Celery Hair

Well, for anyone who has been reading this blog for a good amount of time you probably already know we do not feed the girls any type of peanut products. But no, they do not have to miss out on those classic childhood peanut butter staples thanks to sunflower butter! Well, they have already had a few of the fun things like "pb&j", apple & sun-butter, crackers & sun-butter, & etc. But I have really been wanting to make them "ants on a log" for the longest time. You know, celery with the spread & lil' raisins on top representing the ants. Well, I made a few of them & presented them to the girls. I eagerly waited to see what their reactions would be. Asher liked it & Aidann seemed to as well until suddenly she had a revelation. "Mommy, I really like celery, but I just do not prefer the celery hair part". I know,"? What!?".First of all, we do not let our children say flat out that they do not like something because that is rude, hence the "I do not prefer". Secondly, if you have ever had celery then you know sometimes when you bite into it, it kind of tears off in a way that kind of does look like hair. Aidann would take a bite & then peel off the "hair" before going in for another 1. Kids are so funny. So, the final verdict is that she likes celery, just not the celery "hair".
-M&M Momma

My Loves!

What could be better? (aside from adding a few more lol)

Kids are usually begging to
get out of the crib but mine always
want to go back in.
Even after big girl beds! lol

"Celery Hair"

The Crayola Crook & Deodorant Obsessed

Kids go through some of the craziest stages. Some annoying, some cute, & some just plain hard to forget. Right now Asher & Austin are going through 2 unique phases.
The Crayola Crook:
I swear, Austin must have a Crayola radar built in somewhere that I have yet to discover. If there is a crayola crayon, pencil, or marker anywhere in her vicinity she will seek & retrieve it immediately. Even if I think I have cleaned up absolutely everything, she still sometimes manages to pull on out of somewhere. Austin is sooo obedient for an under 1 year old, it amazes me, but this Crayola obsession has really challenged her. She knows not to touch, she knows just what will happen every time, but sometimes she'll just grab that lil' bad boy anyway & take off like lightning! Its not even that she wants to stick them in her mouth or anything, she just wants to hold them close, it is the strangest thing. Lol. Yes, this phase can be a lil' challenging to deal with at times. Disciplining that lil' sweet faced Munchkin for this act so frequently, but I will miss it.
The Deoderant Obsessed:Right now Asher is going through a total parent-obsession phase. She loves doing everything with her baby dolls that mommy does, loves playing family with her dollhouse, & absolutely loves her new prince daddies lol! But her greatest obssession seems to come from wanting to mimic the things I do right now, especially putting on deoderant. When she wakes up in the morning, 1st thing she asks for some deoderant. Right after a bath, it is once again deoderant time. After she gets out of the pool, where is "odorant"?. Of course I don't actually put the deodorant on a lil' 2 year old, I just keep the lid on & pretend to rub it in her lil' armpits & she is just over the moon about it every time. Lol.

Time flies so fast & I just love all these lil' stages that make each kid different & unique. Sure some phases can be a lil' less glamourous than others, but challenges make us stronger, right? Well, have an awesome night all! Hope you had a lovely weekend!!!
-M&M Momma

At a conference this weekend

My "Odorant" Monster

The Crayola Crook

EDU Mini-Leson Plan: Where You Live

Recently, my kids sat & watched my husband get his hair cut at the barber shop. They had seen me get mine done before, but it was a totally new thing watching daddy's hair "disappear". They began to get really curious about the concept of hair salons/barber shops. If you read back a ways, Aidann also had her 1st haircutting experience somewhat recently too. Well, it just so happened that 1 of the gifts they received for their birthday was an actual salon chair!!! So, I set up a mini salon for them in 1 of the playrooms complete with magazines to read in the waiting area & suckers for after their haircuts were completed. 1st I was the hairstylist (when playing something new/introducing a new concept, it is important that you 1st show them how & then let them try. This is how they learn to play, mimicking). Anyway, after they "signed in", I took my 1st customer. I 1st introduced myself & asked her "what she would like to have done today?". I then put the smock around her neck & mimicked everything a real stylists does down to letting her look in the mirror when finished. I am telling you this thrilled my lil' girls to no end. They especially loved the sucker at the end. This was only implemented because my oldest with the super fantastic memory remembered how she had gotten 1 after her 1st haircut. After doing Asher's hair also, I then left the room for them to try on their own. While peeking around the corner, I tell you it is absolutely amazing how much they pick up on. They where imitating everything I had said & done to the "t". It was so cute.It was from her I thought about how important this next Edu mini-lesson plan is "Community/Neighborhood".There is a huge emphasize on "community" in the younger grades in school. Not only is it important for children to grasp the concept of what & who makes up where they live, but it is also important that kids learn to develop a sense of "community" in the classroom & carry it into their home lives. Community can be defined in several ways: 1) A group of people living in the same locality 2) A group of people having common interests and 3) Sharing, participation, and fellowship.For this lesson plan I think it is best to start by focusing on the 1st definition. You can start out by taking your kiddo on a lil' drive around where you live. Ask them to point out what they see (i.e. Various stores, people, post office, fire station, etc). When you get back home, review once again what they saw & explain how the place in which you guys live is your "community". You can then show them a map of your city & once again emphasize this word & that 1st definition (obviously, change the words of the definition so that it is a level your child can understand. I tell my kids, "Where we live").Next, talk more in depth about the places that make up our community. It would probably be helpful to make a list of like 5 to focus on & start at #1. For my list we are currently doing I have grocery store, hair salon, fire station/police station, bank, post office, doctors office.1st I introduce the place with a story if possible & then I think it is a good idea to actually take your child there to explain it a lil' better. Children are so visual that the trip will really make an impact. Actually take them through the deli section & let them pick out some meat, let them select fresh produce, visit the bakery, actually let them scan their own item if possible, introduce them to a "grocer". A lot of places in your community will be glad to give you a tour. You never know unless you ask. I remember my mom taking me to a grocery store when I was learning this concept & I actually got to go back to where they load & unload stuff in the back of the store & everything. Hands on will help drive it home!After that is complete, nothing is more fun then your kid getting to reenact what they have learned. Set up a grocery store somewhere in the house. If you don't have play food, use real cans & boxes. Explain to them how they get to be the very important person in our community, the grocer. Use pretend money & come & visit their lil' grocery store & buy some things from them. Make it as true to life as possible. Let them even bag your groceries! They will adore it & feel so proud!!! Add in dress up to each loaction reinacted if you can.After your kids learn about what a community is & who contributes in a community, you can begin to move towards what is being a good member of the community? Again, your toddler is not too young to grasp this. If they are already in school or participate in some sort of extra curricular class, you can refer to that for examples. I would tell Aidann, "When you are in swimming lessons, how should you behave to help your teacher?". She would say something of along the lines of "Paying attention, doing what teacher says, making good choices, being nice to each other". That is a great starting point to helping your toddler understand what a good member of community is. You can talk about how in your family everyone has a job to do that makes the whole family run smoother & an overall better place. "Asher, when you put your clothes in the hamper you are helping mommy keep the our house clean". She is "contributing" to our family "community". Get it? Well, I hope this mini-plan goes well for you. Try it, let me know! :)
-M&M Momma

Fake of course!

AZ Upcoming Event!

Arizona Balloon Classic 2011 Nov 18th, 19th, & 20th
(You all better skip the 19th for you know who's birthday, Aussie lol.)

Children under 5 are free and for everyone else you can purchase tickets early for $7 or $10 at the gate. Witness more than 50 hot air balloons take flight both morning and night at Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, Arizona. Don’t miss this unique visual spectacle during the perfect time of year.

Attractions include:

• “Hare and Hound” competitions Fri. and Sat. afternoon
• Desert glows Fri. and Sat. evenings
• Live music
• Family entertainment
• Skydivers
• Fireworks
• Family Fun Zone
• Shopping
• Food

For a complete schedule of times & events go to http://www.azballoonclassic.com/. Could be fun for the kiddos!

Watch Yourself

I've said it before & I will say it again, our kids are always watching us & taking things in whether we like it or not. They truly are "mini-me's" talking, walking, & acting like what they have grown up seeing-both good & bad. This is definitely a huge responsibility & we constantly need to remind ourselves to make better choices & clean up our acts.
Aidann & Asher got 1 of those big motorized Hummers for their birthday, pink of course. Well, we had it sitting out in 1 of their playrooms after the party until we would actually have time to take them outside to drive it around. Well, the girls love this thing. 1st thing after breakfast they grabbed their dollies & new sunglasses & hoped right in. We obviously would not let them drive it inside the house, but they loved just sitting in it & messing with its radio. After about 15 or 20 minutes I went into the playroom to play with them for awhile. Still chilling in the Hummer, I noticed Aidann would turn the radio on full blast then turn it all the way down & say something before once again turning it all the way back up. She did this a few times & finally I just had to ask her, "What are you doing?". She replied, "Being like you mommy". It took me a moment to catch on when finally I noticed the next time she turned the music down she was saying a lil' prayer just like I do on our morning car rides with the family. How powerful. That definitely made reminded me that kids are always paying attention & taking in everything.
That of course was an example of my lil' one mimicking something good I do, but unfortunately I still have some things to work on & lil' habits to cut out. For example, the other day Aidy & Asher were playing in the Princess Playroom with Austin (this is where we keep all the extremely girly toys). Well, I was in the middle of sneaking up the stairs to check on them when I heard Aidann let out a lil' growl under her breath. I guess she was frustrated withe getting some dolls shoe on or something. I swear to you I let out that same exact under the breath growl when I get frustrated while trying to do something that proves to be difficult. Some may say, "No big deal", but quite frankly I don't like it. I could be teaching her to say instead something like, "I can do this" or "I need to be patient".
We are raising up the next generation & we should not take that lightly. We can't be hypocrites. We got o practice what we are teaching them. Gosh, I have heard it way too many times were we teach our kids how they need to receive a compliment, say "thank you", but then when someone pays us a compliment on maybe our outfit or the state of our house we will say "thank you" but then take on an excuse that basically shuts down the compliment we were just given. For example, someone might say "Wow, your new haircut looks great" & we reply back "Oh, thank you, but she went a lil' shorter than I wanted". Why do we feel that is so necessary to do? I catch myself sometimes wanting to do it & quite frankily I have to tell myself to "stop & shut up". I remember a time or 2 when Justin would come home from work in the morning & say something like, "The house looks great, Babe" & I would automatcially want to say something like, "Thank you, but I didn't get to the dishes yet" or something. We need to set that great example for our kids, even when it is super hard.
Often times I sadly hear of children being in living situations where maybe 1 parent does not take this responsibility as serious as the other parent. Sometimes the other parent is actually sabotaging the good characteristics & habits you are trying to impart into your kids right behind you, intentionally or not. I would like to tell that person it is all going to be okay & work out in the end, but statistically the chances are very slim & not in your favor. However, I will NOT say impossible. God is bigger than that. If you do have the ability to help your children & change some of those circumstances then I hope you do. Try to sit the other parent down, not in front of the kids, & talk to them about it. Don't attack them or put them down, but rather try to approach the situation by letting them know that "you both are on the same team" & "they play a very important part & you need their help".  BUT for more serious situations where talking is no longer an option where maybe alcohol is involved, physical, or verbal abuse then it is your duty as a parent to take immediate action for your own sake & your children.
Being a parent is the very best job ever & can definitely be the most rewarding if you put in the time & effort that it requires & deserves. Having great kids is not impossible to achieve, but it does take a lot of work. Have a great night all & take care!

-M&M Momma

A Lil' Birthday Break

I apologize for the lack of posts towards the end of last week, but now that Aidann & Asher's princess themed extravaganza is over, I can officially resume life as usual---Well, at least for a week until I have to finalize everything for Austin's birthday party.
They party was an absolute BLAST! At the end of the day I don't know who was more worn out from all the princess fun, the parents or the kiddos?! I would definitely like to take a moment to thank everyone who made it out to Gymboree. The girls had a blast & loved seeing all their friends! We are extremely blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives, thank you!!!
Well, before I turn in early, in hopes of restoring some energy & getting back to being on top of M&M, I wanted to give mommies a fun lil' idea that my kids enjoyed. "Birthday season" at our house (aside from way too much cake) means a lot of beautiful balloons. My girls are absolutely obsessed with them. Between their annual birthday visits to Toys R Us, birthday parties, & great family & friends blessing them with balloons here & there we end up with a ton of them! Instead of just throwing them away after a party, I cut off the strings so they just chill on the ceiling in the girls playroom. The girls can't reach them, but it adds fun to the playroom & they love looking at them. Mylar obviously lasts way longer than the regular kind (and they are safer), but your kids will enjoy a few extra days of lingering birthday fun as they play throughout the day. Its also kind of funny to watch them jump up & down actually thinking they will be able to grab them if they only could reach a lil' higher.
Night everyone! Hope you had a wonderful weekend...
-M&M Momma

We Have Breakthrough!

After many months of eager anticipation, my 11 month old's lil' teeth have finally decided to make their grand appearance right before her 1st birthday. They are the 2 on the bottom & you would probably need a magnifine glass to see them right now, but they are there! Yay! Big girl food, here we come lol.
-M&M Momma
(P.S. I would have taken a picture of the 2 lil' guys in Aussie Rose's mouth, but I would have had to use like 500% zoom)