Photos for the Future

I'm not that 'on top of things' mom, especially when it comes to taking pictures of all of my boys' milestones and accomplishments, however I am trying to do better. Being a mom is an ongoing learning process, and I don't think we ever 'get there', but I do think our kids see that we are trying.
Ok, so this post is a quick photo idea for my fellow moms who are trying. :) I laid the two boys down to show their difference in size and plan to continue to do this every 3 months (give or take). Obviously,  because baby boy isn't old enough to stand alone they had to lay down, but I also like the fact that in that position they can move and stretch however they want.

 I just love Caleb's expression- I am truly blessed.

Drawing Girls 101

Just a quick funny story to share about the joys of raising boys. 

It never occured to me that I needed to teach my son how to draw. I must admit that he has never really been interested in drawing and coloring. However, with more and more Pre-K projects, I realized he needed some pointers.

As a teacher, I decided to  asses his understanding of the stories we read by having him draw a picture that explained the story. Our first story using the 'drawing method' was the Biblical story of Joseph and Mary. Of course, Caleb drew two stick figures, one obviously shorter than the other, but other than the height factor they looked the same. When I question who was Mary and who was Joseph he pointed to the coordinating character with pride.  It was then that I figured it was a good time to discuss the difference between the ways boys and girls look.

As a mom that has been surrounded by boys my whole life, I wanted Caleb to understand that girls have a beauty about them that can be physical. I discussed that girls can have long eyelashes, beautiful lips, and the crowning glory- lushes locks of hair. So I drew simple stick figures and illustrated the lips, eyes, and possible hairstyles and asked Caleb to draw hair on one of the stick figures. The results are below...

I think it goes without saying that Caleb's 'woman' is the one pictured on the top right. Instead of feeling like I let down my fellow women in my lack proper instruction to my son, I looked at the picture and started laughing. Beginning at the age of 4, males don't pay attention to what we girls think is important (at least physically). I foresee Caleb growing up, getting married, and not properly answering his wive's questions: Do you like my hair? Do I look fat in this dress? Oh yes, I have already started praying for his future wife. :)

What Kind of Person are You?

Thought I'd share a good reminder to help us all with our perspective-

Reading this was a great reminder that as a believer in Christ I should not only strive to follow God, but I should focus my time and energy on what is truly important.

The practical application of this reminder that initially hit me was this: rather than trying to make a name for myself, I am to focus on my family, more specifically, focus on giving my boys a good foundation.

Easy Cookin' Rotel Dip

Today I'm sharing the world's easiest dip recipe. In fact, it's so simple I feel bad calling it a recipe... BUT for those of you who haven't experienced this awesomeness- you are in dire need of trying this one and it only requires 2 ingredients...

Drum Roll please...

 1 Can Rotel
 1 Package of Cream Cheese

Open the can of rotel, dump the cream cheese on top, and melt in microwave for 3 minutes, stir with a fork (you can even use a hand mixer to get the lumpy tomatoes out) and enjoy with tortilla chips.

Yes, I know, super easy! I grew up on this stuff, and though it's not super healthy, it is worth every calorie!

To this day it wouldn't be a family gathering without this dip. At home we even eat it on sandwiches or roll it up in fajitas.

Go and try this simple recipe- just make sure you share it with the blessings in your life!

Rememberin' the Raisin'

I was incredibly blessed to get to spend my birthday weekend with my parents. To say that I enjoyed it would be an understatement- there truly is nothing like going home. I could write multiple postings about how much I learned in just that one weekend, but for now, I want to focus on just one thing...

I learned a new respect for my parents and the way they raised my brothers and me.

Yes, that is a blanket statement, but what I mean is I truly respect how they sacrificed to raise 5 children. Especially now that I have two children, when we watched old family movies I saw things from a new perspective.  Instead of waiting for the funny parts or laughing at the clothing styles, I noticed conversations, and how chaotic a house of 7 was, but ultimately I noticed my parents. Everything they did, and still do, was for us, and that is EXACTLY how I want to raise my boys.

Prepare for a bold statement: I don't believe a child can truly appreciate a parent to the fullest until, that said child has children of their own. Loving and appreciating my parents has always been easy for me, but it is now that I better understand ALL of their sacrifice and love for my family.

My birthday weekend with my parents has enabled me to remember the way I was raised with a new found parenting perspective.