Wild Things

This book came recommended to me by several of my friends. I'm really enjoying reading it and am steadily rowing the opinion that anyone who has a boy should read this. Whether they are 1 or 12, it would definitely shed some light on their unique design.

I have a 15 month old son. He is constantly on the move. Curious, adventurous, kicking anything that is bolted to the ground and more. I desperately want to be a good boy mom. Having never been a boy, I feel like I've learned a lot about guys watching my brother, my guy friends, my husband and nephews. Its safe to say that it's not reasonable to ask him to "sit still and be quiet" for any length of time; unless there is food involved. He is a normal boy. Or so this book is showing me.

If you have a little man... buy this book.

Any ideas?

Okay ladies,
I'm running low on ideas these days (as you can see by my lack of posting). Do you have any GREAT suggestions for me to blog about? Send me your ideas and I'll see about posting them!

Free Our Health Care

Please take a minute to sign this petition to keep our government out of our health care.

http://www.freeourhealthcarenow.com/

Igniter Media

At church, there are the videos that are lame and their are videos that good replace the sermon they are so profound. Igniter Media creates high quality media that equips people with visual resources that declare Truth. Our church uses many of their resources and this weekend, for Father's Day, they posted this video. Check it out. I am regularly taken aback by the quality work they produce. It seems they nail the message right on the head every time.

The Women's Role

The scripture that often brings much controversy and dissension... 1 Timothy 2:11 says "A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness." Whew... man that has always stung. It sure sounds like Paul is saying we women should sit down, shut up and be a doormat. BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT HE IS SAYING. I've always had a hard time with this verse UNTIL I heard one of the best explanations about this verse.

Go to www.watermarkradio.com.
Click on "View All Messages in this Series"
Listen to 5-10-09 Extraordinary Opportunities for Non-Ordinary Women.

It really is one of the best explanations I've ever heard. It's rather motivating...

Happy Mother's Day

For Mother's Day, I received Dr. Laura Schlessinger's In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms. I love it so far. It definitely offers validation for those of you who are SAHM's. If you are one of these, doesn't it feel a little controversial to you? On one hand we are praised for being the main caretaker of our kids... research would show that our kids need more of this these days. Yet, we are often forgotten that we are "working" too.

If you are a mom who is trying to determine what you should do when your baby arrives, this book has some great advice from listeners who have tried both staying home and working. Other experiences can often teach us A LOT.

I'll end with this quote... "The 'greatest generation' isn't limited to those folks who served valiantly at war; it embraces the folks who worked on the farms and in the factories, toiling at difficult jobs to not only serve their country byut provide for their families. Little mentioned are the women who birthed the babies, raised their kids, and managed the home and the budget so that there would be food in the family's tummies and clothes on their backs, taught their children right from wrong and made sure they washed behind their ears and got them to school on time. "

Moneywise

I despise how the media is creating such worry about the state of economy (and the Piggy Flu).

Several years ago my husband and I joined a Foundation Group through our church. Through this newly married group we discussed important things like oneness, communication, finances and the like. The financial stuff we went through changed the way we viewed "our" resources. It. Was. Transforming. Enlightening. Resolving. So, here we are, in this "crisis" and we aren't afraid. We know where we stand. We are prepared. We do not fret. We know Who is really in control. We see "our" stuff as not really ours, but as God's and we are simply stewards of His resources.

If I lost you at Christ, please don't quit on me now. Check out Moneywise. It's a group of people committed to walking you through a better perspective. If you aren't ready to meet with someone, just click on the articles provided or start with reading one of their suggested books. You won't regret it.

Memory Foam

"They" say we need 8 hours of sleep a night, at least. 9-10 would be even more functional. So why do I hate spending money mattresses? (Can anyone else relate?) I know sleep is important for so many reasons but I just feel gipped when it's time to buy a mattress.

My husband and I talked about getting a new mattress since ours is like 10 years old. But, he is a lot like me, hates spending the $ on that. Instead he bought us 4 inch Memory Foam for my birthday. It came with two memory foam pillows too. Oh my, how I love our bed again! I am sleeping so much better now. I mean, it's not like I never wake up at night, but it's improved so much. Some nights I don't wake up at all! I wake up feeling more rested and with less aches and pains.

Re-Engage

Marriage. It's a sacred thing. It's rewarding. It's desired by most. Yet it's the hardest thing to maintain a HEALTHY functioning marriage. This is a topic I'm deeply passionate about. It's not about just remaining married... it's that our marriages stay happy, healthy, safe and moving towards Christ together. God didn't just intend for us to live under the same roof unsatisfied and not divorced. He intended for our union to be a reflection of how Christ loved the church... and remember? He gave His life for the church. Wow. What a standard.

Many people would admit their marriages could use a little pick me up. Re-Engage is a place where you can get just that. It's also a place where if you are having significant problems you would find a safe place to process and begin healing your marriage. Seriously, it's incredible. I've seen and heard of amazing restoration at this class.

So if this is you. Check it out. It's an ongoing class. Always accepting new attendees. Here's a link and more about it... http://www.watermark.org/ministries/life-stage-ministries/marriage-ministry/

REENGAGE is designed to help couples move towards oneness in their marriage through stories of grace, teaching and small groups. Sessions will cover topics such as forgiveness, communication, roles, etc. Join us Wednesday nights from 6:30 -8:30 pm on the second floor of the Watermark Tower (7540 LBJ Freeway @ Park Central, Dallas. Email questions to Emily McKeaigg.

Radio Flyer Walker Wagon

This is one of my all time favorite purchases for my 1 year old. I discovered it at a friends house. Our kids were all at the age of starting to walk (~ 9 months) and they just loved taking turns pushing the wagon and giving each other wagon rides. Here's why I enjoy it so much...

• It's going to last us many years through (hopefully) many kids.
• It's not restricted to just a walker toy. In the future, my oldest could push younger siblings around or we could display toys in it in his room.
• It's not wobbly... all other walker toys I was looking into purchasing were kind of wobbly... he would lose his balance easily when pushing it. This one is heavy enough to help him balance if he begins to stumble.
  
• The wheels "click" when he pushes it. There's a purpose to it though... it's clicking because there is a mechanism that keeps it from rolling out of control when it transfers from soft to hard surfaces. So when he pushes it from the carpet to the kitchen tile... it goes the same speed.
• I'm a huge fan of Radio Flyer equipment. They just remind of my childhood when toys were more simple.
• It posed as a great "Easter basket" this year. My son could push it around instead of carrying a basket. For him, that was good because he's still pretty wobbly when carrying something.
  

The downer to this fantastic toy is the price. They are around $80 plus shipping. (They don't carry them in stores that I have seen). So, I beat the system and found one on Craigslist for $50. I have a friend that found one for $35. If you are in the market for a walker toy, I HIGHLY recommend this one. You just have to hunt for a used one if you don't want to spend the $100.

The wagon in action...

Aveeno

I have used my fair share of different facial products. Everything from Mary Kay, Neutrogena, Clinque, Cetaphil, and the list goes on. Hands down, I just LOVE Aveeno products. I use their Positively Radiant face cleanser and moisturizer. They make me skin feel so soft and my skin so even. Seriously, I look forward to washing my face every day and puttingon the moisturizer. Right now, the moisturizer comes with a sample tube of their Night Cream. I tried it last night... wow, I really could tell a difference. I woke up and my face felt even more soft and nourished. The best part about it is I can pick it up at Wal-Mart of Target on a regular groery run instead of making a special trip to a department store. Also, they last me several months.

Interested? I found this coupon online. Enjoy!

The Electrolux Pronto 2-in-1

My good friend, Marisa, gave shout out to this little gadget on her blog. So I thought it was worth passing on to the few, the lovely, the amazing peeps that read this blog. I hope it makes your life easier!
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The Electrolux Pronto 2-in-1.

A-mazing.

I have had the most difficult time trying to figure out how to keep our wood floors clean. They were always dusty, and it took SO much time to sweep, and then there'd always be a dust line after I swept. We had an I-Robot that did a good job, but it broke like 6 months later.
So, I had a friend at work tell me about this little beauty and I went out to buy one for myself.

FABULOUS!

It picks up all the dust, Bella's fur, etc... It's cordless and it has a detachable Dustbuster if you need it. Only three negatives: 1) doesn't pick up large chunks, 2) doesn't mop, 3) lasts for about 20 minutes off the charger.
So, it's great for quick clean ups before the guests show up.
I highly recommend it!

One Day, One Deal

If you haven't discovered www.woot.com then you haven't experienced the amazing deals (and witty commentary) the internet can bring. Woot is an online store that sells cool stuff for cheap. how do they do it? Each day the only sell one product. That's right, just ONE. When it's gone, it's gone. No more. We have purchased numerous items on here and saved a ton of money. For instance, earier this month we wanted some Memory Foam. We looked around all over and then on our lucky day, Woot was selling it. Queen Memory Foam with two Memory Foam Pillows for $129. If that doesn't stike you as a great deal then what about this... we purchased a Recaro Como Convertible Carseat. Price? At Babies R Us with a coupon it was around $300. Then three weeks later, Woot was selling it for $99!! The exact model. We have purchased a printer, shirts.. the list goes on. Seriously you gotta make this website a daily reader to grab the best deals. The catch, you have to act fast.

Toddler Towels

We all got them as gifts, baby bath towels. Most of them have some attempt of a hoodie. But I've noticed, that most of those towels my 11 month has already outgrown. Obnoxious. Enter in Toddler Towels to save the day.

These ladies make Hooded Towels out of adult size towels so they really can't out grow them. And the hood isn't a cone head... it's more rounded... which is awfully nice. I mean, how cute are these:

So if you are in the market for a good gift, these are pretty darn cute, customized (can't find at Target or Babies R Us) and grows with the kids.

Cheers!

Willowbend Playplace

I've been hesitant to write about this because I bet many of you already know about it. However, yesterday Parker had an "incident" at this playplace and I was really impressed with how they handled.

The Willowbend Playarea... it's one of my favorite places to go. The floor is soft and cushy, the "toys" are large and perfect for any kid that can pull up, crawl, walk, or climb. I especially going right after lunch because it seems a lot less crowded. So what "incident" happened that impressed me? Well, see those brown chairs in the back ground below? Well, the removed several of them (maybe for repairs?) that left the wooden seat exposed; not sanded corner exposed. Like most new walkers, Parker was walking over the bench, tripped over his feet and feel smack into the edge. He didn't split the skin open but it quickly turned into a HUGE blue bump. As the minutes past, I get more and more irritated that they would remove cushions like that without protecting those sharp corners. I mean seriously, it's a kids play area and kids fall all the time! So, we strolled down to the Management Office to share our mishap so they hopefully will change their ways. I was really impressed. The handled the sitation with great care and concern. Got Parker an ice pack, some water, took pictures of his head and jotted down some info from me. I think at least 3 people in that office gave us attention around the situation and seemed legitmately concerned for my little man.

That said, I'm more impressed than ever with this place because of how the handled our situation.

Parker and Ethan playing in the giant coffe cup.

The large steak dinner... my nephew is checking out the girls hinny! Hehehe

Once Upon a Child

Divine Consign was a little disappointing to me. Probably because we went Sunday when it opened Saturday night. Who'd a thought all the good stuff would have been picked over so fast!

Armed with money to spend and the mood to dig, Heather and I headed to Once Upon a Child after going to Divine Consign. Jackpot! I don't know if the economy is making people sell more stuff or what but I found even better deals and better stuff at the Plano location than I did at Divine Consign. I also went back to sell some clothes to them and it was okay. They were only taking 2 and 3 piece outfits because they were overloaded with clothes. They were really in need of the big items... exersaucer, swing, strollers, etc. I bet those items they would pay good money for. It's a supply and demand thing. So if you are looking to make some money and have those items, I recommend them.

Heavenly Press

Stationary. You either love it or not interested. If you love it, more than likely you are the type that likes custom or hard-to-find designs for your stationary needs. How do you know if this is you?

• When you shopped for your wedding invitations, did you look through more than 2 books?
• When you looked for your child's first Birthday invitations, did you browse the web for weeks before purchasing?
• Do you regularly by yourself special note cards just to have on hand in a pinch?
• When you go to a boutique store, do you cruise through the stationary to see what's different and new?
• Do you give gifts that include note cards, stationary or note pads?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are going to love Heavenly Press. Check them out at www.heavenlypress.com. My friend, Joy Blocker, turned me to this website because one of her friends is one of the co-founder/owners. The stationary is adorable and trendy. The pricing is pretty average for this type of good but the best part... a part of their proceeds goes towards various Christian ministries in the USA and beyond. Enjoy!

Legally Blonde the Musical

In need of a night out with the girls? Round up your favorite women and get tickets to Legally Blonde the Musial. I went a few weekends ago in Houston and boy was it worth it! I'm not that into musicals but this one was fantastic! The singing, dancing and storyline was just amazing. I think the show was almost 3 hours long and it went by so fast... I never once looked at my watch because I was so enthralled with the entire plot. They are coming to Dallas July 21-August 2nd. Seriously, you got to go!

Building Blocks

Ever heard of MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers)? Well this is like that but at Watermark Community Church. The 1st Friday and 3rd Thursday of every month they host a speaker, brunch and free childcare so you can come refresh yourself by hearing from some amazing women, eat some yummy food and meet other like-minded ladies. Check out their next event.

In fact, I went this last Thursday and heard a fantastic talk about Disciplining in the Pre-Schooler years. As we all have experienced, the most difficult criticsm to swallow is about your parenting. We all could use improvements regardless of what stage of child-rearing we are in. Frankly some of these tips could easily translate to those with older kids too.

Anyhow, I feverishly jotted down so many notes and walked away with some great tactics. The purpose of discipline "isn't to just get behaviors out of my children but to raise them to choose the good and right." I don't want my kids to just be well-mannered when I'm looking but to make good decision when I'm not looking too. I would highly recommend listening to the audio. You will walk away with something. Go to http://www.watermarkradio.com/.

Follow these instructions:

Under Select Another Channel, select Parents
Scroll to Building Blocks
Select CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL MESSAGES FOR THIS SERIES
Click on "2-19-09 Discipline Doldrums"
You may also Download or Order a CD any of the messages

Divine Consign

A Children's Consignment Show.

I have never attended this but I have heard about it through mommy buzz that it is awesome. Prices are great on all sorts of child-related goods. If I were in town this weekend, I'd totally be in Grapevine with a wagon in tow. But instead, I will attend the one in Plano.

Grapevine Convention Center
Feb 22 11am-7pm
Feb 23 8am-12pm

PLANO CENTRE
Mar 1 11am-7pm
Mar 2 9am-9pm
Mar 3 8am-12pm

www.divineconsign.net

Getting Your Body Back

Two words. Swim Suit. Why on earth did I try one on the other day? I'm pasty white. I guess I was attracted to all the pretty colors and designs. And yes, I bought one. We're going skiing in a few weeks which means hot tub time and last year I was 7 weeks post pardum when summer hit... so needless to say that swimsuit isn't going to work.

On with my point.

Pilates. I've become a HUGE fan of this exercise modality since having my first child. I really feel like it helped me get m body back. All the moves target your core muscles; you know the ones stretched to kingdom come when you are preggars. Those muscles get re-engaged and targeted. So when I saw those swim suits staring at me I didn't completely cringe because Pilates helped me get my body back.

Now I'm not talking about just an Pilates. I'm talking about Power Pilates. If you want to try a class with me, let me know and I can get you a pass. Here's where I go. (Yes, that is me in first picture. I was 9 weeks pregnant if I remember correctly. Yes, that is where I worked for 5 years pre-parker so I am partially bais. I love this place. I love the childcare. I love the atmosphere. More on all that later). Seriously, let me know if you want to try out a class and I'll get you a pass to come with me or go on your own. I go to the Monday/Wednesday class at 12pm. The pass will also cover your childcare expense that day ($2.50/hour).

If attending a class or paying for a membership isn't for you right now, might I suggest this video. The Director of Pilates at TELOS teaches Power Pilates style and this video is a taste of what you would get at TELOS.

Enjoy!

Three Elle Designs

These days a nursery can't be just a crib, chair and changing table. Our babies enter the world with a room filled with precious items waiting for them. As moms, it seems every item we place in their rooms has a meaning... a significance. From the color choice, the type of crib, items on display, stuffed animals, rocking chair, and oh, the wall hangings. What special way to personalize your babies room with customized wall hanging. But, you're not the artist type? Neither am I. So let me introduce you to www.ThreeElleDesigns.com. She was neighbors with my friend Shannon and her stuff is too cute. Heck, you don't even have to limit it to your newborns, kids of all ages would love this stuff. Enjoy!

Shabby Chic Aprons

I've reconnected with a high school friend via Facebook, Chelsea Burelson. She started her own business making handmade aprons and when you view the website you too will find them to be incredibly chic, vintage and fabulous! I'm already making my list of who I can buy some for. What makes these even more incredible; they are extremely reasonably priced, ranging $20-$35. That is a great price range for gifts. Enjoy!

http://web.mac.com/chelsburleson

Boymomdesigns.com

I couldn't resist. I really should wait until tomorrow but I just can't wait to share this one! This is for all you boy moms out there. www.boymomdesigns.com. Best part about it? A part of the proceeds go to help poverty kiddos in Southeast Asia. A little taste of her site...


"They love all things heroic. All things dangerous. They have dreams of saving those they love. They day-dream about fighting the bad guy and rescuing the girl. They are proud of their bloody badges of honor: beginning as skateboarding scrapes...ending up as black eyes...and then, I guess, war wounds."

That is why I love being a boy mom. I do hope to have a girl some day but I just love that description of a little boy. And man is mine ever turning out to be just like that.

Cheers to all you boy moms out there!

Food Therapy Online

Food. It's something we need to survive yet it has a unique way of either ruling our minds, destroying our attitude, bringing us indulgent pleasure, or causing us anxiety. How could something so necessary for life be so tormenting sometimes?

So here's the deal. Yvette Quantz RD, LD, is a good friend of mine. We worked together for years and now are both focusing on our families however she still does Nutrition Counseling/Coaching part time. It's her love and she's dang good at it. She's one of few people I know who is remarkably passionate about what she does. More importantly, she has an extremely healthy view of food. She is in business to help people make lifestyle changes of making good food choices daily. "Food and nutrition should taste good, be enjoyable to eat, nourish the body, and help you reach your goal."

She's based out of Lafayette, LA but does phone consultations and is getting set up to do on-line conference calls. If you are in need of a serious overall in the eating department or are just stuck in a rut. She's definitely someone I would give a call. If you're not sure yet, sign up to receive her monthly newsletter. It's incredible! Just email her at yvette@foodtherapyonline.com with the subject line of 'subscribe.' (Click on the images below to see the February Newsletter). You can also read more about her and her services at http://www.foodtherapyonline.com.

#1 Mother's Day Out Program

This Mommy believes that all mommies need some time to themselves. For me, it's Tuesdays from 9am-2pm when my son, Parker, goes to Mother's Day Out at the Heights Baptist Church. On these days, I can go workout without having to tote Parker around, run multiple errands, have a lunch date without my attention being diverted by my sweet boy or get some cleaning done at the house. The key is... I get to go what I want to do. I usually wouldn't encourage selfishness, but Motherhood is a 24-7 unpaid job. Now the rewards are limitless, but the pay is not-so-much. So Mom's need a day off here and there too.

On these days, I ALWAYS spend some extended time reading my bible, praying, journaling, blogging, catching up via email with friends. All of this usually occurs while sitting at a coffee shop with a skinny vanilla latte, my iPod and my laptop. So, today, I was doing just this and the idea for MommyCritic came to me. I received another email about a friend's friend who has started her own business. As always, I click the link. Her stuff was amazing! There goes my thoughts, spiraling out of control. I love supporting the self-employed. I love telling others when I experience exceptional service. When I spend money on something that far exceeds my expectations, I have to tell others. I appreciate the small businesses. Why don't I collorate all these websites and share with others? How could I do that? And thus... MommyCritic was created.

Naturally, since MommyCritic came while my son was in Mother's Day Out, I thought my first post would be about the Child Development Center program at The Heights Baptist Church.

My experience at the CDC has been nothing but positive. I enrolled my son shortly after he was born because I was going back to work part time. I received several referalls from friends, toured the facility and read through the entire website. SOLD! I have yet to regret my decision. This place provides exceptional service and a quality product and here's why:

1. I regularly bring home some craft that Parker has "made." Need I remind you that he is only 9 months old.
2. They have a lesson plan even for his age that includes memory verses, age appropriate activties, nature walks, going to music class and more.
3. His teachers authentically love him. He can't wait to see them every day.
4. They are incredibly organized.
5. Each staff person I have encountered has treated me with the utmost kindness.
6. The staff seem to enjoy what they do... something that is important to me if they are taking care of my baby!
7. When I was breastfeeding and sending pumped breastmilk, they handled it was care... like it was gold. (It was!)
8. They enouraged the routine I set out for Parker.
9. The cost is reasonable.
10. They teach Biblical principles at even the youngest ages.

So, if you are in the process of finding a Mother's Day Out of Pre-school program, I highly recommend this one.

Cheers!