Archive for the Category »Motherhood «

May

My birthday was at the beginning of the month and my husband and kids surprised me with an iPad2! I should have known something was up when my kids kept begging me to open my gift from them I love figuring out how to use this technology in my life, for both fun and for productivity! I keep researching best ways to use it and my kids keep stealing it away to take pics, videos, play games and make music in GarageBand.

Our church is currently in a series of sermons that have memory verses included, one for each week. As a family we have been working to memorize these verses. I decided to video the kids saying them and have fun on iMovie putting together the different clips.

The other day, I found Isabelle watching the video clip of her and her siblings saying their verses. I then saw her begin to tape herself re-saying them and including the “good job” comment I added at the end. This got my mind to thinking!!

Isabelle currently is not able to count higher than 13, she always messes up when we get to 14. I have been thinking we would work on this during the summer as well as other things.

The two thoughts came together for me!

I decided to video myself counting objects up to 20. I thought maybe she will watch it over and over and actually count with it! When I made the first video I did not even get it finished before she and Owen showed up wanting to watch it over and over. The second video I spontaneously captured on our driveway after we wrote out numbers 1-20 with sidewalk chalk.

I am looking forward to see what will come of this little experiment! I already found her watching one and counting along! I will let you know how it goes Numbers 14-20 may just be in her vocabulary sometime soon!

My love for my iPad2 grows.

Category: Family Life, iPad2, Isabelle, Mac, Mandy, Motherhood Leave a Comment

PJ DAY!

May

written by:mandy | Leave a Comment

I wrote this back in February, never posted it but I still want to…

I love the way my children are so forgiving!

Isabelle had been super excited about pajama day at school, scheduled for February 2nd…ground hog day. She had been talking about it for a week! I was super excited because the first time she talked to me about it she said “Mom, Mrs Riedel told me….pajama day, slippers, pajama!!” Isabelle has worked very hard to overcome a significant speech delay all of her life. It was years before she talked and talking in sentences only happens every now and then. To hear her say those four words together that are a proper use without significant words left out was music to my ears “Mom, Mrs. Riedel told me…” I love it!!

Back to PJ day! She was super excited! Turns out February 2nd we had no school, snow! So our next day of school I sent her without PJ’s, bad decision! When I picked her up she was more than just a little sad, to say the least. Everyone else had worn PJ’s. There mom’s read the sent home paper that said what to do if there was snow. As well those little kids were able to tell their mom’s much more than “Mom, Mrs. Riedel told me…” They were probably able to tell paragraphs about what to do in case of a snow day on February 2nd. Needless to say I shed a few tears on the way home that day! I had failed my little girl and her PJ day, and she was not able to communicate with me like other little kindergarteners. So what is a Mom to do?

Once we arrived home I decided it was PJ day at our house. Isabelle, Owen and even myself headed upstairs to change. Such a simple thing, but both of my kids thought it was AWESOME. We had lunch in our PJ’s with a blanket, an episode of Dora and a good book reading. We had our PJ day right here at home, and my sweet Isabelle was thrilled. I am thankful to have forgiving kids! When Brian got home that night he looked at me in my PJ’s with a question in his eyes…”it’s PJ day!” was my response!

I am thankful that the Lord has made each of my children uniquely! And I am thankful that he blesses me with their love and forgiveness!

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Mandy’s Monday – Resolutions Review

January

written by:mandy | One Comment

In 2010 we set a goal as a family to each read 20 books. I learned a great deal from the books I read as well as the process of trying to reach this goal. I will reveal right up from that I did not accomplish 20 books I love to read, I have said that many times, and I loved reaching for this goal but just fell short. I read more books than I would have with out the goal. It pushed me to continue reading and therefore it is a goal I am going to set once again in 2011!

Below is a listing of the books I read in 2010. I will not be listing them in order for one main reason, I lost my list two different times this year and had to recreate it both times. There is a good chance I forgot a few books and I know I did not remember them in order!

1. Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson
2. Stomping Out The Darkness by Neil T. Anderson
3. Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
4. When People are Big and God is Small by Edward T. Welch
5. Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore
6. Emma by Jane Austin
7. Mansfield Park by Jane Austin
8. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austin
9. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin (why not throw it in there one more time!)
10. Jesus, 90 Days With the One and Only by Beth Moore
11. The Poor Will Be Glad by Peter Greer & Phil Smith
12. Helping Your Kids Deal with Anger, Fear, and Sadness by H. Norman Wright
13. Beyond Belief by Josh Hamilton & Tim Keown
14. The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (still finishing this one with the kids)

I really believe there are a few books I forgot about, that I read in the beginning months of 2010 and were lost from memory when I lost my list. It is amazing how long ago January 2010 feels from today!

This coming year as I set a 20 book goal once again I decided to add a layer to the resolution. I desire to read at least one book from each of the following categories: marriage, parenting, classics (Jane Austin does not count…I have now read all of hers), NY current best seller list, spiritual walk, and theology. I look forward to reading and blogging in response!

Now to reveal a few of my new resolutions:
1. I have fallen in love with my slow cooker! Therefore, this year I will use my slow cooker at least once a week, with the exception of the summer time. During the summer I use the grill all the time…and love it completely!! I found a blog with great slow cooker recipes, A Year of Slow Cooking. Be sure to check it out if you do not already know about it.
2. Run a second marathon with a new PR! I can not say enough about how much I loved running the San Antonio Rock N Roll Marathon in November. It was such an encouragement to me in many ways.
3. Attack the basement…AARRGGG!! For years I have wanted to do something drastic down there, just too many things are down there that need to be given away or thrown out…too much clutter.
4. Do a Bible Study with Addie and Emma. They are at a wonderful age and I want to take full advantage of the opportunity to disciple my daughters!
5. In 2010 I started a twitter journal of sorts for God’s love. I began in Genesis and as I read through the Bible I noted where I saw God’s love. I tweet each of these and am currently in I Samuel. In 2011 I plan to continue with this #God’sLove twitter journal.
6. In a restatement: I will work to read 20 books this year with at least one from each of the above stated categories.
and lastly:
7. I want to be faithful to post a blog for each of the Monday’s in 2011! (I missed one last week, but I am OK with that.) Hopefully, there will be 51 Mandy’s Mondays at the close of 2011. Writing is enjoyable for me, so this goal is for me to force myself to take the time to do so!

I am looking forward to a new year, the old has gone the new has come!

Category: Book Reviews, Emma, Family Life, goals, Mandy's Mondays, marriage, Motherhood, spiritual life, Websites One Comment

Back Off Burger King & Walmart! (Warning Griping Mom alert)

July

written by:mandy | 2 Comments

Today we were rushing around making final preparations for Addie and Emma to be dropped off at camp for the week. It never fails I am always purchasing seasonal items in the middle of a season or near the end when no one else is shopping for these items and the stores are lower in stock. Today I needed new swimsuits for my girls. Before hitting Walmart we needed lunch and decided to stop by Burger King. Little did I know that as a result I would find myself disgusted with both major national companies!

I ordered four kids meals from Burger King, not my favorite lunch food to provide for my kids but it does happen from time to time. Each meal came with a toy, as always, and my surprise was the toys for sure! Burger King gave to my four children, whose ages are 3, 6, 8 and 10, four Eclipse propaganda toys promoting the Twilight Saga! Did I miss something?? Isn’t that a PG 13 movie? Am I wrong or isn’t a PG 13 movie recommended for people over 13. I realize many children under 13 see PG 13 movies, but I thought it was at least the recommendation of the movie industry to wait. What would make Burger King think that I would want Eclipse toys given to my children, much less why would they think this is a good idea? Does Burger King not treasure the children enough to support and encourage their childness? You can keep your “toys” Burger King and your lunch for that matter.

We then headed to WalMart where I found my second frustration of the day. We were looking for one piece swimsuits for the girls, the ones who are 6, 8, and 10 remember. At Walmart I found a horrible selection of one piece swimsuits that were missing major sections of the “one piece”, and that is ALL I could find! Addie even commented “this is basically a two piece suit”. The suits had huge cut outs on both sides and low cut fronts…These were the only choices! Maybe there were better options in the beginning of the season but somehow I doubt it. This was the young girls section of the store where sizes are 7-12 and usually fit girls who are 7-12. Personally I do not desire for my young daughters to look like anything but a 6, 8 and 10 year old girl! So WalMart you can keep your “one piece” and I will look elsewhere!

Back off Burger King and Walmart! You might want to rethink your decisions for the young among us and the parents who make the sales possible.

Category: Family Life, Mandy, Motherhood, movies 2 Comments

Mandy’s Monday – When Mom Goes Out Of Town

February

written by:mandy | Leave a Comment

Today I find myself running around doing all those last minute things so that I can go out of town.
My to do list included:
1. Early morning run to keep the half marathon training going.
2. Finish the laundry.
3. Put chocolate and M&M on Isabelle’s heart cookies for her class.
4. Go get my fingerprints taken (so I can go on a field trip with the public school). Should have been done weeks ago and really can not wait till I get back!
5. Run by the grocery store to stock the house with food so they will survive while I am gone and Brian does not have to take them to the store.
6. Drop off criminal background check at the distract office (again so I can go on the field trip).
7. Pack
8. Make another two dozen heart shaped cookies, then put on the chocolate and M&Ms for Addie and Emma’s classes.
9. Arrange childcare needs for Brian.
10. Get in the car and pull away super excited!!

I have not accomplished #8 yet, and it might not happen. I bought three bags of Valentine’s candy as a back up

I was completely blessed by a stranger today in the grocery store! She was an older woman in the check out line before me, her name is Mrs. Stoner. Owen was in a bad mood at that point and I was trying to distract him by showing him all this cool Thomas the Tank Engine stuff by the checkout line. When I turned back to the line Mrs. Stoner had put almost all of my groceries on the belt for me! Then to top it off she bought Owen a Thomas book!! What a blessing for sure!!

As a Mom it takes a lot to get ready to leave your precious family, but time away is always worth it. I am headed to Sandy Cove’s Pastor’s Wives and Women in Ministry Connection, a retreat I have done yearly for 4-5 years. I am always blessed to be there. Spending time being taught from God’s Word and rubbing shoulders with other women in ministry is always great! I look forward to returning home refreshed and renewed and ready for my crazy to do list filled with baking needs, food gathering, high tech finger print analysis, and who knows what else!

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Valentines Count Down – Day 13

February

written by:mandy | Leave a Comment

“It is not time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy; it is disposition alone. Seven years would be insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other, and seven days are more than enough for others” – Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility

“A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.” Tenneva Jordan

“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God and God abides in him.” I John 4:16