Tutoring Tuesday: Lose and Loose

Lose : the "s" makes a "zz" sound. Sample sentence: I think the team is going to lose the game.

Loose: the "s" makes a "s" like in snake sound. Sample sentence: The handle on the door is loose and it might fall off.

Until next time...

Mothering Monday: Diapers

Diapers are never-ending. Ok, eventually they are. But right now it is a constant.

Before Emma was born we decided to do a combination of cloth diapers and disposables. We bought some used cloth Fuzzi Bunz pocket diapers.

Blake changed most of her diapers right away since I was healing from the c-section. We used disposables for 2 months (can't quite remember how long) before we tried the cloth ones. We used those for about 3 weeks. I am all for cloth diapering. It didn't work out too well for us. We gave up. Maybe it was the convenience of disposables. Maybe because it was taking me longer to heal and we got frustrated with the constant washing, folding, etc. of the diapers. Maybe it was that the used ones were older ones and not as good as newer ones. Maybe it was that Emma's clothes weren't fitting and she looked really weird with these weirdly bulky cloth diapers. Maybe because they leaked a lot and we had to change her and her clothes a lot. Maybe it was that I was tired and she had her first colds and we were first parents. Too overwhelming.

We could have made it work but we didn't. Has there been something in parenting that you wanted to do but "gave up"?

Until next time...

Friday's Feast: Hotdogs

I really only like hotdogs off the grill, not boiled, etc. I don't like thinking about what is in them either. However I really like the hotdogs from one of our local meat stores (L & M Meats). They are tasty. We like the ones with cheese.

Do you like hotdogs?

Until next time...

Thursday Review: GFAFB Pool

Emma and I went to the base and went to the toddler and parent time at the gym indoor pool with my sister April. It was just us 3 and the lifeguards. Emma was tentative. She didn't like when I would bounce in the deeper water. Eventually she glided her hand in the water. Then we went to the shallower end and she played with some of the toys.

The pool is exceptional! The water gradually goes from the floor to deeper water. Like a hard floor beach. We could just walk in instead of jump or climb in. The air outside the pool was nice and the water temperature was warm too.

There is an area for laps, and area for volleyball, other games, a little tube slide, other toys and little slides for kids, a ramp for people with disabilities. Chairs outside of the pool. The locker room was awesome too. It had lockers of course with benches, bathroom stalls, baby changing table, nice mats to walk on that didn't harbor water, showers to rinse off with, a machine that you can put your swimsuit in to spin most of the water out, and lots of trash cans and mirrors.

Plus, no fee to use when I am with my sister.

Until next time...

Random Wednesday

I went shopping with my Aunt Pam at Kohl's. She was very generous with gifts for Emma there. Lots of cute clothes and a couple really fun toys.

My dad mentioned recently that he is more in tuned to things relating with cancer now that he is experiencing it. He mentioned that he just learned that breastfeeding helps the mother decrease her chances of breast cancer. He was glad I was breastfeeding. (Education and support are key to helping a breastfeeding mother succeed.)

My house is a mess. Dishes and laundry don't ever go away.

I miss my baby sometimes when she is sleeping. I love time without her too.

Until next time...

Tutoring Tuesday: Borrow and Lend

I borrow something from somebody. I lend something to somebody.

Correct: I will lend you my pencil.

Incorrect: I will borrow you my pencil.

Until next time...

Mothering Monday:Teasing

This morning I gave Emma 4 Cheerios while I was pouring myself a bowl. I usually do not like to give her food while she is walking around but I did. She dropped two and the dog gobbled them right up. Blake and I were in the living room and all of a sudden Emma comes in "running" into the other area of the room giggling. Emmitt right behind her. She thought he was chasing her which is one of her newer games to play with us. In a way he was chasing her. He wanted the two remaining Cheerios. One in each hand. She moved about the room with the floppy-eared one right behind her. Licking at her hands. Sometimes she reached out like she was going to let him eat the round prize. Then take it back. What a tease! Then she would take a bite of a Cheerio and tease him with the other half. People, Emma is only a year old! What do we do about teasing?

I guess it is better than hitting the dog with her board books like she was doing yesterday.

She does respond well to distraction but is very persistent and perseverant. We are not too worried yet but very appreciative of a patient and kind dog.

Until next time...

Friday's Feast: PC's Tangy spinach and pasta salad

I made this salad at my PC show last night. It was pretty good. The ladies thought they would like to bring it to gatherings.

It had rotini pasta, fresh spinach, chopped chicken, chopped carrot, crumbled bacon, chopped boiled eggs, red onion slices, shredded cheddar cheese, and french salad dressing (we used western salad dressing).

I might try it for a gathering too. It was the first time I used my PC large square bamboo salad bowl and claws. It was beautiful and worked really well.

Until next time...

Thursday Review: DVR

I love DVR. It is nice to be able to rewind TV. I like pushing pause or record if I need to do something (baby crying, change a diaper, let the dog out) in a middle of a show. I like to record anything and be able to watch it when I want or have time to watch it. Also fast forwarding commercials is nice.

What I don't like is that when there is a tornado or thunderstorm warning or watch it interrupts with black and it interrupts recordings so you lose some of the show. I wish they would just scroll the information.

I like it more than I don't.

Until next time...

Random Wednesday

Emma got her one-year-old shots yesterday. Why do some delay shots? Why do some not give shots at all? Why do some choose to give shots?

Thunderstorms make kids wake up early. Especially the 8 year-old and 5 yo who spent the night while their mom was at the hospital to have a baby.

I love cereal.

When should we try to have another baby? I wonder when is the best time. If any. Boy or girl? Single or twins? How this pregnancy and birth will go.

We changed our Netflix subscription to one DVD at a time instead of two. We haven't been watching the movies very fast and this will save some money.

I need a nap.

I wonder what Emma will be like as she gets older.

I would like a bigger living room eventually. And a bigger yard.

I want an uninterrupted night's sleep.

Until next time...

Tutoring Tuesday

A lot (many of something) is two words. a lot, not alot

oops has two "o's". Loops without the "l".

Until next time...

Mothering Monday

Ok I didn't like the word Mutterings at the end of Monday's title so it is just going to be Mothering Monday.

My thoughts today are about us as Christian parents teaching our children about Christ. How does one teach about Christ and knowing Him more without becoming legalistic and all about rules?

Most parents try their best and that's what one can do. I try to learn from other parents (from my teaching experience, my students' parents, from church, from any other parents) since I am a pretty new parent. I see some parents really focus on how to love others like we as Christians are taught to do. I'm sure that is what most Christian parents want to do. However, I notice that some have focused on the rules that we sometimes take out of Christianity more than loving. The "rules" become the focus instead of Jesus. Of course obeying the Lord and His teachings are of utmost importance because He does know best. My issue is with the "nitpicky" type of things: no awareness of secular music, movies, etc. Maybe being overly sheltered.

I know there is an age or time of maturity to everything and that each kid is different. I hope I'm not going to let Emma watch something that she won't understand even if we talk about it. But I want her to be aware of things at the appropriate time and hope we can teach her to be mature and react and live in a godly way.

How to have the balance between loving others/living for Jesus and doing things because of Jesus and with Jesus instead of it being "a rule" or tradition. I think we need to guard ourselves against that because a lot of kids will grow up hating Christianity because of "stupid rules" that parents have focused on or made up in their perception of something in the Bible.

Lord, help us to show Emma how to love people and spend time with you and do your will for her life. It is about You. Not us. Or us obeying the rules. It is about your will and us obeying that and loving You.

Now that is probably what we should focus on...

Until next time...

Friday's Feast: Cookies and Daisies

Here are the 2nd red, white, and blue cookies that I made for coffee connection last Sunday. They were pretty fun to make. I made colored sugar the night before so it would dry. They did take a little longer because the rolls needed to be chilled. But I frosted all of Emma's birthday cupcakes during that time. I especially liked cutting it with my new color coated Pampered Chef santoku knife. It made it so easy and nice slices.

Here they are:

I made cupcakes for Emma's 1st birthday. I used some to make a cupcake cake for her to dig into. The rest of the cupcakes I frosted and cut marshmallows up to make up the daisy petals.

Thursday Review: Gerber Food

I think many have thoughts that food made by Gerber are very healthy and great for babies. Of course through commercials, etc. we are led to believe it. But when I look at the ingredients of jarred food and Gerber graduates puffs and other food I beg to differ. There are so many fillers and things I don't even know what they are. What happened to just food? I want my baby to just have veggies and beef. I don't want the parsley or onion powder in it or whatever else is in it.

Emma has had some jarred baby food however. I don't want her to like processed food but she likes both processed and unprocessed. She likes real sweet potato but doesn't like the Gerber sweet potato flavored snack puffs. There aren't many foods she doesn't like so it is interesting that she likes the real thing instead of the majorly processed item. I am glad.

So, Gerber is not really that healthy.

Until next time...

Random Wednesday

Today is our 3rd wedding anniversary. Or as some like to say "anniversary of our honeymoon". heh :)

We miss the Crawfords. I was missing them quite a bit before bed last night. Then I had a dream with them in it. Weird and can't remember it but it was nice to see them.

Tutoring Tuesday

The word "interpret" has 2 "r's". It is not "pet". It is "pret". InterpRet not interpet.

Until next time...

Mother's Monday Mutterings

My baby girl is about 1. We celebrated yesterday. I started looking at her photobook from when she was born til she was 4 months. I started crying. This thing called motherhood is hard on the heartstrings. I love who she is now. But I miss her itty bitty babyness. You just want to hold on and enjoy every single moment. You do. But then you have to let go little by little. Then the next thing you know...they are moving out. Ok, I know I have many years left with my baby but time goes fast. She will need me less and less. But that is the point I suppose. She is just entrusted to us by God. She is His. He has a purpose for her. I pray that she chooses Jesus.

I've noticed that some women put their whole being into parenting which is great. But then they don't know what to do when their children move out, become adults, get married, etc. I've read a couple different places lately about happiness. One was a mother saying that she can be happy and enjoy her children but it is a great burden on them if she depends on them for her happiness. So, one needs to guard herself against using her children instead of joy in the Lord for the source of her happiness.

Until next time...

Friday's Feast

I decided to change the name from Feasting Friday to Friday's Feast. If you can come up with something more clever please let me know. :)

We are in charge of coffee connection on Sunday after the church service. I like to call it cookie connection since I don't really drink much coffee. heh :) And that day is July 4. So, I am trying to make festive red, white, and blue cookies without them having to be too difficult. There are lots out there to frost and decorate. But with a little one that is just too time consuming. We are celebrating her first birthday that day too! And I am making her cake/cupcakes. I will post the result of that sometime.

Anyway, I tried some cookies yesterday. The recipe I found seemed easy enough. It was meant for kids to do it. I found that they weren't detailed enough like the butter should be melted even though they didn't say that. Anyway, the point was for the cookie to have a layer each of red, white, and blue and taste good. Here is the result:

Not the prettiest things but taste like a cookie.

I have a 2nd recipe that I will be trying for a different type of red, white, and blue cookie. I will post those results too.

What have you made that is red, white, and blue?

Until next time...

Thursday Review

This past weekend there was a free trial of a few of the premium channels on cable so I DVR'd a few movies. I am going to review two here.

One was "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" with Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner.

My review: Interesting take on "The Christmas Carol". Three ghosts and all. Instead of Christmas it is McConaughey's character's brother's wedding. It is about McConaughey needing to realize his wrong ways and attitude toward dating, marriage, and love.

Out of 5 stars I give it a 2. I did not like it. It was cheesey and a bit boring. It is the type of movie that I didn't care if I paused it if I left the room for a couple minutes. And I just think McConaughey is not that good of an actor. Jennifer Garner was good in her role though.

I also recorded "Bride Wars" with Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson. I give this one a 4 out of 5. Both did great in their roles. They are friends since childhood and still very close. Then they both get engaged. Both wanting the same things. Competition. Their friendship takes some turns. Fun. Cute.

I watched both of these movies by myself. Both pretty chick-flicky.

Until next time...