Another Year Gone By

It's been a few weeks now, but Ryan turned 7!  Sometimes I catch myself watching him walk down the hall wondering when he got so tall!  Only a few more years and I'm sure he'll be passing me up.

 

1. My favorite color is green.
2. My favorite snack is a root beer float.
3. My favorite movie is Lego Ninjago.
4. The coolest person on earth is Jesus.
5. My favorite thing to learn in school is how to read.
6. The thing I do most awesomely is build Legos.
7. If I could go anywhere in the world, I would go to Legoland.
8. The book that I am loving right now is "May I Have a Cookie?".
9. Three words that describe me are funny, playful, and imaginative.
10. When I was little I used to crawl.
11. My favorite season of the year is Spring.
12. One food I really dislike is apples.
13. If I could wish for only one thing it would be for Legos.
14. My best memory is when I saw Daddy in an Army truck.
15. My best friend is Liam.
16. My favorite song is my made up song.
17. My favorite game is Chutes and Ladders.
18. On my cake this year I want my skeleton monster truck.
19. The candy I like the best is a sucker.
20. When I grow up I want to be a Ninja.

December {In Pictures}

 

We haven't been slammed with snow as much as I thought we would be at this point (and I'm ok with that).  We have had a few good snow days though.

 

The boys watching the snow fall...

 



 

 

This particular day there were HUGE flakes and it covered the ground in about 30-45 minutes.

 

 

The boys coming in from playing in the snow.

 

 

On December 7, the Home School Group was invited to a Saint Nicholas party at The Seehof.  Soon after we arrived Saint Nicholas arrived and handed out small gifts to each of the children.

 

 

 

Blaine did great and sat at the table for a whole hour!!! The plateful of cookies and candy probably helped. :) 

 

Ryan and Colin greatly enjoyed the unlimited supply of hot chocolate.

 



 

 

 

We only made it out to two Christmas Markets this year.  Tim and I ran through the one at our downtown while on a date a few days before Christmas.  Then on Christmas Eve we all took a small trip to a local town, Forccheim (one of the few that was still open).

 

 

 

This couple playing music was probably the best part.

 



Good Times with Blaine

To be perfectly honest, the last three weeks, Blaine has been much more enjoyable and much less frustrating.  He still has his fits and tantrums on occassion, as any child, but they have not been as often as the fun and endearing moments.  His character is really starting to bloom.  Here are two vids of him recently.

 

He still loves music, and he's been perfecting his dancing skills lately.

 

This one was probably much more fun for Tim and me then it was for Blaine.

An Answered Prayer

Today I got to pin my husband!!!

 

For those of you who might be unfamiliar with the ARMY ways...my husband got a promotion today!  I'm so proud of all the effort he has put in toward this promotion!  It has been long deserved (in my opinion)!  He's been at a different post on a detail, but they let him come home for a half a day for the little ceremony.

It is an answered prayer for us! One that was highly unexpected.
 

Just a little back story and explanation for those who are unfamiliar with how it works. As an enlisted soldier Tim is required to go before a board for review and obtain a certain amount of points, which vary month to month, in order to receive a promotion. You can get points by taking college classes, Military Correspondent Courses (a type of online class geared toward Military knowledge), and other Military Training. Three years ago Tim passed the board's review and became eligible for the promotion. All he had to do was have enough points.

 

Tim missed this promotion by 1 point, two months in a row. 1 POINT!!! It was complete torture and has been haunting us since.

 

Shortly after that time, Tim changed his MOS (his job within the ARMY), and the required number of points was even higher. Then, a little over a year ago, the ARMY re-did the point system. The system runs on a 800 point scale. Prior to the "re-do" Tim had around 630 points. After the "re-do", his points dropped down to 300 something. A promotion seemed WAY out of reach.

 

For the last year Tim has been working very diligently to get his points back up. He has taken hours worth of the Correspondent Courses and we also paid a small amount to have all of the extra training/classes he has received transferred into college credit. (Completely worth it!) About two months ago Tim became maxed out in both of these areas, but he still didn't have the points needed to make the promotion list. We have watched the points for the last 3 years and they typically drop during the summer and spike up again in the winter. The only option left to receive more points was for Tim to go to another school.

 

He actually had a slot to go to a school he needs back in March, but it was cancelled last winter when we received his orders to come here to Germany. He's been fighting for the last three months to get another slot for the class. That in itself is a whole other story. For the last few months we have been praying hard for him to get a slot for the class right after the New Year, that way when the points dropped down again he'd be good to go.

 

Long story, semi-short (since you've already got the long version)....Last week the points dropped to 601. Tim currently has 605 points, putting him on the promotion list! We weren't expecting it and Tim wasn't even checking the list. We actually heard word of it from some of his buddies down range. We didn't share the news at first because it seemed too good to be true. Tim wanted to do some double checking and make sure his orders actually came in.

 

All that to say, God is good! He answered a prayer for us in a way we didn't expect and at a time we least expected it. In our minds it is by God's divine hand alone that the points dropped to where they did, when they did.
 

Now...Staff Sergeant Baxter!!!

 

 

Blaine's 2 Year Photos!!

 

We finally made it out to take Blaine's 2 Year Pictures!!  Yay!!!!

 

I attempted to take him out a few weeks ago. We just went to the lake that is here on post. Before I had even gotten my camera out of the van he had managed to find the closest ditch and came out covered in muddy water up to his knees. I figured I could maybe work around that, and decided to continue. We had walked over to the dock and he busted his lip open climbing down. About 45 seconds after that it started raining. I think we were out of the car for a total of about 5 minutes...if that. These were the two pictures I managed then...

 

If you look closely, you can see the wet, muddy pants. 

And the busted lip. 

 

 

This past Sunday, we had a break in the dreary weather and the SUN actually came out!!!  After nap time I packed the boys up and we headed to The Seehof, which is a Palace; practically right around the corner.  This was actually our first time going and walking around. 

 

Blaine knows when the camera comes out it's time to turn the "cheese" on.  Haha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I managed a few of the other boys as well.  There was one section by the Palace where the leaves seemed to get trapped against the hill, and the boys had a great time playing in them.

 

 

 

 

Love my boys!!! 

Busy Bag Swap {Part 1: What is a Busy Bag Swap?}

Have you ever heard of Busy Bags? 

A busy bag is a simple, age appropriate activity, normally kept in a Ziploc bag, that can be pulled out for your child to enjoy either with you or on their own.  They can come in very handy when you need just a few minutes of uninterrupted time but don't want to stick them in front of the TV.

Soon after we moved to Germany I heard of a friend back in Texas who had participated in a Busy Bag Swap when she was in Kansas.  I have seen lots of ideas over the Internet on activities to entertain your toddler/pre-schooler, but this was the first time I had heard of a "Swap". 

The idea intrigued me and it sat in my brain for a few months.  After beginning Homeschooling my need to find some activities to help entertain Colin and Blaine became very clear.  It was something that needed to be moved toward the top of my "project" list.  My friend, Marque, also started Homeschooling this year and she found herself in the same position with her 3 year old.  I had mentioned the idea to her in months past, and knew she was interested, so I recruited her to help me with the Swap.   Having someone to do it with, that you know is "on-board" is always a great motivation. 

Why a Swap for these activities?  It's the whole concept of killing two birds with one stone.  Getting more bang for your buck!  There are lots of moms that are probably in a similar situation as you.  1.  A lot of these activities can call for items that are cheaper to be bought in bulk.  What am I going to do with the other 220 magnets, when I only needed 30?  2.  Breaking it up between multiple moms also cuts down on the cost.  If I wanted to make 20 different activity bags it would probably cost me a minimum of $100, to get all the supplies I needed.  Then I'd end up with an excess of supplies.  3.  As I stated above, having someone come alongside you with a like purpose is great motivation!  Knowing that there is a group of women working hard to create an activity that you and your child will benefit from is motivating!

The overall idea is that each mom puts together a set of bags and at a designated time you exchange your bags walking away with multiple activities.  Very much like a cookie exchange!  

You can use these bags to entertain your child while you have to make a quick phone call, during a road trip, at a doctor's appointment, etc.  Some moms have used these Busy Bags to entertain their children during quite-time and have a specified Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, etc box for them to choose certain activities from.  There are plenty of options on when and how to make these usable!

We originally committed to this Swap mid September.  We just hosted our Playdate Exchange and it's November.  This project is not for the faint of heart!  Given that fact that we are overseas, most of us had to order our supplies.  Ordering easily added 1-2 weeks time onto our timeline; even having to extend our playdate a few times waiting on delayed shipments.  If you are in the states, I'm sure you could have a playdate set up 2 weeks from the time you have your committed moms and it wouldn't be a problem.

Are you intrigued?!  Want to host a Swap of your own?!!!  I've got you covered!!  Part 2 will take you step by step in what you need to do to host a Swap.  Part 3 will have the detailed list of all the activities we used for our Swap.  I love my other mommies out there and wanted to make this something that is as simple as possible with a great return!!!

Not a mommy of young ones yourself?  Don't drop out!!  You might not host a Swap, but talk about a cheap, homemade, functional gift!!!  I promise...you make even one or two of these for a young mom that you know she will be forever in your debt!  (If she doesn't appreciate it then she must be that "Super-Mom" everyone keeps talking about!)

If-Then

A few years ago when we moved to Texas I was looking for something to help me in my consistency with discipline, and something with a more Biblical approach.  I had a few ideas, but hadn't put anything together. 

I had managed to make the last few meetings of the MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) group before they took a break for the summer and one of the Mom's on their "Mom Panel" had suggested a very basic If/Then chart.  If you do "this"...Then "this" will happen.

I originally ordered the If-Then chart from Doorposts; the website where the Mom mentioned above had gotten the idea.  It didn't turn out to be exactly what I wanted, but it still gave me the basis and inspiration for making my own.  They have a lot of other great resources as well!

Why a discipline chart, you ask?  Well, here are just some of my arguments for it...

1.  The chart helps me to stay consistent with what consequence is given for each "offense". 

• They say consistency is key in discipline and I believe it is very true not only with what and when, or how often, but that the consequence remains stable.  If I'm just aggravated and spout off whatever punishment I want, one day it might be time out, one day it might be a chore, one day it might be a spanking...there is an uncertainty left for the child to question what Mom's mood might produce.  I've also noticed in the past that if I'm hopping around on the consequence it seems I find myself saying, "Nothing I seem to do is working!"  Normally, because I don't stick with anything long enough to give it a chance to work.
• In our home, we do spankings.  On occassion, the boys will loose a privledge along with a spanking, but we have found the a spanking (done the correct way) produces the best results.

2.  The chart helps Tim and I to stay consistent with each other.

• When this idea first presented itself, I made sure to run it by Tim first.  In all honesty, I think he thought I was a little crazy.  He didn't think it was really needed and argued that our parents didn't need one.  After hearing some of my thoughts on the subject, he agreed to give it a go.  We sat down and reviewed the categories together and came to agreement on what the consequences should be for each child.  Before we began implementing the chart we reviewed it with the boys so that they were well aware of the expectations and the consequences.  The boys know that whether Mom is around, or Dad, that if they lie, the consequence will be the same.  There is no surprise when the consequence is given.

3.  It helps me to not punish or spank out of anger.

• We keep our chart in the bathroom with a spoon.  I can say that 99% of the time if I spank my child right when the offense occurs it is most likely out of anger and frustration and that is a sin on my part.  And in all honesty, sometimes it happens.  I have to seek forgiveness from God and my child over it.  BUT, if I have to stop what I'm doing and go to the bathroom and follow the chart, then it gives myself time to calm down.  The chart is set up to follow a certain order.  Before the consequence comes God's Word.  I don't know about you, but it's hard to be angry after reading His Word.  Therefore, the discipline then becomes what it's meant to be..discipline, not a whiplash of emotions.

4.  It brings us back to the Gospel.

• In Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp it states "The central focus of parenting is the gospel.  You need to direct not simply the behavior of your children, but the attitudes of their hearts.  You need to show them not just the 'what' of their sin and failure, but the 'why'."  Having a scripture linked with the behavior gives us a very clear picture that Christ expects our hearts to be just as pure as our actions and we are given another opportunity to share with our children the importance of His Word. 

5.  It's goal is restoration/reconciliation.

• Again, the chart is set in order.  Just as we don't begin with the consequence, we don't end with it either.  We end with the attitude/behavior that God would like for them to choose the next time the situation might present itself.  We end with an "I love you" and with hugs, and I would like to start ending in prayer as well.  Then if needed, they are to go reconcile themselves with the one that was offended.  Just as God's purpose in disciplining us is to restore ourselves to Himself, our goal in disciplining our children is to bring them back into a right relationship with us and their Creator.  We also hope that in teaching them this idea of reconciliation it will create a habit that will hopefully be instilled in them in childhood that will translate into their relationships as adults. 

• Is this chart "fail-proof"?  No.
• Do we have perfect children?  Of course not!
• As parents, are we well seasoned and have it all figured out? Again, OF COURSE NOT!!
• Do we always follow the chart to a "t"?  No.  We easily get off course.  Many times we have to stop and start over fresh.
• Does this chart cover all discipline issues?   It's not specific, but focuses on the main heart attitudes that we find in our children.  While every situation is different, we believe that most can be "traced-back" to one of these heart issues.  We ask the Lord for discernment and clarity in deciding what the "heart" of the issue is and discipline that.  Again, we aim not to discipline the action, but the attitude!
• Since using this chart have our children stopped having problems with these behaviors/heart issues?  An overwhelming...Of course not!  By disciplining consistently, I do believe that I can see a visible change, but it does not mean that we never have those problems again.  The chart is meant to be used for years and to help with our consistency in parenting.
• Am I claiming this is the best/only way to discipline your child?  No.  I believe that every child is different and that the Lord will grant wisdom in the area of raising them if we ask.  There are TONS of charts and ideas on how to discipline your child.  I just wanted to share something that has helped us.  Keep in mind the chart was orignially created to help ME in staying consitent in my discipline.  It's a tool that I felt I needed. 

So now I've talked all about it you can go here to print the chart that I created to use for our family.  I left a space at the top empty for you to add your child's name, and I left the consequences column empty.  You can print this chart and fill it out by hand and then laminate it to make it a little more durable.  We have a full size 8.5 x 11 page printed that we keep in our bathroom, and I have a small 4x6 that I normally keep in the car or my purse for when we are out and about.  If you would like to be able to edit it yourself, I would be more than happy to email it to you.  Just leave me a comment with your email address!

Not a Baby Anymore!

It's official.  No more babies in the house.  Blaine turned 2!

 
Just a little re-cap....
 

2 Weeks Old:

 

(If you are interested in Blaine's Birth Story you can catch that here and here.)

 

9 Months Old:



 ...and that's why we sometimes call him chunks.  But he's such a cute chunks.

 

 

1 Year Old:

 

A few pics from yesterday:

 

I always find that buying gifts for a 1-3 year old is pretty difficult. Out of some recent "clues" he gave me, we went with Snap Cubes, Wood Blocks and of course a movie. We were pleasantly surprised when he didn't even seemed phased by the movie and was completely satisfied to play with the blocks.

 

 

Since Blaine can't answer the 20 Birthday Questions, I figured I'd do my best to hit the highlights.

 

1. Blaine loves movies.  His favorites include, but are not limited to, The Incredibles and Larry Boy. 

2. His favorite thing to do is to dump things all over the floor and then move on to the next room.

3. He recently learned how to open the refrigerator.

4.  If you couldn't tell from the pictures, he's addicted to his left pointer finger and his blanket. 

4. His favorite book is "Animals".

5. He wakes up at who knows what time in the morning (always before my alarm), turns half the lights on in the house, and either goes and wakes his brothers up or brings me food.  (His way of telling me he's hungry.)

6.  His favorite thing to wear is his diaper....and nothing else.

7.  He loves acorns and airplanes and always points them out when we are outside.

8.  He's a great climber and often confuses our couch as something to crawl over.

9.  He recently had a growth spurt and is currently 30.5 lbs and 2 ft 10.5 " inches.  According to our growth chart he grew 2.5 " in the last six months alone! 

 

 

Official 2 Year Photos to come!!

 

 

September {In Pictures}

Last month the boys were begging me to have a "sleepover" with Blaine.  Tim had Staff Duty (a 24 hour shift) one Friday and I figured that was a good time for their sleepover.  I blew up the air mattress, threw some pillows on there, and put in a movie.  It was getting late and Blaine was getting cranky so I gave the boys the option of me putting Blaine in his room to sleep and they could finish the movie, or turning the movie off and going to bed with Blaine.  They actually choose to turn the movie off!  I was pleasantly surprised that they didn't choose to "ditch" their brother for a movie.  (Although, Blaine would have had no idea/cared less.)  I ended up having to sit in there until 2 out of 3 of them fell asleep.  Ryan was the 1st to go, then Blaine, and finally Colin.  Here's the one picture from their sleepover.

 

 

Diggin' deep in the bag for the good chips!

Blaine has recently been all about yogurt..and not wanting me to help...at all.

 



 

 

It normally ends up all down his shirt, and all over the table and chair.  And obviously his face.

 

 



 

 

Blaine had a weird week in September (we are guessing the beginning of 2 yr molars) where he slept....A LOT.  Tim and I were getting ready for church one morning and came out to find Blaine asleep in the middle of the living room floor.

 

 

And lastly...who needs games, or busy bags when you have Scentsy scents?!!

 

Are my boys the only kids who enjoy opening these up and smelling them?  They've even asked me if they can carry one with them when we run errands!  Colin was very intentional about going through all of them and then coming up to me with the one that he liked the best (Hazelnut Latte, I believe).

Colin's 4 Year Pics

 

 

On Sunday I was able to take Colin out for his 4 year pictures.  It has become some-what of a tradition for me to take the boys out around their birthday every year for a small photo shoot.  Since the boys get a lot of hand-me downs (which they have yet to complain about), I normally let them choose a new shirt from the store for the occasion.  I attempted doing Ryan's in the Spring without much success, so I have yet to take his 6 yr old pics.  Hopefully soon!

 

Colin was a little disappointed that I was taking his pics, and not the lady who did our family pics a few months ago; but he seemed to get over it.  It was really hard to get him to look at the camera and smile...at the same time.  I like a lot of these and his different expressions, but I still have to choose just one to print and hang on our wall.  Pretty sure it's going to be #7!

 

 

 

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