I Got Nothing

So, initially, this blog was really fun. I loved hearing different perspectives of similar situations and I've used some of these shared experiences to help improve in my own life. BUT...
It's been two years since I started this blog and the last year and a half really leave much to be desired. For me, I became so busy with life and motherhood in general that this blog was a low priority... a very low priority. (Which I'm going to guess describes most of you :-) I don't even take as much time to keep up my own personal family blog, which to me is more important since it is my journal of sorts. Judging from how often I see many of my friend's blogs being updated...I'd say they are in similar circumstances. WHICH IS OKAY!

So, unless someone else would like to try to maintain this blog with questions and discussion, I think I may just get rid of this blog. If there is any article/post that you have posted that you would like to keep or save, by all means, do it! I'll leave it for another month or so to allow you to pull any stuff you want to keep, maybe for your own journaling purposes.

Keep it up Mommies! You are all amazing!

A New Sister

The question is "How do I get my little 'helper' to be more gentle with the new baby?"

When we first introduced Sharon to the baby, she really didn't want to have much to do with her. Once we brought her home, though, Sharon wanted to help all the time. She frequently asked to hold her sister, but then would decide she was done holding her & would start to just push her off her lap. She also likes to help put the pacifier in the baby's mouth, sometimes a little more firmly than the baby likes. In order to keep Sharon from getting jealous and in turn being too rough with the baby, we've made sure to give her plenty of one-on-one parent time, include her with taking care of the baby, & ask her to help, rather than just tell her 'no' when she's doing something wrong. If the baby doesn't want the pacifier when Sharon is trying to help, rather than just tell her to stop, I ask if she wants to give the baby a kiss, or put a blanket on her, something to basically distract her from whatever she was doing that the baby doesn't like. Sometimes Sharon will be doing something, like throwing a ball around the house, that could possibly hurt the baby, but isn't really something she's purposely doing to hurt her. In those instances, I try to get her to do something else, without drawing attention to the fact that it's because of the baby, because I don't want her to get mad and take it out on the baby. I'm not sure if she really would, but I don't want her to think that she can't do anything just because she has a baby sister now.

Topic: January 15

Many of you have had new babies in the last year or so and others have had more than one child when having a new addition so...

How do you teach your little "helpers" to be more gentle with the new one?

A new topic!

I know, I know...it's been months, but I have an excuse. And it's a good one too!
See!














But I have a few topics I've been rolling around in my head and hope to get some response from those who still are following (crosses fingers)...

So one that I need help with-

What do you do when an acquaintance that you see often, keeps wanting to set up a time for a playdate with your kids and her kids, but (wait for it...) you don't want your kids within a block of her kids for one reason or another. How do you tactfully get her to let it go... or do you ever? What would you do? 

(I'm running out of excuses!)

Positive Family Media

So my oldest brother has his own media company (http://www.sunswingmedia.com) that has just put out a great short video about teaching children about pornography call "The Decision". It's based off a Friend article and is the first of what we hope to be several videos based off of them. He's trying to get the word out to encourage the creation of positive media for children. I've added a widget to the side to take you to the link------>

In addition, if you are willing to share this link with other people on your own blogs, we can reach so many more. I know many of us have little kids that may be too young to understand the purpose of the video, but I know people with older children that can benefit from it read my personal blog more than this one. (Though I'm still hoping to get some of those veteran moms to join us! )
Here's a link about sharing on your blog.

And my brother has also created a FHE lesson to go with the video

Thank you for taking the time to check it out. It does cost $1 to help cover the costs of making these videos. Your support is appreciated.

Oh what do you do on the Sabbath Day,

...when all your kids favorite activities are put on hold?

It's a struggle in our home, because I know what we should and shouldn't do, but my 4 and 2 year old children don't understand. If you don't know me too well, I am one who is pretty strict about Sunday. There are no computer games (except the Friend website on lds.org), playing outside with toys, dancing to crazy songs, or watching television/regular movies. But that doesn't mean it has to be boring. We get down and do puzzles or pretend play on the ground, build things with our bristle blocks and duplos, or color (with crayons only...I'll explain), while listening to quiet church music. Our current situation is that we have church at 2:30 in the afternoon. So after church is EASY... whip up dinner, eat, bathe, go to bed. But before church...much harder. We can't do anything that would get us dirty, so no markers/playdough, a clean lunch (cheese and crackers anyone?), and no baking in the kitchen! :-( There goes our favorite Sunday activity--cookies. One thing we LOVE to do on Sunday is call Grandma and Grandpa on the webcam. My oldest loves to talk to my dad and show off anything new and exciting to him. This occupies a good hour, at least!

Now because of the age of my children, I have a hard time sneaking in a shower with the aforementioned activities due to their need to maul each other when I leave the room for an extended period of time. :-) (I guess I should mention that my husband's work schedule doesn't permit him to spend the day with us AND go to church...and since we would much rather him be at church, I go solo on Sunday mornings :-) ) So I either pack up the coloring and have them come with me into the bedroom/bathroom area or else they get to watch VeggieTales. Not LDS, but still good wholesome Christian entertainment for the most part. (A good fallback too when you're laid up on the couch with morning sickness as well!) I really need to get a copy of some animated Scripture Stories... we just have the pictures-with-narration kind, which loses their attention fast... anyone know where I can order some?

I still have to explain to my 4 year old that she can't watch her favorite movies or play on the websites she likes, with many tears on her part, but I think if you make the appropriate activities seem just as much fun, they can learn to appreciate the quiet Sunday spirit you want to have.

keeping the sabbath with young ones

That is a tough one. We rest and we hang out with and have dinner with family. Sometimes we read the scriptures from the books that have the stories with pictures. anyway i find it a struggle since my daughter is so young.