My Daddy Helps People

Life in our house is returning to normal after the holidays  Preschool is back in session and all our regularly scheduled activities have started back up. However, normal is about to become ‘different’.

We were blessed that Rand McNally was able to have nearly 2 straight weeks of vacation over the holidays. It was AWESOME. We did some fun things out and about, but mostly we enjoyed being home together as a family.

When McNally returned to work Peanut kept saying “I miss my Daddy.” She has the sweetest voice and hearing it reminds me of what the next year will be like.

Daddy is deploying.

It wasn’t something we had on our radar but it is going to happen. When McNally recently left on a trip to prep for this Tour, I explained to the girls that Daddy is in the Army to help people, and sometimes people in the Army have to go away.

I am not the only person who has had their husband deploy. In fact, this will be a second tour for us. However, it is our first with kids and that changes things.

I have been ‘Pinning’ all kinds of ideas and getting strategies to manage the next year from my MANY experienced friends. I figure as I come up with ideas and find things for our family I will blog about them to share with other families.

For starters, we have ordered both girls Daddy Dolls. These are great for a boy or a girl! You email them a full length photo of the Dad or Mom and they Photoshop the background out and create a doll with the picture. They are going to be amazing for the girls!!!

Another fun thing my husband has been doing is recording a few of the Hallmark Recordable Story Books. You can purchase them at Walmart, Hallmark stores, even grocery stores! We bought a few of the Christmas ones on Clearance so we could record them and put them away for next year!

This is one of my favorite books and we will be getting it for the girls. Hearing McNally reading it will probably make me cry, but the words are PERFECT!

I have a bunch of other ideas I plan to share here in the next few weeks. I am sad. The girls will be sad too. We haven’t told them. No point until we get closer. The military is constantly changing dates and times. We don’t want to them to worry that every time Daddy goes to work he is ‘leaving’. We are strong family and this will strengthen us.

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Crazy Friday

Ahh it is finally the Christmas season! Part of me feels like this isn’t new… Target took down Halloween and put up trees! Both girls are super excited and there really isn’t anything better then Christmas with children.

If you don’t live in a cave some where you are WELL aware that Friday was ‘Black Friday” and today is ‘Cyber Monday’. I used really love Black Friday. There actually a rush that you get standing in line waiting to get into a store. Something inside me has changed.

In the past year I have been doing my best to downsize, simplify, and enjoy life for moments we have. This year we skipped the rush (which started on THANKSGIVING!!!) and did just that… enjoyed our family time!

On Friday, I ran out at 7am and grabbed two things… new Thermal Curtains (which we needed for a while!) and Brave for the girls. We decided to venture out and grab a handful of things if they were left. Rand mostly just ran into ‘office stores’ and within seconds walked out with exactly what he needed (a new keyboard/home phones). I did spend a couple minutes in line at Old Navy. I left saving almost 50% and had 3 outfits for our Angel Tree children and a pair of Christmas PJs for each girl! After that we ran to Five Below and I grabbed a couple educational games/puzzles for the Christmas tree kids and well that was it!

Since we decided to do The 4 Gift Rule Christmas seems easier. I found myself walking around on Black Friday but I didn’t buy just to buy… because it was a good deal. We didn’t get a new computer, blu-ray player, gaming system or TV. Why? We simply don’t need them!

Here are the girls final Christmas Lists:

Peanut

  • Want- I found a used ‘laptop’ which she will LOVE
  • Need- I made her a flannel board.. I will post some instructions soon!
  • Wear- Still up for debate… might be something like new socks or hair bows or a pair of sparklyToms
  • Read- Tag Junior (which we are including many books that were Munchkins!)
  • Santa-Crying Baby

Munchkin

I have been doing really well with creating and making a LOT of Christmas gifts! :) So be prepared family and friends.. :)

Surviving Christmas: The 4 Gift Rule

Yes, this is a post about Christmas in September. No I am not completely off my rocker. I am a planner I do my best to get the majority of things done early so I can enjoy the real reason for the season.

I have been trying to get ideas from the girls so I can start stashing things I find on sale! We have a new plan this year…. we are scaling back gifts.

Last year I really thought I did well I think each kid had maybe 10 gifts from Mom and Dad, 1 from their sister, and then their ‘Santa’ gift. It still felt like too much.

This year I am making it MUCH easier. We are sticking to the 4 Gift Rule!

Something you:

  • Want
  • Need
  • Wear
  • Read

We are going to stick to this rule for adults too! I am really excited about this. I don’t have to fret about what I am going to buy. I have already some ideas going for the kiddos.

Munchkin (Age 4):

W: Magformers- These awesome squares/triangles ect. that you can build 3D shapes with!

N: A star ‘turtle’ in pink

W: A dress for her and her American Girl Doll (Purple and sparkly of course!)

R: This is up for debate… she is reading so maybe some ‘easy readers’

Peanut (Almost 2):

W: Her own ‘laptop’. She would LOVE something to ‘type’ on!

N: Still thinking!

W: Not sure!

R: Tag Jr. Reader and Books (we actually have these from Munchkin but she will LOVE them!)

 

So what is on your Christmas Lists?

Back in the Mommy Business

This has been a crazy summer for this Momma. We were blessed to have an amazing summer vacation to Washington State and Alaska. We had several family and friends come visit us too. We have been non-stop.

Last year I debated my roll as a Mommy. Was I good enough? Am I cut out to be a stay at home Mom? Should I go back to work? Should I go part time or full time? I am pretty  sure EVERY mother debates this. I know most of my friends have admitted it to me. So this summer I took the plunge and took a job. Part time back in my field of education.

It didn’t work. Not because I wasn’t ready. It was because it was ‘right’. Sometimes you have to look at a situation from the inside to realize something isn’t correct. I felt amazing. Teaching kids even for a day (this is all it took). However, it wasn’t right for Peanut. She wasn’t happy and didn’t get what she needed. It actually took her a couple days to recover from her experience.

So here I am. Just a Mommy. Honestly, I am completely OK with being back in my full time Mommy role. I am more then OK! I love my girls more then words can express and I will ALWAYS do what is right for my kids.

Some day I will make it back to the classroom. Just not today. I will go back to teaching a full class in a ‘typical school’, for now I am going to completely enjoy my class of two.

Stay tuned for my latest and craziest idea I might have ever had… The next debate for me… To Homeschool or not to Homeschool for 2013-2014?!?!

 

 

Thoughts From a Breastfeeding Momma

Let me start this post by saying FEED your babies. I don’t care how you choose to do it, just do it! The AAP puts out AWESOME guidelines you should follow those, NOT what your family did in the past. Standards for feeding have changed over the years, yes we are all alive but so were people who didn’t have seat belts in cars.

I wanted to make sure it was known that I am not anti-formula. I am however, pro-breastfeeding. Some might see these two as being the same but they really are not. There are a few reasons why I am pro-breastfeeding.

  1. It is what our bodies were intended for. This is why women have breasts we are mammals and mammals produce milk to feed their young.
  2. It is basically free. I was going to say free but I have taken supplements and teas at times to boost my production.
  3. It really is the best option for a baby. Despite what formula companies try to market this is what babies’ tummies are designed to digest.

I know not everyone can breastfeed easily. In fact, I have had challenges with both girls. Munchkin was lip tied (until she broke the frenulum on her top lip in a fall :) ) and Peanut battled some Jaundice early on. Both girls were difficult to feed. We all struggled but I sought help and was determined to continue. With Munchkin I was not in a place with many lactation consultants (in fact one was male… say what?!?!) so it wasn’t easy.

Lately there has been quite the drama with nursing on the social media circuit. A mother in Texas was harassed by Target Employees for nursing her child at the store. I am not sure why but people will actually suggest that a mother should feed the nursling in the bathroom. Would you eat in the bathroom at a public place? Exactly… why should a baby? BLEH!

I actually was part of a small group of moms who met at our local Target for a ‘nurse in’. No one said anything to us while we all fed our beautiful children. It was quite empowering to sit with a bunch of women all happily nursing! Rand McNally said please don’t do anything crazy!  HAHA He knows me all too well! There wasn’t any media coverage at our small store (though there was at other stores around the area and country!).

Facebook has been removing photos of moms nursing their babies’. Flagging them as inappropriate. Let’s be honest here. I am not one to put up a picture on Facebook. However,  there is NOTHING inappropriate about these photos as long as they are done tastefully. I have several friends with BEAUTIFUL photos of their little ones having a snack. I honestly think that I have seen pictures of girls in bikinis that show more breast than when people post a breastfeeding picture.

It isn’t gross, sexual, weird, strange, ________ (<<<insert your adjective here) to see breastfeeding. You don’t stare when someone breaks out a bottle right? So don’t stress breastfeeding. It is natural. There is NOTHING wrong with it.

I am really thankful that I was able to overcome all the challenges I was faced with early on while breastfeeding both girls. It wasn’t easy but I knew this is what I wanted to do… I nursed Munchkin for 14 1/2 months and still nursing Peanut 12 + months and going strong. I don’t have plans to wean her anytime soon (and she doesn’t seem to want to discuss it either!). She is my last baby and I am willing to nurse her for as long she wants!

And now just for laughs :)

If you want your own Boobie Infant Hat check out Etsy.com!!! I would own one if Peanut would wear it HAHA :)