I'm a mess!!

http://youtu.be/ltMBeMxB5gU

It's a great song! Listen to it! Even if the quality is "poor".

I know it's a MESS!! But please oh please let your kiddos have those sensory experiences even if you have to pay a preschool teacher 3day's a week or a special art teacher so they can make a MESS!! A few 'MESS' examples are shaving cream, finger painting, 'Goop/gack' (corn starch and water), soap, glue painting, glitter... the list can go on and on my friend. If you need help finding messy activities I can help with that!! If you need help finding ways to make it less of a MESS and more enjoyable for all person's involved I can help with that too! But please, oh please! Let your babies, kiddos, pre-teens, teenagers... make a mess!!

We have a rule in this house "No ginormous messes! (with out a consenting adult). So I try my best to once a week have a GINORMOUS mess day!! Shaving cream has been my 'go to' because it is the easiest to clean up! But today we tried 'goop/gack' and it was a big hit! Filled about 20 min of kiddo's time (we added washable paints to stretch the fun!) then 20min of clean up(kids, floor, table...) and they reieved a great sensory experience! and it really didn't "cost" me any thing except time which is an expense I am willing to expend in the pursuit of raising the my blessing. So many valuable lesson's are learned when GINORMOUS messes are aloud. Like 'it's okay to get dirty', or 'its a solid AND a liquid', 'cleaning is necessary', 'making messes is okay', and a important one 'life get's messy! just clean your self up and keep on'.

So...those squeamish and faint of heart at the thought of play dough, finger paints and shaving cream! Fear not! This phase in life is short lived, so live it up! Make a MESS!! There will be plenty of time to have a clean and neat house later in life (when you'll be arguing about their MESSy room's;)

think, thank, thunk!

You can....

hold a grudge

carry a grudge

bear a grudge

nurse a grudge

Trouble is...

to hold/carry/bear is to pick up that grudge every day!

to nurse is to feed into the grudge and give it life or power over you!

Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as a member of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving him thanks to the God the Father through him.

Just think! If you 'let go and let God'! How much freer you would be!

http://youtu.be/EKSQjSdU8VA

Think, thank, thunk!

Dream a little dream of...

http://youtu.be/oY6KMoioSog

Okay, I know that song has absolutely nothing to do with the thoughts I'm about to share with you but!!! It's the peppiest little tune and it has the phrase in it I used as my title so I figured I'd better throw my props out there:)

I'm sure you've noticed, by now, how "dreams" (future aspirations) have changed since you were about 5 years old/ understanding the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" What was your five year dreams? Did they differ from year to year? Who inspired those dreams? What inspired those dreams? How much different are your dreams now from then? For me... not so much... I mean sure, I had the occasional "I wanna be a ballerina" (I have two left feet, really, I do!), "I wanna be a princess/royal dignitary" (I'm thinking my story wouldn't have turned out as Cinderella with the "sassy sass" I dish out!), or the "I want to be a successful "business" woman" (now if I just liked sitting at a desk for extended periods of time....doh!) But through all those dreams I found one to ring true, when I grow up I want to be a mom! And guess what, I am!! Isn't that awesome? I am amazed every day I hear "Mommy!" and realize its me the small child is referring to I smile! (unless it's "mommy! mommy! mommy! mommy!" then it's more of a grimace but...who's counting?)

Now that the "Mom" dream is realized, I realize I have other dreams to chase! Here are a few of them...

1. Leaving a legacy behind me that my family/loved ones can celebrate
2. Knowing my child(ren) are believers of Jesus Christ
3. Finishing my Bachelors degree (and possibly a Masters)
4. Realizing my desire to create a welcoming daycare/preschool/re-source center for special abilities children and their families:)
5. Being a Proverbs 31 woman (at least close to one:)
6. Finishing my basement!!(and 2nd bathroom!)
7. Creating healthy habits (working out, eating right, daily devotions....)
8. Blogging regularly
9. Being a good friend
10. To have more babies!!(naturally or adopted:)
11. Self control to resist chocolate!

So what are your dreams? Or future aspirations ? Have you spoken them aloud? Do you pray about them? do you dare to dream a little dream?

Psalms 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

more BUGS!?!? in my food

Another twist on an old favorite! just to add texture in a non threatening way, also other forms of protein.

BUGS in noodles

Mac N cheese (how ever your family prepares it)

Black beans

1.) make your macaroni and cheese 2.) add black beans to the macaroni and cheese 3.) Serve BUGS in noodles and let the kids "play" with the theme:)

IDEA!! Make a center piece out of bugs and plants! Have a magnifier at the table so they can investigate their food. Maybe put on "safari" hats and be bug hunters! If your kiddo is as "picky" as mine, playing at the dinner table (in a respectable fashion) is a much needed thing! B always had 2-3 "meal time buddies" to help him eat his food! (just make sure they are dishwasher safe!)

BUGS!!in my food?!?

Soo.... another picky eater recipe! Finding way's to shorten the eating time (from 2hrs to 45/1hr) kept me on the hunt and forced me to be a little creative with food. I am sure I am not the first person to blog about this, "cook" this, or even think of this but! I figured I'd share it and maybe it's helpful to one.

Ant's On a Log/Frogs on a lily pad

bread/leftover pancakes

banana's(frogs)

peanut(other nut) butter

cinnamon sugar/ sprinkles

raisins(bugs/ants)

carrots(log)

1.) prep carrots into thin sticks, wide enough to spread peanut butter on 2.) spread peanut butter onto bread and carrots 3.) adorn peanut buttered carrot(log) with raisins(bugs) 4.) cut bread into four equal parts 5.) cut banana into circles 6.) place one banana circle (frog) on each lily pad (bread/peanut butter) 7.) sprinkle frog with cinnamon sugar/sprinkles 8.) serve with milk and you have a complete meal!!

Picky Eaters!!

You know how you have this wonderful plan for your life and its just so wonderful that you tell God that about it. Of course after wiping tears of mirth, our loving Savior kindly reminds us HE is in charge!!(thank you Jesus! Because I would have made a really bad aristocrat's wife, schmoozing is NOT my thing:) In this wise wisdom I asked the Lord if he would be so kind to NOT give me a picky eater!! Because of all the frustrating characteristics children exemplify picky eater's were my Achilles heal! I have now grown a little more patient and a little more tolerant of the small children (and occasional adult) who is VERY particular about what they like and dislike to eat. I being a lover and enjoyer of food still find pickiness a baffling trait! I would like to thank my son for being God's instrument of change for me, I'm sure it wasn't easy because I am not one to change quickly:) Here is a recipe that came in my desperation to get my small child to EAT!!(he really just didn't like the actual act of eating, oddness to me?!?)

Veggie Pancakes

1 cup flour

1/2 scoop protein powder(3T)

3 T baking powder

1 egg

1 pureed steamed veggies

1/4 cup oil

Instructions: 1.) whisk all dry ingredients together 2.) whisk all wet ingredients together 3.) whisk ALL ingredients together (may need a little more milk to moisten) 4.) cook pancakes 5.) add butter and syrup 6.) serve! They'll never know they are eating vegetables!!

Composure, control, and creativity!

Just to let you know, I do LOVE my child with all my heart but there are days when I would rather eat cauliflower(BLECH!!) than deal with ONE MORE battle of wills!?!? I'm pretty sure that days like those are why God created chocolate, coffee, yummy creamers, diet coke and nooks! But we can argue theology another day! Today we can discuss ways to discipline effectively. I want to state that I am in NO WAY an expert! Yet I do have experience on both ends of the "stick" being a "spirited child" as well as the parent (for 3.5yrs) of a "spirited" child, I also hold a degree in early childhood development to give me added "umph" to my ideas. 1.) BREATH!! Unless the child is in imminent danger, or putting someone/something in imminent danger you have time to take a deep breath, count to five and think rationally! 2.)Think to your self "is this really a big deal?" I mean really, is it going to do eternal damage if he has his toast in his arm pit? will blowing bubbles in his milk really create his soul to be in peril? I'm going to go ahead and say probably not... However these are things that you might not want to happen at a restaurant, other peoples houses, etc... so deal with them accordingly. "When you blow bubbles in your milk, do it at your little table, don't make a ginormous mess and make sure your eating as well." 3.) Deal with them on their level. Lecturing a 3yr old probably isn't going to go farther than the first few words you say, lets face it no one likes to be lectured. Short sweet and to the point "Because you did this ___ this ___ will happen" eg. "Because you used your mouth to be rude(Yelling at Mommy) you will get 'sours' (lemon juice) on your tongue". Be specific, be short, be shrewd! 4.) Be creative! While I am a firm believer in 'spare the rod spoil the child'. I do not believe that every situation is a 'rod' situation. I save that for DIRECT DISOBEDIENCE (thanks Mom & Dad:) "B you may not go in the street" He goes in the street, it's a 'rod' situation! Most others can be "solved" by creative discipline! Sours for offensive mouths, time outs for un-wise usage of "free time", removal from a situation (usually into a time out) for being rude and disrespectful in the situation. Or for older kiddos 'hit them where it hurts' usually the bank:) Charge $$ for issues that go on... and on.... and on... 5.) GRACE is a good idea! Explain it, pray with them, and give it when it seems appropriate but not as freely as one might think. 6.) Prayerfully consider, with your spouse/partner in crime a plan of action for all courses of discipline! I know I put this one last, it should be first but I figured I'd give you some "fool proof" ideas before I gave you the "meat and potatoes". Write out this plan, post this plan, live and breath this plan but also be flexible with in the plan.... life is ON THE RUN! You never know what's happening next (although my 3yr old would believe that ALWAYS knowing "whats gonna happen next" is a must!). Start your day in the word and HE will guide your steps!(PS I am encouraging my parents to write a book on creative discipline so if you see them tell them, 'How to heat a hiney with out a match' Is a great title!!)

Cloth Diapers!

I know, I know, not ANOTHER posting about how the environment is at risk:) But I am a "green gal" so I must say my piece and be done! Okay, maybe not totally done but hey, bouncy balls are like that:) So my biggest contribution to making the world a better place is using cloth diapers!!TA-DA! Not really hat big of a "feat" but it's a little step. So the diapering system I have used is http://www.gdiapers.com/. Reason's being cost, ease, options, and they are just sooo darn cute!! There are other options and I will have to admit that for our next one (when the Lord allows). I may have to choose another system for night times, or not since I have not had a chance to use the cloth option the come out with most recently. http://www.pootersdiapers.com/Getting-Started/ is a great resource for checking out different diapering system's without "wasting money". That is the goal right? Saving money, the environment, and maybe possibly the world? :) or just being green. This is my way of contributing a "greener world" and it has worked so far!!

Life on the run!

Television is on, the radio is on, the blender is going, dishwasher is washing, the phone is ringing, the door bell is being pressed, a dog is barking, there is a loud discussion happening, the lawn mower is going, the windows are open and there is a fire truck driving by all of this on HIGH SPEED! Sounds like mass chaos right? It is and is also how the brain of some one with "bouncy ball syndrome" works, also known as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHyper activityD). To me, thats just every day life. I may be talking to you about the weather but being a "bouncy ball"; I am also thinking about dinner, which chore I should do when I get to it, the projects I have left to do, along with a continuous loop of songs running through my head. "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice!" Philippians 4:4 also a great song! It has actions, a catchy tune and moves along fast enough to keep my focus! Well done!

I am as my son state's "30 old" and have bounced along thus far learning a few things along the way about how to be a effective bouncy ball for the Lord. I have also learned how to seek out the other bouncy balls along the way... especially the small ones who just need that extra mile. You know that kiddo that never sit's still, is always touching some one or something they shouldn't and just seems to be a general disturbance in the room. Yup, that one, the one that is there just to test your sanity and patients to the max, yes, that child, is also my child. Together we are learning so much more about being a bouncy ball!!Most days I don't feel qualified to do the dishes let alone trying to guide a bouncy ball along the way. 1Corinthians 15:10 "By the grace of God I am what I am! His grace to me is not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them. Yet not I but the grace of God that is within me". Here are just a few of the things that we have learned along the way.... Wal-Mart is not a store to go to, errands are better done with out small bouncy balls! If they must be done with the small bouncy ball bring alot of snacks! Some days need to be movie days, some days need to be spent outside, other days need a mixture. Routines are good! (not as in '9am we do this...' but as in 'when I wake up in the morning I get milk'.) Balance 'on the go days' with 'pajama days'. Keep fruit snacks close at hand along with anti bacterial wipes (if you see ones that can be used in mouths let me know!!). Relish the small things (bugs, shiny rocks, dandelions, sink bubbles...) Please whatever you do don't sweat the small stuff!! OH LOOK BUNNIES!!!