Let's talk about how as a mom you don't get to use the bathroom. It's not like the days before children - when you had to go, you went - but now, you have to go and you have to time it just right so you can get in there and get out as fast as you can!


My kids can be playing just fine by themselves, but some how, once I sneak over to the bathroom, knock-knock - mom, what are you doing?!

What?! HOW DO THEY KNOW!?


And it's fresh on my mind since today there was an incident. 


Today I mosied over and decided to put up the baby gate to block the bathroom door, and of course my youngest trots over to me before I could get very far. Rather then just let him cry from me being gone for 30 seconds, I raised my finger and said some cutesy words like, "I'm going to get you", which makes him laugh a little and run away. Well the first time it sort of worked, but in a second he was back, so again I tried, and he backed up into the bedroom door, which swung all the way open, giving him just enough of a nudge to then throw him face forward into the opposite side of the door frame and create an instant line bruise on his forehead. 


REALLY?!


I was just trying to go to the bathroom!


Please tell me I'm not the only one.

Let me start by telling you how my three-year-old was yelling, "I don't like mommy and daddy anymore" tonight. 

I am finding that the age of three is turning out to be harder than the dreaded terrible twos. When he was two, he wasn't terrible, but now he is starting to become his own person, he knows what he wants, and if we say no, then I guess he doesn't like us anymore. 

I know he doesn't really mean it, well, I'm sure he means it in the moment, but you know what I mean. It still isn't fun to hear! I am hoping this new development will not last long! He's going to like mom forever, right?!

And with that, let's move on to the wonderful loving bible verses I put together tonight to start tomorrow - when hopefully - I will be liked again! 

I got this idea from my sister who found it on Pinterest. She always finds great ideas and so I find myself copying them often! Thanks sis!

Here are the links that you can use to make these for yourself!
-Heart Verses-

http://thecraftyclassroom.com/blog/2012/02/06/love-bible-verses-for-children/

Fabric Envelope

http://www.craft-o-maniac.com/2013/01/diy-valentine-fabric-envelopes-and-use.html

What are you doing with your kiddos for Valentine's Day?

I'm not even sure if 'not always rainbows' is a phrase, but it's what I first thought of, so feel free to start saying it.

I just wanted to share some reality again, I know I've mentioned it before, but things are not always just the way you want, or just the way you plan in life. That goes for anyone, and I feel especially for parents with young children. 
In our house for example, nap time and bed time have been a struggle with our oldest. He is 3 and sleeps in his toddler bed. Now to me, this looks very comfy, and I am sure there are days that I would just love to crawl into it and sleep, just give me a nap! But he does not feel that same way.

For whatever reason, whether it's because he doesn't want to miss out on anything, or I missed the window of bed and now he is over-tired... whatever it is, it can be very trying at times. Whether he would is laying in bed singing/talking for two hours, or constantly coming out of bed for two hours, bed-time has had it's ups and downs over at this house. 

Tonight, however, was amazing! I put a soft lullabye CD on in his room and he fell asleep to music playing and did not get out of bed once! A Miracle! It is so nice to have some quiet time to get things done or just get a breather! I'm hoping this works for at least a week! 

But back to the crazies that sometimes happen; here are a few examples for you that have happened during our nap times. Maybe a few ideas for your little ones:

I'm pretty sure that both times when this has happened, I could just see in his eyes he was soooo tired! Why do kids fight it so much?! 

I'm sharing these to let you know you are not the only ones. But I know that all these stories will one day be fun memories that we share with our kids and look back on all too soon. 
I couldn't even make these things up though! Along with all the precious, sweet memories I have of my kiddos, I have some pretty awesome/drive mom crazy moments as well! 
Anyone feel like sharing theirs?!

It was one of those days, the ones where I really look forward to having my break time during their nap time... and it just wasn't happening. One went to sleep, then the other one, now the first is up, the second won't stay in bed, arg. I'll admit that I got a bit crabby when I didn't get what I was expecting.

Luckily I had pulled out these Magic Gems I bought at Michael's a while back.

You use 2 Liters of water and 1/4 of the bag of gems. Then you have to let it sit in the water 4-6 hours, so we started this in the morning and were able to play with these after nap time.(assuming their was a nap-which there wasn't)
The gems are very tiny and hard, but when you soak them in the water they expand and get soft and gel-like, I even think they are cool to feel.
So let them sit and watch them grow, they start to look fuzzy and not like a solid at all, but don't worry, they are  :)

Okay, now right there, notice how the gems are pINk? Well...I did not know this until after they grew, and then I NOW notice the package does warn me and say Rose. So...Me thinking this would be "Christmas-y" because it would be RED, fell through. But kids don't care!

I had saved two formula scoops which I set out for Raef to use along with a few bowls. He liked scooping the gems from bowl to bowl using them. 
We discovered these gems are VERY bouncy and they ended up on the floor a bunch.
SO-when I gave him this activity, it gave me a good 30 minutes - I could tell he was interested in this because not only did he stay occupied for a half hour, but he was quite silent too, which is not too common :)

So these magic gems, on this day, was magic, in that it gave me a half hour break! Woo Hoo! Go try it.

I copied this idea from a picture I saw of two little boys while I was looking up ideas for a John Deere birthday party. 

Since my boys share a birthday month, starting this year they will be sharing a birthday party. The plan is for them to wear these somewhat matching shirts. I don't think I thought I would be the matching mom type, but I think it can be so cute. 

1. Cut out the number desired out of a piece of paper.

2. Using an old shirt - ours is a very sentimental Hulk shirt turned rags from Dad - fold the shirt so you have three layers of material.

3. Pin the number to the shirt and sew. Be careful not to sew the front and back of the shirt together, not like I ever did that. I used yellow thread to incorporate the other John Deere color. I also originally was going to stamp on the shirt "One" and "Three" but then decided against it. It would be cute to do on the back or the other side of the shirt.

There they are! The finished product! And they are finished in plenty of time before their party! How often does that happen!

They're pretty excited about them too...

Who really needs directions on how to make a paper chain, right? Well apparently I probably could have benefited, and you will find out why by following the pictures...

So I am a little behind, seeing as half of December is gone already, but I made it anyway. 
When my little guy hears Christmas songs with the word Christmas, he'll say, "it's not Christmas yet, it's winter" and then the other day a few friends were over for a play date and he exclaimed, "it's Christmas!" 
So I thought I would try to help him understand by making a countdown chain. 

I haven't made one of these in I can't remember when, but I can figure it out, right? Number my pieces, tape them together...

You can't see the bottom, but the top number, the 14 is the final chain-link. Hmm.. that doesn't seem right...

OKAY - there we go, we end with Christmas at the top! and the biggest number on the bottom. 14 more days until Christmas! I'll have Raef rip or cut off a link each day.

Next year I am thinking of doing a Joshua Tree which I recently read about (which isn't a chain I know, but it's a countdown), or maybe making a fabric chain - or a chain with activities for each day? Do you do any countdowns with your kids? Or yourself?