Baking with Baby

I must admit, I kinda laughed at myself for putting"baby" in the title, because Aria is definitely not a baby anymore! *sniff sniff* Getting ready for Christmas has always meant lots of baking and cooking for our family, and this year it's been weird for me to be the one in the kitchen instead of my mom. I started out slow - ranch dill oyster crackers and Golden Club Crackers. These have always been some of my favorites since I was little, so I though Aria and I could start her young on these Christmas staples. While Aria isn't a great help right now, as I've said before, the earlier you get your kids at least comfortable in the kitchen, the more comfortable they'll be helping you bake and cook, which will in turn expand their palette and make them less picky eaters. Aria loves trying things I'm working on when she's sitting there if for no other reason than to just be involved. Today was no exception, so she got to snack on a few oyster crackers, club crackers, almonds and coconut while I worked on putting those ingredients together to make "tasty treats," as they are called in our house. Hopefully, after nap time, we'll get some sugar cookies baked up as well :)

Stirring up the butter and sugar mixture for the Golden Club Crackers

Mixing up the dill dressing for the oyster crackers. We're working on keeping
 the whisk down instead of flinging it (and the contents of the bowl)
all through the air.

Christmas Tree Wonder

Aria's a little obsessed with our Christmas tree, and I can't say that I blame her - what toddler wouldn't like a large object loaded with lights and "toys" just sitting in their living room? So far, she's been really good about only touching, and not pulling on, the ornaments. She just loves "poking" the ornaments to watch them swing and sparkle. Nighttime with the lights on and music playing... memories that make Christmas seem magical.

Josh reading to Aria by the tree

Gently touching the ornaments

Did you know?

Here are a few money saving, innovative tips and ideas that I've found while browsing the web. Enjoy!

1. Stuffing a dryer sheet in your back pocket will repel mosquitoes.
2. You can buy beadboard wallpaper.

3. You can freeze cupcake batter for future use.

4. You can paint upholstery.

5. You can run a paper bag through your printer.

6. You can also print directly onto fabric.

7. Dry erase markers work on most desk tops.

8. You can mail anything that weighs less than 13oz without a box. 

9. If you break your blender jar (which I have,) you can replace it with a mason jar.
10. Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.

11. Store opened chucks of cheese in aluminum foil - it won't mold!

12. Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps are firmer and better for cooking.

13. If you buy cake frosting from the store, whip it up in your stand mixer - it will double in size. More to go around and less sugar and calories!

14. To keep squirrels away from plants, sprinkle cayenne pepper on them.

15. Clip a safety pin at the bottom of your skirt/slip/pants to prevent static cling.

16. Cornmeal kills ants.
17. Place panty hose at the end of your vacuum cleaner to find something small that you dropped.

18. Rubbing a walnut over scratches on furniture will make them disappear. 

19. Baby powder will make getting the sand off your feet much easier.

20. Add a velcro strip to your kid's walls to store soft toys and puppets.

21. Put a magnetic strip in your vanity door to store bobby pins and safety pins.

22. Put your shoes in a shower cap when packing to keep the dirt from your shoes from getting all over your clothes.

23. Install a tension rod in your closet to hang cleaner bottles.

24. Freeze aloe vera in ice cube trays for the summer burns.

Good Reminders

Sometimes we all need a little reminder about why we do what we do. After all, being a mother isn't the most lauded job out there. Here's a couple great parenting quotes out there that will hopefully make you smile and/or give you some inspiration today. We can't have all good days, afterall.

“We are apt to forget that children watch examples better than they listen to preaching.”
- Roy L. Smith

“Don’t worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.” 
- Robert Fulghum

“To be in your children’s memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today”
- Anonymous

“The best inheritance a parent can give his children is a few minutes of his time each day.” 
- O. A. Battista

“Kids spell love T-I-M-E.” 

- John Crudele

“If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others.” 
- Haim Ginott

“Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege, than the raising of the next generation.” 
- C. Everett Koop

“You don’t really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around – and why his parents will always wave back.”
- William D. Tammeus

Coming soon ...

I'm not sure how much I'll be blogging this month, due to all the craziness that Christmas brings. I love this season, but we all know there's not a ton of downtime between family gatherings, baking and cooking for said gatherings and attempting to wrap that strangely shaped present for your hubby before he discovers it sitting in the closet... oh wait, that's just me? Well, I'm sure you have your own difficulties with this season, and hopefully I'm not the only one that views wrapping as a definitely difficulty.

Anyways... I wanted to announce a couple exciting events that will be coming in January on the blog! More details will definitely be following, so please pretend that my little teasers are actually building momentum and excitement in your internet life :) First off, I'm excited to announce the first ever "Mommy's Day Off Giveaway Week!" Yes, you read right - a WHOLE week! Again, more details to come, but they're coming soon! :)

Something else I'm planning on doing for the first time ever is participating in a giveaways blog hop. This one will be by Green Resolutions and will focus on getting your family green for the holidays. Since it's a blog hop, it will obviously be a part of a much larger event which I invite all of you to participate in. There will be lots of mom blogs getting involved and it will be fun for all!

Lastly, Adventures with Aria is now on Facebook! You can find me by clicking right here! Since we're just getting started, there's not much there, but hopefully there will be discussions, photos, links to other great blogs and reviews on some of my favorite products from (you guessed it!) small business owners :) Please feel free to join or create a conversation to get this page up and running :)

Well, that's all for right now, but stay tuned and more info will be coming soon :) Hopefully, as will a more interesting post. 

Mommy's Winter Survival Kit

I was recently reading a friend's blog, and she had made a list of things that make surviving through the winter months more manageable. I decided to do the same. Winter can be dark and dreary, in addition to cold and dry, especially up here in Michigan. We all need a few little things to perk us up or to keep us from shriveling away. So here's my Winter survival kit for mommies.

Good music is always a must, but especially during the winter. It doesn't
have to be on an iPod, obviously. You can break out some favorite CD's for some
Christmas fun with your family or maybe some silly songs to dance around the house
with the kids. Anything to break out of the winter blues.

I love my Scentsy. I really can't say enough about them. This is just
1 or 3 currently in my home. Having to keep all the windows closed up
during the winter, plus all the dry heat can make for some stuffy, smelly conditions.
With Scentsy, I just just throw some scented wax in the warmer, flip on the lovely
glowing light, and it automatically feels homier. 

I have incredibly dry, but acne-prone skin. Winter just wreaks havoc all
over my face. I love the Almay eye make-up remover, because it works VERY
well, but doesn't dry out skin. It's also made for sensitive skin, so I can even
use it with my contacts in. I also love Garnier's Skin Renew moisturizer. Doesn't clog
pores, doesn't stay greasy on your skin. It's velvety smooth and absorbs very fast.
It also helps my make-up go on a lot smoother in the winter months.

You just can't go through a cold winter without a big, soft blanket.
This is mine right here. Big, chunky knit red blankey. I bought it at Meijer,
seriously. I'm in love with cable knit right now, so it's really hitting the spot :)

Books, in general are a must for winter, but ESPECIALLY these books.
I have never been disappointed by a Lillian Jackson Braun "The Cat Who"
book. There's about 30 in this marvelous series, and I just can't get enough of them.
Mystery, comedy and a little Upper Michigan history and trivia. It doesn't get
better than these books. Seriously, try them out.

I just got my Keurig as an early Christmas present and I already
can't live without it. It makes tea, coffee and hot chocolate
by pressing one button. Super easy for movie night to whip up
some hot cocoa for the fam or a morning coffee for you. 

Chocolate is always a necessity, but something about winter warrants
for dark chocolate especially. Or maybe it's me. I'm in love with Hershey's Bliss
right now because it's good chocolate and rather cheap. Yum. And hot cocoa is just
a necessity. Whether your kids like the little marshmellows or you're indulging
in some dark chocolate after they're in bed, there's a flavor for everyone :) 

What's on your Winter Survival Kit list? 

But I don't wanna...

Let's face it. We all have those moments where we just don't wanna. We don't wanna cook dinner (I'm currently in denial about this right now myself,) we don't wanna wash up the dishes for the 15th time this week. We don't wanna clean up that mess in the bathroom. We don't wanna finish folding the laundry. We don't wanna dust. We just wanna lay on the couch with a good book, or laze around on Pinterest pretending to be creative, or maybe we just wanna sleep. Me, personally? I like sleep. A lot.

So today, I'm being straight up honest here. I don't want to finish the dishes. I don't want to start dinner. I really, REALLY don't want to have to clean up the mess Aria made this morning in the living room with my spice bottles, old milk cartons and a few discarded remotes for the 5th time today. But.... I will probably end up making dinner, due to the gnawing hunger I'm currently experiencing and the look I'll get from Josh if I tell him he's on his own for food tonight. I may finish the dishes... I may not. At last check, we had plenty of spoons and bowls. That's all that matters, right? I have no plans to clean up Aria's mess again. Nope. Today Aria and I will play peek-a-boo, tag, I'll probably give her a bath, and we'll both stay in our PJ's all day. Hope I didn't just get too real on ya'.

Let's Talk About Music...and Sports...and Balance.

Maybe, she'll be a pianist..

As a musician, I have big dreams and probably slightly larger than life aspirations for when and what instruments we're going to start lessons for with Aria. For us, piano lessons are a given, and while I'm a singer and find value in teaching someone to sing properly, I also realize from personal experience that there's little value in teaching a 4 year old proper singing technique. Should I have her take violin and force myself to endure the squeaky shrieks of the first several years? Or maybe the clarinet and... well, no. That's just not going to happen. I took flute for many years and still have mine, so that's a possibility, but will her tiny little hands be able to reach? How long will it take her to make a noise, and by that time will she be too discouraged to keep playing? I could have Josh teach her the guitar, but most serious piano teachers aren't in favor of their students developing the callouses that go along with guitar. What other options do we have that won't cost an arm and a leg?

And these are just a few of the thoughts constantly running through my head.

...or maybe a chef...

We also want her to be balanced, so we both feel we should at least give her a shot at playing sports, although if she's anything like me, she'll do much better managing a team than actually playing on it. (I do hope for her that's not the case, but I did enjoy travelling with the teams, keeping the score books and learning more about sports. I can't play worth beans, but I can have intelligent conversations with my hubby and dad about football, basketball and baseball.) I'm kinda hoping she'll take after her dad in that department. For her sake.


There's something to be said for giving your child as many opportunities as you possibly can to find things they're interested in. Everyone wants a well-balanced child. However, usually with all the juggling going on in today's families, the home life tends to lose out. Between running to ballet, soccer practice, piano recitals and youth group scavenger hunts, today's kids know more about everything else in this world than their own family. My parents did an excellent job with this, I feel. We all took music lessons, sang in choir, played sports, (I met the bare minimum, for reasons mentioned above, but I did it!) worked hard on schoolwork, and always had dinner as a family. Note: not all of these activities happened in the same day. I don't know how my mom did it, but it happened.

...or maybe even a ballerina!

In the midst of all the craziness that is childhood nowadays (especially now as we're in the middle of the busiest time of year) it's hard - but important - to remember that kids still need a place to relax, a home filled with love and stability, and time to just be a kid. They need time to bond with family, and be able to talk to them. In the middle of all the carpooling and recital-sitting-through, don't forget to talk to your kids. There's more to who they are as a person than just the activities they're involved in - get to know that amazing kid of yours! There's more to a "well-balanced kid" than sports and music. Teach them what it means to be a family, too.

Books, book and more books!

As I have mentioned many times on the blog, Aria LOVES to read. Her books are her favorite toys (save my spice rack, currently) and story time is usually one of the only times she's still and quiet at the same time. As her collection of books grows, I would really like to get books that grow up with her, say like Dr. Seuss etc. Books that she'll enjoy reading for years, not just till she realizes there's no story involved (enter farm animals and counting books.) Some other series I've really enjoyed for her are Harold and the Purple Crayon (shoutout to good friend, Janie, here!) and Sandra Boyton books. What are some good books/series that you and your kids have enjoyed reading? Any and all recommendations appreciated :)

Parent's Night Off

A few months ago, I blogged about the importance of parents being able to get away and spend quality time with each other. I mentioned that this was important because happy parents equal a happy home (it goes both ways as well... if you're stressed out with your spouse or just in general, it's going to affect your kids, no matter how young they are.) Recently, it's been getting increasingly harder for Josh and I to get away due to everyone's busy schedule - including all possible babysitters. However, last night, some friends offered us a couple extra tickets to go enjoy a Mannheim Steamrollers' concert in Detroit at my favorite theater, the Fox. Josh and I had a blast and really enjoyed the concert, even with it's odd choice of graphic themes.

With all the craziness of the Christmas holiday coming up and the kids being home from school, make sure you and your spouse have some time to get away from it all and really enjoy each other this season. It will pay off, I guarantee it.

Josh was not a fan of the bright flash

Baby see, Baby do.

As I've mentioned before, Aria cracks us up on a regular basis. She does the funniest things, has the most hilarious facial expressions and responds to us in beyond memorable ways. Living with her is constantly entertaining. Her little personality is what makes me so excited to get up every morning. "What is Aria going to do today?"

She has figured out the vocal inflection that goes with questions, and understands that we're asking her something. Whenever we use that "upward inflection" to indicate a question, she just shrugs and jabbers something that sounds very much like "I don't know." She's really very much an imitator, which she demonstrated with gusto for the family during Thanksgiving vacation. Can you guess who she's imitating in this picture?

She has recently figured out the whole "pointing" thing. Something we as adults take for granted is pointing towards something we want, or perhaps where we want it placed. It's a normal activity that takes little to no thought. Not so for toddlers. While Aria mastered the pointing motion months ago, she was having a hard time figuring out how to use it. But then last week, my mom and I were at Ikea eating lunch and Aria decided she wanted some of my fries. Instead of whining, she simply pointed to my fries, then to the spot on the table right in front of her. She followed that up with rubbing her belly and saying "Mmmm." Might have been the funniest thing I've seen. Well, her "food dance" is a close second. But that's another post for another time.

Looking at a Jewelry catalog just like mommy!

Another thing we've been working on is not opening a dresser drawer and pulling everything out of it. There are still some bumps in the road (I still have a whole mess of baby blankets to clean up from this morning's adventure after she wakes up from nap) but overall, she's gotten much better at it. In fact, she enjoys closing drawers so much, that she now walks into our bedroom to open and consequently close Josh's dresser drawers. She will go to the kitchen to open and close the cabinet doors and often tries with the TV cabinet (although we removed the  knobs months ago, so she has thus far been unsuccessful.)

As adorable as all this imitation is, it's also a good reminder to us as parents that everything you do is being watched. Every word you say, everything that comes on TV - they're paying attention. They're depending on you to teach them how to live life. You need to be the kind of person you want them to be. Our kids may be the future, but the way you act now will be their future. Don't let them down.

Bronner's Trip 2011 Videos

Christmas Traditions

We all know that repetition aids memory, so for me, making and continuing family traditions is a given for creating good memories for your children. Christmas memories are some of my favorites, and I can't wait to continue some of them for Aria and make new ones as our family grows and gets older.

Every year since I was little, my parents would take us to Bronner's Christmas Wonderland and we could all pick out an ornament and sit on Santa's lap. I loved walking into the gigantic, sparkling store and gazing in awe at all the toys they had on the walls, on shelves and hanging from the ceiling. For a kid, it's truly like landing at the North Pole.

We took Aria again this year to see Santa and pick out a couple ornaments this past weekend. She was dazzled by the lights and was slightly overwhelmed at all the toys sitting around within arm shot. :) We took some fun pictures and waited for her group to be called to see Santa. We didn't know how she'd react this year, since last year she was too young to understand what was going on. This year, she loved Santa....until we put her on his pal. I then received the "oh no, you are NOT going to leave me here with him" look, and it was downhill from there. We got a couple pictures, but neither her nor Santa will exceptionally thrilled about the experience. Oh well, we'll just try again next year :)

What are some of your family's Christmas traditions?

Christmas Card 2011

In lieu of Christmas cards this year, we're sending out a Family Greeting online. (It's much cheaper this way.) Thank you all for being a part of my and my family's life! Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Better Than You Could Ever Know

Recently, I was taken back by a very passive-aggressive Facebook status directed towards me. Now, I normally avoid controversy on my FB page at all costs, because it's just not something I'm comfortable with or deal well with. I tend to keep my page free from political references and provocative or controversial religious statements, but rather use it for communication with family and friends. But here was something pointed at me. I was hurt that someone who considered themselves my "friend" would do something like that, but more hurt because what she said wasn't really true or relevant to anyone's life. I'm sure very few people knew she was referring to me, but it was hurtful nonetheless. (For the record, we are no longer FB "friends" and it is quite doubtful she will ever read this.)

All this got me thinking (and probably worried me far more than I ever should have let it.) People will criticize your life, your decisions and your choices your whole life. Maybe they're close friends trying to help you out, or maybe they're spiteful people just trying to be hurtful, and you need to remove them from your life. But no one, no matter how hurtful, "powerful," or malicious their actions can take away the true happiness that you have found in Christ and that you have created in your family. Your happiness is not theirs to take. Your contentment is not up for grabs. Your peace of mind should never be given away because of a hateful comment someone makes.

I love my life. I have a fabulous husband who I love and who loves me dearly. I have a wonderful, beautiful daughter who makes my day just by smiling at me. I have some truly fantastic friends who are loyal and who love me for all my quirks and weirdness. I have a forever-patient Jesus, who always has His arms open, ready to take me in and hear my cries. No one can take that from me. These things I listed, they cannot be purchased, just like they can't be stolen.

This may seem random and rambling, but here's what I'm trying to say: Don't let someone who really knows nothing about you or your family effect your outlook on life. Don't let them get into your head and make you anxious or doubtful. This can so easily happen as parents, I think (or maybe it's just me.) Someone just makes a brief (maybe seeming innocuous) comment about your kid, your parenting or your family, and it sends you reeling. It did me. But I had to sit down and remind myself that God has given me this great life and these great people in my life. My God is bigger than a rude comment. His love is bigger than a stupid mistake. His mercies are new every morning. He is faithful. People will fail. People will be stupid. Love God, and raise your family how He will have you. It's no one else's business anyways. Your life is probably better than they will ever know.

How could I not be happy when this much happiness greets me every morning?
I wish I had this kind of excitement for life!

Show them Love to teach them Love

This post has been a long time coming, because it's something I feel is so important, but I just couldn't find the right words to say what I felt. There are so many things that you may know in your head, but living them out is so much more complicated than you would have ever dreamed. I feel like being a parent brings a lot of these issues to the surface.

We all understand, at least somewhat, that the way we act around our kids will teach them how to act. If you have road rage, you're kids will most likely be angry drivers. If you fight with your spouse in front of your kids, you are not only teaching your kids how to fight, but also how to treat the opposite gender and will influence (positively or negatively) how they treat their future spouse. How you act around people will mold their world-view and their actions toward various types of people. How you treat going to church will influence their view on God, Jesus and religion in general.

Here's what I'm trying to say. If you require your kids to get all dressed up for church, have them sit through a long (or even short) church service, make them sing all the right songs and say the right words, and then go home and do it all again the next Sunday, they are not going to enjoy church. They are not going to understand why you attend church. They won't understand Jesus' love for them. They won't understand what Christianity is supposed to be, or what it's supposed to look like. (Let me clarify right here - we attend church every Sunday. I am not at all saying you shouldn't attend church, bring your kids, have them worship with you etc. Just keep reading and I think you'll get what I'm trying to say.) 

Every little kid who's every spent any time in church knows the song "Jesus Loves Me," but it is our job as parents to show them and teach them that Jesus really does love them. A child will not understand that Jesus loves them if the only time they hear about Jesus' love is when they're in an uncomfortable dress/suit singing with a bunch of kids once a week. Sorry, it's just not going to happen. A child is going to learn about Jesus' love for them and the world in their every day lives. How we act at home, how we treat other people, how we talk about Jesus on any other day besides Sunday - those are the ways a child is going to learn about Jesus' love. If you make fun of homeless people when yo're driving through the city, you're teaching your child that Jesus doesn't love them as much as He loves those better off. If you look with condescension on those who didn't "dress right" for church that day, you're teaching your kids that how you look is more important than how you love. If you never show your kids the parts of the world that are persecuting Christians, they will not have the level of gratitude that everyone of us should have for the freedom to worship Christ openly. If you don't serve, they won't serve. It's that simple.

When Christ was here on earth, it's apparent that He honored the Jewish Sabbath day; however, we rarely hear about him going to the temple to "fellowship with other believers." Who do we see him hanging out with the majority of the time (besides his disciples)? He spent time with sinners, with the less fortunate, with the hungry, the poor. He spent his earthly ministry feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and praying with and for those who hated him. He was a Light to the darkness; He was Salt to the world.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in "how we've always done things" that we forget that the whole reason for our hope of eternal life is Christ's love and sacrifice. It's not tradition, a solid Christian heritage or our "high standards." It was Love that saved us. It's Love that is interceding for us at the Father's throne. It's Love that gives us grace each and every day. Love is the very foundation of Christianity. Love for those who most deem unloveable. Love without expecting anything in return. Sacrificial Love. It's so hard. It's not human. It's a supernatural Love that can only come from the Holy Spirit.

I've heard many people say that we need to not spend so much time talking about love, because it's the Gospel that saves, and that's true. But the Gospel is based in Love! And it's our love for Christ that will have us continue in our faith. Just as your love for your spouse causes you to do things that he or she would enjoy and keeps you from doing things they don't enjoy so much, our Love for Christ is what will keep us in His will (along with a whole lot of work from the Holy Spirit.) Your sanctification is not based on you or your works, it's based on the same thing that saved you - the grace, power and love of God.

This Christmas, I encourage all of you to find a creative way to demonstrate the Love of God to your kids. God the Father gave us EVERYTHING, which is the whole reason for Christmas. Whether you sacrifice some of your time in this crazy season, some of that money you were saving for January sales, whatever else you can think of; try and teach your kids what Jesus' Love really looks like. Christians are supposed to be known for their love. Show the world you're a Christian this Christmas - Love someone.

Operation Christmas Child is one of my favorite charities. They help provide
a brighter Christmas for kids in less fortunate circumstances, while also
sharing the gospel with many who have never heard. There are many other programs
that assist with under privileged this time of year, even in your local neighborhood. 

Playing Nice with Others

 Unfortunately, due to the childlessness of the majority of my close friends, Aria doesn't get the chance for a lot of play dates. She does go to our nursery at church every Sunday and Wednesday, but I really don't get her see her interact with other kids, because I'm not in the nursery with her. So this Thanksgiving, I was eager to see how she would play with my cousin's younger daughter, Grace. We've always taught Aria to "share" with us, but how well would it work with another baby? One who couldn't chase her down for that toy like daddy can? Well, I'm happy to report that she did very well. In fact, I think she was very entertained by Grace and vice versa. They ended up playing with the same toys and "reading" the same books with only one memorable incident of Aria taking Grace's toy. We also kept on the lookout with Aria's curious fingers attempting to take out Grace's eyeballs, but (to my knowledge) such an incident did not occur, for which all four parents involved are very grateful, I'm sure.

Checking each other out

"Hey mom, I like this whole playing together thing!"

Pigtails and Purses

I've mentioned before that Aria is starting to show off her personality in so many ways, and fashion is one of those ways. She recently discovered a big fuzzy black hat we got from someone before she was born (I'm not even sure where it came from, but if you are the previous owner, thank you!) She's in love with this little hat and a "purse" that came with an outfit my mom bought her several months ago. She's been walking around with this hat on her head and her purse over her shoulder, the blankey trailing behind. It's too cute.

Her hair has also finally grown to the point where we can put it in pigtails, which is probably one of my favorite things ever. We can really seeing her transforming from a baby to a little girl right before our eyes. It goes so fast.

Aria with her fuzzy hat and mini purse

Showing off those pigtails!

"Look how cute I am!"

Thanksgiving

Every other year, my dad's side of the family all gets together in PA to celebrate Thanksgiving together. We all stay together in this big lodge type house at a Christian camp way up in the mountains. There's always lots of football (both playing and watching,) WAY too much food and many memories. This year was both Aria and Grace's first year with the family (Grace is my cousin's daughter.) It was fun having the babies together for the first time and hanging  out with all the cousins again - something that only happens at this biannual event.

This year, I'm thankful for a wonderful little family. I'm thankful for all the little blessings we've been given, and the lessons we've learned along the way. I'm thankful for our little church, which has welcomed us with open arms and with so much love. I'm thankful for the friends and family that make life so much fun to live. I'm thankful for Thirty-one for giving me some financial independence and a fun outlet. I'm thankful for the silliness of my toddler, and the loving arms of my husband. I have so much to be thankful for this year, I don't have the room on my blog to complete my list.

I hope you and yours had a blessed Thanksgiving holiday, and that you make even more great family memories as we go into this Christmas season! 

Don't compare the love.

There are many, MANY things I love about the convenience of today's online world. As I've mentioned before, sometimes we as SAHM's have a hard time discovering ourselves in our new role and new life; the internet makes forging new friendships and interests much easier for those of us who can't get out of the house as much as we used to. I really treasure a lot of the friendships I have made online, and I'm thankful for all the many ideas and interests I have been able to cultivate because of this tool. However, I've found one downside of all the connection with other moms and ladies all across the world, and that is the danger of comparison.

We as mothers already compare ourselves constantly; to our mothers, to our partner's mother, to that mother at the playground or the grocery store - we're constantly looking at other moms for reassurance, encouragement and, ultimately, comparison. We can compare ourselves to that one mom with the out-of-control 2-year old and think, "Well, at least my child doesn't throw those temper tantrums!" or at the mom who has very successful older children and think, "I hope I can raise kids that intelligent/wealthy/kind etc..." It's a very natural thing, this comparison, but it can be unhealthy, especially for those of us who already struggle with feelings of inadequacy or imperfection.

The internet cultivates this kind of comparison outlook with all the different social sites we have now. Not just Facebook, in face I would say Facebook is the least likely culprit; it's usually those "Mom sites" or maybe the groups setting on Facebook or, for me, Pinterest. Now, don't get me wrong, I am in LOVE with Pinterest right now! So many ideas and so much inspiration! I could spend hours on there! But after a while, I'm looking at this pins fellow moms and wives post and think "Wow, I could never do that." or "Why didn't I ever think of that? I must not be as good of a mom/wife/homeschooler etc." ... the list goes on. The ironic thing is, that most of those moms you think are Wonder Woman are probably looking at your ideas thinking the same thing.

Every mom is different. We all have our own strengths are weaknesses, things we are better than most people at, and things we could improve on. NO mom is super woman, although it may seems like that to all those around her. Most likely, she's facing those same feelings of inadequacy that "normal moms" feel every day. Whether you're a SAHM who wishes she could contribute more to the family income or a working mom who feels like she doesn't spend enough time with her kids, we ALL have feelings of insufficiency as moms. We feel we are shortchanging our kids in some way or another.

Here's the reality: your kids love you. No matter what. If you currently have teenagers, you may not feel like it, but they really do. And more than likely, they're going to be ok. As a younger mom, I can say this from a different perspective, having been that teenager not too long ago. Your kids' mistakes are not personal attacks against you; they haven't stopped loving you if they "screw up." You haven't failed your mission of parenthood if they make a mistake, in fact it can be the opposite. How you react to their mistakes and failures can actually make you a better parent. Teaching kids unconditional love no matter what, showing them that everyone's human and that's ok, demonstrating forgiveness for wrongs done, and directing them in the best ways to make things right are ALL valuable lessons that kids would never learn if everyone was perfect all the time.

Now, to tie the two ideas together. We as moms can will compare how our kids turn out amongst ourselves. Maybe your sister's kid has aced his way through math; maybe your best friend's kid has social or educational barriers. You don't love your kid anymore or less than your sister or best friend. You are not a better or worse mom than they are. You all have different children, different abilities and different perspectives. Our differences as humans are what make life so interesting. Stop trying to perfectly emulate that mom down the road who has the "perfect kids." Chances are, they leave their towels on the floor, just like your kids.

Photo credits to Sofabean Photography

The cutest garbage ever.

Today, Aria accidentally ripped part of the magazine I was letting her "read." She then picked up the ripped piece of paper, stood up and threw it in the garbage can! Then, she turned around to look at me with the biggest smile on her face and started clapping for herself. Cutest ever? I think so. Can't believe how fast my baby girl is growing up.

Learning to be Alone

From some recent reading I've been doing, I have come to discover that Aria's dislike for "aloneness" is not a unique quirk. Apparently most children go through a stage where they don't like to be completely alone. With Aria, however, I found it to be unusual; she loves playing with and by herself, she can read to herself for30-45 minutes at a time without ever needing me. She thoroughly enjoys make-believe time with her toys, and doesn't even really like it when we try to join her.

But as soon as I walk out of the room.... oh boy. It's like I'm there for emotional support or something.She just falls apart as soon as I cross the threshold from her room into the hallway. We have just recently gotten to the point where she will wander into her room on her own without us bring there, but even then, she yells out "MA? ma?!" every few minutes to make sure I'm still in hearing distance.

Like I said, I've been told that this is very normal with children her age, but how did you deal with your kids during this stage, especially when you had to get stuff done? Does keeping them with you 24/7 foster neediness and dependence, or will it not affect them? I've also heard that this emotional response to bring alone also has to do with their developing understanding of object permanence, so how can I help with this discovery? So far, we've just stuck pretty close to her, but we have tried to incorporate at least one session per day of "alone time" in her room. After a few minutes, she seems to forget why she's crying, and goes back to playing... any other parents out there with this experience? I'd love to hear your input!

Update on the Small Business Christmas Challenge

Well over 300 people have read my post on taking the "Small Business Christmas Challenge" and I would love to hear an update on how you're doing! Since we're all sharing here, I'll let you know what I purchased this year for Christmas from DS sellers I know, or at least a few of them (if I tell all the gifts I got, the family members reading my blog will figure out what they're getting....don't want that!)

For my sister-in-law, I used my Avon rep to get her some goodies she's been wanting. I will admit to purchasing a lot of gifts from Thirty-one since that's what I do, but I also grabbed up some goodies for my hubby from the new Lindt Chocolate DS company.  I'll also be grabbing up some of my favorite holiday scents from my Scentsy consultant for my mom and I. I'm also ordering a few things for Aria from Tupperware like their shapes ball and some fun plates!

These are just a few examples, and there are tons of other products that can be found in DS companies. From Mary Kay to Uppercase Living, there's something for every one and every home. Happy shopping!

Don't forget to come back after Christmas and share what you gave from a DS company or small business near you! 

Toddler Intelligence...

Me: "Aria, can you say 'trick or treat!' "
Aria: "RAWR!"
Me: "No.... trick or treat!"
Aria: "BOO!"
Me: "Kinda... Trick or treat" (said very slowly)
Aria: "Cookie?"

... I think she knows more than she's letting on....

More than the Mommy in the Mirror

Recently, I've been going through what I know a lot of moms (esp. SAHMs) can empathize with; the quest to find a self-identity in the midst of being a mom. When you first become a mom, nothing else in the whole world matters, and you're OK with that. You're just reveling in the glory of your new baby and your new role in life. But as time goes by, if you're like most SAHMs, you discover that your "new role in life" has completely taken over your life, and that there is no other aspect to who you are. You're just "mom."

This "identity crisis" really hit me hard in the past few months. As much as I love being Aria's mommy, and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, I was starting to realize that there was little else that defined my existence. Even my relationship with my hubby had been infringed upon, because no matter how you look at it, you're not just a couple anymore: you're parents. It's so easy to let who you are become completely enveloped in your little one. And that's not all bad; it means you love your child deeply, and later on in life they will really (hopefully) appreciate it. But you still need to find you, just like I needed to find me.

When you describe yourself, what words do you use? I was noticing this the other day - all over the internet, wherever you go, you're usually asked to make a profile of some kind. Here on Blogger, on Facebook, Twitter, any other blogs of forums you belong to - they all ask you to make a simple or detailed profile of yourself. That little "about me" tab gets me every time. Who am I? The first words that always go in that box for me is "mom and wife." But what else? What else describes me?


This has triggered a lot of thought for me, so I went to some of my older profiles from extinct websites and social networks (Xenga, anyone?), and looked to see what words I had used to describe myself as in my past. "Musician, singer" were a couple defining words; I had described myself as "artsy, social, outgoing" and that I enjoyed concerts, sports, and good food. I wanted to be a professional musician or music critic. My goodness, how time as changed things. Now in reality, not all those things are far off from who I am now; I still enjoy all of those things, I still consider myself a musician and somewhat outgoing, but when I stopped to think about it, I couldn't really zero in on any aspect of my existing life that someone could look at and say, "Aha! That woman is a singer!" ... I just took for granted that that was still a part of me (and for the record, nothing could change that, it will always be a part of me, I just needed to reintegrate it into my life.)

The twinge of "regret" for us as moms comes in when we realize there is no "self-identity" anymore... who you were has changed. Not just your life - you. But you still need to find things that define you. You can't just morph into someone else and leave your interests and hobbies permanently behind. What will happen when your kids leave? Will you just cease to exist?

I decided to find things that I enjoyed doing that could be done at home with Aria. I started making decorations for my home on my own. I watch a lot of episodes of "Design on a Dime" during Aria's nap time, and got some great ideas for how I could do the same thing to our little apartment. You've seen some of my project here on the blog. Even just moving around furniture, rearranging the bookcases, and re-organizing things can give you a sense of accomplishment and "nesting." Don't like the beat-up, outdated finish on your old dresser? Repaint it! Look up a cool way to refinish the surface on it, and you have a new piece! There are some great ways to make cheap, personal artwork for your walls that will help you satiate the inner artist during your kids' nap time! Just find something you enjoy doing, and take a few minutes 3-4 days out of your week and indulge; whether that's catching up on the latest bestseller while soaking in a tub, throwing around a basketball in the drive way or getting all crafty like me. Even blogging can help, especially if  "writer" is a word you use to describe yourself. If you don't find something to express who you are, you'll lose who you are.

My challenge to you today is to look in the mirror and find another word to describe you other than "mommy" and comment below to tell me who or what that is and how you're going to "rediscover" that aspect of yourself. The "new you" doesn't have to be boring :)

Pretty Pretty Princess

A while ago, I mentioned that Aria's mothering instincts had started to kick in, and we could see that when she rocks, pats and kisses her "babies." She'll lay them in her cradle and sing to them and it's really quite adorable. Now, we're starting to see some of her "inner girliness" come out. While she still actually chews on her teething rings occasionally, now they are mostly being used as bracelets and tiaras - at least, I think that's what she's doing when she puts them on her head. :) She'll walk around the house holding one of the bigger ones on her head with her hand (which makes for some very off-balanced walking) and holding her other arm up in the air to keep her "bracelets" on. It's really too cute. She will also grab her comb and start attempting to comb her own hair, which usually just ends up with her hitting herself in the head. Now I just can't wait to get a tu-tu on her!

Aria with her "princess hat" (for lack of a better term) and
carrying around one of her beanie cats :)

Shake, Tumble and Roll: The Techniques of the Tripping Toddler

Aria moments away from employing the "Thud" technique.

As Aria learns to move around more quickly, she doesn't have a lot of patience for slowing down. This causes for a lot of odd dances to stay upright and, occasionally, falling flat on her face or tucus. Now, for those parents who have not yet been through the "learning to walk" stage, there are several different falling techniques your young toddler will employ. I will now explain them in depth, so as to aid in the understanding of curious parents.

The first is what Josh and I simply refer to as "Thud" because there's no glamorous ending; it's just a simple "THUD" on the ground flat on their rear, as though they suddenly meant to be sitting down. After a look of mild confusion to indicate that they did not indeed intend to be sitting at that present moment, the toddler can return to a standing and/or walking position quite easily.

The next would be the "Wobble, Wobble, One Touch." This takes place when the toddler starts to lose his or her balance, but instead of falling backwards, they begin to fall forward. This must be avoided at all cost, so as to save the parents expensive medical or future dental bills. Thus, after wobbling around attempting to maintain their balance, the toddler will then lean forward, touching one hand to the ground to stable his or herself. At this point, once they have reached a safe position, they can either lower themselves to the ground safely, or push themselves back up again.

The third is what I tend to call the "Much Too Downward Dog." This occurs when, unlike the last technique, there is no time to wobble around and steady oneself; instead, the toddler just throws both arms down in yet another attempt to avoid hitting the ground face first. Unfortunately, since there was no time to regain balance, the toddler will then just fall over sideways, while still maintaining a nearly perfect "Downward Dog" stance. This technique is best utilized when in a large open area, so as to not hit one's head during the Downward Dog Descent. Even if this technique is pulled off flawlessly with no injury, there still tends to be a tad residual trauma left over, that may cause for a wimper or a full-blown hysteria fit, depending on the child and their state of mind.

I hope these three basic techniques, their explanations and their expected emotional outcomes will be of use to you and your child as you go through the stage of learning to quickly maneuver oneself about.

Small Business Saturday!

Last year, American Express started what is now known as "Small Business Saturday," to take place the day after Black Friday. It's to promote the growth of local small businesses and direct sales reps the same way our Black Friday shopping helps put those big chain stores back in the black. I know I just posted about this, but I want to remind everyone about the Small Business Christmas Challenge I posed the other day... If you Christmas shop from your favorite direct sales ladies, it will help them create Christmas for their families as well.

Direct sales reps and consultants make up the majority of what are considered "small businesses" in America, and they directly impact the income of the people you're buying from. Over  15 million people in the US are involved in DS, so it shouldn't be too hard for you to find a friend whose trying to provide for her family through her DS company. (http://www.directselling411.com/about-direct-selling/)

Do something good with your Christmas shopping this year, and support your local family owned restaurant, buddy from college who sells candles, or creative mom friend from your play group that makes adorable hats and outfits for babies. The options are endless.