31

Hi Sweet Boy,

Yesterday marked the beginning of week 31 gestation for you and boy oh boy I think you want out.  :)  You were head down and pressing down much of the day yesterrday.  But you need to say in and "cook" a bit more....at least 6 weeks ok?  Good! Now that we have that settled.  

Photo by Douglas McGrew

This week, you are around 4 lbs and approximately 17-18 inches long.  Although you are moving a lot, I have begun to notice you are beginning to run out of room.  Also, over the past week I've begun to notice patterns in you being awake and active vs. times when you are sleeping.  

We had a check-up last week and you are doing great! Your heart beat sounded amazing and you are measuring healthy and normal.  Daddy and I are still praying for you every night.  Your big brother is almost 16 months old and is really beginning to sign and talk to and with Momma and Daddy more. He is growing and learning and can't wait to meet you. He even has a couple of books that are helping him learn more about having a little brother and what it is going to be like when you arrive.  We pray that over the next couple of weeks you continue to stay safe inside Momma and that your body continues to grow and get ready for life outside.  

We love you Cutie Pie! 

Ordinary Missional Living

Before I begin this post.  I want to make sure and preface it by saying that this article is geared towards those mothers that are also homemakers and may be dealing with feelings of inadequacy or guilt for not "doing more".

********

Before I began my own journey of motherhood, I would hear from other mother's that they were struggling with feelings of "shame" and "guilt". They felt that the only thing they were known for was, "being a mother" and they were feeling pressure from those around them to do more--be more. Yes, they had gifts, talents, dreams, and visions (some of which they did incorporate on a daily basis), but was it ok they weren't involved in "ministry" and were choosing to focus on raising their kids in this season of their life? 

Not yet being a mother at the time, I could only imagine what their internal struggles regarding their new identities and search for significance might be. Now, as a momma of 15 months, I am beginning to have some personal insight and understanding into what those fellow mothers were going through. There are moments when it's really tough being a new mother. Not only is the learning curve in parenthood HUGE and a constant thing, but sometimes we can feel lost in the midst of it all. 

Awhile back I began to have this inward dialogue, a wrestling of sorts I guess one could say. I began to ask some different questions. Who was I before the birth of my first son?  Who am I now? Am I ok with just being known for being J's mother? (Like that is a bad thing? Not at all!)  Have I lost my identity?  Why don't I do any of the hobbies I once found so much fulfillment in doing?  Is that ok? What about ministry? What about a career? Why do I feel like I should be doing more?  Isn't raising a family a ministry in and of itself?   I have continued to grapple with many of these questions and feelings the past few months.  Then this past week my hubby and I read the following article, The 'New Legalism', written by Anthony Bradley.  http://www.worldmag.com/2013/05/the_new_legalism In this article the author writes, "How the push to be 'radical' and 'missional' discourages ordinary people in ordinary places from doing ordinary things to the glory of God."  This was one of the key things I was feeling. Having been deeply involved with youth ministry, and then worship ministry for more than a decade, I found myself backing away from those things and focusing on motherhood. In the midst of all of the questions I had been asking myself, this was at the heart of it all. Was being 'ordinary' ok? Was I ok with focusing on motherhood and being a homemaker? Could I see this as the ministry God has for me in this season of my life?  After reading that article and doing some personal soul searching and prayer, I found I could finally take a deep breath and be a mom, without the guilt of feeling like I needed to have what the society views as a career, or what 'the Church' may view as ministry.     

 Motherhood is a ministry.  Fatherhood is a ministry.  Parenthood is a ministry.  Why is it that we think that it isn't, or that we get bored and feel like we have to do more? Be more?  My husband asked me a question the other day, "Why is it that we (Christians) feel like ministry in the church or community, or even having a career so many times takes precedence over our own flesh and blood? 

We are on this earth for such a short amount of time. Each of us (our lives) are but a breath....a vapor in the span of time.  In that breath of a moment, some of us are given the opportunity to raise a family and in that short time of 18-21 years we have but only 5-10 formative years that we can hopefully focus the majority of   our energy on our children. During those first 10 years (between the ages of Newborn-10 years old), they are hungry little sponges, soaking up everything around them--24 hours a day. They are constantly watching and listening to us and searching for guidance, while at the same time, beginning to learn who they are a part from us.  After those first crucial years, their independence increases and they will search for answers to questions many times from outside their home.  Our hope and prayer is that (although we are not perfect and we will make mistakes as parents), that our children know that they were a top priority. When we look back, our hope is that our family came first, instead of work, a career or ministry.

In closing, let me say that I am not against mothers or fathers who work full-time or are dedicated to their work, nor am I against parents who are involved with ministry outside your family tribe. This post may not be a very popular post, but I felt it was necessary for some fellow mother's who are struggling right this very moment.  Be encouraged!  You are on a journey that is humbling, challenging, amazing and growing, all at the same time.


Until next time....

Toothbrushing Adventures

Teaching a 15 month old how to brush his own teeth can be extremely frustrating or delightfully hilarious.  It all depends on the attitude of the parents.  When J started getting his first teeth around 6 months, we picked up a rubber tooth brush (slips over my index finger) and fluoride free tooth gel. He adjusted pretty well to that, since he was "teething" and to him it was just another fun thing to chomp on.  

Then, around 14 months we began switching over to a real (baby) toothbrush, not only because he had more than 10 teeth (and Momma wanted to have a hand left from all of that chomping), but we felt he was beginning to be at a place of being able to imitate us.  The first several tries ended in me almost straddling him, trying to get a brush in his mouth, Momma frustrated, and then he'd throw a HUGE tantrum when I'd take the brush away for the night.

Time for a new approach. My husband suggested that I bring him his toothbrush and maybe J would grasp a little more by imitating him.  Hubby to the rescue!! Great idea! So for the last week or two, this has been our approach.  J knows that after his evening bottle, and after choosing his PJ's (we have just started letting him do this, through a suggestion by a friend) and a diaper change, it is TOOTHBRUSH TIME WITH DADDY!!! I grab both of my guys' Tbrushes, and they have some time of just brushing together and Doug instructs and shows J how it's done.  Then we let J just mess around with his brush on his own for a bit, then Momma finishes up.  He is just now beginning to open his mouth for me so I can do a quick once over-top and bottom.  I have learned that this 'once over' will last about 15-30 seconds before he's done, so Momma has to be quick. This approach has done wonders, and we now fill that J is beginning to not only have some fun with brushing his teeth, but learning too.  Yay!  

Pray for Your Children

This is my prayer for J today.  My hope is that he will grow up serving and loving the Lord.  Does that mean he won't make mistakes?  No, we all fall short and make mistakes every single day. I know that no one is perfect, and I know that many times we make mistakes along our journey of life.  My prayer is that despite mistakes made, my child will continually grow more in tune with his Abba God.  That he will know that he is forgiven and that God doesn't remember or hold his sins against him.  My prayer is that J will catch a glimpse (even during the hardest times in his life's journey) of how God really sees him. The way God sees every single person who has and will surrender their lives holistically to Him. As, Pure. Precious. Righteous. Completely Loved. Holy and Valuable. 

Be encouraged!  Pray and intercede over your children. Every day. No matter their age.  Even if you haven't even conceived a child yet.  Pray for your future children that God will give you.  Whether He blesses you with them through the process of Foster Care, Adoption and/or Biologically.  Pray for them--today! 

Hugs

I think we've all most likely seen the studies on how crucial physical touch is, especially for children.  I don't know about you, but I just LOVE hugging my son.  I love the fun--grab them as you are playing or rough housing with them and giving them a big bear hug. I also love the --sitting in a rocking chair, blanket around us and him sweetly falling to sleep kind of hug. Those hugs are so important, and so are the cuddles after he's had to be in "time out" or has fallen down and gotten a boo boo. Healthy physical touch is a MUST when it comes to building a strong foundation with your children.  So, go give your kid (s) a hug--just because & no matter how old they are--and let them know that they are loved and significant to you.   

Feel free to post picture, but please give credit to the photographer. 

Photo by Matt Gruber
www.CreationSwap.com

Pregnancy Journal Entry

Today starts my 29th week of pregnancy with our second child (also a little boy). Throughout this pregnancy I have been keeping a journal. I update it whenever I fill inspired to do so (which is usually every couple of weeks). Here's the entry for today:

Good Morning Handsome Boy! 

It is nearly May and this weekend begins your 29th week inside Momma (7 1/2 months) and also begins the countdown of 11 weeks until your Guess Date.  This week you weigh around 3 lbs, and you are getting bigger and longer every day. This past week you have been moving and kicking a lot, and you have had the hiccups a few times too. Your Daddy, Brother and I are getting more and more excited to meet you face to face and hold and kiss you, and play with you too.  We pray for you every day and your brother loves touching Momma's belly and is nearly able to say "Baby". 

We love you and pray you continue to grow and develop these last couple months. See you soon, Little Love. 

Love, 

Momma

Below is the picture I found and then I decided to place this scripture with it. It just seemed perfect!
 Feel free to post it, but please make sure to credit the photographer. Thanks!

Photo by Matt Gruber
www.CreationSwap.com

Daddy's Work

I had to write a quick post about J's and my visit to his Daddy's work.  Yesterday was the National Day for Taking Your Kids to Work and nearly 40 million parents and children took part in this fun day, including us! 

D didn't actually take J (our 15 mo. old) with him to work, but J and I went and spent lunch time with Daddy and checked out his office.  It was so fun seeing J run around and so excited and filled with energy as he saw where his Daddy works.  It was also really neat to see D's face and his excitement at having his firstborn at work and lunch with him.  It was a special day and we are excited for next year and hope to celebrate this day again as a family. 


Until next time....

Moment by Moment

I have been told by my family that even when I was in the womb, there was a specific song that I would respond to and continually get really active during.  They'd turn off the song, I'd stop, they'd turn back on the song and I'd get active again....but it seemed that other songs did not have the same affect on my little soul. I was told later, that the song I'd responded to was a worship song to the LORD.  Isn't that amazing?  Even in the womb, babies instinctively can and will worship the LORD. And why not?  He is the One who is creating them, and knitting them together (Ps. 139), atom by sweet, adorable atom. 

We as created human beings, we're made to worship.  We have it within our very core. We will worship something or someone.  I want to encourage you today to worship the LORD in the midst of your day.  Especially within those moments that are the most difficult, and our body and soul would rather do anything else but turn the focus to God. While on bended knee, we are outwardly humbling ourselves and expressing an attitude of the heart--the realization that we need guidance from the One True Source of Strength--our Heavenly Father. 

For me, some of my moments this week have included: a son with temper tantrums, and being so tired that all I want to do is take a nap, instead of chase after a 15 month old.  It's during those moments that I try to worship the LORD (sometimes praying aloud or turning on some worship music and singing/dancing) and in doing so, many times, He gives me strength, where I am weak and gives me guidance, wisdom and perhaps a different perspective on how to help J work through his own frustrations.  

Plus, an added advantage--your baby, kid(s), or teenager(s) have the chance to witness you praying, seeking and worshiping God in the midst of hardship. A great teachable moment. :)   

Photo by Matt Gruber
www.CreationSwap.com

Productivity & Tantrums

He loves to vacuum. 

Today was a good and productive day.  My mom came over and spent the morning with J. and I.  She and I cleaned our place for 3 hours....she did most of the work. Which was great because getting up and down at this point is beginning to get a little more difficult. We focused on cleaning spots from our carpet in the living and dining room, vacuuming (J. helped us), folding clothes and deep cleaning the kitchen floor and kitchen. She brought over this really good carpet cleaner that had no smell (that I could detect with my Super Preggo Nose), which made me very happy.  

In other news, J. has been getting really attached to his Grandma's these past months and today, when Nana had to leave he threw one of his first, "I don't want you to leave" tantrums. He threw himself back--arching his back--and got beet red in the face, while letting out a very loud and long cry.  He and I had a little heart to heart after that, which lasted about 1 minute (because that is the scope of his attention span at this age) and then he fell promptly asleep on my shoulder as I rocked him to sleep for his nap.  He took a nice long nap and woke up much happier. 

Motherhood Quotes 1

Motherhood does take a brave heart, a lot of support and many moments of spending time seeking the face of God for guidance, peace, humbleness and wisdom. There are a lot of momma's (including myself) that at one time or another need to read or hear some positive words of affirmation and as I woke up this morning I felt very strongly that the Lord was inspiring me to combine quotes, scripture and photography together and create some visual encouragement for mother's specifically.

Every day for the next little while I am going to be posting a new piece. Please enjoy and be encouraged! :)  

Photo by Travis Silva
www.CreationSwap.com

This Week

After a couple of busy and full weeks, the days ahead are looking open and I'm hoping to get some much needed chores around our home completed.  On this week's agenda: organizing and cleaning our closet and room, cleaning the carpet (a spot at a time), working on the boys' room and finishing an acrylic painting of a monkey (for their room).

THIS WEEK WITH J.-We are working with J. on a few signs like: "milk", "please", "more" and "thank you". We are also working on saying "hi", "papa", "grandpa", "baby" and "diaper".  Sidenote: Last night I did the sign for "poop" a couple times and THAT is the sign that J. decided to learn the first time around. LOL!  He keeps signing it with a big smile on his face. :)  The last thing we are working on this week is putting his sippy cup up on a table when he is finished drinking, instead of throwing it on the ground and walking away.

Until next time....have a great day!

Year-Around Fun Activities-Toddler

My 15 month old is a very normal, healthy, active little bundle of joy. His days are currently filled with walking, running, climbing and mass amounts of exploring and learning. As a stay-at-home momma I have found it increasingly difficult to keep his energy focused in a positive manner. He gets bored pretty easily and with boredom comes getting into mischief and continual focus on things he is not supposed to be doing.  Little Stinker.  :) Along with that, I am in my third trimester with our second baby boy and am finding my energy and agility beginning to wane.  So over the past several weeks I have been compiling a list of fun and frugal indoor/outdoor activities that a child around his age might really get a "kick out of". As stay-at-home parents we need to learn that we can lean  on each other for support, encouragement, and fun, safe ideas that bring creativity and freshness into the home. 

**This is not a complete list and I'm always adding to it. If you have any fun activities you'd like to add, feel free to leave a comment.  :)

Fall/Winter (indoor type activities)

• Finger Paint (edible)-plain yogurt/vanilla pudding and food coloring * Let them finger paint while in their high chair.
•  Foam Shapes-peel off back and let them stick it on paper, then display their artwork. 
•  Non-toxic big crayons and let them color on a big piece of paper. You could even tape down a huge piece of paper on a table and let them just have fun coloring all over it. 
• Magnet fun on the fridge (of course with your supervision)
• Listen to music, sing and dance together
• Grab some books and read to/with them 
• Give them some paper to tear up (good for motor skills)
• Make some homemade play-do out of cornstarch, food coloring, water and salt, that way if they eat some, it is non-toxic.
• Homemade slide-pull crib mattress out of crib and prop it up against couch. Don't forget the pillows in case of falls. 
• Pull cushions off of your davenport aka couch and let them crawl over them.
• Build a fort-grab some blankets and place them over furniture
• Check in with your local library on story times for your toddlers age group.
• Grab a ball and roll it back and forth
• Boxes! Need I say more? Toddlers LOVE climbing in and out of them and taking things in and out of them.
• Grab an old pair of socks, sew a couple buttons on and you have yourself a sock puppet.  *Remember to put out of reach when you're done, as the buttons could be a choking hazard. 
• Peak-a-boo Farm style-cut out some pictures of farm animals and laminate them, then play peek-a-boo with the animals and your little one. *Great time to work on sounds of the animals.
• Shaving Cream or Whipped Cream & Food Coloring-combine in a ziploc bag and let them squish it or "finger paint". 
• Laundry Basket-fill it with their stuffed animals and them and then push them all around as if they were in an imaginary car. Vvrrrrrmmmmm!!! 
• Laundry Basket-fill it with safe odds and ends, such as plastic spoons, Tupperware, lids, hats, socks and they will have fun taking those items out and putting them back in. 
• Little Helpers-let them help with things like dusting with a wet rag, or vacuuming. My son literally "make believe" vacuumed for 25 minutes one day. 
• Take a little trip to the mall and walk around. 
• Check out a children's museum or an art shop that caters to toddlers. 

Spring/Summer  (outdoor type activities)

• Go for a Nature walk (letting them pick up rocks, sticks, etc. which could be used for a craft later.
• Go to the park
• Kick a ball back and forth
• Set up a couple huge boxes and cut out windows and a door and you have an instant playhouse.
• Hang up some construction paper and give them a spray bottle so they can "paint" the paper with it. 
• Hook up a sprinkler and let your little one run through it.
• Water balloons-your water-baby will love running around and popping the balloons on the ground.
• Fill ice trays with water & food coloring, then empty tray into a baby pool and they'll have fun playing with the rainbow colored ice. (This can also work during bath times.)  *Never leave your child unattended when they are near or in water. 
• Go to the zoo. 

***Some of these are my ideas, others I have gleaned from other sites.***  

Here are a couple of the sites I found the most helpful.  

http://community.babycenter.com/post/a2576645/ideas_for_at-home_activities_with_15-month-old

http://www.city-data.com/forum/parenting/321379-activities-15-month-old.html

http://www.netmums.com/coffeehouse/children-parenting-190/toddlers-pre-schoolers-12-months-4-years-59/773832-activities-very-very-very-active-15-month-old.html

http://www.circleofmoms.com/stay-at-home-moms/what-are-some-activities-my-15-month-old-daughter-and-i-can-do-together-429804

Bridegroom

One of my most favorite descriptions of Christ (that the Bible speaks of) is Christ as the Bridegroom and we, His Church, as the Bride (Isaiah 62:5; Matthew 25; Ephesians 5:25-27). 


How does this apply to us personally?  Well, for me, it reminds me of my wedding day. 

Photo by Joelle-rose.com

When I think back to the days and weeks preceding my husband's and my wedding day, I recall that my emotions were in such a constant and heightened state of being, that I felt everything all at once.  I had never felt the full array of emotions that I was experiencing. 


From the moment I woke up, until the moment sleep met my eyelids, I could think of nothing but my soon-to-be husband,  our wedding, and this new chapter in life that we were about to embark on. I counted down the days, the hours and yes, even the minutes until the moment our lips would meet--as an outward seal of affection that would let those witnessing our joyous day, catch a glimpse of the melding of our two hearts.
  

Photo by Joelle-rose.com

If you are married, odds are that when you think back to your own wedding day, most of it probably seems a blur, except for bits here and there.  I know that is the case for me.  However, I am so thankful that a friend shared a helpful piece of advice with me.  She said, "Stop now and then throughout your wedding day, and when you want to remember a moment, take a mental snapshot of that memory and hold on to it."  What a great word of advice she gave me. Today as I think back over all of the events of that day, I have a beautiful photo album full of mental snap shots and the feelings that were tied to every single one of them.

Photo by Joelle-rose.com

Probably one of the strongest feelings I felt that day was my heart seemed to be beating this amazing unique rhythm of joy and adoration, soaring with excitement and passion for my Bridegroom!  


Why am I going into such detail about what I thought and felt?  Because I believe that is how Christ feels about His Beloved, His Bride...Us. Whether we are female or male.  All of us. He longs for the day when we will be with Him forever. His love, excitement and passion grows as the day, and the hour draws near.

So as you continue on with your day, remember this, Christ passionately loves you and His   excitement and delight in you grows every day!!




Until next time, have a glorious day, for you are the handiwork of God, created by His very fingertips. 

** Photo's are the copyright of Joelle-rose.com**

Blog Header Update

Hello all,  

I have only received a handful of votes thus so far. Remember, voting ends tomorrow (Wednesday, April 17th @ Midnight (PST).  

We have two headers that are tied for 1st at the moment and they are.......  

 Entry #1

Bright and Cheerful

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Entry #2

Vintage/Flowers

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Don't forget to vote ya'll. Which one will YOU vote for?  

Details on How to Vote

You may either leave a comment at the bottom of this post, or on my Facebook page (by clicking this link) https://www.facebook.com/MotherhoodACallForTheBraveOfHeart  ( or click on the Facebook icon on top right side of blog) then comment on the link. Remember, you can vote up to three times.

Until next time....

Vote on Blog Header

Ok all my peeps, thank you for your patience!  Now is the time that you get to do your part and vote on which blog header you like best.

Details on How to Vote

You may either leave a comment at the bottom of this post, or on my Facebook page (by clicking this link) https://www.facebook.com/MotherhoodACallForTheBraveOfHeart  ( or click on the Facebook icon on top right side of blog) then comment on the link.  Voting will close this Wednesday, April 17 @ Midnight (PST).  The entry that receives the most votes by that time, will win!!! You can vote up to three times.

Sidenote:  I am in contact with a friend that is working on a drawing of a "brave" looking Momma cartoon character that will be--cross fingers--hopefully added to the logo at a later date.  :)

Thank you for your time and now.....LET THE VOTING BEGIN!!!

 Entry #1

Bright and Cheerful

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Entry #2

Vintage/Flowers

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Entry #3

Keepin' it Simple

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Entry #4

Retro and Green

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Entry #5

Mirror

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