Fire Station Playroom {Christmas 2012}

Hoping you all had an amazing Christmas! I actually ended up with a horrible cold right alongside Izzy, but we made it through and had a great time spending the holidays with family.

Our Christmas revolved around the "Fireman" theme yet again. We thought maybe our little man Judah would focus in on a new subject matter by now, but it's just not the case. We are living in a constant world of "emergencies." There is always a fire to be put out, a rescue mission to be conducted, a paramedic that needs to give a hurt person some attention, you name it- we are on call 24/7.

We got majorily (I know it's not a word) spoiled this Christmas. Judah's dreams came true with his new fireman gear costume, water tank, fire car, and fireman pole (Don't worry- not all of it was from us, we clued the grandparents into what was on our little man's wish list).

Through a little Pinterest perusing and some Busy Kids inspiration- I got a new vision for our playroom (It's probably about the 4th time we have re-done our playroom and I have a feeling that number is going to keep going up). I often find it hard to want to "play" in our playroom because it always felt like there were toys everywhere and we had no order to our madness. I'm so grateful for other geniuses out there who help solve my problems by giving me some structure (which I tend to lack- I'm a free spirit kind of person). So, I took what we already had, an amazing room, and decided to organize it. Wanna guess what we organized it to be? You're right! A FIRE STATION! And let me tell you, this fire station has been in use since the plan began to unfold. I so wish I had taken better before and after pictures- but I'll give you some of the afters in a second. It's still in Phase 1 of becoming a "cute" fire station, but it's a working one none-the-less.

We created a climbing area from an old slide (still looking for a cheap ladder) which leads Fireman Judah up to his bunk. We got a crib mattress and a pillow up on the window sill which created a great fireman bed and also will be used for a reading nook as he gets older (the visions in my head). Then, we ran into a store manager at Lowe's who dreamed with us and gave us all the tools needed to create a fire pole that he could slide down. (If you are interested in those building materials- comment below and I can write a post on those- it's super simple and cheap- but don't want to waste the time explaining if nobody wants that info.) You have to see him live in action here:

Next, we cleaned out the storage of my crafts/wrapping paper and junk from our wardrobe area, and we placed all fire equipment, gear, costumes, trucks and gadgets hidden away for him to access during emergencies. This way too- he's got a place for ALL fire stuff- it doesn't randomly disappear across the room and he's very serious about keeping it organized- because fire guys always put their stuff back in their "garages."

We moved our play kitchen over near the "garage." You must know that fireman have kitchens at their stations. Our play kitchen is now the fire station kitchen and I get served some great meals from there. Our TV and sitting area is now the common area where the firemen can relax while waiting for an emergency, etc. You get the point right? The best part of it all, we have purpose in the playroom. The toys are getting played with and stuck back where they belong before moving to the next thing. It's seriously a Christmas miracle. It's working out great for our little family.

Our little Izzy loves being outside and with the new "fire truck" (it was the cheapest motorized car we could find for Judah's big gift) we get lots of playtime outside riding around our street and Izz has learned to ride Judah's little three-wheeler car too (she got other toys for Christmas too- don't worry- but she still is in the go-with-the-flow phase of life). Izzy is Judah's right-hand-girl. She'll become whatever he wants her to be at the moment (fireman, paramedic, person needing rescue, etc) with no complaint.

If you are ever bored and need to spend some time at a fire station, come on over. Judah will tell you what to do. He's great at that.

Here's to a New Year with lots more "rescues" to be had.

Just in case you need a little more of this cute little fireman:

Purging

J Crew style

When we first got married, my husband only wore J. Crew, only bought home goods from Pottery Barn, kitchen appliances only from Williams Sonoma, etc - you get the point? He knew he had a conservative yet preppy style, and it worked for him. That is until we started living day-in-and-out together and I opened up his horizons to Nordstrom, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, Target, Thrift Stores, Antique shops and so much more! I guess you can say I'm a little "eclectic" (def : one who uses a method or approach that is composed of elements drawn from various sources). It goes with my free-spirited personality. My husband reigns me in to make sense of it all.

Needless to say, Joe's one-stop-shop method got opened up to a whole new horizon when our family outings included shopping in San Francisco. He never knew you could have so much fun shopping in San Fran until he met me (I'm taking credit for his now amazing sense of style too). God sure knows what he's doing when he puts people together, right? He did with us. We bring out the good in each other.

Back to purging- so we have been married for 5 years come March and our home represents that morphing and meshing of styles. (I'll have to do a post to show picts of our home later.) As the days go by, we have started accumulating items that we would say are more "us" now instead of "him" or "me" and with that comes the need to purge our home of the "him" and "me" items (even though I'm better at purging the "him" items- ha). [Side note: he's now glad I saved my 6 cheerleading uniforms (which have gone through 3 moves) cause Izzy got to wear my cheer vest from 7th grade for halloween this year! Glad I didn't give that one up- but I know he's waiting for the day when I get rid of my urban outfitter comforter from my college days- it's still sitting in our linen cabinets- confession: I can't do it]

So, we go through rooms and start picking items that have been bugging us for a while. The biggie on this list was our dining room table. Joe bought it with me in tow while we were engaged and I let him do his thing. We got a great table that fit in "our" soon to be home and it worked. Fast-forward almost 5 years and that table we loved which has seen many family dinners, and carries great memories- sticks out like a glove in our dining room which is the first thing you see when you walk in our door. So, we decided our Christmas family gift (we always try to do one big family gift a year, typically a home item) was going to be a new dining room table. The only way to make that happen is to make space for the new one (which I'm super excited about- again, I'll have to do another post on that later) is to get rid of the old. We posted the table for a great price and it sold in one day to a lovely family who just had a little baby named Jude and they thought Judah was pretty cool.

Good memories of the train table, but glad it's gone. 

Next item to go, was our well-loved Thomas the Train table. I originally bought it for my train-lover little man off of craigslist for $50 and we sold it to a lovely family for $100 (I pretend I'm a wheeler and dealer) making a profit of $50. We are redoing our playroom and that train table (though well-loved) took up too much space, plus we have to make room for Christmas gifts that they will obtain from family members who think they are the world.

There were a few more exchanges of other random items we had laying around the house that haven't been getting much love, so we sold them, put a little cash in our wallet, and became content with what we have been blessed to acquire. It feels really good to get rid of things! Try it sometime.

Everyday Desire:
1. After writing this I realized I'm not taking enough pictures in this season of my life. I need to take more photos. I think blogs are more interesting to read with great photos...do you?

Grateful for MOPS . . .

Honestly, if you asked me a year ago, I never would have even considered attending a MOPS (Mother's of Preschoolers) group, let alone lead one. I guess you can say, God has bigger plans (if you believe in the spiritual stuff- which I do). I heard the name thrown around a few times here and there, but never took the time to really see what it was all about. That is until my aunt hooked me up with Elizabeth (who is very involved in a MOPS group at another local church) and she wanted to introduce Capital to this awesome organization and reach more moms with a deeper connection. I really believe our meeting opened my eyes to see things a little differently. Then, upon her invitation, I actually attended a meeting and really got something out of it.

My background with moms started when Judah was 6 months old and I had to get out of the house. I wanted friends that desired the same thing and thought maybe our kids could be friends, and then maybe we could talk about mom stuff and have an outlet for stir-crazy days. Capital MOMS was birthed at that time and since we have been going strong, yet hearing the need and desire for more mom time.

[There are a bunch of details I'm leaving out, cause I don't want to bore you- but all this to say- we are launched MOPS in September 2012]

I love the women I'm surrounded by! I love seeing God birth creativity and passion to reach moms with hope, deeper relationships, and making sure no one gets left behind. The PLUNGE them couldn't be more perfect for our semester launch either- because we are doing just that- we are diving in, all the way, submerging ourselves to gain a better understanding of God, taking some extra breaths (a little time away from our kids because there is childcare!), eating some good food, and going deep with moms in our community (not just at Capital- we want to reach moms everywhere who need the break and encouragement)!

We are close to wrapping up our first semester and I'm already in awe at what God has accomplished. I see friendships being made, I see posts on Facebook about playdates that never would have occurred before, I hear about mentor moms speaking life to specific needs of moms at every table - I see laughter, joy and hope for better days ahead!

Even on those days when I feel wiped out, walking into a room full of women at various breaking points on their own journey's reminds me all over again why we do what we do.

Photos courtesy of lovemarriagebabynap.blogspot.com

Today, looking ahead to this week of Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for MOPS and for our leadership team that has Plunged with me to make a difference in our community. I'm grateful that moms trust us with their time and children and show up each week. I'm thankful.

God is way bigger than my dreams, he is the creator of them!

One on One with Mary Jacobs

We were privileged to host Mary Jacobs at the last Capital MOMS brunch. She is a wife, mother of three, and a teacher at Capital Christian High School. Talk about experience. She's got it. I don't think I'm speaking for myself when I say I walked away with some great goals and reminders! I hope (if you weren't able to make it) that you find this somewhat helpful or encouraging.

Psalm 13
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
² How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?

³ Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
    Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
⁴ and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
    and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

⁵ But I trust in your unfailing love;
    my heart rejoices in your salvation.
⁶ I will sing the Lord’s praise,
    for he has been good to me.

Sometimes being a mother of little babies/preschoolers can feel lonely. We have to choose to believe the Word of the Lord. We can get stuck in a cycle of "assumicide" or "presumiscide"- presuming things about others and it just kills/drains us. We don't know what's going on in the lives of our friends. Don't live life alone. When we catch ourselves going down that road, grab a friend and God's word and begin to pray the scripture. We need freedom (and have to give the freedom to others) to not be perfect. You will have more freedom when you aren't comparing yourself to another. The way to get back on track is through prayer and time with God. Even if you're prayer conversations sound like this sometimes:

Interesting Conversation with God.Author- Unknown, from a forwarded email (Mary says sorry she can't find the author's name)

Me: God, can I ask you a question?
God: Sure.
Me: Promise you won't get mad?
God: I promise.
Me: Why did you let so much stuff happen to me today?
God: What do you mean?
Me: Well, I woke up late.
God: Yes.
Me: My car took forever to start.
God: Okay.
Me: At lunch they made my sandwich wrong and I had to wait.
God: Hmmm.
Me: On the way home my phone went dead just as I picked up a call.
God: Okay.
Me: And on top of all that, when I got home I just wanted to soak my feet in my new foot massager and relax, but it wouldn't work!!! Nothing went right today! Why did you do that?
God: Well, let me see. The Death Angel was at your bed this morning and I had to send one of the other angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep through that.
Me: (humbled): OH...
GOD: I didn't let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that would have hit you if you were on the road.
Me: (ashamed)
God: The person who made your first sandwich today was sick and I didn't want you to catch what he has.
I knew you couldn't afford to miss work.
Me: (embarrassed): Ok...
God: Your phone went dead because the person who was calling was going to give false witness about what you said during that call. I didn't even let you talk to them so that you would be covered.
Me: (softly) I see, God.
God: Oh, and that foot massager had a short that was going to throw out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn't think you wanted to be in the dark.
Me: I'm sorry God.
God: Don't be sorry, just learn to trust me in all things, the good and the bad.
Me: I will trust you.
God: And don't doubt that MY plan for your day is always better than your plan.
Me: I won't, God. And let me just tell you God, thank you for everything today.
God: You're welcome, child. It was just another day being your God, and I love looking after my children.

Mary shared about her experience with her daughter (now almost 29) being diagnosed at 2 1/2 years old with leukemia while being pregnant with her second child on the way. How do you handle a situation like that? She explained how she was just grateful that she knew God. She remembers sitting on her mom's couch and crying and just thanking God that she knew Him already- because He would carry her through this situation. (I'm not so sure I would have reacted the same way??) She asked the question- Who's kids are they? They are God's. Laura is still an amazing testimony of God's grace, miracles, and His strength. She battled 2 brain tumors this summer and recovered well and is teaching at the preschool. You would never know or guess her struggles - but God is greater. God has carried their family through. Reminds me to be grateful for God's blessings and thank Him daily for good health!

We have the ability to parent from a place of FEAR or from a place of VICTORY. When we parent with victory, there is much more freedom, less tension and joy!  

We also must remember to cultivate the fruits of the spirit in our own lives. We can't say "be kind" to our kids while we are constantly nagging our husbands. We have to practice what we are teaching. We can't make our kids love Jesus. We have to be real and live it our inf front of them. When we live from a place of love, joy, peace, patience . . . they will want to experience what we have.

Above all, we need HIM (period) to live. Pray the scripture over yourself and your kids. You are praying the will of God over them when you prays scripture- because it's HIS Word. Not only should we pray for our own kids, we need to be loving and praying for our friends children as well. God gave the example of leaving the 99 for the 1 who was struggling- it's the same with us today. When we see someone struggling- let's lift each other up in prayer. Prayer is the answer to everything.

Pray with your kids. Inspire them by asking questions. Ask them to think of 3 great things that happened today and thank God for it. (It's ok if they say they love the blue sky- encourage them- God created that- it's beautiful as part of his creation- encourage them in the simple things- it's a start!) Praise God. Give him Thanks. Tell God if you are anxious about something. If you are worried or nervous. Also- be quick to apologize. They learn repentance from us. It softens the home when we are willing to admit we messed up or made a mistake.

Sorry for the long blog. There were just great notes from our time together. Again, hoping you can gain something from this. Let me know what you took away from the brunch!

K. I. S. S. I. N. G. first comes love, then comes . . .

So in my everyday search on Pinterest, I came across a blog that referenced the idea of making sure you kiss your husband goodbye for work every morning. If you know me, I'm sold when you say the word "kiss." I  had to convince my husband that it was a must though which is why this particular blog stuck out to me. They gave statistics. A man is more successful in life when given a kiss in the morning. I guess this idea has been going around for a bit, but I just discovered it.

Benefits from kissing in the morning:
1. Miss less work because of illness
2. They earn 20 to 30 percent more monthly (** I got Joe hooked here- it's now apart of our morning routine)
3. Fewer auto accidents on the way to work
4. Live about five years more than those who don't even give each other a peck on the cheek
5. Kissing husbands start off the day on a positive note, are less moody 

So, my challenge to you today and everyday, make sure to kiss your husband goodbye! It's good for the soul and your marriage.

Read more about the study here: http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/k/kissing.htm


I'll have to find the blog I referenced above later- can't seem to find it right now...If you find a good link to the actual study- let me know!

Pinterest Inspired Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I mentioned in a previous post that I joined my neighborhood bunco group. We each get the joy of bringing an appetizer to the party each month. If you know me, you know I HATE to cook. I know hate is a strong word, but it strongly describes my love for cooking.

Well, Pinterest has become my best friend while trying to come up with ideas for lovely things to create. I think the only bonus of this whole deal is that my family is enjoying the new creations as well. They are my tester audience.

I limit myself a little too - to what I have in my kitchen on the day of the test. This time around it was lettuce and chicken. I found an awesome pin about recreating P.F. Changs lettuce wraps (click for the original recipe) and was bummed when I realized I didn't have all the ingredients. Then I decided to challenge myself to create something as close to the recipe as I could and pray it turned out edible.

Well, not only was it edible, it was quick and easy- and uses most ingredients that I keep stocked in my kitchen.

Ingredients:

1. 2 Tablespoons Yoshidas Sweet and Savory Cooking Sauce (I buy it at Costco cause we use it so much!)
2. 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
3. 1/2 Teaspoon White Vinegar
4. Chicken Breasts or Tenderloins (I buy from Coscto)
5. Lettuce (we buy in bulk from Costco- we are on a salad kick these days)
6. 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
7. 1/2 White Onion
8. Oil, Salt, Pepper
Dipping Sauce:
1. Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce (buy in asian aisle at grocery store)- see in the picture to the right...

To make the stir-fry sauce:

1. Prep the stir fry sauce by mixing Yoshidas, brown sugar, and white vinegar in a small bowl.

To make the chicken stir-fry (copied from the original recipe and modified):

1. Heat oil over high heat until it glistens, about one minute. Add chopped chicken and saute until mostly cooked through, about 5 minutes with salt and pepper.
2. Turn the heat down to medium-high. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, and then add garlic, onions, and the stir-fry sauce you prepared earlier. Stir-fry everything for about 4 minutes, and remove to a serving dish.
3. Serve stir-fry with  lettuce and top with dipping sauce.

This was my final product (pictured above) and it was a hit!

One on One with Joanne Cole

We were privileged to host my Aunt Joanne at the last Capital MOMS brunch. She is a wife, mother of four, grandmother of one and our Women's Ministry Director. Talk about experience. She's got it. I don't think I'm speaking for myself when I say I walked away with some great goals and reminders! I hope if you weren't able to make it, that you find this somewhat helpful or encouraging.

Here is a little recap from my perspective. If you attended and got something else I didn't include, please share! I love how God speaks to each of us in different ways through different people. 

What would you have done differently as a young MOM?
1. Take more time for yourself.
If you don't cut out the time for yourself, nobody else will. You need some alone time to keep sane. And when talking about alone time (this doesn't include 1 minute in the bathroom with kids banging on the door). Get a hobby. Find something that inspires you. Speaking for myself here, I forced myself to join a neighborhood bunco group that meets once a month for some me time. My husband agreed to the terms before I threw it upon him, but each Monday when I get to escape - I feel a little more peaceful. It doesn't hurt that I've taken home some extra cash almost every time too. Maybe that's God's way of telling me I'm doing the right thing by taking some time for ME.
~ Time for yourself even includes time with God. Don't set unrealistic goals. Try a Proverb a day. If today is August 2- read Proverbs 2. Proverbs is the book of wisdom. 

2. Laugh more! 
Not everything in life has to be serious. Yes, you are shaping your little kids minds and challenging them to grow each day, but it's ok to laugh in some moments that could make you cry. I loved Joanne's example about the rafting trip. (If you weren't there on Sunday, ask her to tell you sometime). Life goes by too fast to not find joy and humor in your kids. Even when they embarrass you, just laugh!

3. Give each other a break!
No one is called to be a mom to your child(ren) except you. Instead of judging another for their decision in raising a child, let's begin applauding each other. Let's affirm and encourage each other. 

4. Enjoy each space and phase of development.
Be present at each moment. Stay engaged. Love every moment, because before you know it, they will be graduating high school and college, moving out, and getting married. It's ok to look with excitement to the phases ahead, but once you are there, you can't ever get the past phase back. Know that every season ends. The season of infancy with exhaustion ends. The season with temper tantrums, the terrible 2's and 3's ends. So don't wish it away too fast. **Keep from being weary: You can do anything knowing it's temporary.

What do you feel you did RIGHT as a young MOM?
3 John 1:4  I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Point to Note:
Strengths carried to an extreme can become a weakness 

1. Be generous with your time. 
Stay up late for those talks on their schedule. Play outside with them instead of laying on the couch. Take time to create an activity they would enjoy. Go to the park. Sign them up for a sport they would enjoy.  

2. Work hard at being consistent.
Their attitudes will line up with their actions. Character with conduct. Beliefs with behavior. Be consistent even if you feel like you are a nag. How many times did you feel your mom was ever a nag? Don't you respect her now?  Save "no" for what really matters. Say "yes" as much as you can.

3. Take the time to explain "why."
Use opportunities as they come as teaching opportunities. Know too- you don't always have to teach to be a consultant. Pushing in the right direction without forcing. Be honest and open. Kids thrive on honesty and relate to you when you are willing to relate to them.

4. Peace is a great indicator of being where you are supposed to be. 
If your home is chaotic, you just might be out of balance. When there is disruption in the home, it starts affecting attitudes. You can learn when to say "no" to outside things when your home isn't peaceful. 

I'm sure I'm missing something. Regardless, lessons were learned. Growth continues.