The Dreaded Potty Training...

The Dreaded Potty Training...Where do I even begin.... Well, I guess I'll start by saying that I have a 3 year old daughter who is 85% potty trained. :)??  Is that possible?  Yes it is.  She potties every time I physically take her to the bathroom and sit her little bottom on the toilet.  But does she ever tell me when she has to go on her own? Nope!  It's taken some effort and many (many many) wet pants and leggings (and dare I say- poopie pants haha) to come to the realization that we have to use the little thing called the toilet!  It is one of the most difficult disciplines of being a parent, but wow is it great to not have to go buy diapers anymore!  Well, I still do, I have a 4 month old!  But at least not 2 sets now! 

I sware potty training is even harder for the parents.  I tried literally all different "methods" of training, and nothing seemed to work.  I guess it was just a matter of time, where she kind of figured it out on her own (with some constant reminding).  I did realize that every time I FORCED her to go use the potty, she did on her own!  It was just on me to remember every hour to take her there!  So I decided to feature my little new best friend to help with potty training - The Potty Watch!  We accidentally found ours dead in the washing machine, so we had to go buy another one instantly - it was too important!  Every hour or 30 minutes (however you program it) a little song and lights play on the potty watch, reminding your child to use the potty.  It makes the experience more of a fun thing, and it's surprising how fast the time flies before it's that time again. :) I highly recommend it to any parent who struggles with the "every hour" thing.  If it works for me, it will hopefully work for you and your little one!  Give it a try.  GOOD LUCK! Any other ideas - please post below!

Random Acts of Christmas Kindness! MUST DO!*

I was trying to figure out a way to do a Christmas Advent Calendar with my kids, but in a way that could teach them about the actual Spirit of CHRISTmas, instead of just opening up a little door to grab a piece of chocolate.  I found some of the most amazing ideas!  This one was my favorite.

You can display the advent however you want.  Some people put little boxes within a suitcase to open up, or hung tiny bags on string.  You can use your creative side to make it look cute - but the whole idea is just amazing.  It's called "Random Acts of Christmas Kindness", and I found it all on this link- http://tsjphotography.com/blog/random-acts-of-christmas-kindness-summary/.   The idea is setting up 25 different random acts of kindness for each day of December, and placing this little piece of paper that says "you've been RACK'ed" along with your gift or treat.  Here are some of the random acts of Christmas kindness that I plan on doing...

1-  make a card and a treat for your mailman/woman in my mailbox for them to pick up:)
2- donate clothes, books or food to a charity or shelter
3- placing treats in shopping carts at the grocery
4- attaching quarters to vending machines, or toy machines
5- bringing a warm drink to the Salvation Army volunteer, volunteering with the Salvation Army:),
6-deliver christmas treats to someone working the Christmas Eve, Christmas day shifts
7-make and deliver "blessings bags" for the homeless
8- adopt a family in need

... the list could go on and on!! I am so excited to take part in this!  Can't wait to show you how it went for us!  Try it with your family this Christmas.  What a blessing we can be for each other this holiday season.  It encourages me to practice more random acts of kindness year round.  Let's spread God's love with one another! :)

KIDS PLAY TENTS!

PLAY TENTS!

I am just absolutely obsessed with these kid play tents!  They are so precious.  I can't think of a better nook for a little one to camp out, read, hide, or "play house" in.  So many different colors and themes swarm the market, but my favorites are in these pictures I posted.  You can also make one yourself if you are handy and don't feel like spending the $200-ish most of these are sold for.  And changing up the colors make it more fun for a boy or girl, or gender neutral!  I will be attempting to make one when we move and hopefully have a play room for my daughter!   This one that drapes from the ceiling and has little "windows", drapes, and book pockets is my daughter's favorite.  If anyone has DIY instructions feel free to leave below.  Perfect gift for your child for Christmas!  

Do your own Professional-looking Photos!

I recently welcomed my little man, Roman into the world on Sept. 5, 2012.  What I decided to do for Roman that I regretfully didn't do for my daughter, Reese, was a professional newborn photo shoot.  It was such a blast.  My photographer came over with a HUGE bin of different props and hats.  It was then that I discovered the tricks of the trade with baby and kid's photographers.  She whipped out this rubber faux-wood "floor" (mat) and lined it up to the crown molding on my wall to make it look like my apartment had hardwood!  Genius!  After the photoshoot I immediately bought my own mat from a shop on Etsy and I plan to use it for any little spontaneous photoshoots I want to have with my kids.  I can't wait.  They are in such high demand so if you want your own make sure you order it weeks before you need to use it!