Despite getting off track with Bootcamp, training the younger crowd is always in progress. My big kiddos are great about letting the young crowd help out. Sarah and Sam both love to help unload the dryer. I was doing some work on the computer and heard Mary calling me to come see Sam.

Sam carried the basket of towels down the whole way, across the living room and managed to get the basket on the couch all by himself. He had to stop a couple of times to get a better hold on the basket and only lost one washcloth along the way. We cheered him on!

As you go about your day with little ones, never underestimate their ability and desire to help! What you do with them today prepares them for years down the road. Sam is only 2 and a little guy. That doesn’t stop him from helping with laundry, throwing out trash and putting toys away. He knows where the silverware and kitchen towels go and where the snacks are kept. He is happy to reward himself for a job well done.

Mary could have taken the basket of towels and moved a lot faster. But look at that face! He is so proud of doing a job. It can be hard at times to let little ones help. We can do it faster and better. If we wait until they are older to teach and train them to work, they will no longer have that desire.  So the four year old is a little messy when she prepares her own pb&j and yes, she spills the water when fixing the drinks at lunch; no worries. She knows where the towels are and can clean up the spill.

(This is Sam showing us how strong he is.) Tomorrow, I will attempt to get us back on track with Bootcamp and let my “In Training Crew” be a valuable part of the process.

Bonus pic of Miss Martha. She is working hard at being precious.

Hello, Goose.

Thankfully, I do have time to enjoy the moments. The good and the bad.

Bad hair day?

I’ll take the bad moments because they teach me to appreciate the good. We learn from the bad; they can provide teachable moments.

Cherished

I love all the moments I catch through out the day.  Hannah, 6, reading to the little ones to keep them quiet. Caleb letting Sam sleep in his bed when Sam is having a hard time sleeping. Sam’s completely happiness every time he sees Martha.

Adorable

Mary getting Sam ready for bed. Bekah making tea. Lydia’s singing. Giggles….hugs…..laughter….

Silly

And I’ll take the arguing over who should walk the dog, the whining when our nap was cut short, the tears over a cut and the wet clothes when someone doesn’t quite make it to the potty.

Beautiful

Maybe tomorrow I’ll write that life changing blog post. Or not. I will try to make the most of my moments.

Sisters

Guess what I hear first thing every. single. morning?

“Can I hold Martha?”

All the kiddos ask. All day.  But Sarah usually meets me at my bedroom door or just climbs into my bed.  The girl doesn’t waste time, you know.

I just love the gleam in Sarah’s eye. Hmm, I wonder if I should be afraid of what she might teach Martha? Giggle.

Be still my heart…..

Hannah, 6, always willing to hold Martha

I’m behind on posting and taking pictures.

Big Sis

Caleb, 10, a pro with the baby.

Lovely in Lavendar

But it was worth the wait, right?

Little Mis Martha

And Martha at one week…..I’ll be watching her out grow the blanket…

More to come…..

When I heard of Vintage Remedies the title intrigue me and I was delighted to be able to review one of their products for young ladies. Vintage Remedies for Girls is designed to teach girls, ages 7-13, about healthy and natural living. While we are not a strict healthy eating family, we do try to eat a healthy, balanced diet and try to be smart with the resources that we use in our home. Having 3 girls that fit the age range for this book, I knew it would be a great tool to have on hand.

Vintage Remedies for Girls has 3 sections: Food, Nutrition and Culinary Skills; Health and Body; and Natural Living. Within these sections a wide range of topics are covered: Real Food, Kitchen Basics, Growing Your Own Food, Coughs and Colds, Immunity and Prevention, Hospitality, Cleaner Cleaning and more!

It is a simple product to utilize; whether as a formal study or just a book to casually pull information from as needed. After reading the information on Real Food in chapter one, there will be a featured project. For chapter one it was Strawberry Fruit Bars. Yum!  Other projects are given as well such as homemade pizza or granola bars. The same model is followed throughout the book.

In our home we already cook  from scratch, but I find there is always more to learn. I really appreciated the section on Health and Body. As a mom of 6 girls, I value books that promote healthy living. It is so easy to fall into a lifestyle of junk food and to teach our young ladies early about taking care of their bodies is so important.

If you choose to use the book formally, quizzes and a recommended schedule are provided. We decided to take a more laid back approach which works well for us. The girls grab the book, read what interest them and then they can choose a project if they wish.

Vintage Remedies for Girls can be purchased for $45.00. The book is over 200 pages and non-consumable. It would also work great for a group study as well!

Vintage Remedies also provides: Vintage Remedies for Guys, Vintage Remedies for Kids and Vintage Remedies for Tweens. Vintage Remedies is not limited to resources for children. Make sure you look around to see all that they offer for healthier living!

Make sure to swing by the Crew to see what others are saying about Vintage Remedies!

**Disclaimer: As a member of TOS Review Crew, I received a complimentary copy of this product for review. No compensation was made.

Newly Born

After 42 weeks and 3 days, Martha Ann decided to join us and we are so thankful! She was born Monday, December 12th at 6:41am. She was 8lb 12oz and 21 inches long. We were blessed to have her at home and everyone is already devoted to Martha.

2 days old

Thank you, Lord for blessing our home and family with Martha.

Someone was very happy that mommy let him play with the water paint. I’m not sure which he enjoyed the most…the water or the paint.

And Sarah was intense about her painting. Very focused. It is nice to know that a simple container of paint and water will calm the Volcano, lol.

Mary is a great manager. She invited Sarah and Sam to do math with her. Sarah and Mary were having a contest to see who finished Mary’s math first. Sarah finished first but I wasn’t up to counting all the tally marks she made. Mary took the blue ribbon for math this time.

Dark is coming early and they have enjoyed running around while it is still warm out. Mary took this picture of the moon. It was such a beautiful, bright full moon!

I almost go her. She caught me. Bummer. I’m going to have to get firm with that girl and get a good picture!

And Mr. Cuteness likes to cuddle. He has learned to just grab his pillow and blanket and sneak into bed with big brother in the middle of the night. Precious!

The goofiness just overflows in some of the children. Hannah’s goofy level is at an all time high.

November is birthday season for us. The two boys have already celebrated their birthdays and Hannah and Sarah are this week. Birthday post coming soon!!!!!

So often throughout my day, my children bring me to laughter. Maybe they did something silly or goofy. It is possible they did something cute and they don’t even realize it. Today was one of those days full of such encounters. I decided to post a few here since my memory can’t be trusted to last until tomorrow.

November birthday season is upon us and I had no idea what Hannah would like. Today I decided that I really  needed to figure out a plan for her. Please note that Hannah has had a stuffy nose for the past few days. Not even a full cold; just a stuffy/runny nose. It is driving her crazy!!

The Runny Nose Princess

She would like me to make her a small pillow. I asked a few questions to make sure I understood her. She wants a small pillow “like Bekah’s purple one with flowers”.  Hmmm, interesting. Why exactly would she want a small pillow? Her response, “Well, once both sides of my big pillow is covered in snot, I can use the little pillow.” Gotcha. A back up pillow for when the snot content is high.

I decided to be brave and ask one more question. What color would you like your pillow to be? “Hmmm, I think I will have to look through your fabric.” Well, alrighty then.

*************

In an effort to fit us all around the dinner table, some of the large, heavy wooden chairs have been replaced with folding chairs. It allows for a bit of elbow room for everyone. Hannah sits in one of the folding chairs and has an issue with squatting in her chair instead of sitting. She needs a bit more height on her I think.

Tonight, she was squatting again and Eddie wanted to remind her to sit like a lady and eat her dinner. He asked her, “Hannah, do you need a booster seat?” I think he thought she would say no and sit down. However, she said, “Yes, yes I would like a booster seat.” Completely serious and without a moment’s hesitation.

Never mind we have two in booster seats, I just happened to have a third one in my closet. We bring the booster seat our for Hannah. Suddenly, Miss Sarah decided to join in the conversation.

Miss Contentment

“I don’t like my seat. I want one like Hannah’s”

I tell Sarah that she needs to learn to be content in all things.

Miss Almost 4 year old says, “I like my big bear. I like my bed. I like my bag. But I don’t really like my little bear.” All said with a sweet smile and thoughtful expression.

Well, it looks like she is trying to be content in all things. Needs a little work on desiring others seating.

Reasons for many giggles, smiles and laughter

And for my sister who forgot how far along I was in this pregnancy……I am showing…..here’s the baby bump:

Please excuse the “shadow” of my hair. Not sure what was up with my photographer. So enjoy, Sis. 33 weeks! Almost time to meet this little one.

I call mine Bekah and Mary. They are fabulous brains and at this time they are not for hire. I’m not trying to be selfish or greedy. I’m not ignoring your need. However, for all the little brains in training and for my sanity, I need to keep them around. Sorry.

I’m pregnant. You know what that means right? Hmm, let’s see. Pregnancy #9. How many brain cells do I have actively working for the betterment of mankind? Let’s see. This morning I went to make muffins for breakfast. When the recipe called for lard, I realized I was actually making biscuits. Who knew? No problem! I can flex! I’ll just cook up a pot of grits and all will be well. Hmm, my water is not boiling. What could be the problem? Oh. Well, lookie there. I didn’t turn the burner on.

I did manage to get breakfast on the table. I was quickly reminded why I let Mary have run of the kitchen for breakfast. I function much better after a shower and caffeine. Both came a bit late today.

Thankfully by dinner time I had come to my senses. I handed dinner over to Bekah. Asked her to whip up some homemade pizza for dinner. Yeah, darling, I know it isn’t Friday Pizza Night. I didn’t realize it was Thursday until about 4:30. Flex, back up brain, flex!

She not only made yummy homemade pizzas but she whipped up a dessert as well. Now that my back up brains are in bed recharging, I might have some ice cream to recharge my brain.

My older girls are a delight. I have always had a love for toddlers and preschoolers. The thought of older children always kind of had me concerned for how I would handle them. Such a blessing. Not only are they a huge help but I love the conversations we share, the laughter we can’t contain and the precious moments of quiet as we enjoy chocolate together. I enjoy the deep conversations we have and how their view on the world is expanding and changing.

Love you, Bekah and Mary!!!