I'm still rejoicing over last week's elections. I still get a thrill every time I think about Nancy Pelosi handing over that big gavel and stepping down from her position. I was thrilled about Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, and the state governorships and legislatures that went Republican. However, there were two little reported results last Tuesday that really gave me hope. First, was the historic removal of 3 activist judges who tried to force gay marriage against the wishes of the people. The second was the state constitutional amendment passed in Oklahoma that forbids judges in Oklahoma to consider international or Sharia Law in making their decisions. And, boy, was I disgusted this morning to see that yet another activist judge has blocked this amendment that was passed by the people.
It really won't matter what kind of Congress we elect if this oligarchy of rule by the judges (who are not supposed to make laws, only interpret them!) is allowed to stand. There IS a Constitutional remedy for this, and it looks like it is going to have to be considered. The solution is called The Exceptions Clause. In the video below, David Barton explains how it works (fast forward to 6:50 to begin the exception clause discussion).
The shadow government that is methodically being put in place and subverting our Constitution will be the undoing of our nation, and there won't be anything Congress can do about it if they don't exercise their Constitutional checks and balances NOW. This shadow government consists of czars, beaurocracy with unchecked powers (such as DFACS), corrupt secretaries of state, activist judges, Obama's civilian army that answers to him (not a proper chain of command) and has not taken an oath to the Constitution. Add this to the demoralization of our military (who better to turn on its own citizens than perverted reprobates who have no conscience left?) and progressives like George Soros, who has spent $45 million to change the way state judges are seated, from elected to appointed positions. Um....and that's just the domestic shadow government! That doesn't count NAFTA, CAFTA, climate treaties and other possible treaties like the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child that relinquish our wealth and our sovereignty to people who haven't even discovered deodorant yet!
I'm glad the Tea Party won big last week. Now it's time to get serious about defending our Republic before it's too late!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
"Poor Coon!"
I SAID she was NOT going coon hunting! But I guess I'm eating my words! The whole time I was trying to take her picture, she was saying, "Poor coon, Mama. Poor coon!"
More Kitty Love
The kittens have grown up, but that hasn't stopped Rosebud from hauling them around and riding them! If cats could talk, ..........
Line up, sheeple!
It's that time of year again....flu shots for everybody! No matter your age, health condition, or medical history, and no matter what is contained in the ingredients, "they" insist that you need it. ("They" would be the Pharmacy Industry that gets rich off fear mongering and getting you to take medicines that cause you to need more of their medicines....um....there might be a conflict of interest there!)
"Thimerasol-containing vaccines are considered hazardous waste and can't be thrown into a garbage can, poured down a sink or flushed down a toilet because of the mercury—they're considered environmentally toxic....... Why would anyone.....want to be injected with a substance that is too toxic to dispose of down a drain?"
Click here to read the entire article by Dr. Mercola called "New Proof That This Common Medical Treatment is Unnecessary and Ineffective". Please do your homework before jumping on the bandwagon!
"Thimerasol-containing vaccines are considered hazardous waste and can't be thrown into a garbage can, poured down a sink or flushed down a toilet because of the mercury—they're considered environmentally toxic....... Why would anyone.....want to be injected with a substance that is too toxic to dispose of down a drain?"
Click here to read the entire article by Dr. Mercola called "New Proof That This Common Medical Treatment is Unnecessary and Ineffective". Please do your homework before jumping on the bandwagon!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Potty Training 101
In 1999, when I began to think about potty training Caleb, I went to the library to get some information (back in the old days before I carried the internet around in my pocket!). My main concern with potty training was that I did not want to drag it out. I grew up in a daycare center that my mother operated in our home, and I had seen kids wear pull-ups for a year or more while they were "training". This seemed so ridiculous to me, and I knew there had to be a better way. Thankfully, I checked out a wonderful book called Toilet Training in Less Than a Day. Though I haven't followed this book to the letter, it gave me the foundation that I needed to come up with a plan. Now, five toddlers later, I think I can successfully say that I do know how to potty train kids. With every single one of them, I began on Monday and took them to church the next Sunday with underwear/panties on, and there was no looking back. That sure beats hauling spare clothes and pull-ups around for months! If you're interested in following this plan, I encourage you to read the book, but I will briefly outline the method.
First, however, there are some signs of readiness that you need to observe. You should notice your child going for at least 2 hours during the day without wetting his/her diaper. This indicates control over the bladder. The second indicator (and this is as much for the parent as for the child), is that your child will follow simple commands, such as "come", "sit", "clean up", "hush". This indicates that your child is mature enough to understand your instructions (and obviously this is a discipline/training issue as well).
Now, there are a few things to work on for the week prior to training:
1. Every day, find several occasions to teach your child "wet/dry" and "clean/dirty". For example, after a bath, you might pick up her dirty clothes out of the wet floor: "Yuck, feel these. They're wet. Gross! Let's put them here with the dirty clothes."
2. CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE and eliminate distractions. This is the #1 tip for success. It may be hard, but if you devote a week to successful training, it will definitely be worth it! Somewhere around Day 4 or 5, you may want to schedule a visit to Grandma's or church or somewhere familiar to let the child check out someone else's toilet. Don't be afraid to turn the ringer off, and don't schedule any company.
3. Decide on consistent names for the process and share these with everyone involved. If your child understands "peepee toilet", and Grandma asks if she needs to "potty in the commode", it could cause some confusion.
4. Let the child observe Dad/brothers (for boys) or Mom/sisters (for girls) sitting on the toilet. Sounds funny, but some children are truly terrified of sitting on a water-filled tank with a hole in the bottom that makes a loud noise, so this can help them get used to the idea. Though some children truly are scared, it has been my honest observation that most 2-year-olds are more terrified that their mom might realize they can actually be made to sit for a few minutes at a time! They'll act like they're dying a slow, horrible death just to keep that secret from coming out!
5. Things to gather:
--a stepping stool and toilet insert. You can use a potty chair, as the book suggests, but it isn't necessary unless you just enjoy carrying poop around in a pot. The stool is to climb easily onto the toilet and also to wash hands.
--training pants, in a size larger than normal. This is so the child can easily pull his own pants up and down independently.
--snacks and drinks, salty type stuff that will cause her to drink more and create more training opportunities
--a timer
--pull-ups for nap and bedtime
Major ideas from the book that I did not use: a wetting baby doll. My boys don't do dolls. Period. So I just never went there. Also, the potty chair. It just made more sense to me to train them directly on the toilet with an insert. It's easily portable and makes it possible to potty anywhere you go. Plus I do NOT enjoy carrying poop around in a pot.
Here's the gist of the method: On Day 1, expect a rough day. It's going to be cold turkey! Let the child throw away her diaper and put her own training pants on. Have her feel the panties and confirm that they are "clean!" and "dry!" just like ____________ (Mama, Daddy, siblings, favorite people, etc.). Every 5 minutes, make her stop and feel her panties to inspect if they are clean and dry. Take her to the toilet and let her sit for a while to try to potty. Don't make her sit for more than 10 minutes at a time, as this can be torture for a 2 year old. When she does wet her panties, take her to the toilet immediately and say "potty toilet" or whatever, to establish that this is the goal. Then, have her get up, feel her wet panties ("gross!" "wet!"), put them in the dirty hamper, have her get a towel and clean up her own mess. This may sound extreme, but the whole point is to make the child responsible for keeping herself clean and dry. Obviously, you clean up thoroughly behind her, but she will begin to understand that she has made a mess. This is only TRAINING time, no discipline.
Have your child only wear a t-shirt and panties/underwear, so she can easily feel her panties and pull them up and down by herself. The book actually shows how to teach the child to reach their hand in the back and pull the pants up that way more easily. The independence is a key to this training. After an hour or two of checking every 5 minutes, go to 10 minutes, then 15. After a successful potty in the toilet (which may or may not even occur on Day 1...don't be disheartened if it doesn't!), go to checking every 30 minutes and toilet tries every hour. Watch your child closely for signs (you'll begin to recognize that look on her face), and be absolutely consistent with the timer and with the clean-up process. Guard against constipation, as the child will be tempted to hold back on going. You may want to add lots of juice or slip some probiotics into their milk to give more teachable moments in that area.
By Day 3 or 4, you should be seeing some real progress, but DON'T LET UP on the timer and bathroom trips. Be consistent and stay focused. ONLY use pull-ups for naptime and bedtime. Summer's have Woody on them, and we call them "Woody panties". If they are wet when she awakes, just quickly pull them off and put on real panties. This will come with time. Summer is in her 4th week of being trained, and we already skip the naptime pull-up.
Try to keep the mood in the house cheerful, and provide lots of fun activities to do. Movies probably aren't the best entertainment at this point, because they tend to put the child in passive mode. When you know your child has to poop, you may want to pull up a chair beside the toilet and just keep her entertained for a while. This is the biggest step, but a couple of successes should seal the deal.
When it's all said and done, you will have given your child something more than just the knowledge of peeing in the toilet, but also the gift of personal responsibility. Since training, Summer has become obsessed with "hosh hands" (translated: wash hands) and dressing herself and cleaning up spills. It's such a joy to watch! Mission accomplished!
First, however, there are some signs of readiness that you need to observe. You should notice your child going for at least 2 hours during the day without wetting his/her diaper. This indicates control over the bladder. The second indicator (and this is as much for the parent as for the child), is that your child will follow simple commands, such as "come", "sit", "clean up", "hush". This indicates that your child is mature enough to understand your instructions (and obviously this is a discipline/training issue as well).
Now, there are a few things to work on for the week prior to training:
1. Every day, find several occasions to teach your child "wet/dry" and "clean/dirty". For example, after a bath, you might pick up her dirty clothes out of the wet floor: "Yuck, feel these. They're wet. Gross! Let's put them here with the dirty clothes."
2. CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE and eliminate distractions. This is the #1 tip for success. It may be hard, but if you devote a week to successful training, it will definitely be worth it! Somewhere around Day 4 or 5, you may want to schedule a visit to Grandma's or church or somewhere familiar to let the child check out someone else's toilet. Don't be afraid to turn the ringer off, and don't schedule any company.
3. Decide on consistent names for the process and share these with everyone involved. If your child understands "peepee toilet", and Grandma asks if she needs to "potty in the commode", it could cause some confusion.
4. Let the child observe Dad/brothers (for boys) or Mom/sisters (for girls) sitting on the toilet. Sounds funny, but some children are truly terrified of sitting on a water-filled tank with a hole in the bottom that makes a loud noise, so this can help them get used to the idea. Though some children truly are scared, it has been my honest observation that most 2-year-olds are more terrified that their mom might realize they can actually be made to sit for a few minutes at a time! They'll act like they're dying a slow, horrible death just to keep that secret from coming out!
5. Things to gather:
--a stepping stool and toilet insert. You can use a potty chair, as the book suggests, but it isn't necessary unless you just enjoy carrying poop around in a pot. The stool is to climb easily onto the toilet and also to wash hands.
--training pants, in a size larger than normal. This is so the child can easily pull his own pants up and down independently.
--snacks and drinks, salty type stuff that will cause her to drink more and create more training opportunities
--a timer
--pull-ups for nap and bedtime
Major ideas from the book that I did not use: a wetting baby doll. My boys don't do dolls. Period. So I just never went there. Also, the potty chair. It just made more sense to me to train them directly on the toilet with an insert. It's easily portable and makes it possible to potty anywhere you go. Plus I do NOT enjoy carrying poop around in a pot.
Here's the gist of the method: On Day 1, expect a rough day. It's going to be cold turkey! Let the child throw away her diaper and put her own training pants on. Have her feel the panties and confirm that they are "clean!" and "dry!" just like ____________ (Mama, Daddy, siblings, favorite people, etc.). Every 5 minutes, make her stop and feel her panties to inspect if they are clean and dry. Take her to the toilet and let her sit for a while to try to potty. Don't make her sit for more than 10 minutes at a time, as this can be torture for a 2 year old. When she does wet her panties, take her to the toilet immediately and say "potty toilet" or whatever, to establish that this is the goal. Then, have her get up, feel her wet panties ("gross!" "wet!"), put them in the dirty hamper, have her get a towel and clean up her own mess. This may sound extreme, but the whole point is to make the child responsible for keeping herself clean and dry. Obviously, you clean up thoroughly behind her, but she will begin to understand that she has made a mess. This is only TRAINING time, no discipline.
Have your child only wear a t-shirt and panties/underwear, so she can easily feel her panties and pull them up and down by herself. The book actually shows how to teach the child to reach their hand in the back and pull the pants up that way more easily. The independence is a key to this training. After an hour or two of checking every 5 minutes, go to 10 minutes, then 15. After a successful potty in the toilet (which may or may not even occur on Day 1...don't be disheartened if it doesn't!), go to checking every 30 minutes and toilet tries every hour. Watch your child closely for signs (you'll begin to recognize that look on her face), and be absolutely consistent with the timer and with the clean-up process. Guard against constipation, as the child will be tempted to hold back on going. You may want to add lots of juice or slip some probiotics into their milk to give more teachable moments in that area.
By Day 3 or 4, you should be seeing some real progress, but DON'T LET UP on the timer and bathroom trips. Be consistent and stay focused. ONLY use pull-ups for naptime and bedtime. Summer's have Woody on them, and we call them "Woody panties". If they are wet when she awakes, just quickly pull them off and put on real panties. This will come with time. Summer is in her 4th week of being trained, and we already skip the naptime pull-up.
Try to keep the mood in the house cheerful, and provide lots of fun activities to do. Movies probably aren't the best entertainment at this point, because they tend to put the child in passive mode. When you know your child has to poop, you may want to pull up a chair beside the toilet and just keep her entertained for a while. This is the biggest step, but a couple of successes should seal the deal.
When it's all said and done, you will have given your child something more than just the knowledge of peeing in the toilet, but also the gift of personal responsibility. Since training, Summer has become obsessed with "hosh hands" (translated: wash hands) and dressing herself and cleaning up spills. It's such a joy to watch! Mission accomplished!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Stand therefore!
Is there anything more precious than a snaggle-toothed kindergartener quoting scripture?
(and yes, that is a snake skin in the background....)
- Posted using my iPhone
(and yes, that is a snake skin in the background....)
- Posted using my iPhone
Night Night!
One of the best things about having kids ranging in ages from 2 to 13, is seeing that precious interaction between them. Summer is everyone's pet around here! Sis and KK have a nightly ritual with her, and I was able to capture Sis on video last night. So cute! (That's "hotdog!" that Summer is saying there at the end.)
Monday, October 11, 2010
God wants His rainbow back!
What a great article! I love Dr. Hutcherson. He says what he means and means what he says. (I borrowed that blog post title from a line in his article below. So true!)
Transgender, Transsexual, and Trans Fats: Are Any of Them Good for America? by Dr. Ken Hutcherson
Transgender, Transsexual, and Trans Fats: Are Any of Them Good for America? by Dr. Ken Hutcherson
More Inner Tomboy
I have to admit that I've enjoyed Frogger as much as Seth has. I just love to watch him eat!
--Posted using my iPhone
--Posted using my iPhone
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Staying Focused
”The woman who makes a sweet, beautiful home, filling it with love and prayer and purity, is doing something better than anything else her hands could find to do beneath the skies.”
~ J. R. Miller
- Posted using my iPhone
~ J. R. Miller
- Posted using my iPhone
Fruit Pizza - Yummy!
Here's one of my favorite new desserts, fruit pizza! It's so delicious, and I meant to take a picture last time I made it (forgot), but it's just as beautiful as it is delicious. Here's the recipe:
Crust:
1 18 oz. package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 7 oz. jar marshmallow cream
Topping:
fresh fruit of your choice (strawberries, grapes, kiwi, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) NOT bananas (they turn brown)
Glaze:
1/2 c. sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 c. orange
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Slice cookie dough and arrange onto greased 12 in. pizza pan, pressing dough to edges. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until lightly brown. Cool. In bowl, mix cream cheese and marshmallow cream. Spread over cooled crust. Chill while preparing glaze. In saucepan, combine glaze ingredients over medium heat, bringing to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and prepare fruit. After fruit is sliced, you can EITHER dip fruit in the glaze and then arrange on the pizza, OR place the fruit on the pizza and brush with the glaze.
Don't skip the glaze! It really makes this dessert special. Just to estimate, I made 2 of these pizzas using 1 quart of strawberries, 4 kiwis, and 1 large bunch of grapes.
Crust:
1 18 oz. package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 7 oz. jar marshmallow cream
Topping:
fresh fruit of your choice (strawberries, grapes, kiwi, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) NOT bananas (they turn brown)
Glaze:
1/2 c. sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 c. orange
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Slice cookie dough and arrange onto greased 12 in. pizza pan, pressing dough to edges. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until lightly brown. Cool. In bowl, mix cream cheese and marshmallow cream. Spread over cooled crust. Chill while preparing glaze. In saucepan, combine glaze ingredients over medium heat, bringing to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and prepare fruit. After fruit is sliced, you can EITHER dip fruit in the glaze and then arrange on the pizza, OR place the fruit on the pizza and brush with the glaze.
Don't skip the glaze! It really makes this dessert special. Just to estimate, I made 2 of these pizzas using 1 quart of strawberries, 4 kiwis, and 1 large bunch of grapes.
Young Woman
Somehow, when I wasn't looking, my little girl grew into a beautiful young lady!
This is Madelyn at a History Fair put on by our local Baptist homeschool group.
Friday, October 8, 2010
You Know This Is Funny
Celebrity Look Alikes: Granny Clampett and Harry Reid
- Posted using my iPhone
- Posted using my iPhone
Monday, October 4, 2010
Blessed are the poor in spirit...
My heart is full today. I have a lot to blog about, I just can't seem to get my thoughts focused on anything except getting ready for revival tonight. Jason is preaching, and last night, he preached and the Lord moved in a mighty way. Our Caleb finally got things right with God, and got saved. He made a profession of faith when he was 7 years old, and Jason and I felt good about it. We did not push him; in fact, we made him beg. Caleb has always been the kind of child whose heart was directed toward the Lord. He's always asked deep, theological questions, and always wanted to serve God. Perhaps that's why he made a move so early, but a couple years ago, he began to have doubts. I've never seen a child be so "poor in spirit", truly seeking God. It's been an agonizing time, watching him struggle, but we were determined to stay out of it, pray for him, and let him make peace with His Creator on his own. Thank God that He still saves and answers prayers! And I'm so thankful for my church family. Jason dismissed everyone to go home, but every single person stayed, praying with him and for him, determined to wait it out until he got what he needed. THAT'S what church is all about. It's not an organization, it's a family of believers, dedicated to building a wall of prayer around our young ones, trusting God for each other to keep them in His fold.
Can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for tonight!
Can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for tonight!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Blessed Week
We've had a busy but blessed weekend around here. My Caleb turned 13 on Friday. Jason and I had always planned to do something special with each of the children as they turned 13, but it always just seemed like something far off into the future. Now it's already in the past. Truly, this life on earth just flies by. Reminds me to be investing in what's ETERNALLY important!
For his birthday, we took him to buy a new set of Carhartt's (in men's sizes, I might say!), and then we left the other kids with grandparents and took KK out to eat. Jason and I had each written a letter to him, and he was so sweet and thankful for the extra attention. The world has given such a fearful reputation to "teenagers". A few weeks ago, somebody asked KK how old he was, and said, "You'll soon be a teenager!" Later he said, "Mom, what's a teenager?" I thought it was cute, and I know some would criticize me and Jason for sheltering him so, but we've never allowed him to watch movies, listen to music, or hang out with other kids or adults who think that it's a "rite of passage" for kids to turn into monsters for a few years during their teens. We're grooming him for manhood, not hedonism; therefore, we have carefully and purposefully fashioned his world to enforce what we're teaching. Very few people approve of it, but when I look into this young man's eyes, and I see a live personality and not an apathetic stare...I don't give a care about what anybody else thinks.
Here's a pic of KK and Sis on Sunday evening. Few things in life please me more than watching the relationship between these two.
Then on Saturday, we went to Lake Winnie Amusement Park. I didn't take a lot of pictures because I actually rode rides! Summer was old enough to ride and enjoy the day, and that freed me up to actually enjoy myself! It was the first time in 3 kids that I got to ride a roller coaster. I can testify that roller coasters in your 30s are different than roller coasters in your 20s, but I had a great time.
And now for the really fun news: I am potty training Summer Rose this week! Monday was a disaster, but today has been good. I'll give a report of this experience later. Wish me luck!
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