Just 'Cuz Blog Hop {March 31}

h

<br /> <a href="http://www.mommyheadadventures.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/b461/mommyhead7/JustCuz.jpg" border="0" alt="Mommy Head Adventures"></a><br />

The other day, as I was absentmindedly looking over my blog posts, I noticed I haven't written a blog post since....LAST BLOG HOP! How can that be? Did this week just get up and walk away? I don't think that much time has passed but it has! 

I hate to blame my husband, but when he is home for a few days, it throws off my whole family routine. I welcome the change and I'm often in a better mood but, honestly, I don't get much done at the house. There is too much laughing, floor wrestling, movie watching to be done! But...he did go back to work on Thursday.... 

So I don't really know what happened to the rest of the week. Oh well. I'm back and ready to do some blogging. And I have some pictures itching to make their way from my camera to the internet. Can't wait! 

Until tomorrow we get to enjoy that fun time of the week called Just 'Cuz Blog Hop! 

Let's try to make this a record week! No rules! Just link up and hop away. 

As always, you should know I follow back to any subscriptions, etc. So feel free to follow Organic Homemaking, if you haven't already. Be sure to leave a comment so I know you were here! 

Special thanks to Mommy Head Adventures for co-hosting this hop (and being my wonderful cousin).

And stayed tuned for some serious catching up! Coming soon! 

Just 'Cuz Blog Hop {March 24}

<br /> <a href="http://www.mommyheadadventures.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/b461/mommyhead7/JustCuz.jpg" border="0" alt="Mommy Head Adventures"></a><br />

Wow! It's that time again. How the week flies by! Thanks for coming by for our Just 'Cuz Blog Hop, hosted by Organic Homemaking (that's me, haha) and Mommy Head Adventures, my wonderful cousin's blog. 

This is a no rules blog hop but I encourage you to follow me (I will definitely follow back!). As well, we always love it when you post our button on your blog so we can spread the word! Post your link at the bottom and hop away (I need to check the thesaurus for synonyms of 'hop away'). 

A noteworthy tid bit: 

Mommy Head Adventures is having an awesome giveaway for a Give A Hoot Tote Bag. Check it out!

If you're not already, follow Organic Homemaking on Twitter and Facebook! We love new friends!

Happy Thursday and Enjoy the Hop! 

Reading to Your Children, Part 2

Happy Monday, friends! I know many of you are headed off to work so you may find my cheerfulness annoying, to say the least. Monday's get a bad rep. Can't the weekend just last forever? 

In our home, weekends are enjoyable but lots of work. Just training two little boys to sit still during church service is tiring.  Rod has to get up and work Monday morning, like most of you, so he feels your pain. The boys and I take Mondays to rest and get caught up from the weekend. I've spend the morning returning emails, replying to blog comments and now, writing a post I said I would write last week! I think I need more Mondays :-)

Last week I did a Top Ten List of Children's Books my Kids Love to Read. You can find it here. 
I got to talk about some great books we love to read (some of them, I confess, were my favorites). But how do we find time to go to the library or read books as a family? We toggle back and forth with two options, depending on how our week is going. We either plan times out to read or we fit it in whereever we can get it.

That sounds easier than it probably is, especially if you work outside the home. Ultimately, you decide what works best for your family. I'll give you some tips we try in our home. Sometimes they work. Sometimes they don't. I think the important thing is to read; just read. If reading to our children turns into a chore, something we check off our list, we've lost the wonder and fun that reading brings.

So here we go. Top Ten Ways to Read to Your Children. Don't judge. Some of our ideas are silly!

1. Before Bed. This may seem like the most obvious solution for most families. If you work during the day, evenings and bedtime are probably your family time. When Rod reads to the boys, he often reads before bed. And nothing is cuter than seeing three 'boys' in bed reading books together. I also think this routine helps settle kids for sleep. That is why we often read....

2. Before naptime. The most common time for me to read with my children is before naps. Most days we eat lunch, have some play time and lay down to read some books. If I go straight from play to nap, it works but not as well. Reading a few, calming books before nap makes us all sleep. And sometimes I get to take a nap too!

3. In the car. We travel a lot in the car. Back and forth to grandparents and great-grandparents. Road trips to visit friends. Even family vacations! Nothing passes the time quite like reading a book. But be careful! I don't want to make you car sick!

4. Potty time. I recently read a post that suggested keeping a few short books in your bathroom when you have a toddler who is potty training. We have tried this and it works great for the moments when I need Isaac to sit still just a little longer.

5. Bath time. We've only attempted this a few times. And I would recommend reading books that pertain to bath time or water. Most children are too captivated with playing in the water to read a book but some will love this!

6. Outside. Perhaps, my personal favorite. I can't think of a better place to read a book, providing the weather is nice. This is a great idea for learning as well. Isaac, for example, loves ants right now. We may just take our book about ants outside so we can hunt for them and read about them at the same time! This isn't a bad idea for adults too. Can anyone say blanket and book? Pure bliss!

7. At the library. You may be surprised how many times we visit the library but don't actually read there. Granted, I may be asking too much with two little ones 2 and under but...for some of you this may work and be lots of fun. This might help weed out books we take home but don't actually like once we read them. We could olnly bring home books we love!

8. At the bookstore. Redundant? Nope. You can read at the bookstore with no intention at all of taking a book home (unlike the library) or you may find a book you can't live without and it can become permanetly yours.

9. When you need peace and quiet. I can personally say that books have been a lifesaver on many occasions! We've used books to keep our children quiet during church, at the doctor, and many other business errands. Now that Isaac is a little older, and can look at a book by himself, I sometimes ask him to pretty please just sit down and look at a book...and don't make a sound. Ok?

10. When you need an adventure. Build a tent. Get out your flashlights. Grab your favorite book. Get lost in adventure...

Where are your favorite places or times to read a book?

Happy Birthday Super Bubby!

It's that time of the week again! I've really come to enjoy our Saturday links. But today is a special day and I want to do something different. :-)

You see today is the day my little Super Bubby turns 1 year old! I'm almost speechless, wondering where exactly the last year has gone to? Pregnancy with Caleb was like the never ending 9 months. And then he was here and I keep scratching my head because our first year with him flew by so fast!

I spent some time yesterday cleaning out the boy's closet and almost cried looking at Caleb's baby clothes (it was even worse when the clothes were hand-me-downs from Isaac). It just seems like these times and seasons in their life go by too fast. I want to hold on to it all and remember everything but my mind is limited! I'm so glad we have baby books, pictures, videos and blogs (yep) to capture some of these moments.

So here is to a year with one of the sweetest little men I've ever known. There are a million things I adore about you, Caleb Emery! Here are 19 for Mommy to remember of your first year in the Sills Family!

1. Your beautiful and always present smile! There aren't many moments when you don't have a smile on your face, even when you're fussy! And with a cheesy smile like that, you make everyone smile along!

2. Your hugs make Mommy melt. And I love that you know what "give Mommy a hug" means. You never tell me no :-)

3.  You love of food is out of this world! You've loved to eat from the time you were born. Now that your older, I often catch you stealing your brother's food. On the flip side he's often putting food in your mouth, which is just scary....

4. You look just like your Daddy.

5. And you act a lot like him too.

6. But you get your love of all things music, from your Mommy!

7. And you get your lovely screaming ability from your brother.

8. Your first word was 'dog'. Now, you practice mimicking us all the time. You're well on your way to being a talker like Daddy!

9. You're becoming quite the little ham. We often find ourselves sitting around while you put on a show for us, making us laugh hysterically. Your brother loves to say, "Hey! What's bubby doin? He's bein silly!"

10. You love to dance and you'll dance to everything (which is quite funny in the middle of church).

11. You're probably the strongest person in the family, with a grip of steel. Literally, even Mommy has a hard time getting things out of your hands!

12. The first thing you love to do in the morning is wake Daddy up. It's become your little ritual and I adore the way you sit up in bed and say "Da" before you're even really awake.

13. Your favorite foods: Spaghetti, Apples, Oranges, & Crackers

14. Your least favorite foods: Green Beans & Baby Food (why eat that when you can have the real stuff?!)

15. You are sharp, little man. Very sharp. You keep Mommy on her toes by knowing things I didn't know you knew! Like the first time you got off the bed by yourself. Who taught you to put your feet down first? Smart cookie.

16. Again, who taught you to shake your little head 'no'? It's hard to do anything but laugh when you politely shake your head at me, sometimes before I've even asked you something!

17. I always know when you're truly mad because you instinctively open your mouth to bite the offender, who usually happens to be your brother. I've caught you trying to bit him 3 different times, just since I started writing this post

18. The minute you were born, the nurses all said you were a 'snuggler' and that's never stopped. Maybe it's because you don't mind sitting still and chilling out but you are content to spend lots of time in my lap or again with your arms around my neck. As you get older, you'll do this less and less so I'm soaking it up while I can!

19. Caleb, you may only be 1 but you possess a wonderful quality to make those around you feel loved. There isn't a person that has met you that isn't instantly smitten with your smile and lovable personality, Mommy most of all.

I love you dearly, my little puppy! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you! I can hardly wait to see what this year will bring for you...but hopefully it won't go by so fast! 

Just 'Cuz Blog Hop {March 17}

<br /> <a href="http://www.mommyheadadventures.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/b461/mommyhead7/JustCuz.jpg" border="0" alt="Mommy Head Adventures"></a><br />

Welcome to the second week of our Just' Cuz Blog hop hosted by Organic Homemaking and Mommy Head Adventures! Last week we had 23 link ups! Thanks to all those who made it a success! 

Well, you know the rules. There are no rules! :-) Just put your blog link below and start hopping! If you aren't already, I encourage you to follow Organic Homemaking. Leave a comment below and I'll be sure to follow back! 

Oh, before I forget....Happy St. Patrick's Day! Or in our house...Happy Anniversary Mr. Sills! 4 years ago today I married a wonderful and handsome man! But I would never have dreamed that through our ups and downs he would become my truest friend with a love that grows deeper as we grow in faith. 

So if you're reading this Rodney Sills...I just want to say I love you. You make me better because you point me to Christ. I couldn't have wished for a more wonderful person to spend this life with. 

Alright, sorry blog readers :-) I need a moment of mushy-ness! Now that I'm done, haha, let's have fun and enjoy our blog hop!

Reading To Your Children

Books. Books. Books. I absolutely love books. I have my mom to thank for that. She read to me all the time. And I remember the library being a place we visited often. Even now, at 23, I adore the library and could spend hours there. I feel the same way about bookstores and even worked at one for a short time!

I'm not sure if my mom planned to plant a love of reading in her children. It may have been intentional since she loves to read as well. But she probably never dreamed her love of reading would extend to her children and her children's children! I can only imagine how she must feel when Isaac says, "Ita (his name for her)! Wanna go read Green Eggs and Ham?"

We have all heard how beneficial it is to read to our little ones and to even start at a very young age (some women read to their kids before they're born!). I agree that the earlier the better. Most very young kids won't sit still for long, but even a little reading time leaves a lasting impression! Isaac and I started out flipping through board books, looking and pointing at pictures to name things we recognize and learn new words. Now that he's a little older, he's able to sit through a book with a substantial amount of words (but he still talks a lot and points out pictures, which I love).

Reading to my kids comes easy to me. Probably because my parents read to me (my dad read larger books with me when I was older). Not every one's parents have done this and that's ok! You may love to read even if your parents don't. You may like to read, but not mushy, gooey love it and that's ok too! You can instill a love of reading to your children even if it's not your favorite thing. I do think when kids see us love an activity, they are more likely to love it themselves though and maybe the place to start is to learn to love reading ourselves. :-)

Since I missed my Monday list (you knew this was coming), today's post can be the Top Ten Children's Books My Kids Love to Read... whew! What a title!

1. Green Eggs and Ham - Isn't this a universal favorite? There is just something about that Sam-I-Am and Isaac adores him. He will ask me to read this one over and over so I better be prepared before we get it off the shelf!

Isaac 'reading' Green Eggs and Ham

2. Grumpy Gloria - A book about a grumpy dog (who happens to look like ours) who gets "happy now" at the end, as Isaac likes to say. Super Bubby even likes this one and tries to grab the pages from my hand. We just started this one recently but it's a nightly favorite!

3. Curious George Feeds the Animals - My children love books about animals and this one has a variety! We get a kick out of reading it because Isaac mistakes the peanuts George feeds the animals for poop. He never fails to point out that George has pooped at the zoo. And I have to stop laughing and compose myself before I can finish the story.

4. Roly Poly Pangolin - I adore books by Anna Dewdney. Her quirky poems make me laugh right along with the kids. Isaac relates to this timid Roly Poly and being scared of new situations. Just like Grumpy Gloria, he wants me to read it several times before he's satisfied.

5. Llama Llama Red Pajama - Another Anna Dewdney book! But it's too cute and both Isaac and Caleb love this story! They can't wait to see Mama Llama come running up the stairs!

6. Two Little Trains - This is another new favorite for both me and the children. Isaac just loves trains. But I love to see the parallel between the real train and the play train in the story. It's a beautiful old story ('49 I think) and the words have a unique sound we really enjoy.

We put their books on a small shelf so they can reach them easily. Cookie Monster says 'hi'. 

7. Wake up, Night - Isaac is a little advanced for this book now but he still asks me to read it once in a while. This book became the must read book before bed each night when we got a chance to wake up all the night animals and tell them good night so we could drift off to sleep. It also taught him to recognize nocturnal animals and insects.

8. Time for Bed - We seem to love bedtime stories in our house! This is a cute, short story that, again, is a good book to wind down to before bed.

9. I Love You Because You're You - My mom should be proud since this was a gift from her to Isaac. And now, it's one of his favorites! It's a great reminder book for both Isaac and Mommy when we're out of sorts that Mommy loves him no matter how he's feeling!

10. You Are My I Love You - Ok, so I saved number 10 for a book that isn't exactly my kids favorite. It's my favorite. In fact, I often sit down to read it to them and finish it alone. Isaac gets bored and goes off to play! It is quite possibly over his little head right now but it describes beautifully how I feel about him. So I don't really mind reading it by myself!

There is my short list of books we love to read! It is by no means the exhaustive list of books we love. That may take forever ;-)



What about you? Do you take your family to the library/bookstore? What books do you love to read?

Stay tuned later this week for tips to make family reading times easier!

Where are all the Giveaways?

You may be missing giveaways here on this site. I know I do! It's fun to give things away! The only thing I can say is that you can expect to see more giveaways in the near future!

But since I'm not currently having a giveaway, I thought I'd let you all know about a couple awesome giveaways going on now!

Raising Homemakers -  Phonics Museum Reading Cirriculum GIVEAWAY! ($210 value)

Mommy Head Adventures - Give A Hoot Tote Bag GIVEAWAY (I just like making that word in caps). Check out my cousins review on these seriously adorable bags and enter to win one. I know I did!

Have fun with these giveaways! Good luck!

Saturday Links - March 12

It's that time of the week again! I hope you all are enjoying your Saturday!

For the third week in a row I have got to stay with my brother in Evansville. He has SAT testing this morning so wish him luck! He's one smart cookie so I know he'll do well!

Here are your weekend links. More lovely posts I devoured this week. I hope you enjoy them too!

The Thoughtful Parents Guide to Thinking Through Vaccinations: Pro Vaccine and Cautionary Resources - Keeper of the Home (Part 3 of this series)

The Worst Reason to Homeschool - Simple Homeschool  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

Selecting Seeds for Garden Success - Also by Keeper of the Home (she's one of my faves)

Dear Bear on Your Second Birthday - by Mommy Head Adventures - A beautiful post written from a mom to her two year old daughter on her birthday. Made me cry!

How to Avoid Cell Phone Radiation - The Daily Green


d

Mommy Lessons of the Heart

I guess you all are in for another mushy post :-) I just can't help myself. As much as I love writing about green living and eating organic, there are some heavy things I'm learning. I write these so I can get things off my chest but I also write so maybe you will read it and relate to what I'm dealing with.

So I ask all you moms a question. Do you feel like a good mommy? Maybe today. But all the time?

Obviously not, because we're not perfect moms. We make mistakes. We're human. It would be silly (and slightly dysfunctional) to think we can achieve an image of "The Perfect Mom"...whatever that is. And people, especially our kids, appreciate our genuineness when we fall down, apologize and get back up and try again.

But have you ever had one of those moments when you feel like you just stay on the ground? Like from one day to the next, you don't see improvement and it's a struggle just to speak words of kindness to your family? Do you ever feel like no matter how hard you try, you are just not a good mother?

We probably all ask those questions from time to time. I've been asking myself a lot of questions lately. And I keep coming up with one recurring answer.  So, I just want to say, to anybody listening: Motherhood has revealed in me EVERY nasty, selfish issue I thought I never struggled with. And no matter how hard I try...I can never conquer it on my own.

I may make small steps in the right direction. But that pride I told you all I struggle with in my marriage? I struggle with it in my parenting too! Who would have thought? It goes something like this... I try. Oh, wait. I try and try. No...something doesn't seem right. I try and try and try harder! And don't make significant ground. Why? Because I try.

I've been thinking maybe it should look more like this:

Do I desire patience with my toddler? Put Christ first. Walk in the Spirit. Then I have patience with Isaac.
Do I long to tame my temperamental tongue? Put Christ first. Walk in the Spirit. I will have better success with that unruly mouth.
Do I want to have control over my anger and frustration? Put Christ first. Walk in the Spirit. Allow Christ strength to help me control my emotions.

I could go on forever because the solid, most effective solution to our parenting and marriage issues will ALWAYS be: Put Christ first. Walk in the Spirit. It matters very little how hard I try if I try alone. If I don't make my relationship with God the priority of my life, I will not be the mother I want to be. I may do some good things! But I'll always feel that achy, worried feeling because I know I'm trying in my own sweat and toil and I know how inadequate I am.

So, as I got some much needed alone time tonight, I made some resolutions in my heart. I know I am no good without daily quality time with God. Even if it's only a few minutes. I have tried far too long to get by without His strength and it just isn't working. And I'm committing to myself to make Christ a priority. You may see the fruits of that on the blog. Hopefully, you'll see a more joyful, peaceful me! Also, I may 'check in' from time to time so you all can hold me to my word!

Side note before I get out of here: Today's post is me talking to me. I need a good kick in the pants so don't think I'm trying to kick anyone else's behind! That wouldn't be my place anyway! If anything I hope it encourages you to journey with me as we grow closer to Christ and to our families!

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

What things have you been learning as a mother? How do you strive to keep your sanity?

Just 'Cuz Blog Hop: No Rules Hop {Mar 10}

&<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">lt</span>;<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">br</span> /> &<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">lt</span>;a <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">href</span>="http://www.<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">mommyheadadventures</span>.com/" target="_blank">&<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">lt</span>;<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">img</span> <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">src</span>="http://i1046.<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">photobucket</span>.com/albums/b461/mommyhead7/<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">JustCuz</span>.<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">jpg</span>" border="0" alt="Mommy Head Adventures">&<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">lt</span>;/a>&<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">lt</span>;<span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">br</span> />

Welcome to our first ever blog hop at Organic Homemaking! I was so excited when my cousin asked me to host this with her. Oh, didn't you know? Mommy Head aka Tara is my wonderful cousin! Hence the Just 'Cuz. She's so clever. 

This is a No Rules Blog Hop (Yay!) hosted by Organic Homemaking and Mommy Head Adventures. Which means all you have to do is add your blog below and hop away! You can also add our Just 'Cuz button to your blog post or side bar and spread the word.

In case it's your first time here, don't hesitate to take a look around. Make yourself at home. You can learn more about my family here. And since almost all of my posts are about my family, feel free to subscribe if you want to read more about life in the Sills' home.

You can also follow me on Twitter or Facebook.  I'll be sure to follow back! Don't forget to leave a comment below so I know you were here! 

Now I'll stop talkin' so you can get to hoppin'! Have fun and thanks for stopping by!

Co-Sleeping: The Joys of a Family Bed

Co-sleeping. Ahh. The controversy that often surrounds that word. And that's a shame because sharing a family bed can be a wonderful thing! 

But instead of talking about why you should co-sleep (or why not) I want to talk about why we sleep together and well, how much I love it! 

Top 10 Reasons We Love Our Family Bed 

1. Nighttime Snuggles - Nothing makes me happier than Isaac taking my hand and saying, "Common Mama, let's go snuggie!" It's one of our sweetest moments in the day - laying in bed as a family.

2. Morning Snuggles - Seems redundant, doesn't it? But it has a totally different feel. Especially since I'm not much of a morning person, it starts my day off right to laugh and snuggle up to my little boys. And it makes their mood better too! 

3. Attachment - This doesn't just apply to infants. Our attachment only grows as our kids do. As my kids have gotten bigger the closeness has expanded from only sleeping in the same bed to reading books, telling stories, talking about our day and hiding under covers. After a long day with a two year old, I look forward to this!

4. Being close when we're sick - Let me clarify, I'm not encouraging the spread of germs! Haha. When we have a sick kiddo we usually put one parent in another room with them for a night or two. But, aside from occasionally getting puked on (I've never been but Rod seems lucky in that area), it's nice to be right next to our children through the night. We're able to get drinks quicker, wipe noses and give comforting kisses without leaving the comfort of our bed. And we drift off to sleep sooner....

5. Bad Dreams Stay at Bay - Nightmares don't seem to have their staying power when mom and dad are near. Isn't that why our kids get up and find us when they've had a bad dream? Monsters don't stand a chance against our strong, fearless parents. And when we're together, mom and dad are only an arm length away. 

6. Fosters Independence - Contrary to popular belief, sharing a bed with your children can actually encourage healthy independence. Notice I said 'healthy'. Not too early. Not too late. Kids are able to grow into 'being big' on their terms and when they are ready. 

7. Nursing is a Breeze - Perhaps one of my favorite reasons to co-sleep, nursing a baby becomes so easy. And it can be easy in different ways. With Isaac I always got up and nursed him on the couch in the living room. But after he was finished eating, we just went back to bed and fell asleep. Caleb nurses great in bed so I don't have to get up at all. It turns what could be a huge ordeal of getting up and making bottles into a small blurb in the night. I'm hardly awake for more than a few minutes.

8. Encourages breastfeeding - Sort of the same as above but with a broader meaning. There have been a lot of moments even I wanted to throw in the towel and co-sleeping has helped encourage me. It helps me not forget how important breastfeeding is. 

9. Gets Dad in on the action - You can personally ask my husband if he loves co-sleeping and he will tell you, "Yes!" It is a great way for children and daddies to bond (not just mommies). I'm fairly certain bedtime is Rod's favorite time of the day - family together, relaxing, watching Little House on the Prairie...Bliss. 

10. Closeness as a couple - It could be really easy for co-sleeping parents to grow apart, intimately. But not so in our house. Co-sleeping has encouraged such a family closeness that Rod and I have no problems making time for each other, without the kids (whether that's a date night, staying up to watch a movie, sitting in the living room and talking or whatever, wink, wink).

Really 10 reasons is not enough to tell you all why I love sleeping with my whole family. It may not be for everyone, but it is certainly for us. Like all things, it's not always easy but it's definitely been worth it! 

Do you share a family bed? What are some reasons you love it?

The blog has Rod to thank for snapping picture of me asleep...

Saturday Links - March 5th

Happy Saturday Everyone! I hope your weekend is full of sunshine and good weather (we have nothing but rain here, sniff sniff). 
As garden season rapidly approaches, we'll be featuring more articles on that topic so keep a sharp look out! 
Enjoy the links!

Heirloom Seeds: What They Are & Why I Think You Should Grow Them - Simple Organic

Gardening 101 Series & Heirloom Seeds  - Keeper of the Home

If You Eat Organic Food, Have You Just Been Betrayed?  - Mercola

Are You Feeling Overwhelmed? - Raising Homemakers

The Thoughtful Parents Guide to Thinking Through Vaccinations: 10 Questions to Ask - Keeper of the Home This is the followup post for last week's link on vaccinations. 

 

If you haven't already, don't forget to subscribe to Organic Homemaking so you never miss a post!

How to Clean the House and Not Lose Your Mind

Cleaning is the never ending job, isn't it? How often have you 'just mopped' the floor only to find mud tracks going through it. I might add that laundry is the same way, maybe worse. Things will always get dirty again and when you have little children afoot, it will often get dirty quickly!

So how do you keep on top of everything? It's not always easy but it's achievable! Many of you may have lots of better ideas and more experience. I am no expert on cleaning (maybe I used to be but two kids knocked that right out!). But here are some of my ideas and tips I've learned over the years.

Don't do it all yourself. As a woman, this may be the biggest thing I've had to learn. It's too easy to just 'do it myself'. I'm sure you tell yourself the same thing. But it's not healthy for mom to do all the work. One, it can and will wear you out. Don't let burnout be your wake up call. I learned that lesson the hard way. Two, if mom does it all, how will the other little members of the family learn to pick up after themselves (this applies to husbands & wives too). Encourage each person to pick up their belongings as they are through with them or at the end of each day. The more people who help, the faster the work gets done!

Keep the house tidy. At a point in my life, I would let the house get so disorderly...and then I'd clean. You can ask Rod. It would take me hours to clean a small apartment because I had to first pick up messes all over the house. After having children, I just didn't have the time or energy to keep up with the extra work and necessity demanded I adopt a new system. It's a work in progress but we try our hardest to keep the house as tidy as possible all the time. When it's time to clean, I don't have to worry about picking things off the floor and putting items back in their proper place.

Make a schedule. This is a great tool for busy moms. Of course, only you know what will work for you. Options are to designate one day a week as cleaning day or divide the work between all days of the week. Dividing the cleaning has worked well for me. I can clean, say, the living room on Monday and don't feel guilty if I haven't clean the whole house. It also give me a consistent routine. I am less likely to forget the bathroom if I know to clean it every Friday.

Be flexible. The truth of the matter is this, when you have children, you may not get everything done (you may not without children too depending on your schedule). Don't sweat it if you go a week without vacuuming the floor. So the t.v isn't dusted? No big deal. I've had to learn (again the hard way) that my family is my priority, not cleaning every nook and cranny. Sometimes things don't get done. But if I've spent time with my kids and I'm loving my husband properly, the other things don't matter so much. :-)

What about you? How do you get your cleaning done? Do you have any tips to share? 

Art Time with Isaac

A couple days ago we did something we've never done in the Sills' home...paint. While we appreciate other's art, let's just say, we're creatively challenged when it comes to drawing, painting or the like.

But I get all wishful thinking as I'm reading other blogs about art time and painting. So I decided to try it out anyway.

Isaac loved painting. I'm not sure he loved my panic as I tried to keep paint off the kitchen table (despite putting down sheets). Anyway, here are some pictures from our day of painting. It may never happen again so I wanted to make sure I had proof!

Look at his cheesy grin. 

 Show momma your messy hands! Why do kids have more fun painting themselves than the paper?

Sorry Super Bubby. Maybe next time...if there is a next time.