Toys at our house - face guard

daddy's slingshot wrapped around head = face guard

Have you ever noticed that children are rarely amused by expensive toys and gadgets? My sons are no exception. Allan comes up with the most unique combinations and I'll have to say they're usually pretty creative. The best investment I've ever made was a clothes hamper that has a lid on it. It has been: Noah's Ark, turtle shell, house, cage for stuffed animals, home of one of the three little pigs, gopher hole, and some others that I can't remember. The lid can be taken off and I duck taped a half circle on the inside so they can use it for a shield. Again....the best $10 I've ever spent. So to get ready for next Christmas....just save all the items you break this year or parts of things you find that you don't know where else they belong, put them in a box and wrap it for them for Christmas. I'll guarantee they'll play with it longer than the $20 item you'd rather purchase them. In the next several posts I've listed some of the items Allan has come up with this year. (They're in separate posts because....alas, I have yet to learn how to post captions to pictures on blogger...at least with any ease and without frustration. Yes, You'd think after three years I'd take it upon myself to become more literate in this area!)

Knee guards

Two of daddy's shoe trees + Rubber banded to knees = knee guards

Skies

Two plastic swords + rubber banded to feet = a pair of skies

Miner's Light

Sticky tack stuck to forehead + wedding bell (taken from my cake decorations) = miner's light

Handcuffs

Two pins used for fastening the handle to our "bike stroller" + connected by a rubber band = handcuffs.

Stephen's Blanket

For each of the boys my mother-in-law has designed and made them each a blanket. She finished Stephen's (except for his name and birthdate embroidered at the bottom) last week and here's the final product. His was a Peter rabbit theme and it's so cute! Each of the blocks tells part of the story. First is the picture of their home, then Peter's mother telling Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter not to go into Mr. McGregor's garden, the central square shows Peter in Mr. McGregor's garden, then in running away he fell into a watering can where he got wet, and the final square shows him getting some medicine from his mother after he caught cold from falling in the watering can. Very cute!

Our Week

This was an interesting week. Allan has been sick since Wednesday so that's an added interest. He's running a fever, stuffy nose, chills, aches...typical yucky stuff. What is funny is that in our last scourge two weeks ago he never got sick. I guess he's now talking his turn. So I'm home with him today. Wednesday I spoke to the Aldersgate Christian Academy teachers/staff on Philosophy of Christian education. Thursday I spoke at our church ladies meeting on "Spiritual Facelifts". (BTW: Speaking is NOT my thing!) Made a fruit pizza Thursday for Aldersgate Distance Education students who were on campus this week. Friday my sister-in-law, Charity, brought the children up for the weekend so we spent Friday evening at my in-laws and enjoyed seeing Alex and Kathryn. Saturday was spent doing piles of laundry that hadn't been done due to the activities earlier in the week. Today I'm home with Allan and have missed 3 of the past 4 Sundays! But it's a day of rest just taking care of Stephen (who sleeps wonderfully) and Allan (who does tend to moan alot...he says it helps him feel better). Here are some random pictures taken throughout the week. It was very nice and warm at the begining so we spent some time at the park and Stephen was able to swing for the first time.

Deals of the Week

Usually I don't blog about my deals but this week was too good! For those of you who don't know: I do subscribe to the Grocery Game and I watch Cincinnati Cents and Money Saving Mom. This week I wasn't able to go to the store until 9:00 Saturday evening and I was afraid the deals would be gone (all of the Walgreens deals had been wiped off the shelves) but low and behold...some of my fellow "thriftmisters" left me some deals at Kroger. (for those of you not familiar with Kroger - they have unlimited double coupons. Up to 50 cents they're doubled, anything 51 cents and above is doubled to a 1.00 and any coupons 1.00 and up are face value) Kroger was also running their Mega even sale: Purchase any 10 of selected items and get $5.00 off your order.

Here's what I got:
- 3 bottles of shampoo (usually 6.69 on clearance table for 3.37 and I had 2.00 in coupons)
-2 dozen eggs (88 cents/dozen)
- 1/2 gallon orange juice (no in picture - usually don't buy due to price but on sale for 88 cents and have sick child)
- 2 lbs bacon (B1G1F)
- onion (49 cents/lb)
- 6 Huggies Gentle Care wipes (sale for 2.50 and had 5 of the $5 huggies gentle care coupons - made 2.50/box
- 4 Johnson's Buddies Soap (99 cents - had catalina coupons for 3.50)
- 3 Scotch Brite Sponges (1.99 and had 3 coupons - paid 49 cents each)
- 2 3packs of Irish Spring soap (1.50 and had coupon- paid 50 cents each)
- 1 pkg Vanity Fair napkins (2.38 sale plus coupon - paid 1.38)
- 1 pkg Dixie paper plates (luxury but couldn't resist since I only paid 79 cents for package of 46)
- 3 Heavy Duty Ziploc freezer bags (3.19 but with sale and coupons paid 1.19)
- 2 boxes Beachnut Baby Cereal (usually 2.98/box closeout at 1.09/box boxes had "peelies" for 1.00 off so I paid .09 cents per box!)
- Colgate toothbrush (sale for 1.00 had 1.00 coupon = free)
- Blistex lip balm (1.00 - coupon = .30 cents
-5 pkgs Schick Razors (usually 7.49/pack - on clearance table for 2.00/pack)

Anyhow: the final analysis

Total worth of items purchased: $117.24
Total paid out of pocket after sales and coupons: $20.52

Allan

I have tried to post this video for a week and finally realized the file was too big...so here's the edited version:


After I get the boys in their PJ's, teeth brushed, bathroom duties taken care of, hands washed, and put them in their beds (after they each get a "round" hug - this is done by simply giving the child a big bear hug and then twirling around and around until neither of you can see straight and you both fall into bed) and turn the lights down low, it's then time for Daddy to spend a few minutes with them.

Sometimes they get a "Darby" story, or a book read and many times Daddy quotes passages of scripture to them before praying and turning out the light. This is how they learned the 23rd Psalm...just by hearing over and over and over every night. Several weeks ago we were at my in-laws and all of the sudden Allan starts quoting Psalm 1 which I'd never heard him do before. He had learned it just by hearing Philip repeat it over and over at bedtime. Philip always does hand motions to help them remember so that's where he gets the actions.

By helping our children hide God's word in their hearts we're actively giving them ammunition to keep them from sin. So many times I've heard or said myself, "Oh, that's so 'cute'". Since becoming a parent I've learned that those who are committed to rearing godly children will start before the child can talk teaching that child God's word. Recently I've been doing some study in conjunction with reading Elizabeth George's "Following God with all Your Heart" and was struck by Joshua 1:8. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

If our lives are to be saturated with God's Word we have to have it in our heart. Meditating day and night, obeying the principles set forth in it. God says only then "will you be prosperous and successful." God so clearly gives the formula for being successful right here. Not success in the world's eyes, but being successful in God's eyes. That's what I want for myself and my children. Unfortunately I didn't start memorizing scripture until I was dating Philip and that's one of the things we did together on a consistent basis. Oh, there was the occasional verse in Sunday School, or contest and then there were a few verses that I had to memorize in Bible School but no one ever told me how revolutionary it can be or crucial it is to living a consistent Christan life. I'm also noticing that the older I get the harder it is to do....sighhhhh.... So I'm not looking at my children saying "cute!" but rather praying, "Oh God, burn these words on their hearts, use them as light to their path, as swords to defend themselves from temptation and put steel to their backbones." Simply put....all my energies right now are devoted to raising children who are going to love and serve God wholeheartedly all of their days and be an asset to the kingdom of God. So far I'll have to admit it's the hardest job I've ever found myself doing.

Daniel

Our family devotions in February were focused on obedience and so the boys learned songs and scripture verses to fit our theme. Daniel did really well. His speech is not as clear and enunciated but since he's only been talking for 7 months I think he's doing quite well. He learned Ephesians 6:1-3 and 1 Samuel 15:22. He's been struggling with a cold for the past 13 days but I think we're coming to the end of it.

Stephen at Five months

At five months old and a little over 14 lbs. he's starting to show personality. Laughing, smiling, grabbing items, trying to stand, drooling, eating cereal (and the occasional ice cream from daddy), along with sleeping are what fill his days. He's sleeping in his crib now in the "boys' room". He is loud at times....very loud. But he's being taught by some of the best!