Kaden the Big Bro

So Kaden has been a big brother now for three and a half years.  I am still amazed at what a sweetheart he is to London.  We joined Kaden for the Fun Run today where they play lots of fun outdoor games together and compete with other classes for the most points. Of course this is all done as a fundraiser but at least everyone has fun. Kaden was very happy to see us, especially London, who he wanted to join his class in all the games. Thank you for being such a good brother Kaden, I am so grateful London has a brother like you. 

 

 

Rowan is 14!

Can't believe my sweet Rowan is 14!  I look at this picture and I can honestly remember taking this photo as if it were yesterday. I was still hopelessly in love with this perfect little being. My entire life revolved around her every need.  I was completely smitten with her and loved being her mommy more than anything else in my life, ever.

Tim was working nights then, so one evening after dinner, she and I headed down the path that connected our backyard to Lake Elkorn. We walked along at dusk and I brought my camera to get a cute shot of her in her tutu. The one made by Grams that lined her Easter basket because Easter grass would have been too ordinary for my darling girl.  Rowan ran a bit away from me, around a bend in the path, and suddenly came running back to me as quickly as those little chubby legs could carry her. A jogger had been coming toward her so she decided it was time to get back to mom.  I took this pic right when she rounded the bend, back toward me "running for her life". The jogger, a man in his mid to late 20's gave me a big smile when he ran by and said  "adorable!" . I of course beamed knowingly. Yes, you are adorable Rowan, even now when I have let the realities of life of mothering now 4 children, I still think, for me you were the most perfect first little child I could have ever dreamed of. I cherish those days you and I had together, showing you the world, one butterfly, pearl necklace at a time. And still, even at 14 you are extremely, almost completely sweet. 

Organizing My Junk Drawers

So a few weeks back I posted here about how I am going to tackle an organizational chore or home improvement chore each month. I chose drawer organization for my first project and was VERY pleased at how easy it was and how GREAT it has been to have two (so far) very organized drawers. I followed the same exact directions as suggested by Brown Paper Packages and LOVE the results.

All you need is 1/4 inch thick poplar boards found at home improvement stores, some Gorilla Glue and a saw to cut the length of the boards. I cleaned out the drawers and sorted all the like objects together. I then sketched out a template based on how much room I would need for each item, for example the space I would need for my paper clips was smaller than the space I needed for all of the kids paintbrushes. My husband cut them to the right length for me because he likes the excuse to use the power tools and the rest was easy.

I was worried it was going to be a sticky, time consuming failure but it wasn't, I finished two drawers in an hour and that includes the fun part of putting all of your stuff back in the drawer into there own little compartments.

I realize it was a HUGE mistake not to have taken the "before" picture, but I was just in too big of a rush to dump out that mess and get started. I never knew we had so many rulers, calculators, dice or paint brushes! Now I know I don't have to worry about buying them the next time we contemplate a project, AND I know right were they are!

I feel so empowered!! Next project re-doing my daughter's room, from pink to pre-teen.

Update: Well, it looks like I have found someone to organize my entire life for me! She can organize yours too, go HERE to see for yourself.

I am linking this post to:

Cardboard Jeep

I came across these pictures the other day of my son's "Adventure Party". He is a big fan of Lego Indiana Jones on the WII and requested that for a party. Why can't my kids ever choose a theme that comes ready made at the party store? Anyway, it turned out very cute and I will blog more about it soon but I just wanted to share these jeeps in case anyone else was in the same dilemma. I wanted to provide each child with a way to "travel" the "Outback" looking for a stolen idol, because as you know, the idol 'should be in a museum!'. I wanted to make a cardboard jeep that didn't require any painting. There was 2 feet of snow on the ground at the time and freezing my fingers off painting 18 little cardboard cars was not something I wanted to do.

You will need:

Box
4 Black paper plates for tires
paper triangles for "hubcaps"
Silver duct tape (I used about four rolls for 18 jeeps)
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
personalized license plate made on the computer

The best boxes are from the bakery. That was a little tip I learned from a friend of mine that moved a lot and she was right, the boxes they ship cakes in are perfect. Costco type of bakeries are usually very happy to hand over their boxes.



These were jeeps that the kids could "where" and "drive" around, rather than sit it, so the bottom side was open as well. The bonus about that is the car could be folded flat and stored very easily.

I didn't cut the top flaps off of the boxes but folded them down to cover any of the writing on the outside which was great! The bottom side flaps I left on as well, folded them up and shaped to look like fenders by cutting them into ovals and folded those up and hot-glued into place. I decorated these with a bit of duct tape along the edge.

I glued on black paper plates as tires with some triangles cut from paper to look like hubcaps.



I trimmed off the shorter end, bottom flaps and cut those into bumper shapes for the front and back. I cut a few small ovals and covered them in silver duct tape to decorate the bumpers as well as printed off personalized license plates for each child. I glued on a piece of scrap cardboard in between the bumpers and the wheels to make the car look more 3-D.

The top, shorter end-flaps I cut little squares out of to resemble front and back windshields. I covered them in duct tape to give them more durability. The pictures shown here are taken a few months after the party and the jeep is looking like it needs to go into the shop for some detailing, but at the time of the party, the jeeps had very sturdy "windshields". I used more duct-tape for the straps that I criss-crossed over the top that allowed the children to "where" their jeeps and run around in them. They had so much fun "driving" all over the house looking for the "idol" while my party helpers threw "rocks" down on them from the upstairs. When they completed a few laps the next clue of the treasure hunt was sent down by a weighted balloon.

I should have gotten a picture of the pile of cars waiting on the deck for the party. It felt like quite an accomplishment and I won't lie, if I never make another cardboard jeep again I will be very happy. It was all worth it to see all those excited faces and hear the squeals of delight when they put on their jeep.

I know these were not very thorough directions so please feel free to ask me questions.

VALENTINE'S DAY

Last Valentine's Day we found the Valentine idea pictured above just in time for my son to make them for close friends and family. Find link HERE. They were a BIG hit!! His teacher loved it so much that she took the valentine and displayed it in the teacher's lounge, which made my son all sorts of happy.
Our version is pictured above. I loved how easy this was to make and that we could personalize each one!

This year we saw this idea for a Harry Potter Lego Valentine from BOY TRIFECTA and instantly I knew what we had to do. The boys in my son's class are obsessed with Lego Ninjago right now, so I had him create a little Lego backdrop and we did a photo shoot with his favorite Lego Ninja "Cole". Again, so easy and my son LOVED it!

Here is how our LEGO NINJAGO valentines turned out:


Now for the teachers, close friends and family. I saw the idea shown below, from Funky Polka Dot Giraffe (lovin' that blot title, aren't you?) and had to make one too.
They even made their own heart lollipops with chocolate molds which is really cute, I like the little red and white tie that pulls it all together. I found some cute heart shaped chocolate lips at the Dollar Tree though and realized that they would save me some time, plus the foil looks nice on the photo. Another photo shoot and this was the result:


black and white version:
Fun right?! The photo quality is much better in person. I did give the color version a "vintage" feel, but the real thing isn't blue as it is appearing here. In any event, my son and I were both happy at how they turned out. Oh, and I did the writing on my photos in Photoshop Elements and the "muah" was written in the Cast Iron font which you can easily find as a free download on the internet.

I hope you have some fun ideas up your sleeves for the big day!

Boys

I am the mom of a first-grade boy. He is my third child (of four) and I (of course) love him dearly. I am also, at times, utterly and completely baffled by him. He does and says things that his older sisters would never have dreamed of saying or doing.

Before my son got to school, the vice principal had no idea who I was. Now she knows me all too well. I have read so many books and internet sites about rambunctious boys that I wonder how my brain will find room for it all. I have talked to moms going through the same things, wondering, is there something wrong with him, or is this just what boys do?? One of my favorite books on this topic so far is THE WAY OF BOYS, RAISING HEALTHY BOYS IN A COMPLEX AND CHALLENGING WORLD, by Dr Rao.

It seems there is a diagnosis for everything these days and maybe I will be going down that vague road of having my son evaluated regarding all his bouncy energy, even though it really hasn't negatively impacted his school work yet. Meanwhile, I have also done a LOT of praying for my sweet boy. And every time, the answer has been the same. A very gentle yet intense impression to "just LOVE YOUR BOY". That's it, love him. Love him when he's brilliant, and when he's challenging, just, LOVE him. And to be honest, even though I adore him, I am so busy worrying about his behavior that I am not sure how often I show him I love him. I am always asking him to talk more quietly, get down, stand still, and glaring at him in a way that I am certain does not convey anything like love.

I do manage, at the end of the day, when he is reading to me, to let him know how much I love him with both words and snuggles but I am realizing that I need to show him that same affection during the day and try to ditch the glare altogether.

I came across an awesome blog the other day on Pinterest about Moms and Sons. I am re-posting it here, because I think it is quite perfect. Yes, some of it we all know, but it bears reminding.

Now, please know I am not suggesting a child should or should not be evaluated. I am not opening that can of worms. I haven't yet posted about my anxieties about my son because I didn't want to get everyone riled up. There are blogs devoted to that type of thing, and it really isn't the purpose of this post. I know there are a lot of strong feelings on the subject. I understand that, my mind is still spinning from all the reading too. I am just suggesting, that we mom's can sometimes get ourselves worked up into a frenzy and may, possibly, lose sight of what our son's need from us right now.

The following has been re-posted from TEAM STUDER found here. You can link directly to the post here.

25 Rules for Mothers of Sons

Inspired by a Pin I've recently seen about "rules for dads with daughters," I went searching for a similar list for moms with sons. This search was mostly fruitless, so I was inspired to write my own Rules for Moms with Sons. Granted, my list will not be conclusive and may not be entirely uncontroversial. So agree, or disagree, or take with a grain of salt - but I hope to inspire other moms who are loving, and struggling, and tired, and proud, and eager to support the boys in their lives. You are the most important woman in his life, his first teacher, and the one he will look to for permission for the rest of his life. From "Can I go play with them?" to "Should I ask her to marry me?" Its a big job, but as the mumma, we're up for it.

25 Rules for Moms with Sons

Source: pre-schoolplay.blogspot.com via Tabitha on Pinterest

1. Teach him the words for how he feels.
Your son will scream out of frustration and hide out of embarrassment. He'll cry from fear and bite out of excitement. Let his body move by the emotion, but also explain to him what the emotion is and the appropriate response to that emotion for future reference. Point out other people who are feeling the same thing and compare how they are showing that emotion. Talk him through your emotions so that someday when he is grown, he will know the difference between angry and embarrassed; between disappointment and grief.

2. Be a cheerleader for his life
There is no doubt that you are the loudest person in the stands at his t-ball games. There is no doubt that he will tell you to "stop, mom" when you sing along to his garage band's lyrics. There is no doubt that he will get red-faced when you show his prom date his pictures from boy scouts. There is no doubt that he is not telling his prom date about your blog where you've been bragging about his life from his first time on the potty to the citizenship award he won in ninth grade. He will tell you to stop. He will say he's embarrassed. But he will know that there is at least one person that is always rooting for him.

3. Teach him how to do laundry
..and load the dishwasher, and iron a shirt. He may not always choose to do it. He may not ever have to do it. But someday his wife will thank you.

Source: offbeatmama.com via offbeatmama on Pinterest

4. Read to him and read with him.
Emilie Buchwald said, "Children become readers on the laps of their parents." Offer your son the opportunity to learn new things, believe in pretend places, and imagine bigger possibilities through books. Let him see you reading...reading the paper, reading novels, reading magazine articles. Help him understand that writing words down is a way to be present forever. Writers are the transcribers of history and memories. They keep a record of how we lived at that time; what we thought was interesting; how we spoke to each other; what was important. And Readers help preserve and pass along those memories.

5. Encourage him to dance.
Dance, rhythm, and music are cultural universals. No matter where you go, no matter who you meet - they have some form of the three. It doesn't have to be good. Just encourage your son that when he feels it, it's perfectly fine to go ahead and bust a move.

6. Make sure he has examples of good men who are powerful because of their brains, their determination, and their integrity.
The examples of men with big muscles and a uniform (like Batman and LaMarr Woodley) will surround your son from birth. But make sure he also knows about men who kick a$s because of their brains (Albert Einstein), and their pen (Mark Twain), and their words (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.), and their determination (Team Hoyt), and their ideas (The Wright Brothers), and their integrity (Officer Frank Shankwitz), and fearlessness (Neil Armstrong), and their ability to keep their mouths closed when everyone else is screaming (Jackie Robinson).

7. Make sure he has examples of women who are beautiful because of their brains, their determination, and their integrity
The examples of traditionally beautiful women (like Daphne Blake, Princess Jasmine, and Britney Spears) will surround your son from birth. But make sure he knows about women who are beautiful from the inside out because of their brains (Madame Marie Curie), and their pen (Harper Lee), and their words (Eleanor Roosevelt), and their determination (Anne Sullivan), and their ideas (Oprah Winfrey), and their integrity (Miep Gies), and fearlessness (Ameila Earhart), and their ability to open their mouths and take a stand when everyone else is silent (Aung San Suu Kyi).

8. Be an example of a beautiful woman with brains, determination, and integrity.
You already are all of those things. If you ever fear that you are somehow incapable of doing anything - remember this: If you have done any of the following: a) grew life b) impossibly and inconceivably got it out of your body c) taken care of a newborn d) made a pain go away with a kiss e) taught someone to read f) taught a toddler to eat with a utensil g) cleaned up diarrhea without gagging h) loved a child enough to be willing to give your life for them (regardless if they are your own) or i) found a way to be strong when that child is suffering...you are a superhero. do not doubt yourself for one second. Seriously.

Source: simplymontessori.blogspot.com via Terry-Anne on Pinterest

9. Teach him to have manners
because its nice. and it will make the world a little better of a place.

Source: swagbucks.com via Adriana on Pinterest

10. Give him something to believe in
Because someday he will be afraid, or nervous, or heartbroken, or lost, or just need you, and you won't be able to be there. Give him something to turn to when it feels like he is alone, so that he knows that he will never be alone; never, never, never.

Source: theberry.com via Chris on Pinterest

11. Teach him that there are times when you need to be gentle
like with babies, and flowers, and animals, and other people's feelings.

Source: heatherbeadles.com via Heather on Pinterest

12. Let him ruin his clothes
Resolve to be cool about dirty and ruined clothes. You'll be fighting a losing battle if you get upset every time he ruins another piece of clothing. Don't waste your energy being angry about something inevitable. Boys tend to learn by destroying, jumping, spilling, falling, and making impossible messes. Dirty, ruined clothes are just par for the course.

13. Learn how to throw a football
or how to use a hockey stick, or read music, or draw panda bears (or in my case alpacas), or the names of different train engines, or learn to speak Elvish, or recognize the difference between Gryffindor and Slytherin, or the lyrics to his favorite song. Be in his life, not as an observer but as an active participant.

Source: shanna-kaye.com via Shanna-Kaye on Pinterest

14. Go outside with him
turn off the television, unplug the video games, put your cellphone on the charger, even put your camera away. Just go outside and follow him around. Watch his face, explore his world, and let him ask questions. It's like magic.

15. Let him lose
Losing sucks. Everybody isn't always a winner. Even if you want to say, "You're a winner because you tried," don't. He doesn't feel like a winner, he feels sad and crappy and disappointed. And that's a good thing, because sometimes life also sucks, no matter how hard (as moms) we try to make it not suck for our kids. This practice will do him good later when he loses again (and again, and again, and again, and again.....) Instead make sure he understands that - sometimes you win - sometimes you lose. But that doesn't mean you ever give up.

Source: None via Emma on Pinterest

16. Give him opportunities to help others
There is a big difference in giving someone the opportunity to help and forcing someone to help. Giving the opportunity lights a flame in the heart and once the help is done the flame shines brighter and asks for more opportunities. Be an example of helping others in your own actions and the way your family helps each other and helps others together.

Source: data.whicdn.com via Meagan on Pinterest

17. Remind him that practice makes perfect.
This doesn't just apply to performance-based activities (like sports and music) but also applies to everything in life. You become a better writer by writing. You become a better listener by listening. You become better speaker by speaking. Show your son this when he is just young enough to understand (that means from birth, folks - they are making sense of the world as soon as they arrive), practice trick-or-treating at your own front door before the real thing. Practice how you will walk through airport security before a trip. Practice how you order your own food from the fast food cashier. Practice, practice, practice.

18. Answer him when he asks, "Why?"
Answer him, or search for the answer together. Show him the places to look for the answers (like his dad, or grandparents, or his aunts/uncles, or his books, or valid internet searches). Pose the question to him so he can begin thinking about answers himself. Someday, when he needs to ask questions he's too embarrassed to ask you - he'll know where to go to find the right answers.

Source: 1.bp.blogspot.com via Maegan on Pinterest

19. Always carry band-aids and wipes on you.
especially the wipes.

Source: babyhold.com via Katie on Pinterest

20. Let his dad teach him how to do things
...without interrupting about how to do it the 'right way.' If you let his dad show and teach and discover with your son while he is growing up, some day down the road (after a short period of your son believing his dad knows nothing), he will come to the realization that his dad knows everything. You will always be his mother, but in his grown-up man heart and mind, his dad will know the answers. And this will be how, when your son is too busy with life to call and chat with his mom, you will stay connected to what is happening in his life. Because he will call his dad for answers, and his dad will secretly come and ask you.

Source: familyfun.go.com via Kate on Pinterest

21. Give him something to release his energy
drums, a pen, a punching bag, wide open space, water, a dog. Give him something to go crazy with - or he will use your stuff. and then you'll be sorry.

Source: bleubirdvintage.typepad.com via Marybess on Pinterest

22. Build him forts
Forts have the ability to make everyday normal stuff into magic. Throw the couch cushions, a couple blankets, and some clothespins and you can transform your living room into the cave of wonders. For the rest of his life, he'll be grateful to know that everyday normal stuff has the potential to be magical.

Source: None via Tabitha on Pinterest

23. Take him to new places
Because it will make his brain and his heart open up wider, and the ideas and questions and memories will rush in.

Source: None via Anne on Pinterest

24. Kiss him
Any mother of sons will tell you that little boys are so loving and sweet. They can be harsh and wild and destructive during most of the day. But there are these moments when they are so kind and sensitive and tender. So much so that it can cause you to look around at the inward, reserved grown men in your life and think, 'what happens in between that made you lose that?' Let's try to stop the cycle by kissing them when they're loving and kissing them even more when they're wild. Kissing them when they're 2 months and kissing them when they're 16 years old. You're the mom - you can go ahead and kiss him no matter how big he gets - and make sure he knows it. p.s. (this one is just as important for dad's too).

Source: smallesthings.blogspot.com via Sherry on Pinterest

25. Be home base
You are home to him. When he learns to walk, he will wobble a few feet away from you and then come back, then wobble away a little farther and then come back. When he tries something new, he will look for your proud smile. When he learns to read, he will repeat the same book to you twenty times in a row, because you're the only one who will listen that many times. When he plays his sport, he will search for your face in the stands. When he is sick, he will call you. When he really messes up, he will call you. When he is grown and strong and tough and big and he feels like crying, he will come to you; because a man can cry in front of his mother without feeling self-conscious. Even when he grows up and has a new woman in his life and gets a new home, you are still his mother; home base, the ever constant, like the sun. Know that in your heart and everything else will fall into place.