Cool Mom Points

Being a mom to all boys, I definitally have to get down and dirty! Here's my gift to them for Easter! I must say I get cool points for being so brave! It's a mud pie making table!!

It's OFFICIAL! We're SORTA Crunchy!!

 Recently, our whole family has had a mental switch of trying to do things different and better, not only for ourselves but for our environment! We've been trying to eat healthier, live better, use more organic and natural products and our newest major project that Matt has taken on is a garden!

Our Family Garden! Keeping our friendly rabbits out of the garden will be the major challenge I think! Our yard is very obviously the favorite for the furry cottontails! They dig under our shed, the kids play set, the nest under our patio steps, and they leave "cocoa puffs" all over the backyard for our dog....YUCK!!! I think, too, the fact that our neighbor will shoot them if he sees them!



Our *hopefully* Rabbit Proof Garden!



So as far as the gardening.....oh boy! Matt's job was to build it, put the compost soil in it, and help me plant. My job is maintaining it! Really?!??! My grandma is either going to be yelling at me from heaven on what I'm doing wrong, or she'll be dancing around at my green thumb! From my past with plants alone, I'm thinking she'll be megaphoning down to me on my "not-so-green" thumb! If you get updates on the progress of the garden, then things will be going well....if you see no more gardening posts...well, then you know!

All of us, as parents, want to do what's best for our children. I know that I'm not the only one who feels that way! Now the hard part of "what's best" I think differs for each family! I don't even feel that each family can stick to one set of plans. Each child is different and things have to bend and weave different ways for each child! If I had cookie cutter kids, I'd be bored to death! The variety that each of my children brings to my life is what keeps my job, fun, amazing, entertaining, bearable, and enjoyable! God knows what he's doing!!

Well, what's best for you probably isn't best for me and what's best for me probably isn't best for you!!

With Peyton, I don't know if I can pinpoint one particular thing that we did as "different" then the normal routine of raising him as a baby. We were just one of the conditioned Americans that just "do what we're expected to do", and do what all the baby books tell you to do! As we have gone on though, all the new things that we are implementing with the others, obviously he partakes in if it's pertinent to him! Now that I'm thinking though...we did co-sleep with him! It did make for a terrible transition to his own room and bed times, when we decided we needed to get back on track with the "books"! Oh, I did breast feed exclusively too for a full year!

When Parker was a baby, we decided that we would make our own baby food! It was so exciting to feel like I was doing something I felt was important to help my baby! I enjoyed creating our own mixes, using organic veggies and fruits, freezing, and watching my little man enjoy some healthy goodness! I also, was a big baby wearer when he was younger. I'm not sure if I quite realized the importance of the bonding that it gives, as much as I just needed an extra pair of hands with chasing 2 year old Peyton around! EBF'd too!

With Joshua, it's a whole new bag of donuts! First we contemplated vaccinations...see previous post! We've decided on a delayed/selected vaccine schedule for him. I'm still a wearer, and I enjoy it more then just using it as a pair of extra hands! He's currently snuggled in his Moby wrap on my chest right now, sleeping so peaceful! As much as my hubby hates it, I do co-sleep with him occasionally in our bed, but otherwise, his crib is in our room! We're so excited to make our own baby food again for him too! We made the switch from normal Huggies diapers to Seventh Generation Natural Diapers. Our newest adventure now, is CLOTH! I'm so excited, and mad at myself that I didn't do this sooner! I feel that I should have more babies to experience this from the beginning! ;)

Thirsties

GroVia

The money that it's going to save us, and the benefits for him and our environment is astounding! Today was a grand opening for a store that specializes in cloth diapering, and I heard about if from a friend on facebook. It's always something I've tossed back and forth in my mind, but that's been as far as it's gone. I, immediately got in a flurry and began researching cloth diapers. Going to a grand opening event was probably not the smartest time to visit a store and expect to talk with employee's, but the thought of winning a gift card or raffle was enough to get me there! So I went....and was totally lost! I sat in the middle of this small store like a little puppy dog. :(

Finally there was enough of a break of customers coming through, that I felt I could visit with one of the workers. He...yes HE, was very helpful! I still was a little lost, and a customer started talking about her CD experience, and I started listening in! She was a wealth of info, and even used Joshua as a demonstration! I made my decisions on some pre-folds and a couple of covers...yes, there are a million ways, it seems, to CD your child! I also purchased some cloth wipes and soap cubes to make my own wipe solution! The smell is Monkey Farts, and it smells DELICIOUS!

Monkey Farts and the Super Soft Cloth Wipes

I'm currently preparing the diapers, which is a process and a half! I'm determined to make this work though, and am sure I'll be making my next purchase soon to complete my CD stash! I've been online for several hours now researching the process of how to prep and wash the dipes, the different kinds of dipes, making my own wipes solutions, making my own dipes (you'll have to stay tuned to that!) and so so so much more! I've reached out to friends on FB to get tips and points! I've joined some parenting groups that CD too! I'm sure we'll be fine and this will work out wonderful for us!! Wish me luck!

Sad Day for Every Eagle Watcher

So, recently I got hooked on Eagle watching. I found out about this nest of eagles in Decorah, Iowa and have been watching them since February. We watched the eggs patiently and finally got the joy of watching them hatch. It's been amazing being able to watch God's most magnificent creatures in thier natural habitat!

Beautiful Mama Decorah with Eaglets 1,2 and Egg 3!

"The fierce beauty and proud independence of this great bird aptly symbolize the strength and freedom of America, and we shall have failed a trust if we allow the eagle to disappear." President JFK

To me, our national bird is a sign of freedom and justice, strength and resiliance!

I was saddened today to hear of another nest in the Norfolk, VA Botanical Gardens, who lost their mommy today. She was hit by an airplane. My heart is breaking as I'm watching the live feed of the eaglets in their nest. So far the dad hasn't been sighted, but everyone's hopes are high that he will return to take care of his babies.

Mama and Daddy Norfolk Feeding their babies

Such a Wonderful Mommy



The Beautiful Norfolk Pair



Look how big her babies are!

Isaiah 40:28-31

 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint

Soar high Mama Eagle!!

But I LOOOOOOOVE YOU!!!!!!!

Bath night in the Matthies house, and my big boys are cracking me up! Parker got in first and because of their incessant splashing when they take bath's together, I tried to make it a single's bath night tonight. Parker agreed, but Peyton proceeded to throw a fit of all fits! I walked away and left him and Parker to deal with each other! Sometimes, with those two, I just have to throw my hands up and walk away! ;) I'm listening to the tantrum go on and on, when I hear Peyton wail "But, I LOOOOOOVE YOU, and I just want to take a bath with you!" then Parker's sweet voice chimes in with "I love you too, Peyt, but I wanna take a bath alone." Needless to say, Peyton and Parker are in the bath splashing away!!! Ahh...I love them!

From my reading this morning:
Jeremiah 18:3-10
So I went to the potter's house, and sure enough, the potter was there, working away at his wheel. Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, the potter would simply start over and use the same clay to make another pot. Then God's Message came to me: "Can't I do just as this potter does, people of Israel?" God's Decree! "Watch this potter. In the same way that this potter works his clay, I work on you, people of Israel. At any moment I may decide to pull up a people or a country by the roots and get rid of them. But if they repent of their wicked lives, I will think twice and start over with them. At another time I might decide to plant a people or country, but if they don't cooperate and won't listen to me, I will think again and give up on the plans I had for them.

What a reminder to keep my life pure and pleasing to God and to follow His path! God, I am your clay and you are the potter. Mold me into your creation!

Madame Butterfly

I should have known that I would  get some looks going into the opera wearing an 11 week old baby on my chest! A lot of uncertain stares, and a very verbal usher lady who inserted her 2 cents. "You're nursing the baby and that's why he's here, right? Well, you better keep that kid quiet!" I was blessed that the section we were sitting in had a wonderful male usher who doted on me hand and foot! When Joshua made a little peep during the second act, I darted to the top of our section, as to not interrupt anyone, and the usher followed me out to see if there was anything he could do. He went and got me a chair to sit on! During intermission he told me how I was helping my child's brain to grow! My mom and I talked to him about how Josh's great grandma would have been there with us if she could, and he said that she was there with us! All in all, Joshua did a fantastic job and thoroughly enjoyed his first opera, as did his mommy!!!

This opera was my grandma's favorite and mom and I just knew that we had to be there! Especially with the signifacance of the date. I hope that Grandma was sitting right there with us! What a moving experience! Definitally something I will experience again! I miss you Grandma!!

Dig A Ditch

Today in the conference she was talking about having intentional not conditional worship. The teaching came from 2 Kings 3. The story was about the kings of Israel, Judah and Edom going to war with Moab. They ran out of water and the prophet Elisha recieved a word from God on what to do. They were to dig ditches.God told them there would be no wind or rain but that the vally would be filled with water and they would overtake Moab. Sure enough the water was there and the enemy was confused. The way the sun shone on the water looked like blood to the Moabites. They thought that the men had all turned on eachother and killed themselves. They went in to plunder their camp, and were met with very filled very strong men. Moab was destoryed as God said.

Sometimes in the midst of trouble, God asks us to do things that don't make sense. Wherever you need life and water, you need to dig a ditch (worship). Though there will be no wind or rain, and the sun will be shining; the rain will come! Theologist believe that the way the men's ditches were filled was because God sent rain to mountain tops. The men couldn't hear, see or smell the rain, but it flowed down from the mountain and into the ditches.

Just as their enemies were confused by the water looking like blood, when we worship we confuse our enemy!

God help me, in the midst of my troubles, to dig a ditch! I want my worship to be a natural refelx always!

How to Dig A Ditch

1. Chart it out: be specific, mark the place...this is my worship spot
2. Dig to your goal depth before you move down: go deep not wide! the deeper you dig, the more backfill you get, so you'll need to maintain that; don't be shallow in your worship or spread yourself to thin
3. Check your depth as you go
4. 
   You dig until you see water

Shameless Worship

We had a woman's conference this weekend for our church. AMAZING! Our church is doing a year dedicated to worship, so it tied in perfectly! We had a worship pastor from a church in South Carolina as our speaker. She actually goes to a church that an old pastor's wife was with her. She's the mom to my childhood best friend that I haven't really kept in touch with. It was nice to catch up!

Tonight was about having shameless worship. Truly leaving your shame, and letting it ALL go.
Here's a song that we sang, that perfectly...it's so like God, went with her message!

Blessed is the One who comes
In the name of the Lord
Blessed is the One who comes
In the name of the Lord
He comes to touch the lame
He comes to take the shame
He comes to prove the Father’s love
He comes to wash the stains
He comes to break the chains
He comes to claim us as His own
And my heart cries out Hosanna
Hosanna, Hosanna
And my heart cries out Hosanna
Hosanna, Hosanna