Why I've become a hermit

This week, John's been gone to Scotland, so it's been me and the boys alone for a few days! On Monday, we kept our normal schedule and went to toddler group (literally a 5 min. walk with a two year old!), which was a WELCOME distraction after Leighton had screamed all morning! On Tuesday, we had friends over to play. So today, I thought I'd be a good mom and get us out for some fun!
I always hear that SAHM need to get out of the house to be motivated and how kids need to get outside, and I'm a fan, although you wouldn't know it these past 6 weeks or so. It is quite a feat to take the two out on my own especially without a double stroller. But today was the day! It's been so nice all week, I thought a trip to the park would be great...so off we went!
Well, the nice weather was gone today...it was FREEZING and very windy! Tanner started the toddler whine/cry after only minutes. He lasted about 10 min. on the playground. But I was prepared...bring on the Winter Gardens. The Winter Gardens are right at the end of the park, and it is warm, there are huge fish to see, and a place to sit! So off we went again, to find out it was CLOSED! Randomly, it was closed for staff training (how much training does one need to sit at the info desk
I wonder?)
But, I was nonplussed...there is a grocery store/cafe right across the street. I figured we could get warm and have drink and check out the store while we were there. So we walked, actually I was walking, Tanner was being dragged sobbing to the store. And we found...It was closed too for restocking! Seriously! It was 10:45 on a Wed. morning - what in the world?
I resorted to dragging a screaming toddler to the mall, where we sat down and ate a very expensive cookie and hot chocolate, checked out the toy store, and visited the grocery store for some treats to welcome home daddy!
This is why I'm thinking life as a hermit for the next few years may be better suited :) At least the hot chocolate was delicious!

Letting Go

"Reducing our accomplishments to nothing or disowning our hopes and dreams is not easy. But it is essential. We need to accept Jesus' accomplishments and believe in His hopes and dreams for us."

What are your hopes and dreams? We grow up dreaming and planning. One of my childhood dreams was to be an Olympic gymnast. Nevermind the fact that I had only taken a few classes, I was just sure that just given the opportunity, I would be a prodigy. Of course, this was not the case. I was also quite determined to be a pediatrician, but that too was just a dream. In fact, very few of my hopes and dreams have happened exactly as I had planned.

It's hard to disown our accomplishments and live in our weaknesses, boasting in God's strength and equally hard to DISOWN our hopes, our dreams. It's difficult to trust and believe in the Lord's dreams for us, especially when it means letting go of things that we've longed for, or when the path He's chosen is painful or hard, or when we just can't see what His dreams for us are at the time.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare [peace] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

But the more we love God, the more we trust Him and truly desire His dreams for our lives, because His dreams for our lives result in bringing Him glory, result in eternal rewards, and are always for our good.

Toilet Training Tales

I know I just posted about Tanner and the potty, but this is just too good to pass up! Don't worry there are no embarrassing videos this time! But...

HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM!

So today is day three of "hard-core" potty training, meaning we've gone pantsless since Tuesday, including our outings in public. And I admit last night I thought, "Why am I doing this? He's just barely two and I just don't think he's ready!"
Day one we had a few "hits" but that was mostly because he would sit on his potty while watching Mickey. I mean you'd go too if you sat there for so long! But, I chalked it up as him learning!
Day two, yesterday, we didn't make it to the potty at all! In fact, he didn't even like the potty. We also had multiple accidents! We went through four pairs of pants while we were out and about! Thus, last night I was thinking FORGET THIS!
But, I decided to persevere - they say it takes a 3 days to a week and we hadn't even made it that far yet! But just as I was tempted to say, my sweet toddler wasn't quite getting the whole potty thing...oh how they prove you wrong!
Today, we tried again, and when I saw him making a particular face I urged him to go to his potty! Much to my surprise, he went!!!! CHEERS! A Treat! A Potty dance!
Well, my little stinker was thrilled! He proceeded to then wee on the potty - 8 times in a row (in about 5 min.!) Why? He figured out how to force himself to go and kept on going little bits to win his "treat!" What do you do when you've promised the child a treat if he went on the potty? He was delighted! Each time he would gleefully jump up and announce, "Gucky!" (Yucky would be the translation) and ask for his treat. Thankfully, he didn't seem to realize the treats kept getting smaller as we broke them in half ;-)
We weren't quite accident free all day, but it's looking promising...
Who was it that said something to the effect give me an army of two year olds and I can take over the world?

Don't be jealous!

OK I know I'm bragging a bit, but I just have to tell you one of the best parts about living here in the UK!

Are you ready?

I'm telling you - those of you with kids or busy with your job or really hate Walmart are going to be jealous!

Are you ready?

GROCERY DELIVERY!

That's right! Each week we have groceries delivered right to our door! It's brilliant and amazing! For a small fee (especially when you choose a Tues. or Wed. night from 8-10 for delivery!) the grocery store (and this is almost ALL grocery stores from cheaper to more expensive( will deliver your groceries! For us, it's the same price as it would be for us to drive to the store!
How does it work? I pick my delivery slot (the cheapest one), then I pick my groceries online. They even save all of my old orders, so I can reorder things I use weekly! If there is something that they are out of, they bring me a replacement for the same price or cheaper - and they ask me if I want to keep it!
It's all paid for online and no tips! They bring in the bags (they'll even take my old bags to recycle!) and we're done!
What if I forget something? We do live within walking distance to a small grocery store that we can get most things - it just doesn't cater to a big, weekly grocery shop.
The best parts - no dragging two kids to the store, no impulsive buying (I can see my cost as I add things), no fighting other carts through aisles that are too small, no searching the shelves for the product I just can't find, did I mention not having to drag two kids to the store????

Ahhh it's amazing! I'm spoiled... But, I need to go - my delivery for the week is here ;-)

New Year's Resolutions - uhh check the date!

INTENTIONAL

Intentionally seeking the Lord. Intentionally loving. Intentionally parenting. Intentionally reaching out. Intentional.

That's the word I've chosen for 2011. I confess it's not a word that suddenly came to me just before January 1st when thinking of New Year's Resolutions. It's a word that I've been "chewing" on since last year. But this year, I want it to define my year.

I want this word to shape the goals and resolutions I make this year. You see, I'm launching into my goals today, yes I know it's January 10th (it's just the 1st with a zero added ;-)) But I decided to take some time to think a bit more about the goals I wanted to make and with my mom's visit and putting away Christmas, I felt like today was the best day to start! Oh, and it's a Monday, and my schedule loving self likes things starting on Mondays - it's like a new beginning each week! And I know some of you are against resolutions for various reasons, but I like the idea of a fresh start, a new beginning, and new challenge! So...here are my resolutions!

- I want to intentionally read the Bible daily and share what God is teaching me with others! Women Living Well has a great resource for doing this!
- I want to intentionally love my husband, so I'm going to plan a date each month for him. I'm on the hunt for some great "At Home" dates that do not include watching TV in a comatose state until we can respectfully go to bed (it's just not right to crawl in bed the same time as our toddler!) Need some cute, fun ideas - check out The Dating Divas!
- I want to intentionally parent - this includes potty training (YIKES!) and taking the time to teach them the WORD. I'm amazed at how much Tanner can retain, and I want to intentionally tap into that.
- I want to intentionally exercise at least twice a week. This is a low number that I hope to raise, but I also want to be realistic with my time, energy, and chasing a toddler around the house.
- Finally, I want to intentionally reach out to lost people. I've really struggled in how to do this, especially staying at home so much of the time. For now, I'm trying to love, meet, and share Christ with my neighbors by sharing food with them. It's a way to talk to them and I love to cook! So, I'm aiming for once a week to share food with one of our neighbors!

So there you go! January 10th - New Year's Resolutions launched! Hopefully by the end of 2011, I will be able to say I was truly INTENTIONAL!

What will you do for a treat?

We are beginning the arduous process of potty training. Well, more accurately, we're starting the process without feeling too pressured! Tanner's been interested in sitting on the potty fully clothed, so we thought we'd give it a proper try. Our dilemma was he wouldn't sit on the potty very long or he'd get upset about it, so we introduced treats. And this boy loves his treats!
Today, he acted so interested, we bit the bullet and let him go pantsless to help him out. After one treat for sitting on the potty, we told him he'd have to go "pee pee" on the potty to get any more treats.
The child sat on the potty for 20 min., but to no avail! The video is at the end of our sitting. Notice how he tries to look to see if he peed! Right after we finished he got up and looked where I've been keeping the treats and the stinker found one I had missed. Then he proceeded to go on the floor about 5 min. later! Oh well, we're a work in progress!

DISCLAIMER: Ignore the no make-up and gross hair on me at the beginning of this!