Moon Sand?

I just bought a small tub of moonsand to try with our kids and was wondering what everyone else thought of the product. Playdough in my mind is more friendly to play with and easier to clean up. It is very different to play with.....any suggestions on activities with moonsand for the kids? Thanks!

Peel & Stick decorating

I saw this in my parenting magazine and it looks really cute...thought I would share the link...

Decorating a room

Books

I don't know how many of you are big readers like I am, but just for fun - What are your favorite books? What about your kids?

I love
The Outlander series of books by Diana Gabaldon
The Skystone series by Jack Whyte
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
Mrs Pollifax books by Dorothy Gilman

Alexa loves
All things Olivia by Ian Falconer
Zen Shorts by John Muth
All Dr Suess of course
The Napping House by Audrey Wood (I think - just doing this from memory)

Also I just read Fancy Nancy at the bookstore and am planning on getting some of these for Alexa. Very cute and fun.

I also found a good website for book lovers called goodreads.com where you can enter all the books you've read, review them, look at the reviews of others etc. If anyone joins that one I am on there with the username brandyann.

Napping / Nursing

Nursing and Napping.....one thing that is still not consistent in my household. Justin usually nurses to sleep and I hold him....I am getting really tired of this routine, so as of this afternoon I am not going to do it anymore (so I say this now, but if he cries for hours on end, and then we nurse and he falls asleep-then what do I do)???? We are also very tired of this waking up multiple times during the night....Todd and I are both so very tired....I think our only resolution is let him "cry it out"...I feel horrible because it keeps Todd up all night long when he cries for hours...and I can nap during the day and Todd can't.

Justin usually takes 2 naps a day, but just read that he could start taking one nap a day at 12 months..today he didn't get a morning nap, just his snooze as he nursed, then he woke up as I tried to put him down. this past weekend, he only napped 1 time each day..and slept a little better at night, but not great.

He does so well at night getting to sleep at first, we have our routine, and he goes down without a peep - but wakes up between 12-2 and then again 2 hours later, etc...

I really enjoy nursing, so I don't want to give it up, but the night nursing has to end...he doesn't need it..and he is eating plenty. We now have snacks during the day, and just for lunch today he ate a whole vegi-dog (no bun) and some crackers.....I think for a 13.5 month old, that is a lot? ? ?

Anyone had similar issues? Resolutions? I hate hearing the crying, but am ready for me time and some sleep!

Update--1:32pm - Justin has been crying for 37 minutes and I think he is asleep...I might try to get some zzz's too...

Superheroes!

This caught my eye as we are very into superheroes around here right now. If it were up to Reese we would all wear capes...

How a Mommy spends her day!

This is a poem I wrote and published in our local MOPS newsletter. It was a fun write. Enjoy!

Needs of a Mom

One morning a bit of “nature called”, if you understand what I mean. ;-)
And so I headed to the bathroom, but on the way, it seems
someone had dropped a small burp rag on the floor of the living room,
so I thought I’d pick it up and get it into my children’s room.

I noticed the kids’ hamper was just bursting at the seams.
And so I thought, “I’ll just throw these clothes into my washing machine.
In they went, but whoops! Just wait! There’s still a load from yesterday!
“Well, let’s throw it in the dryer and hope the wrinkles go away.”

Out of the laundry room I came on a mission to answer that “calling”,
when I noticed a faint bad odor come from my baby who’s started crawling.
Again, into the nursery I went to change a nasty diaper.
I got her undressed and began to work when I saw I had nothing to wipe her!

I make some wipes from paper towels and soap, (it’s really nothing, no toil.)
And so I ran into the kitchen to get the teapot on to boil.
Huggies wipes to the rescue, diaper’s changed, I exit my little girl’s room.
I passed through the kitchen and saw Jonathan had made a mess. “Where’s the broom?”
I resigned myself to cleaning it up and, as I swept, I was shocked!
”I had no idea my floor was this dirty”…the next thing you know, I had mopped!

“Now, what’s that? A shrill whistle’s beginning. Oh, yes! I was boiling water
to make homemade wipes for the next time I need to change my sweet little daughter.
That’s all done, but, while the water is hot, I might as well make muffin mix
because that will help me out tomorrow and make breakfast easy to fix.”

“Oh, Jonathan, are you hungry, sweet boy? Let me stop and get you a snack.”
(There’s nothing like a hungry toddler to become a monkey on your back!)
“And, Annisia! That shrill shriek’s got to end! Let’s get you down for a nap.
Come, let’s find your snuggly and a quiet place and I’ll rock you asleep on my lap.
My word, do you see the wood stove ash covering the top of the piano?
I guess I’ll get the dust rag and clean some so a little less dirt will show.”

“OK, that’s done, now where was I? Was I going to the laundry room?
I must have been, I loaded the washer…should be done by now, I presume.”
Unload and reload the dryer then fold the clothes; it seems laundry is never done.
Nor is cooking and cleaning…but I get to play with the kids and that’s load of fun!

“Now what should I make for lunch? That’s always the million dollar question!
Dad wants a salad, son wants a corn dog, baby wants me! No objection!”
So I began preparing this interesting meal, it can be fun sometimes.
“Annisia is taking a pretty long nap. What time is it?” 12 0’clock chimes.
Like clockwork she awakes and wants to nurse. “I guess there’s time for that now
‘Cause Jonathan doesn’t want to come in anyways, ain’t no way, ain’t no how!

Whew! That’s over! Lunch is put away, and the dishes have all been done.”
It’s time for Jonathan to take a nap, and Annisia to have some fun.
“Now don’t make a fuss, son, just lay down and sleep. You’ll be able to play more later.”
Soon he was out on his new pillowcase that has tractors, and trucks, and a grader.
Annisia and I played for awhile, then she was ready for nap number two.
I laid her down, and left the room, then wondered “What else must I do?
So nice to have a breather from the morning’s song and dance.”
Then, suddenly, I rushed down the hall as I began to wet my pants!

Darla, May 2007

Homeschooling vs. Public Schooling

We are at a crossroads here. We are trying to decide whether we should homeschool....it is still legal in Nevada.....or send our children to the school across the street. We are just worried about all the "agendas" that we feel are not appropriate for kids being pushed on them eventually. Luckily, our school district is very conservative but it could be just a matter of time before our children can be indoctrinated into certain ideas that we don't want them to deal with at their young ages. As a teacher myself, I have always thought that going to school is the best but then we had two of our own! We are registering our daughter for Kindergarten at the school across the street for next year but wanted to know everyone's opinion.