Permanency (sp?)

Max just turned in his application for permanent status at his job.  There are 3 positions opened with at least 20 applicants.  Please pray that he will be offered the job!  As soon as he gets permanent status we get to decide my last day of work!!!

You're living my dream

For you Stay at Home Moms, I thought you might be encouraged by this article...

You're living my dream.

What do you Think?

We have finished the majority of our Christmas shopping this year.  I love Christmas shopping for other people - so fun.  I love finding that perfect gift and then trying to keep my mouth shut about it!!  The only gift that we have yet to get is KayLynn's.  (Oh wait, and ours!) 

This has me wondering how you do it.  How do you decide what/how much to buy your children?  I understand teaching your children about the true meaning of the season - we do that...but we also buy gifts and now that KayLynn is at an age when she kinda gets it, I am wondering what you all do. 

I have read several articles today about this very thing, and mostly I am disgusted at how much people spend on their kids.  I also read this article, that I enjoyed.  I liked the simplicity of the idea to give your children gifts from the following categories: Need, Want, Read, Wear.

So, how do you do it?  And also how do you do it with more than one (same #, same $)?  Oh and if you could tell me your reasoning that would be wonderful as well.

Shutterfly Cards for Christmas!

I have decided to do real Christmas cards this year!!  I am going to be using Shutterfly.  Shutterfly has everything from holiday photo cards and Wall calendars, to personalized thank you cards and photo mugs. I’ve collected my three favorite Shutterfly holiday cards to share with you 

This is my favorite Christmas card for a family.  Its so classic, and yet you can see so many facets of a family – more than just one perfect photo of the family!

 I love how beautiful this one is - although it might be because those girls are so beautiful.  But I like the simplicity of the card and think that grandparents especially would enjoy getting this one from us!

We actually made this mug with a picture of KayLynn last year for one of her grandpas, and he really enjoyed it.  We got it in a timely manner and it looked great.  I was really impressed with their service.

This is the one that I am going to do for my family this year!



Although, I am going to use pictures of my family!

For a limited time, Shutterfly is offering bloggers an opportunity to get 50 free holiday photo cards of their own just by filling out this form and blogging about your favorite designs from their new holiday photo cards collection. Check it out, you know you want to!

My Little Conversationalist

I don't know where this kid gets it, but she is always talking!!  I love watching her little mind come alive and put things together.  a few of the recent conversations that I will enjoy reminding her of, are as follows...

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Me:  I coughed.
KayLynn: Mom, you ok?
Me: Yep, thank you.
KayLynn:  Mom, you coughing, do you need coffee?
**After she was at granny's and told Granny the same thing, she (Granny) called me and explained to me that KayLynn must have thought that if you are coughing, you must need coughee!
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KayLynn grabbed my face between her hands and said in a very serious tone, "LISTEN, we are going to the beach."  I turned my head and she grabbed my face in her hands and repeated herself.  When I laughed again she said.  "Mom, you still laughing, its time for a nap."
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K called me on the phone (kinda a tradition when Max is home with her and I'm at work):
K: Mom, can I go to the park?
Me: K, you are going to have to ask daddy, momm's at work.
K: OK.  Daddy, can I go to the park?
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Another phone coversation:
K:  Mom, is that my princess towel?
Me:  I don't know, I can't see it.
K: in exasperated voice Mom, its right there!
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In the car on the way home:
K: I'm hungry, can I need some food?
Me:  Yep, we are gonna get some lunch as soon as we get home.
K:  How bout some chicken nuggets.
Me:  How about some carrots?
K: How bout french fries?
Me: How about we go home and you can have carrots and some meat?
K: How bout no carrots today?
Me: How about no lunch today?
K: How bout carrots and juice?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Also in the car:
K: Hey Mom! (said in a shouting voice)
Me: Yes KK
K: Its following us.
Me: Whats following us?
K: The moon, its coming to our house.  Can I carry it?
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In the morning (Max has worked the previous day from 7AM-3:30 and then again at 11PM to 7:30AM.  It was about 9AM)
K:  Where's Daddy?
Me:  He's sleeping.
K: Can I go jumpon him?
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On a walk:
Me: K what are you holding.
K: Its a rock...can I eat it?
Me:  No, but thank you for asking so politely.
Lady walking past laughing...

What do You think?

I have been thinking a lot about the holidays and ways to celebrate with my family.  I LOVE tradition.  I love doing activities that help me celebrate and get in the mood.  I love having things around reminding me about the 'reason for the season'.  When we got married, Max wasn't all that excited about holidays.  It was kinda hard for me because I love them (especially Christmas) so much.  I vowed to make it so special and fun that he and our child(ren) would love it as much as me.  It is kinda working.  Last year Max told me that he liked the holidays more now that he has his own family to celebrate with.  This year he actually asked if we could get a certain type of tree and is participating in our search for the 2010 ornament.

As an aside - I don't particularly like ornaments that have the year on them, but I love picking out a special ornament each year as a fmaily (and I write the year on it really small!)

We are trying to make traditions in our own home that will stick through our lives and it is making me very interested in what you are doing in your home to celebrate?

If you are interested I was reading this blog post which had lots of great ideas!  I also found this blog post that had a great idea for getting your kids (even young ones) involved in raising money for charity...

Fun with the last of Fall

Stuck in the house...

This weekend we were stuck in the house with a sick kid and sick daddy!  We made mini apple pies (don't worry she made hers and I made mine!)

 And we made little puppet people...

 K calls them mom and dad

Halloween

On the 31st we went trick-or-treating with our good friends in their beigborhood.  KayLynn had so much fun.  Here they are getting ready to go.

 The end of the night with all there loot - do you see whats in K's basket??

 Here is a closer look - benedryl because she had a severe reaction to something she ate - thankfully the hives are finally gone and she is back to health.  However, now we get the joy of playing the elimination game to figure out what exactly it was!

KayLynn ate a total of 4 small pieces of candy that night!!!  I was really trying to make it a fun special night without having to do a sugar detox...and it worked.

Harvest Party

My Jolly Green Giant and Sprout

 Sprout - isn't she so cute - despite how big the hat was!

 She chose to have a pig painted on her face - no not a butterfly or heart or smiley face...a pig.

 We had so much fun with the games

 and with friends

 and more games

 and candy

 then we danced till we dropped!

Thank you all who did so much work to put this on.  We had such a great time.

Some Saturday Fun

A few Saturdays back we decided to go to the mountain.  Well, halfway there our car started making funny noises so we dropped it off at Buckys and walked all around Puyallup.  We were there at about 7:30 AM, so not much was open.  We started at urger King with some hot chocolate and playtime!

 We then took our hot chocolate to the mall and walked around

 We found the toys!

 Communed with the animals

 Had a lunch picnic on the trunk of our car!

 and then went home and ate candy (Max and KayLynn are sharing an enormous red vine) and carved our pumpkin.

All-in-all a pretty good day considering we were stuck in Puyallup for five hours!

Invisible swaddling blanket

*Post title for Aunt Tam

KayLynn has really been struggling with learning appropriate independence.  Maybe closer to the truth I should say - I have been struggling with her learning appropriate independence.  Though very age appropriate as she is learning what she can control;  I also have to teach her what she does not have control over.  I have learned that too many options create discontent within her.  Just as I learned when she was an infant - that too many toy choices made her discontent.  Likewise, too many options and not enough boundaries seem to make her unhappy and feel out of sorts (leading to sin).  It is as if the boundaries and my making choices for her create a sort of invisible swaddling blanket. 

It started with food.  Then it was bed time.  Then it was whenever I asked her to do something.  Then it was changing her clothes.  And now it is who puts her to bed.  After a little while with these problems, I (with help) realized them for what they are.  She wants what she wants - when she wants it.  Though I know it is sin, I have also really been struggling with what the deeper issues are. 

When she was an infant and would cry a lot, I would wrap her tightly (giving her body boundaries) and she would be calmed.  Later when she was disobedient, and seemed unable to obey, I would hold her (and all of her flailing limbs) close to me until she calmed.  It always worked.  She still loves to be held closely.  She loves to have a hand pushing (not just laying) on her back when she is cuddling.  When she is sick she wants to be held tightly and not let go.  She wants needs boundaries.  Like all kids she thrives on them (although maybe a little more than other kids!)

So, it seems to me that this child that I am nurturing needs less power(less options, less decisions).  So, our discipline tactics have changed again (because we have an ever changing child) and we are giving her an invisibly swaddling blanket.  I am taking choices out of her hands so that she doesn't have to be overwhelmed.

Little by little it is working and we are seeing our sweet girl return.  She eats her carrots proudly now, and goes to sleep once again with no fussing.  She makes less fuss about changing her clothes, and soon she will stop fighting the cuddler (whoever puts her to bed - we alternate).

I am so thankful to not only have help in seeing the bigger issues and learning what I am supposed to be teaching my darling daughter - but also to have a compliant child who learns quickly.

Because she's just so cute