One of the things I have loved, loved, LOVED about being momma to baby M are the pre-nap snuggles. My third baby is the only one who truly loves to snuggle with me. Even as infants, S and C would wiggle in my arms as I rocked and sang to them before nap. They weren't upset, they just wanted to look around - at the room, at the fan, even at me. They were never fully relaxed enough to snuggle up as I had envisioned they would. Eventually I came to terms with it, figuring that's just how … [Read more...]
{Happy Family Habit #13} Involving Kids in Giving Back
It is better to give than to receive. And there's no time like the present! Even young children can learn the joy of giving. Why is this important? It's important because we are raising our kids in a me-me-me culture. Kids are bombarded with messages about satisfying our own needs and getting what we want. Immediately. Slowing down to focus on others balances all of the 'me' messages. Sometimes, we put off the idea of service or giving because it just seems so overwhelming. I don't … [Read more...]
Happy Family Habit #12: Spend One-on-One Time with Each Child
You've heard it said that the days are long but the years are short. If you are a mom, you've experienced this to be true. When the kids are little, you spend your days constantly feeding, changing, wiping, fixing, answering and the list goes on. Raising kids takes a LOT of work! But, they are growing up before our eyes and with each passing year those little tasks we're needed for diminishes. For those of you that don't know, I'm a mom of two boys (13 and 11) and a nine year old girl. I … [Read more...]
Happy Family Habit #10: Creating a Blessing Bag
Today we're focusing on giving back in our month long mission to eat better, parent better, organize better and just generally live better this year. We've got another Happy Family Habit for you to start working on. It's #10 on our list and I personally think you're gonna love this one... You know that feeling you get when you see a situation you wish you could fix? It's a tugging of the heart strings when we see someone we want to help, but just don't know quite how. I live in a … [Read more...]