Ren & Sam TKBTB Vol 4

This month's The Kids Behind the Blog (TKBTB) questions are all about summer ending and school starting up! I love TKBTB series...asking my boys questions about particular subjects always gives me insight into their thoughts and their likes and/or dislikes. 

Ren, 7 years 5 months

1. What was your favorite thing you did over the summer? Play with my cousins and fishing with Dad.
2. What's your favorite topic to learn about at school? Science and Science Experiments because we get to dissect stuff.
3. Who is your best friend from school? Vince and Jacob
4. What do you want to be when you grow up? A Veterinarian...YOU know that already!
5. What is your least favorite thing about school? Handwriting, because you have to write a bunch of words.

Sam, 4 years new

1. What was your favorite thing you did over the summer? Summer is my birthday, playing in the pool and fishing with Daddy.
2. What's your favorite topic to learn about at school? Playtime and playing with toys.
3. Who is your best friend from school? Oliver and Alexandria
4. What do you want to be when you grow up? A Ninja Turtle, because they fight with swords.
5. What is your least favorite thing about school? Cleaning up, it is never any fun.

These boys both adore fishing with their dad! If there is any love list for my boys the top of the list is fishing! Homeschool is going to be fun this year...smirk...all the playing, cleaning up, science experiments (we have not dissected anything yet...I'll have to get on that!) and writing...all.the.writing. Sam just started Martial Arts classes and is obsessed with all things ninjas and swords right now...I have a feeling he is going to go further than his big brother in belt rank over time.

September's TKBTB questions are:

1. What is your favorite sport? Why?
2. If someone gave you a million dollars what would you buy?
3. Tell me 3 things that kids do better than mommies and daddies. 
4. What is your favorite thing to do in the fall?
5. Share with me 3 things you like about yourself.

Haircuts and Growing Boys

It been quite a while since my boys have received haircuts.  I considered letting their hair grow out for a while and taking them to the barber to have a proper trim done.  They however had different plans and kept reminding me that their hair was getting too long and they wanted a cut.  With a military dad who keeps a bald super short haircut; they just want a cut like daddy.

What never ceases to amaze me is the transformation that happens with a haircut.  Ren and Sam seem to grow a couple inches right before my very eyes in the before and after of haircuts.

The cowlicks this lil guy has are the.best. I'm sure his teenage (did I just think that say that?) hair styles are going to be something to behold.



Ren has the best hair and my favorite cut on him a longer one with a nice trim around the ears.  He however likes his hair short (and used the trimmers to give himself a cut when he was still 3, to be like Daddy).
Ren is quick to remind me that he is half way to 8, then 9, then 10, then 11 and soon 13..."you can't stop me Mama, I'm just gonna keep growing up!"

Be still my mama heart, these boys just keep growing and this morning it seems they have shot up. I'm grateful for them and the joys of being their mama I just wish they would slow.it.down.

Ren & Sam TKBTB V3

Do you ever feel like when you are talking to one of the guys in your life they are just not listening or fishing for an answer that will get them off the hook so they can go and do whatever it is that they were doing? That's my experience for The Kids Beyond The Blog Q&A with Ren and Sam this month.  I don't know how they know "the guy answers" maybe it's in their DNA.

Ren- my lil PeaPie is growing up!

1. What is something I always say to you? Yes and I love you.
2. What makes Mama happy? (Looking around) When I leave you alone and I'm playing electronics. That makes you happy and me happy. Can I play on the iPad now? (Guy Answer)
3. How do I make you laugh? By doing silly things when you check for eggs.
4. What do you enjoy doing with me? Going out on dates and getting ice cream.
5. What is my favorite thing to do? When you do your stuff for MOPS...I don't know...what is it really though?

Sam- So-So-Silly Sam

1. What is something I always so to you? Not to turn on electronics. (Guy Answer)
2. What makes Mama happy? When I give you kisses and I'm not whining. (Yes...not whining Sam...at least I now know that he knows...and I LOVE his kisses!)
3. How do I make you laugh? When you are doing funny things. (Guy Answer)
4. What do you enjoy doing with me? Going to the bowling ball place. (Guy Answer)
5. What is my favorite thing to do? I don't know...play on your laptop?

June's questions are all about their Daddy in honor of Father's Day...I can't wait to hear what they have to say!

Ren & Sam TKBTB V2

Month two of talking with my boys for The Kids Behind The Blog Series.  I love these posts.  My boys are seriously so funny and deadpan honest about what they say.  Sam always begins every answer with UH...and Ren stops to think for a bit before he gives me an answer.  I made sure to ask them separately so they wouldn't be tempted to answer the same.  This months questions are:

1. What is your favorite thing to do with your friends?
2. Who is your favorite person?
3. When playing outside, what does your ideal sunny day plans look like?
4. What do you like to do when it's raining? (Since April showers bring May flowers)
5. If you could plant a garden of anything, what would you plant?

Ren-newly 7 years old!

1. What is your favorite thing to do with your friends? I do a lot with my friends, so I don't really know...play video games, go exploring, jump on the trampoline. He does do a lot with his friends...playing outside and exploring is what he usually does if the weather is nice. We don't have video games at our house but he does play with friends.
2. Who is your favorite person? You....You're my Mama! Be still my Mama-heart!
3. When playing outside, what does your ideal sunny day plans look like? Playing on the slip-n-slide, spraying water at my friends and grill hot dogs and roast marshmallows. Ever the jokester...Ren really will spray down his friends. We bought a slip-n-slide last summer and I know I will have to buy one when the weather warms up for sure! 
4. What do you like to do when it's raining? (Since April showers bring May flowers) I like to go outside and play in the mud. Once I come inside and get clean I would watch movies or shows. This kids has been known to take mud baths and dirt baths...it was a Yes Day!
5. If you could plant a garden of anything, what would you plant? Lollypops and all kinds of candy and corn.  Thank goodness Lollypops and candy does not grow in a garden...I would be in all kinds of trouble!

Sam-four months shy of three

1. What is your favorite thing to do with your friends? UH....Build Train Tracks. The tracks this kids has going on...thank goodness we have a big basement playroom.
2. Who is your favorite person? UH...Mema! This is my Mama and I know she is going to love reading this! Hi Mama... We Love you!
3. When playing outside, what does your ideal sunny day plans look like? UH....I would swing, slide and have picnic pizza. Picnic Pizza at the Swing & Slide (Playdate coming soon)!
4. What do you like to do when it's raining? (Since April showers bring May flowers) UH..... Put on my jacket and rain boots and jump in the water. Pretty much, this.every.time.
5. If you could plant a garden of anything, what would you plant? UH.....Salad and broccoli and carrots and spicy peppers. Who is this old man? Sam's nickname is Pop...this so fits him and his love of all foods...except spicy peppers...he does not eat those.

Be sure to check out all the Kids Behind The Blog!

ABC Matching with Dr. Seuss and Sam

My Sam is 3 and a lover of all things Dr. Seuss (Sam I Am...who would have thought?).  When I saw the Monthly Crafting Book Club that Raising Fairies and Knights hosts was Dr. Seuss's ABC Book I knew I had to participate. This monthly book club is right on target with the things I can and need to do with my little preschooler. 

First we sat and read through the book together. I had Sam point to and say each upper case and lower case letter in the book.  After reading we moved to the table for a little game of Big Letter Little Letter Match Up.

I scored an awesome set of flash cards from the Dollar Spot at Target and by cutting them in half I created the letter match up game.

I put 6 letter match ups out at a time so Sam would not get overwhelmed and had him pick the letter he wanted to match up and say the letter sound as well.  I teach the phonetic sound of each letter as well as the letter itself. Sam had some fun giggles buzzing the Z and huh-ing the H sounds.

Sam enjoyed matching the cards and I was impressed at his concentration skills for this activity.   I am looking forward to this Monthly Crafting Book Club and so is Sam.

Ten at Target--March

I have a love/hate relationship with Target. I love all.the.things and I hate that my wallet is practically empty when I leave the store.  My boys love Target Dollar Spot and they are always looking for fun activities/games/books that they can buy from the Dollar Spot.  Sam is learning all things preschool and loves Dr. Seuss. Ren loves Minions and anything dinosaur.  

Ten dollars can go a long way when everything is $1.00! Ren scored two activity books and a Minions notepad.  Sam picked four Dr. Seuss flash/matching cards and a sticker book.  All of this for $8.00 before tax.  Sticking to the $10 spending limit was easy peasy this month.

Spring is here! My boys wasted no time in picking ALL the Daffodils that bloomed this weekend.  I love the pretty yellow color and Daffodils smell amazing.  I couldn't post today with out sharing this gorgeous bouquet of hand picked love from my boys.  

Check out the fabulous finds the hosts of $10 at Target found this month.

Stephanie @WifeMommyMe

Becky @bybmg

Beth @OurPrettyLittleGirls

Courtney @SweetTurtleSoup

Elizabeth @ChasinMason

Rachel @GarayTreasures

Tif @BrightonaBudget

Whitney @Polka-DottyPlace

Five on Friday V3

one

Alexandria will be two at the end of next month. She loves looking at books and loves Pookie the most. When I ask her to bring me a book it is always one of these seven. 

Miss Spider's ABC

Owl Babies

Let's Dance, Little Pookie

What's Wrong, Little Pookie?

The Napping House

Little Blue Truck

I am a Bunny

two

Sam is 3 and a half, he has a love for all things Dr. Seuss. He usually always picks a Dr. Seuss book for me to read to him.  The Seven Silly Eaters is his second favorite; I am pretty sure I can recite that book from memory. 

The Hoppameleon

There's a Wocket in my Pocket

Green Eggs and Ham

The Seven Silly Eaters

Bear Snores On

Quiet Night

three

Ren is seven and an avid reader. 

He loves the Diary of a Wimpy Kid and the Magic Tree House book series. I asked Ren to find me his favorite books, he picked these. If I ask him next week to pick I'm sure (except for the top two) the books would be very different. 

Magic Tree House

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

The Donkey No One Could Ride

Walter the Farting Dog

Richard Scarry's Great Big SCHOOLHOUSE

four

If there ever was a toy that I would buy more and more pieces of the Marble Run is it. We bought the first set for Ren's 3rd Christmas. While Ren does like to play with the Marble Run it is easily Sam's favorite toy in the house.  He will sit for a long time putting the marbles through the run over and over. I'm pretty sure we have never created the same run twice. The free play and imagination with the Marble Run can't be beat.

five

Hedbanz is the game to play with Ren.  We play this while I am folding laundry, cleaning and making lunch or dinner.  Hedbanz is a fun game of "what am I" asking yes or no questions, using deduction, reasoning and coming up with adjectives to describe the cards.  We do not use the timer or score chips, Ren and I just play until we guess the card. 

It's The Little Things

Somedays are easier then others to stop and smell the proverbial roses; to notice the little things about my babes.  One day soon I will blink and they will be grown and I will wonder where all the time went and how did they get so big.

This guy, is on the cusp of his SEVENTH birthday.  Ren has the gift of animal loving, is mad with animal facts and wants to work in animal conservation when he grows up. "People need to know to be kind to animals. We need them and they need us." He said this at a recent trip to the zoo after reading animal stats at one of the exhibits. This is one of his Guinea Pigs, Miss Wookie (she really is the sweetest thing); hanging out with him as he does his school work.

Game-Night with just Sam is a thing for us.  When he earns a "Stay up 30 Minutes Past Bedtime" we play games; just him and I. Sam is so funny, he plays games by his rules and I try to follow along best I can.  Connect Four is his favorite. He insists that we "ready, set, go" and quick as we can put our chips in our own side, careful not to mix them up. If they get mixed up he yells STOP and proceeds to take the offending chip out of the game.  Who ever gets all their chips in and on the correct side, wins.  I pretty much lose every time.  I don't mind losing to Sam though...because he is funny and super cute.

My Alex is almost two and fiercely independent.  The quick moments that come through-out the day that she wants a "hold-you" and will sit and snuggle up on my lap are the best, I just want to bottle them up into forever.  And her thumb-sucking; I know the day will come when I will have to help her let that go...but it is the sweetest thing.

Babies Don't Keep...that's my mama motto.

linking up with Jess @SadieSky 

Accentuate the Positive

Have you ever heard that song Accentuate the Positive?  The Andrew Sisters and Bing Crosby (old, old school) sang it and it was on Disney's The Mighty Ducks movie as well.  This song came to mind as I was praying for wisdom in parenting my boys, discipline, good character, chores...everything.  I frequently find myself laying in bed at night, after all the house is tucked in and sleeping, pleading to God for wisdom.  In the book of James, we are told to ask God for wisdom and He will give it to us generously; without finding fault. Parenting is challenging work and knowing that I have the Creator of the universe listening to my prayers gives me strength and peace in this journey.  I have three delightful, curious, full of everything kids; Ren is almost 7, Sam is 3 and Alex is a couple months shy of two.

This picture is hilariously them....funny, distracted and ready to take it all in.

I hunted around for ideas of how to implement a system that would work for my boys, focusing on good behavior, completing age appropriate chores, starting an allowance system for Ren and rewards that we can do, that have a focus on fun, individualism and building family relationships.  The Character Counts and Good Job Jar system is what I came up with.

I bought glass jars and popsicle craft sticks from Hobby Lobby, Ren and Sam picked out stickers and letters to decorate their jars and we used the letters of our last name acrostically (Kindness, Obedience, Serving, Truthful, Eager, Ready, Meek, AWESOME, Neat) to come up with the character traits that we wanted to focus Ren on and added lines to the side of Sam's jar to give him goals that he can see.  The rewards that they can choose from are: Pizza and Movie Night, 15 Minutes of Extra Screen Time, Staying Up 30 Minutes Past Bedtime, Your Dinner Choice, Extra Date with Mama or Daddy, Choose a Family Outing and One Snack Pick at the Grocery. 

We started Ren's Character Counts on his 6th birthday last year. These Character Counts are earned though out the day and counted at the end of each week.  He earns them through daily chores (Feeding the pets, putting his laundry in the hamper and also putting it away once I do the laundry, taking the trash from the bathrooms out on Wednesday, emptying the dishwasher of plastics and silverware and picking up toys and books at the end of playtime/day.) and his overall attitude through out the day. Each stick is worth .10  and is used to determine an allowance for Ren. The AWESOME stick is given when he has a really awesome day or does something that really stands out to Ed and I (going above and beyond, thinking of others, etc). The AWESOME stick is used to pick a reward and does not count toward his allowance. If Ren earns more than one AWESOME stick though out the week than he can pick more then one reward.   His allowance earnings have varied in the last year, the average is $2.30. Ren has earned as much as $8 one week and as little as .80.  He saved up all his allowance, for about 7 months this past year, to buy his own fish tank.  The pride and excitement he had when he paid the cashier for the tank out of his own wallet was the coolest thing.  He still has the receipt from that purchase in his wallet and is now saving for another pet. 

We recently started a Good Job Jar for Sam and he earns poms though out the day; there are lines on the jar and once he has earned poms to the line then he can choose a reward.  Sam earns poms by: using his words instead of just crying, picking up his toys and books, peacefully going to bed, putting his clothes in the hamper and being obedient.  

Earning Character Counts and Good Job Poms helps me to "Accentuate the Positive" in my boys.  Before we started the Counts and Poms I found myself  highlighting their negative behavior; to myself and to them.  Philippians 4:8 tells us to think on the things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy...to think on and highlight these things.  We don't always have great days (in fact the last two days have been a been a huge challenge for me and Ren) but using this system helps our focus and puts their good behavior and choices on the forefront of their minds though out the day.  

Do you have a system that works in your house? I would love to hear about it!

New Life; Sam's Birth Story

Sweetest Baby

My dear sweet Sam Bear is 6 months old today.  August 1st at 11:17 am he greeted us with his sweet self and my world will never be the same.  Oh Sam, you are such a sweet baby, so beautiful and I love you with my whole being.  I never knew how much love I could hold in my heart until I became a Mama and then I became a Mama again. Somedays I feel like my heart and soul just cannot contain how blessed I feel, how much love I have for my boys.

I love birth stories and shared Ren's story here. And although it has been 6 months (my goodness where  oh where does the time go) I wanted to sit down and write out Sam's story too.

We found out that we were pregnant right after Thanksgiving.  We had just visited a fertility specialist and when my cycle started I was scheduled to go in for blood work and all the other fun stuff that infertility brings.  I was a couple days late and had a couple testes here at home...I took one waited about 45 minutes and took the second one...just to make sure.  POSITIVE...YaY!!!  I was so excited and thankful to God for this miracle growing inside me.  Nine months later on his due date our little Sam Bear was born.

My labor was relatively quick and such a powerful experience.  I woke up around 2-2:30 in the morning with mild cramping and tried to sleep.  It was so hard for me to get my mind to rest but I knew my body needed it.  So I lay in bed, half sleeping, half praying, a little excited and a little scared of what the day might bring.  Around 5 am I got out of bed, checked my overnight bag (which had been packed for weeks) and showered.  Not sure what to do but not wanting to wake anyone, I sat down and began paying bills.  Ed was up by this time and wanted to get his morning run in and try to make it to work to submit leave paperwork.  I told him to go ahead and I would call if I needed him home sooner.  My Mama (who is a Doula) and my sister Irene were visiting...waiting for Sam to make his entrance.  My Mama talked me through some breathing exercises and Irene timed the contractions.  About 9 am after holding on to the back of the couch and dropping almost to the floor during contractions we decided it was time to head to the hospital.  Ed returned home as quick as he could and my Mama helped us get everything in the car and ready to go.  Sitting in a jostling vehicle and breathing through contractions a lot harder than standing and partial squatting through contractions.  When we arrived at the hospital I forgot that we had to check in through the ER...so after going upstairs looking around...seeing that no one was coming to my aid we got back in the elevator and checked in through the ER.  It was around 9:30 when we were fully checked into a L&D room.  I was checked and was so disappointed only 4 cm.  I just thought...great...only 4..I have so far to go.  My Mama encouraged me to do what my body was telling me to and the nurse agreed that I did not have to labor on the bed unless there was a medical reason to.  So I knelt beside the bed, knees on a pillow on the floor, the top half of my body laying over the end of the bed, palms open, breathing deep and long.  I remember bearing down, praying, moaning,  feeling an immense peace and also thinking that I was crazy for wanting to go drug free again.   When my OB came in, around 11am, to see how I was I could see he was a little taken back that I was not in the bed but on the floor beside it.  He asked if I wanted my waters broken, said that it would speed up delivery.  I asked won't that make it hurt more...He said, Yes...but a 1/2 dozen of one, 1/2 dozen of the other.  After another contraction or two I looked up at Ed and decided Yes...Yes break the water...but I didn't want to get in that bed.

First Snuggles

Get back in the bed I did, I was 8cm when checked.  He broke the waters and said he would be back soon....Ed told him not to go very far that Sam would be here quick.  And quick he was...6 minutes and a couple pushes later my Sam Bear was born.  Wednesday, August 1, 11:17 am, 8 lbs 3 oz and 19.5 inches long.  He was a bit blue...cord wrapped a couple times...so he was turned over to the baby nurse for oxygen and a good rub down. As soon as he was able they laid him on my chest and there I was falling in love all over again.

My little Sam Bear

It is such an awe-ing experience to carry life and then bear it into the world.  I look at Sam (and Ren) now and wonder of the miracle and God-magic that we beings are.  Created from such miniscule beginnings inside of me....and here they are larger then life, perfect and whole.