Mommy Blogging 101

Last month I celebrated my four year blog-iversary.

Yesterday, I wrote an article about how one can start their own mommy blog. Be sure to check it out!

Stick around for some drastic (and much needed) changes to this mommy blog coming in future weeks!

Journaling with Preschool Children

During the day, the children and I use our kitchen table for many things.

We color at it. We bake at it.

We paint at it.

We craft at it.

It is our mecca for group projects. The warm yellow walls and sunny area found in our breakfast nook make the coziest place for the three of us to sit down and work on something together. This blog is usually penned from there, often times in the dark and quiet of the early morning hours.

Lately the children and I have been journaling from our kitchen table. In my teacher days, the elementary school where I taught kicked off a huge writing initiative. EVERYONE wrote...teachers, kindergartners, and older kids as well. The idea was to start the process of writing early on and get kids to practice, and hopefully love, the task of putting thought to paper.

A while back I took two ordinary composition books and covered them in scrap book paper. I told the children these were their journals and that we would write our thoughts in them on occasion. Here are a few tips for journaling with young children:

*Explain the process, using terms they understand. Before you begin a long lecture about recording personal thoughts on paper, stop. Explain to children that they have to the ability to write down their thoughts and stories on paper,which they can do with words and with pictures. That, dear readers, is journaling!

*Create a special space to hold these thoughts. As mentioned, our journals are simple composition books. Although simple, these books are kept in our crafting cabinet and not left out with other coloring books or notebooks. We keep them tucked away until writing time so they remain special and unique.

*Provide a prompt. As of now, I am guiding the children's writing. We have written about Halloween, about Fall and about themselves. Give children a topic to write about to guide their writing and prevent a detailed (and confusing) tale that no one understands in the end.

*Encourage illustrations. Because Evelyn is just learning how to write her letters, she has no grasp on "writing" per say. In her journal she draws a picture about the prompt and then I write a sentence for her about the picture (she dictates the sentence). Isaac can write quite well and understands the concept of a sentence. He too draws a picture and then writes a sentence about his picture.

*Don't strive for perfection. Sometimes it is hard for me to sit still and simply allow the kids to create in their own little way. However, if I expect them to actually own their own work (and not want me to one day complete their science project in its entirety) I have to allow them to do so from the very beginning.

*Set an example. One of the reasons I began journaling with the children is because of the large amount of time I spend writing these days. I simply wanted them to understand exactly what I am doing behind the glow of my laptop (although Isaac still questions if I am playing games on Noggin.com). Show your children your writing, read some of it to them and let them see how you put thought to paper.

*Practice, practice, practice. Writing is a skill that requires practice. Perhaps set a goal of journaling with the children every Monday morning, writing about something that happened over the weekend.

Pull out a kitchen chair, grab a notebook and some crayons, and start writing!

Maclaren USA recalls one million strollers

A massive recall by Maclaren, a giant in the baby stroller industry, is set to be announced tomorrow, Tuesday November 10, 2009. Maclaren is recalling all of their strollers produced between 1999 and 2009. The reason for this record-breaking recall is...(to read more, please go here)

You had me at "Chi"

When he married me, my husband likely thought he got a pretty good deal.



At the time I was quickly teaching myself how to cook (rather successfully...with the exception of the 4 Cheese Macaroni Incident of 2001), cleaned our little 900 sq. foot home every Thursday night while he was in class and was quite content with snuggling on the couch late at night watching Friends reruns rather than blowing our small salaries on nights out on the town.



Not the "standard" gal, I was not one to demand flowers or require expensive jewelry. Toss around a few "I love yous" on a regular basis, kiss me good-bye and hello, and perhaps leave a little note for me on occasion and I am good to go.



See what I mean about the husband getting a pretty good deal?



Although he got a pretty good deal in this whole marriage thing, I got an even better one.



Know that bit about me not needing bouquets of roses or big sparkly diamonds? Well, the husband could have just stopped there. He could have simply recognized that he somehow lucked out and would never be forced to browse the expensive and confusing displays at the local jewelery store, questioning how he would ever find that perfect piece that would make the ol wife happy. Instead of just being thankful he did not have to partake in buying me the typical wife-wooing gifts, the husband got creative.



A month into our marriage, he arrived home one afternoon bearing a clown cone from Baskin Robbins.



As I munched away on my cute little clown made of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, I loved him a bit more.



The year before we became pregnant with Isaac and had just decided to start a family, he gifted me with a few stuffed animals to go in the future nursery.



I smiled just last week when Isaac *gently* tossed one of those stuffed animals at his sister in a manner only a big brother can do, smiling at the memory of that animal's entrance into our home.



For my birthday last year, the husband sent me away for the weekend where I could enjoy a blissful 48 hours of not having to fetch apple juice and goldfish for cute little people or clean up said apple juice and goldfish after those cute little people. Those two peaceful days recharged my batteries and made me even more thankful for my life long partner.



There are likely hundreds of gifts, some big and others small, that the husband has bestowed upon me during our decade+ of knowing each other.



Friday he put all those gifts to shame.



The family had just finished eating supper. I was rushing around attempting to get dressed (the husband and I were going out after the kids were in bed), gather things for the following day and attempting to field the hundreds of questions only preschoolers can generate. As I was scattering my piles of clothes and shoes around on the bed, I noticed a box. Then I noticed it was not just any box. It was this box:

Be still my beating heart.

That boy had gone out and purchased me a hair styling product.

And he did not buy just any old hair gizmo.

He bought a CHI.

Just because.

A few nights prior to the bestowing of this gift, I had mentioned how the man behind the CHI company is considering a run for Governor of our state. Completely bypassing any and all political talk, I then went on and on about the greatness of the Chi hair straightener. I surmised that anyone known for designing such a highly respected hair styling tool would most likely make a good Governor. The conversation transitioned onto another subject and nothing else was said about CHI's or hair straighteners or about the fact that I most likely should reconsider my methodology for selecting potential political figures.

Then on Friday the CHI box magically appeared on my bed.

Some girls' love language might be flashy rings or large expensive bags or glitzy trips. I can confidently say that my love language is hair styling tools.

What is a totally random, completely wonderful gift your significant other has bestowed upon you?

The Changing of the Leaves

One day, these two little children will have inside jokes that they will snicker about behind my back. Inevitably, I will do something just a bit too eccentric, a bit too "momish" for these two. They will likely glance at each other, perhaps share a secret eye roll and most likely later laugh over said occurrence at my expense.I am tough. I can handle such an event when the day comes (Just like I can also threaten to spend their eventual inheritance). When I was a kid, my brothers and I used to laugh over how one time my mom purchased a large amount of canned green beans on sale and we ate those things for months on end. For years, whenever green beans were placed on the supper table, we asked her if they were from the original case of beans purchased on sale.

One thing the children might giggle about behind my back is my deep love for the changing of the trees in Fall. In our area we do not often get the same type of glorious display of autumn that I grew up experiencing. However, recent rainfall and color temperatures are making the leaves on local trees burst with color this year.

I cannot help but discuss this changing of color everywhere we go. Today as we puttered around town in the family station wagon I could tell the children were growing a bit weary of me pointing out every gold and yellow leaf we passed. I am sure if I had studied their little reflections in my rear view mirror I most likely would have seen an eye roll or an exasperated shrug pass between the two of them, as they tolerated dear old mom going on and on about leaves.

Because the color of the trees have inspired me so, I decided to do an art project with the children based on leaves found in our neighborhood. First we went on a walk, examining trees with changing colors. We stood under a neighbor's tree, peering up at the leaves in all their multi-colored goodness. I pointed out the strong branches and how each leaf was a bit different from its partner. We each selected a few leaves and went inside to sketch them.

After drawing paper, pencils, crayons, and snacks (the most important thing to bring to the craft table) were handed out, the three of us took time to carefully study our leaves. We looked at their colors and at the tiny veins running through them. We felt them to see if they had different textures or made different sounds when rubbed between two fingers.

Then we began the task of drawing the leaves.

Evelyn's attention span is a bit shorter for such an art project and she eventually moved on to simply coloring and gluing. Isaac however is quite the student of art and took this assignment rather seriously.

After completing our sketches, we moved on to leaf rubbings. We laid a piece of paper over a leaf and gently rubbed a crayon across the paper, hoping to catch the small details of our piece of nature. After the rubbings were completed, we grouped them according to leaf size.

Finally we decided to draw our own interpretations of a tree in the height of fall.

Isaac's leaf sketch and drawing of a tree:

In need of some fall-themed crafts to do with your children? Go here and read some more great craft ideas.

I am off to the backyard to stare at the changing oak tree watch the children play.

Daylights Savings Time is Not My Friend

I love to eavesdrop on the conversations between my two children.

They have become fast friends and often times sneak away for a private chat just between the two of them. Occasionally such chatter leads to arguing, other times to covert plans to hide away the remaining pieces of Halloween candy, but most often it is just casual banter between two friends.

Yesterday I heard the two planning the afternoon's activity they hoped to partake in once nap time came to an end. Apparently Miss E. had been wanting to play baby dolls and her obliging big brother agreed (he does not so much enjoy actually playing with the dolls as much as he likes setting everything up and being the boss of what happens when). They hashed out some details and Isaac accurately listed what the baby doll's schedule would be for the "day" once they began playing (See what I mean about being a boss?).

Amazingly, the doll's schedule was exactly like our schedule here at casa de phillips.

I have discussed scheduling children in the past and it is no secret that we believe children should be on a set daily routine. A daily schedule works well for our household. No one is shocked when nap/quiet time arrives after lunch nor is anyone surprised when they are told to clean up their toys before bath. These occurrences happen Every. Single. Day. and they work for us.

You know what does not work with a child on a schedule?

Daylights savings time.

I used to eagerly look forward to "falling back" knowing that I would be granted an extra hour's sleep one night and experience sunset an hour earlier each day for a few months. The sun would shine on me as I drove to work rather than having to push myself out of the house in the dim morning light.

Such a fondness for time change is gone, dear reader. The early wakings by the children this week as they adjust to daylight's savings time has been okay. We have dealt with early risers the entire time we have been parents so that is something we can handle.

The sobbing, yelling, snot-flying meltdowns by bath time are something entirely new.

Despite the fact that our clocks in the house read one thing, the children's internal body clock is reading an entirely different time. That time just happens to be an hour later than their normal bedtime. Everyone appears perky and happy and then bath time hits and both kids are crying messes. Last night we had a sibling spat break out in the bathtub that could possibly have qualified for WWF-level fights. I still have no idea what set off that dispute. What I do know is that both kids were quickly rinsed, hauled out of the tub, shoved into some PJs and tucked safely into bed by 7:15pm. There were no books read, no nightly devotional time shared and quite honestly, no teeth brushed.

I know their little bodies will adjust in a few more days and bath and bed time will resume a semi-state of calm once again.

Most likely in time for us to spring forward...

A few personal links...

The children (okay, mainly Isaac) are starting to understand that when Mommy is working at her computer she is actually doing something as opposed to merely playing Dora's on-line candy land. Recently I have started both kids working on journaling (post coming on such a topic) to help them with their writing skills (notice I use that term loosely...they are only 4 and 2) and to help them gain a better understanding of what mommy means when she says, "Hold on. I am writing something."

Here are a few links to some articles I have written lately, some during nap time and others with a little body hovering near questioning when I will be available to get them more apple juice:

Is the key to fighting H1N1 found in a bowl of cereal?

Purse Expose

How Moms Can Become Involved in Their Community

Also, last Friday an article of mine previewed in an insert of the Dallas Morning News. A few weeks ago when I first got word that this was going to happen, I was quite excited. Then I was told I would be a part of a photo-shoot to go along with the article.

Gulp.

Said photo shoot went well. Despite the numerous outfit changes (and the cute child model ..named Isaac...who sat in for a few frames), only two pictures made it into the article (one is just a picture of a sweater I own...without me in the sweater).

Fun times.

For some of you, this edition can be scooped up at your neighborhood Starbucks.

Or you can just swing by casa de phillips and get one of the 50 copies I have swiped so far.

Happy National Sandwich Day!

Halloween 2009...aka The Year Isaac's Mom Went as a Chicken

After a weekend spent celebrating Halloween, I believe the Phillips' family is finally ready to retire the Robin Hood costumes for just a bit.

After weeks and weeks of searching for the perfect family theme for costumes, Tobe came up with the idea for us to go as the Robin Hood clan (actually, he came up with the idea for Isaac and E. to be Robin Hood and Maid Marion. I came up with the idea for the adults to dress up as well.). I loved the Robin Hood idea, but was not sure the children would even know who Robin Hood was. How could I sell them on a costume idea if they were not familiar with the character?

We went out and bought the Disney version of Robin Hood and watched it as a family. I remember it being a favorite of mine when I was a child and both the kids enjoyed it as well (although Isaac did get a bit upset in the 22 seconds viewers are lead to believe that Robin Hood has been killed by Prince Richard). After the viewing of the movie and talk of having a bow and arrow, the children were sold on the costume idea.

It was decided that Isaac would be Robin Hood, E. would be Maid Marian, Tobe would be Little John, and I would be the lady-in-waiting.

In the weeks and days leading up to Halloween, people often asked Isaac what he was going to dress as for Halloween. He proudly told the person that he was going to be Robin Hood. He would then go on to explain that his sister was going to be Maid Marian, his daddy was going to be Little John, and his mommy was going to be a chicken.

Yes...a chicken.

If you are familiar with Disney's version of Robin Hood, then you know the characters are portrayed by animals.

The lady-in-waiting ("Ms. Cluck") is a chicken.

Somehow, in the planning of our costumes Isaac translated me dressing as the lady-in-waiting as being Ms. Cluck, and thus dressing as a chicken.

I cannot tell you the strange stares I received from people when Isaac informed them that his mother was set to be a chicken for Halloween. The first few times I attempted to explain what my real costume was going to be and why my child perceived said costume as being that of a chicken, but I usually got even more puzzled looks.

Eventually I simply smiled and nodded, leaving many people wondering why three out of the four members of a family were dressing in a Robin Hood theme and the mom was standing alone dressed as a chicken.

Miss E. and her lady-in-waiting

Little John and Robin Hood

Brave Robin Hood

Robin Hood needed a quiver to hold his bow and arrows...so I "made" one out of a Pringles can.

Remember last week when I mentioned Isaac had a cut directly between his eyes? Well, he attempted to shoot his bow and arrow (before I modified it) backwards into his face. We are thankful it did not hit his eye. Said bow and arrows now live high up in his closet.

Pretty Maid Marian...whose hat was worn for all of 2 minutes on Halloween

With the aid of Velcro rollers, mouse and lots of hair spray I was able to give Miss E. some stylish princess hair. I also put a bit of blush and lip gloss on her little face. She wanted mascara ("Make-ups my eyes, Mommy!") but I thought that was a bit much for a two year old.

Trick or treating...at a winery.

Robin Hood conquering the hay maze

Miss E. eating a sucker.

Fortunately the girl is not much one for candy.

Trick or treating in our neighborhood.

By this point, the kids' pumpkins were quite laden with candy from a trunk or treat we had attended. Isaac was quite the gentleman and carried his sister's pumpkin for her.

At two different houses, the decor scared E. One house had a tombstone that sang a song, which made her a bit nervous. Another house turned on a fog machine which cause E. to bolt away in fear.

Halloween 2009 was quite the successful weekend for our little family, regardless of the fact that both kids (and now myself) were battling colds.

Now I am off to think of next year's costumes...

Perhaps they will include a chicken theme into them...