Invisible Moms

Invisible Mothers
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.
Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.
I'm invisible - The invisible Mom.
Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more.
"Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?"
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?'
I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?'
I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner,celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. 
It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:
'To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built,
and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man,
'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof?
No one will ever see it.'
And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.
No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will
become.'
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime
because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.


-unknown author

Motherhood

A handful of kids were asked personal questions
about their moms...
Here are their honest answers, word for word:

Why did God make mothers?
1.-She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2.-Think about it, it was the best way to get more people.
3.-Mostly to clean the house.
How did God make mothers?
1.- He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2.- Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
What ingredients are mothers made of?
1.- God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1.- God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
Describe the world's greatest mom?
1.- She would make broccoli taste like ice cream!
What kind of little girl was your mom?
1.- My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2.- I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
Is anything about your mom perfect?
1.- Her teeth are perfect, but she bought them from the dentist.

Aren't these answers adorable?! Yet, as cute as these responses are, as we grow older and especially as we become parents ourselves, we learn the true meaning of motherhood.

Motherhood is giving your child courage on the first day of school. Motherhood is giving your child reassurance when they are teenagers and don’t want to hear a word you have to say. Motherhood is saying sorry when you have had an argument. Motherhood is sacrificing sleep to nurture your child, it is relearning long division to help your kids with homework, it is developing a taste for macaroni and cheese, it is science projects, soccer practice, PTA meetings, chauffeuring, hugs and kisses, life lessons, blood sweat and tears, unconditional love and affection, loyalty, support, comfort, friendship and especially patience.



*I don't remember where I found this but had saved because I thought it was so cute.

Share with us your best coupon tip

I really need help with this one. I rarely use coupons. I know how much money can be saved when you use them but I just don't know where to start. We don't get the Sunday paper and I haven't taken the time to figure out the "game." So, please help me out. Let me know your favorite tip(s) on using coupons. Thanks for your help!

Woo hoo

I just have to share this with you all. My youngest son slept from 9:00 pm last night until 7:10 am this morning - straight through in his crib for the first time ever!! He is almost 18 months old. If you have a child who is not a great sleeper, you know why I am so excited. Last night was my first full night of sleep in years - I'm not exaggerating. I may not have another in just as many years because last night may have been a fluke but who knows, this may be the start of something new. :) Woo hoo!
If you have a Woo hoo, please share with us in the comments so we can celebrate with you. Simple or big, we want to hear!

Attitudes

Our children are like mirrors - they reflect our attitudes in life.

The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him. Proverbs 20:7

A man was asked to give a commencement address several years ago and as he sat on the platform after the speech watching the graduates receive their college degrees, the entire audience began applauding for a student who had earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average. During the applause, a faculty member seated next to the speaker leaned over and said to him, "She may be Miss Genius, but her attitude stinks." The speaker later said, "Without even thinking, my hands stopped clapping for her in mid-air. I couldn't help but think, How sad."
No matter how beautiful, intelligent, talented, or athletic a child may be . . . there's no substitute for a child having a positive, loving attitude toward others! The foremost architect of that attitude is not going to be a teacher or a pastor, but the parents.
Be careful in the attitudes you "feed" your children daily. They become the diet of your child's mind, just as food becomes the diet for your child's body. Don't feed your children junk ideas, sour opinions, rotten theology, poison feelings, or wilted enthusiasm. Instead, feed your children with the best and most positive ideas, expressions of feeling, and opinions you have!

- God's Little Devotional Book

Share with us your favorite place to buy kids shoes

I wasn't sure what topic to pick this week. I'm not even really sure if you care. There wasn't much of a response last week. But maybe a lot of you have not had much experience with getting your kids hair cut. I've been thinking a lot about shoes recently and figured that would be a topic most moms could share about.
So let us know. Where is your favorite place to buy your kids' shoes and why?

Birthday Snow Day Project

Today is my daughter's 7th birthday and we are home with a snow day! I saw this cute project at Family Fun (link at bottom) and thought today would be a good day to share it with you! Have fun!


This whimsical kit is easily made by covering three cardboard boxes with felt, then cutting out piping and other decorations from the leftover material. The felt sticks to itself, so your little decorator can design and redesign her confection as often as she'd like. The icing on the cake for parents? All of the pieces store neatly inside the bottom box when not in use.

Materials
Disappearing fabric marker (the ink fades from the felt)
3 round cardboard boxes in graduated sizes (ours measure 7-1/2, 4, and 3 inches; we got them at Michaels for $6 total)
Felt (we used 1/4 yard each for the large and medium-size boxes and 1/8 yard for the small, plus two 9- by 12-inch sheets for decorations)
Scissors
Tape measure (optional)
Tacky glue
Sponge brush and bowl (optional, for spreading the glue)

Instructions

Using the marker, trace the lid of the largest box onto the felt, as shown, then cut out the shape. Next, measure and cut two strips of felt, one to fit around the side of the lid and the other to fit around the side of the box (leave the area under the lid uncovered, as shown, so that the box will close). Glue the pieces to the box and lid. Do the same for the remaining boxes. Cut out felt decorations, such as flowers and piping (for templates).

To make a candle, download our templates. Trace the shapes onto felt and cut them out. Glue together the candle and flame as shown, run a line of glue along the right edge of the square, then starting from the left, roll the material into a cylinder shape.















Glue the half-circles onto the bottom of the candle as shown. Let the glue dry, then fold down the pink flaps.





Tips:
For easier cutting, first iron freezer paper (shiny side down) to the felt. Use a glue stick to adhere templates to the freezer paper, then cut out the shapes and peel off the paper.

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/build-a-cake-play-set-923565/

Choices

*Choices are a big deal to toddlers and are an effective way to encourage good behavior. Getting dressed struggles? "You can wear either this shirt or this one." Cleanup contention? "You can pick up this mess while singing either the Barney song or the Bob the Builder one." Rushing to leave? "I can put your shoes on for you and carry you out to the car, or you can put them on all by yourself and meet me in the car seat."
*Choices can be as simple as letting your child pick between doing the right thing or receiving the consequence. "You can give me the toy or I can take it from you." "It's your choice - do you want to stop whining and play nicely with your sister, or would you rather take a nap?"
*Don't you just love to make your children laugh? Especially when the alternative is a preschool power struggle. "I don't want to wear that shirt!" she insists. "Fine, then I'll wear it," you concede while putting her size three shirt on your head and walking around bumping into things. "Here, now you try it. Hey, it fits you perfectly!" Or you can hop around on one foot that is wearing your son's little jeans that he refuses to wear. As often as possible, look for the humor in raising toddlers!
*In some ways, toddlers can be easier to discipline than older kids. Try giving them this simple choice. Hold up two fingers and explain, "If you choose this finger and obey Mommy, you will receive the blessing in heaven. But if you pick this finger and disobey, you will be choosing the consequences here on earth." Most of the time you don't even have to have a punishment in mind; they love to choose the obedient finger. As they run off to obey, call after them with this encouragement: "I see God smiling at you from heaven while He's preparing your reward!"
*Use your child's desire for independence to your advantage. "I can do it by myself!" seems to be the battle cry of toddlers everywhere. That's why, if you offer them the choice of putting toys away all by themselves or allowing you to help, they will usually go for the heady feeling of self-sufficiency. If they don't, however, "help" them by placing your hand over theirs while they pick up all their toys. That isn't quite as much fun as watching you clean up for them, and it makes the choice of allowing you to help a little less appealing next time.

Inheritance

The best inheritance a father can leave his children is a good example.

As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children. 1 Thessalonians 2:11

A woman relates that when she was a little girl, her father, an artist, would often be busy at his easel, mixing oils and painting on his big canvases while she sat nearby on the floor, working just as hard as he was with her own set of crayons and a coloring book.
Many a time, he would set his brushes aside, reach down, and lift her up onto his lap. Then he'd curl her little hand around one of his brushes, enfolding it with his own larger and stronger hand. And ever so gently, he would guide her hand and the brush, dipping it into the palette and mixing the burnt umbers and raw siennas, and then stroke the wet, shiny paint onto the canvas before them both.
The little girl watched in amazement as, together, they made something beautiful.
Little did this father know that he was giving his daughter skills that would bring great fulfillment to her life. Today, Joni Tada - a quadriplegic since a diving accident during her teen years - is still painting, but this time with a paintbrush in her mouth. Much of her earnings is channeled into ministry to help others. Her compassion, too, is a reflection of that shown her by a loving, tender father.

Share with us your child's hairdresser

Share with us where you take your child for his/her haircuts. In the comments, leave the name, location, and, if possible, phone number of the hairdresser. If there is any other info you would like to share, feel free. Hopefully this will be a great resource for moms looking for a place to take their little ones for a trim.

Share with us

I read the blog, "Kelly's Korner" (link on left) and she often does a thing called Show us your life. She picks a topic and then people can link up their blog post on that topic. I'm not planning on doing that but I was inspired by that and an email from a dear friend, to start something new on The Mommy Years. In the email, my friend was asking some fellow moms who they would recommend as a hairstylist for her toddler. That got me thinking. How many times have I asked the advice of another mom about where they went for this or bought that? I'm sure you all have, too.
So, every Friday I will pick a topic and ask you all to leave "advice" in the comments section. For example, this week I'll be asking you to "Share with us" your child's hairdresser. That was the topic that started it all so I thought we'd start there as well. :)
I'm hoping this will be helpful to you all. I'm also hoping that this will be something that you can refer back to if and when you need the info. As a mom, I know I need all the help I can get and it will be great to hear your recommendations.
If you ever have any suggestions of topics, email me or leave it in the comments. I really want this to be something that helps you out, so your input will be beneficial.
Be looking tomorrow for our first "Share with us" post! Have fun shoveling- ugh. Anybody know of somebody who's great at snow removal . . .? ;)

Paper snowflakes

So, I'm slightly embarrassed to say, we still have our tree up. The ornaments are off but the tree is still up. This isn't entirely my fault. It's a long story and I won't bore you with the details.
Anyway, back to my bare tree. So I figured, as long as we have this tree up, we should decorate it with some cute paper snowflakes. Over the weekend, I asked the girls to make some. I found out that they had no idea how to make them. After trying to show them, I realized I really couldn't remember how to make them either. So I consulted my good friend Google and found out how to make an easy paper snowflake. I thought I would share my findings with you in case you, too, have forgotten this long lost art.

How To Make Paper Snowflakes
Paper snowflakes make great decorations and they are really easy to make. All you need is a square piece of paper and a pair of scissors. The secret is in the folding. It looks tricky, but it's really easy, honest!






Here's how:

Take a piece of square paper and fold it in half so that you have a big triangle.

Now fold that triangle in half to make a smaller triangle.

Now hold your triangle with the longest side at the top.

Next, fold the right-hand corner over towards the middle until it is directly above the bottom point of the triangle and press the edges down firmly.

Now fold the left-hand corner over towards the middle until it crosses over the right-hand point. Press the edges down firmly.

Almost finished. Now, cut off the two points that are sticking up, in a straight line underneath them.

This is the fun bit. You should be left with a triangle. The tallest point will be the centre of your snowflake. Now you get to cut out your pattern!


You can cut out any pattern you like. Swirls, spikes or a mixture of the two. Use your imagination!

The most important thing to remember is that you don't cut your triangle into bits though.

You must leave at least some of the folded edge intact so your flake doesn't fall apart.

http://www.show.me.uk/site/make/Art-and-Design/ACT135.html

Routines

Thanks for the comments! It helps to know that someone is actually reading this blog! :)
Since it looks like all of us are moms to toddlers, I thought I would share a little from Lisa Whelchel's book Creative Correction from time to time. She has a section in it just for toddlers. It is a great book and I highly recommend it.

Routines
*To keep your child's morning and evening routine "handy," try this. Trace your hand on two pieces of construction paper, a yellow piece for the morning and a blue piece for the bedtime routine. On each finger, write one thing that needs to be accomplished. Write the first thing to be done on the thumb, for instance, Make your bed. Once your child completes this first task, she gives you a "thumbs-up" and proceeds with the rest: Get dressed, Eat breakfast, Brush teeth, and Morning devotions. Upon closing her children's Bible, she gives you a "high five" to indicate that her morning routine is complete. This is repeated in the evening for the nighttime routine. The only difference is, instead of ending with a "high five," you put your "fives" together for a bedtime prayer.
*We wanted to establish a daily routine for our children while they were still little. The biggest obstacle we faced was the fact that they couldn't read the fancy chart I had made. So, I asked their grandfather to draw pictures illustrating the task that was to be done next to a picture of what the clock would look like at that time.
*A similar idea is to create a daily planner by taking a picture of your child engaged in the activity listed on the schedule, as well as a picture of the clock at that time. Buy a small photo album and put in the pairs of pictures, one page per pair, in the order in which the tasks are to be accomplished throughout the day. First thing in the morning, the child opens her daily planner, does the first task, and then turns the page. The last page has a picture of the child in bed with a snapshot of his or her bedtime on the clock.
*Your morning routine could include filling six sippy cups each morning for each child and placing them on the lowest shelf in the fridge. You can fill two with milk, two with juice, and two with water. This is so much easier than pouring drinks all day long, it cuts down on your "waitressing" job, and it ensures that your kids get a healthy balance of liquids every day.

I think these are great ideas that I could use for all of my kids. :)

Friendship Blossom Valentines

I made these Valentines with my girls last year for their class Valentines Day parties. They are super cute and very simple. I saw them in Family Fun magazine. I'll include the link at the bottom.

Materials:
Scrapbooking paper or card stock
Scissors
Lollipops
Tape

Instructions:
For each, cut three heart-shaped petals, two leaves, and two flower centers from scrapbooking paper or card stock. *(I actually cut a 4th green heart then cut the heart in half to make 2 petals. For the centers, I just cut out circles and it looked just as cute.)*
Poke a small hole in each, crease the petals as shown, and slide the pieces onto a lollipop stem. Tape the bottom to secure.

More messages:
You're a sweet heart
Our friendship is blooming
Be my bud-dy

These Valentines were a big hit and so simple and SWEET!

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/friendship-blossoms-825185/

I'm back . . .

Hello! How are you all doing? It's been a very long time since I've posted something and I need to apologize. We have had quite a couple of months here in our household. We have been so sick. We have filled over 20 prescriptions, been to our doctors countless number of times, and had one trip each to the Walgreens clinic, urgent care, and the ER. We have been busy trying to get healthy. My husband has pneumonia but everyone else seems to be doing ok, so we're hopeful that this is the end of our journey of sickness.
So that was reason number one that I wasn't blogging (that felt weird but how else do I say it :). The other reason was because I was kind of throwing myself a pity party and didn't really think anyone read this blog or cared. After just looking, I see that people have been checking back almost every day even when I haven't posted anything. So that inspired me to start up again. Thank you!
There are a couple of things that would inspire me further and you can help me out with this. Ready? Sign up to be a follower. It's not hard and is even helpful in letting you know when a new post is up. One other thing is to leave a comment on this post. You can just say hi or tell us how many kiddoes you have, girls or boys, and maybe their ages. Don't feel like you have to give any super personal information. I'm just curious who's reading.
I know this was a boring post but I just wanted to let you know that I was back. Tomorrow I'm going to post a cute Valentine idea. :)

December Playdate

For our December playdate we are going to do something a little different. As my Christmas gift to you, I am giving you a "Mommy's Morning Out" on Friday, December 17 from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. What this means is you can drop your little one(s) off at my house and take the morning off. Finish your shopping, take a nap, get a manicure, read a book. The possibilities are endless. As mommies, we all need a break from time to time.
If you are interested in doing this, please let me know in the comments. I would prefer to know ahead of time who will be joining me that morning. :) Also, I have to be strict with the pick up time because I have to pick my son up from preschool.
I hope you all are able to take advantage of this break - you deserve it!!
Merry Christmas!

Don't Assume

On Monday nights, we take the kids to the library. They head to the children's section and check out books and more DVDs than they can watch in a week. It's part of our routine and we enjoy it. When the kids pick out movies, they always show them to us for our approval before adding them to the cart. They know that there are certain "children's" shows that we don't approve of.
Last week, my 6 year old picked out a movie called The Eye of the Dolphin. I glanced at it and quickly approved. Over the weekend, we all sat down to watch this movie. Two minutes into it, a teen girl hands her mother a "packet of birth control" before her mom's date. Then 30 seconds later, the girl is seen smoking some sort of drug. Thankfully, by this point we turned the movie off. I grabbed the movie case and at that point noticed the movie was rated PG-13. I let my kids rent a PG-13 movie - yikes! I barely let them watch PG movies. I was very shaken and upset.
Tonight, we went back to the library to return our movies. I kept "that" movie out so I could talk to the librarian about it. When I brought it to the attention of the librarian, she was shocked and appalled. After doing a little bit of checking, she found out that this movie was miscoded and should have been with the adult movies. She also found out that it had been on the shelf since 2007 and checked out 66 times!! I was the first person to say anything about it.
This tells me three things:
1. Parents have no idea what their kids are watching.
2. Parents don't care what their kids are watching. And/or
3. Parents aren't taking the time to right a wrong; to protect other kids and their innocence.

I've been thinking about that and just want to say, Don't Assume.

Pay attention to what your kids are watching. Don't assume that because a movie is in the children's section that it's ok. Don't assume that just because a movie or show is labeled as "children's," that it's appropriate for your kids to watch. I've seen way too many cartoons and other shows that look kid-friendly but are anything but.

Care about what your kids are watching. Don't assume that they are too young to understand. Kids are smart!! They are also immature. They pick up what is going on and being said but lack the maturity to deal with it appropriately. Our children's innocence needs to be protected for as long as possible.

And lastly, step up and make your voice heard. Don't assume someone else will do it. Chances are it is up to you. Do it for your kids. Most of you know I am pretty meek and mild - basically a door mat. :) But when it comes to my kids, I turn into a mama bear. I will do whatever it takes to stand up for them. This has put me in many situations that I am not usually comfortable with. A couple of years ago, my first grade daughter was shown a movie at school that I think is highly inappropriate. It is rated PG and like I said, we rarely let our kids watch PG movies - for that reason. I was very upset. I wrote a note to my daughter's teacher explaining why I was not happy about what happened. The teacher contacted me and apologized. The movie was shown by the lunch ladies during indoor recess and they had no idea what the movie was rated. I was the only mother to say something. It shocks me and saddens me.

Think of something inappropriate that you've seen before. It's hard to get that stuff out of your head, right? I don't want my kids' heads to be filled with garbage. Garbage in, garbage out. Let's fill our kids' heads with lovely, pure things instead.

" Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. " Phillippians 4:8

November Playdate

Our November playdate will be "Christmas Shopping with Mommy" on Friday, November 19 at 9:30 am. We will be meeting at Brookfield Square in the mall in front of Sears.
I hope you all can join us!

Quote of the Day

Being a mother . . . is like being a guardrail on the highway. You're gonna get bumped and scraped and tested a lot. But it's your job to stand firm and keep your kid on the right road.

-Angela Hunt in "She's in a Better Place

" Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9 NIV

Yummy Fall Recipe

Last night I brought Pumpkin Ooey Gooey Butter Cake to Bible study. It was very rich and quite yummy! I thought I'd share the recipe with all of you. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Ooey Gooey butter cake

Ingredients
Cake:
1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Quote of the Day

“Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor… Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.” - Mother Theresa

Who do you belong to?

He is the first and the last, the beginning and the end. He’s the keeper of creation and the creator of all. He’s the architect of the universe and the manager of all time. He always was, always is, always will be unmoved, unchanged, undefeated and never undone.

He was bruised but brought healing, He was pierced but eased pain, He was persecuted but brought freedom, He was dead and brings life. He is risen to bring power and He reigns to bring peace.

The world can’t understand Him, armies can’t defeat Him, schools can’t explain Him and leaders - they can’t ignore Him. Herrod couldn’t kill Him, Nero couldn’t crush Him, the new age cannot replace Him and Oprah cannot explain Him away.

You remind yourself, that He is light, He is love, He is longevity and He is the Lord. He is goodness and kindness and faithfulness and He is God. He is holy and righteousness and powerful and pure.

His ways are right, His word eternal, His will unchanging and His mind is on us. He’s our Savior, our guide, our peace, our joy, our comfort, our Lord and He rules our lives.

I serve Him because….His bond is love, His yoke is easy, His burden is light and His goal for us is abundant life. I follow Him because He’s the wisdom of the wise, the power of the powerful, the ancient of days, the ruler of rulers, the leader of all leaders. His goal is a relationship with me.

He’ll never leave you, never forsake you, never mislead you, never forget you, never overlook you, and never cancel your appointment in his appointment book.

When you fall He’ll lift you up. When you fail, he’ll forgive you. When you’re weak, He’s strong. When you’re lost, He’s your way. When you’re afraid, He’s your courage.

When you stumble, he will steady you. When you’re hurt He’s gonna heal you. When you’re broken, He will mend you. When you’re blind, He will lead you. When you’re hungry, He will feed you. When you face trials, He’s with you. When I face persecution, He shields me. When I face problems, He will comfort me. When I face loss, He will provide for me. And when we face death, He will carry us all home to meet Him.

He is everything, for everybody, everywhere, every time and in everyway. He is your God. And that sisters, is who you belong to.


-Anointed, Transformed, and Redeemed 2008

October Playdate

Wow! I have been terrible at keeping up this blog. In my defense, I also have been insanely busy but who isn't, right? I'm going to try to be better at posting. We'll see. :)
The October playdate will be next Friday, October 22 at 9:30 am at the zoo, again. I couldn't come up with a creative place to go and I thought we should try to sneak in one more outdoor playdate before the weather turns on us. The zoo is always fun and should be free for most of us. If you do not have a zoo pass, let me know. I can bring two guests on my zoo pass.
We'll meet in the main entrance building. Hope you all can come!

September Playdate

We had so much fun last month at our playdate at the pool. There were 5 mommies and 10 kiddos. It was a great day in the sun!
Our September playdate will be on Friday, September 24 at 9:30 am at Frame Park in Waukesha again. We can go for a walk along the beautiful riverwalk and then the kids can play on the playground. Let's meet in the parking lot next to the Schuetze building (behind Whiterock elementary school).  Hope to see you there!
 Let me know if you plan on coming so I can watch for you that morning. 

Happy Underwear Week!

Ok, so maybe we're the only ones celebrating this little known holiday. And boy, are we celebrating!!
Warning: The following contains potty talk but I'm sure as a mom you know how important and exciting this is. And if you don't yet, you will. :)
We decided last week that Monday would be "no more diapers" day for my 3 year old son. We talked about it for days before to prepare him (and probably more importantly to prepare myself.) Monday morning we headed to the store to buy underwear with superheroes and Woody and Buzz on them (for moral support) and pull-ups for night time. Then we went to the grocery store to buy donuts. Finally, we took it all with us along with a potty seat to my mom's house (more moral support.) We ate our donuts, put on our first pair of underwear, and sent the boy outside to play with his sisters. I set the timer for 10 minutes so I could call him back in to try going potty. I thought at the beginning I should have him try often with short intervals between. Well, after 7 minutes he came in with wet underwear. We continued this frustrating pattern for most of the afternoon. He would come in wet just minutes before the timer went off - no matter how long I set it for. Our breakthrough came when I had him stand at the big potty. He went!!! And he thought he was pretty cool, too (which always helps). We went home and continued our timer routine and forgot about the little potty seat. He was starting to get the hang of it. We put a pull-up on him before bed and stressed the importance of not letting the little picture on the front disappear by staying dry.
The next morning as soon as I heard those little bare feet hit the ground, I went running and yelling "go to the potty! Go to the potty!". Poor kid, I'm surprised he didn't wet his pants on the spot. But amazingly, only half of the picture was faded and he went on the potty like a pro!
The first night I ended up washing about a dozen pair of underwear, the 2nd night it was down to about 4, and yesterday was 2! And he woke up the last 2 mornings with his picture completely intact. He is doing so amazingly well and I am so proud of him. After every time he goes, I say "Great job, buddy!!" (all excitedly) and he replies "Thank you, mama!" (with definite pride in his voice - the good kind :)
I had to share this rite of passage with you all and thank all of you who said a prayer for us. It definitely worked.