Give and Get is Here!

Give and Get is Here!: "Enjoy 30% off from November 11-14 at Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy plus we'll make a 5% donation to a non-profit."
If your looking for a way to give back this holiday season this program looks great. When you shop at Gap, Banana Republic or Old Navy November 11-14 not only will you receive 30 percent off 5% of your purchase price will go to a non-profit organization. Please check out the link for more information.

New CVS Tip

Have you gotten any of the 10% off shopping spree coupons at CVS yet? They are printed on the bottom of your receipt with ECBs or coupons.
Here's what you need to know about them:

• There is a limit of saving $99 with it but that shouldn't be a problem for most people. (I don't think I know of anyone who would spent $999 at CVS in one trip)
• No matter what order the cashier uses it, the computer uses it  last after all other coupons and ECBs. So for example if your purchase comes to $100 and then you have $20 worth of coupons and ECBs bringing your total down to $80 you would get 10% off the $80 which would be another $8 off your total.
• I do not know if these can be used in conjunction with the 20% off CVS brand coupons that are also printing.

My coupon expires mid November so be sure to use it while it's good. I think both of these percent off coupons would be great for building up your stock pile. They would also be great to use to get stocking stuffer or gifts. If you take advantage of the current deal on Toy Story 3 DVD and add this coupon you should get some real savings. (In case you haven't heard if you spend $25 on P&G products you save $16 on Toy Story 3 DVD)

I am assuming you can use these in conjunction with the $5 off a $25 dollar purchase or $10 off a $50 purchase the $5 or $10 will just be taken off first then the 10% will be figured on the remaining.
For more tips on saving at CVS click here.

Raising a non-picky eater

Wow! It's been awhile since I posted anything. That was not my intention, but sometimes life gets in the way of plans. My husband was very sick for about three weeks, five days of which he was hospitalized. (However, I'm happy to report he is completely well. Although the doctor never did diagnose the problem. Where is Dr. Gregory House when you need him?) Then my three year old had a bout with asthma. He also required an overnight stay in the hospital. So needless to say, my blog got put on the back burner and as things in my family life normalized the blog remained on the back burner.

So now without any further ado, the topic of today's: kids and vegetables. My girls loved and still do love vegetables. In fact they gave me a hard time for not serving brussel spouts because it is one of the few foods I don't really like. One year my oldest actually requested lima beans for her birthday dinner. So when I would read parenting magazines and see articles about getting your kids to eat vegetables I skipped passed those and wondered what the big deal was all about. When a friend told me in shock that she couldn't believe that at a family gathering all the kids stood around the fruit and veggie trays chowing down I thought of course why wouldn't they?

Fast forward several years to the birth of my son. The only one of my children to nurse without a problem and without much of a weight loss drop when he was born. When he started on rice cereal and then baby food he loved it all. Then along came finger foods and he still loved them. For first birthday party I served a taco bar and included avocado chunks because it was one of his favorites. (He loved the taco meat too).

Then suddenly between the ages of 2 and 3 he became picky. Foods he loved he now turns his nose up to. He rarely will eat a vegetable at all and will only eat processed meat- hot dogs, chicken nuggets, breakfast sausage and McDonald's hamburgers (not homemade ones). He used to like spaghetti, now he doesn't touch it.

I know he won't starve to death. But my concern is teaching him healthy habits now that will stick with him for a lifetime. I don't want to make an issue of eating and food and make it a point of contention so I do not punish for not eating. There are natural consequences though and he needs to eat some type of healthy meal before having dessert.  Having two adults, two teens and two little ones to cook for there is rarely a meal that pleases everyone so I often serve the little ones a different main corse or make it a little more kid friendly. ( For example: not too many 1 and 3 year olds will eat blackened fish but the rest of my family will request it.)

So, I was wondering how do you encourage your kids to try new foods? What things worked great and what failed.

Soon to Have Give Aways!

I am so excited! I have applied for and been accepted to Spark Blog. (I assume they accept everyone, but I am just guessing.) What is Spark Blog you ask? It is a market tool by General Mills (and a few other companies if I am correct) that supplies bloggers with products for review and for give aways in order to get feed back about their products or get the word out about new ones.

So, when they have a product they think fits the profile I filled out they will send it. I honestly don't care if it's a sample box of cereal, if it's free I'm all over it!

Keep your eyes open because I'll be sharing information as it comes available.

The Dreaded Hamster Wheel

Somehow, although I didn't see it, I stepped into the giant hamster wheel of housework and stress and can't escape. I feel like George Jetson "Hey Jane! Stop this crazy thing!"

It's not just the dishes, laundry and cooking that as soon as they are completed it's time to start again- that I can handle. It's the picking the same toys up everyday, several times a day. It's the vacuuming the floor only to turn around and see the baby following behind with an opened, upside down box a cereal he found in the pantry. It's the picking up two toys  only to have the kids take out three more.

Don't get me wrong I adore my kids and I am so blessed to have them. Yet the timing of my children- two sets of kids 12 years apart- is not always great for my sanity. Although the toddler years are my favorite, they certainly have their stresses, especially when trying to maintain a somewhat clean environment.

I finally had the toddler years behind me. Life was comfortable and natural. The girls were old enough and responsible enough to clean up after themselves and to be helpful. We no longer needed a baby-proof home. In fact when we moved into this house they were four and six so it wasn't necessary.

Things were by no means perfect. The house looked lived in, not a show house but any standards, but that's OK. Yet when I cracked down to thoroughly clean, it actually got clean. It was good! Then BAM-O! Enter two little boys... need I say more?

I know as they they get older, it will get better. I know these are precious times and I don't want to miss them because I'm cleaning. Yet at the same time a certain amount of cleanliness must be maintained to avoid health issues. So I am wondering how do you stay off the hamster wheel? How do you keep things sane with little ones in the house? Please share your ideas or links in the comments.

Setbacks

I've been thinking that perhaps I've misnamed this blog. Instead of Wiki Mom the how to place for moms, it should be called Un-Wiki Mom the how not to do things place for moms. I had dreams of the school year starting with me getting all the chores on my list done early in the day and then doing home schooled pre-school with my three and a half year old while the toddler played quietly or ate in his high chair.

Reality check! No, instead an elderly relative needed a ride to an appointment, which led to taking her to other places she rarely gets to visit. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, in fact it would probably have been enjoyed, but I didn't correctly manage my time yet again. So I ran out the door with the house a wreck. When we got home the boys were asleep and it was almost time for the teenagers to get home from school, so we chucked until tomorrow. That was Monday.

Tuesday, yea, I did get some learning time in. But  my chores were set aside until afternoon because my crazy life happened again. First off between a phone call from the school counselor and trying to find get my Tot book ready for him (Yes, it should have been ready the day before- but that is another part of the story.) we were going to run out of time again so I put the cleaning on hold, cleared off the dining room table and had some fun.

Here is what I learned from out first few attempts at pre-school:

• To make a Tot Book when the directions say to cut a file folder in half it doesn't mean along the seam. You are to open the folder and cut it horizontally. (I needed my 16 year old to figure this one out)
• When searching for regular staples you will only find heavy duty ones. When you then decide you really need the heavy duty stapler and finally find it (of all places in a box of tools in the barn) you will only be able to find the regular staples, but if you stop looking long enough to wonder what is poking your thigh you will remember you shoved the staples in your jeans pocket to keep them safe from the baby.
• Things don't have to be perfect for a three year old to have fun and learn.

What Noah has learned so far:

• Mom cares enough about me to have some one on one time.
• Taking turns is NOT the best part of playing memory match, but an important one.
• Although it usually drives mommy crazy when I play the copy-cat game, when she is trying to teach me a Bible verse that's what I'm supposed to do.
• If I eat one of my 4 PB&J triangles it is no longer a square, but if I share one with my little brother then remaining 2 little triangles make one big triangle if I push them together.

Looking Forward to Fall

As much as I am dreading the start of school, which means chauffeuring to early morning band practice every morning at 6:30 a.m.(which in turn means having myself and two toddlers up and dressed and ready to walk out the door by 6:30), I am looking forward to the milder weather of Fall.

I usually enjoy summer, but this year it was so hot I really didn't take the little ones out as much as normal. Also, having a 3 year-old in a cast for a month, plus the week or so it took to determine he needed the cast, much of the summer water fun had to be avoided.

So, I am starting the school year with a new, positive attitude (or trying very hard to do so) and I am looking for the positive. When fall finally hits the days will be a bit cooler which will give us more time outside without having to worry about heat stroke. The leaves will change color which will not only look beautiful, but lends a hand to so many learning and craft opportunities with the little guys. Also, apple season and pumpkin season and don't forget corn-maze season  are all great opportunities for fun family activities. (If you watch "The Middle" the portrayal of Indiana and its corn mazes was pretty accurate, he he)

Just thinking about Autumn makes me want to put on my favorite sweater, a pair of comfy jeans and some cute boots and drink hot cider by the fireplace (well if I had a fireplace).... then reality hits. It is currently 80 degrees in the shade at only 9 a.m. (which is actually one of the the more pleasant days) It's OK, in mid winter I'll be wishing for the summer heat.

Saving at CVS

In my quest to save money I have found that CVS, which is a place I used to avoid for most items expect prescriptions, actually can save you tons of money. It's just a matter of knowing the ins and outs of CVS.

I am still learning to master CVS, some times I am very impressed with my savings, others I wonder if it was actually worth the time and energy.

Extra Care Bucks or ECB are the key to saving money at CVS. These are printed on the bottom of your receipt and can be used like money on all products except prescriptions and tobacco and alcohol. (Check the store or fine print for any restrictions I may have missed.) You can not get changed back from ECB, so if your purchase total is $2.50 and all you have is $3 in ECB you can use it, but you lose the 50 cents. For more info on ECB, how to use and earn them go here.

At CVS it is important to know their coupon policy. First off you can use both a manufacturer's coupon and CVS coupon for the same product. Also, CVS accepts competitor coupons. These are especially important because many competing pharmacies have coupons will give you a gift card if you fill a new prescription or transfer one from another pharmacy. If you fill a prescription and present one these coupons CVS will honor it. I suggest double checking when you fill the coupon so there are no surprises when you check out. These coupons vary in value, but I have used one for $10 and know someone who had one good for $25 a prescription up to four scripts! Super bonus! If you have 4 scripts to fill that's $100 in free money.

Basically the plan when shopping at CVS is to purchase items that will generate more ECB, that are on sale and for which you have a coupon. This sometimes takes research and time. Also, if you make your purchase in multiple transactions you can use the ECB that you generate from transaction one to pay for transaction two, and the ones generated from transaction two to pay for transaction three and so on. The best way to get a good understanding of this is to check out the $5 CVS challenge at Keeping the Kingdom First.

CVS often gives out coupons that are good for $5 off a $25 purchase or coupons good for $10 off a $50 purchase. If you have one of these give it to the cashier before you use any other coupons. Next use your store and manufacture's coupons. Finally use your ECB.

If you have any questions or your own tips to share for saving at CVS please comment below.

School is starting

It's hard for me to believe school is starting next week. Where did the summer go? I have decided that when school starts I will start homeschooling preschool with my 3 year old. The problem is I have not yet decided what or how I am gong to do it.

I am thinking that I will do it 4 to five days a week for about an hour or two depending on his attention span and what we are working on. During the months he has story time we will only do it four days that week, the rest of the time five because that is just too much in one day for a little kid.

My main problem is coming up with lesson plans that aren't too complex or projects that I are above his ability. I used to be a daycare teacher and I was required to come up with lesson plans for different stations in a classroom of of 10-15 children. So, I need to reign things back a bit to keep it fun and exciting and not like I am putting him though toddler boot camp.
I have some material already and some things in mind, but any suggests would be appreciated

Taking advantage of summer harvest

I have so much buzzing around my head that I want to share with you, but haven't had much time to do so. Therefore, I decided to just pick one topic and go with it. And the winning topic is: saving money by taking advantage of the seasonal produce.

Even if you are like me and didn't get your act together to get a garden planted, you can still get in on the summer goods. (I WILL do it next year- I promise. Please don't ask how many years I made and broke that promise, but next year will be different.)

Depending on where you live you should be able to find farmer markets or road side stands where the produce is fresher and cheaper than the grocery store. Or you may be blessed enough to have a neighbor with too much who is looking to give the stuff away. Buy in bulk if possible and then freeze or can your purchase.

When shopping don't be afraid to haggle especially if you plan on buying a huge amount. I know a man who goes to local road side corn stands and asks them how much they would charge him for their entire stock. He fills his pick-up truck up and blanches and freezes it all.

A few summers ago I discovered a farm where they had U-Pick tomatoes and it was only $5 to fill a 5 gallon bucket. I also bought some peppers and corn and I made enough of my "famous" salsa to last a year.

Peas, beans, broccoli and cauliflower and corn freeze well, just blanch them first. If you want to bake with zucchini grate it before freezing, but if you want to steam or saute then slice it first. I have hear that tomatoes can be frozen, but I have not tried. Instead I have canned them using the hot process method (not a pressure canner.) This seems a little scary, but it is really very easy.

Also, once you get your canning equipment, all except for the lids can be reused, and these are fairly inexpensive. The bans only need to be replaced if they rust. (The equipment you will need is: a large pot, jars with lids and bans, tongs for lifting the jars. A funnel is helpful, but depending on what you are canning may not be necessary.)

I get my geek on over the weekend

Hi! It's Monday and my house and life are a disorganized mess. On the upside I had a great weekend. On Friday we took a road trip to pick up our oldest daughter from my sister's house. She had been visiting there for just over a week. We spent the night and then went to the Maker Faire in Detroit.
We had a good time. I think though it could have been a better experience. There really was things for all ages but with having ages 1-41 in our family it seemed like we were constantly trying to make sure everyone got to do and see everything they wanted. In theory someone could have stayed with the little ones and did all kinds of activities while the others went and saw what they were interested in. The only problem with that is that the person with the boys usually wanted to see what the others saw. So, I you need to approach the Faire as either a "geek fest" where you check out all the newest technology and inventions or a hands on museum for the kids. We tried to do both and it didn't work out as well as we thought.
The highlight of the day was that I spotted Leo Laporte and my husband and I got to meet him. If you don't know who he is he is a "god" in the geek world. Back when Tech TV was on he was on a show called the Screen Savers. He now hosts several pod casts including TWIT (This Week in Tech). The main reason we were there is because my husband had heard about the Maker Faire on one of Leo's pod casts and he knew he was going to be doing a live pod cast from there.
While we were eating I looked up and saw Leo walking with a man and woman and recognized him. We grabbed the new video camera, told the teenagers to watch the toddlers and took off after him. We caught up to him and I recorded my husband meeting him. Leo was really nice and so were the other people with him. The lady (maybe his wife?) offered to take the camera so I could get in. It was cool and I was so happy that I spotted him and for my husband. I know it really made his day.
Although some of the tech stuff there was beyond my way of thinking it was a cool place. I enjoyed the craft tents and the "upcycle" booth. I have been inspired to help my daughter create a dress out of Target bags. The main problem there is I've been doing more shopping at Walmart than Target and their bags just wouldn't look as cool as a dress.
Well it's a busy day. I need to do my morning routine and get the house in order, than its grocery shopping day and a doctor appointment later.

Making changes

I have been doing some serious thought about my blog and realized it is not quite what I envisioned. I have not been keeping it as up to date as I planned. I think my daily themes have become a road block instead of an inspiration. I also feel like my blog is too preachy, like I'm the mom expert or something. That is the opposite of my original idea.
I intended this to be more of a journal of my life as a mom. I wanted to share my successes and even my failures and have others comment and share theirs. So I am making some changes to try to achieve that.

Kid Time- Play with your kids

This sounds like a no brainer right? I mean who doesn't play with their kids? Actually you'd be surprised a lot of people don't. And actually do YOU?
Do your kids play while you are busy doing housework , checking email or are on the phone?  Do you play with them when you go to the park or do you spend your time talking to other parents? These things are fine and necessary,  (yes, if you are home all day with kids chatting with other moms becomes a necessity), but playing WITH your kids is important too.
Lots of parents, including myself have gotten caught up into making sure that playtime with their kids is a planned event that is education and "worthwhile." These activities are great too, but don't let details get you bogged down and keep you from enjoying your kids.
Yes, independent play is an important skill and you are not your child's personal entertainment. But playing with your kids for just a short time a day is beneficial to both of you. 
Playing with your kids can be simple. Just grab a car, train or doll that they are playing with and join in. Don't worry if you feel dorky your kids won't care. Make some with play-doh instead of it letting your kids have all the fun.Help your baby stack blocks or race your preschooler to the tree and back.
If you can throw some extra learning in (For example: here's a blue block or now lets race from the short to the tall tree) that great but don't over think it. Just spending the time with your child and making it about him or her will be more essential in the long run. You will help build social skills and confidence. Also if you give your kids some uninterrupted time quality time they are less likely to nag you to death later just for attention. Plus you'll just feel happier and better about your self as a parent.
Well I have two little boys waiting to get outside and PLAY!

Why Grilling is Great

There are many reasons why it grilling is a great way to cook. First off it's healthy because it adds little fat or oils to your foods. Also many vegetables grill-up wonderfully so  kids who normally turn their nose up to veggies might actually try some. Grilled fruit can make a delicious yet healthy dessert. Steaks, burgers and hot dogs seem to be typical grilling staples but lighter meats like lean pork, fish,chicken and turkey breast grill up great as well.

During the summer heat it keeps the house from getting heated by your oven or stove, which in turn saves money on the energy that is needed to run the A/C or a fan.

Grilling is usually quick and easy and if you make foil packets you can put them together earlier in the day and just toss them on the grill when it's time to cook. Also tools like a a grill basket or a grill pan (a pan that has holes in it that is made for using on the grill) can help you break out of the box of "normal" grill fare by allowing you to stir fry or cook small pieces of meat and vegetables.

Kids love to cook and prepping food for the grill is a fantastic way to get them involved. Also many grilled meals can easily be personalized for all tastes. When making shish-ka-bobs or foil packets have a variety of ingredients available and let everyone assemble their own using their favorites.

Also,the only time many husbands cook is when it's on the grill. I discovered this quite by accident the summer my second child was born. My oldest was only 18 months when her sister was born at the end of June. As most moms know there are some days when you just don't want to or just don't have the energy or mental capacity cook,especially with a brand new baby and toddler to care for. It didn't take me long to learn whenever I took the food out to the grill my husband was there taking it out of my arms. So I started saving the grilled meals for those days described above. It also didn't take long for my husband to figure out what I was doing but he appreciated that I had him cook the way he enjoyed when I wanted a hand with dinner.

No More Manic Mondays- Menu Planning

Planning a weekly menu is smart for a few reasons. First off writing a menu helps build your grocery list. If you plan everything for the week you won't have to run off to the store continually in order to have all the ingredients you need for dinner. This will save time, gas and money since you won't have so many chances to buy things you don't really need.
Also, by planning a menu  will help those rushed moments trying to figure out what to make for dinner while the kids are whining that they are hunger and you're already running late to drop off various family members at various evening activities.
There are a couple ways to write a menu. Some like to plan every meal for each day and it is pretty much set in stone. I like a more lax approach. Generally before writing my menu I check the calendar and see what's planned for the week. Days that I'll be busy all day or need sometime to grab before running the kids in the evening,or if my husband has to fend for himself  I plan slow cooker meals. The rest of the week
I number and list meals and then when I decide what to make for dinner I just look at the list and decide what i feel like making or eating or what my husband is in the mood for.
I can't tell you how many times I that the meal I made for dinner was the exact meal that my husband had for lunch. It's not just on spaghetti or taco night this has happened when I made things like pork tenderloin or baked fish. So I usually check with my hubby.
What techniques do you use for writing your menu? Please feel free to share your ideas or tips.

The Importance of Pampering Yourself

As moms we naturally give our bests to others whether its to our kids, our husband, our friends our bosses, we tend to put ourselves last. This is not a bad thing, as Christians we are called to serve others. (See Mark 10:43-45, Luke 22:27, Proverbs 31;10-31)
Yet because we are human we can feel burned out, or used. Sometimes as moms we can feel like we are not truly appreciated; that a maid or a cook or a taxi service would get as much gratitude as we do from our families. Those are times we need to sit back and remember why we do what we do. We need to remember those wet oatmeal kisses are worth more than gold and that the sparkle in a child's eye can sometimes say thank you better than his words. These are the times we need to look at the blessings we have been given and remind ourselves to be thankful for them. In the words of the Veggie Tales "A thankful heart is a happy heart.I'm thankful for for what I have it's an easy place to start."
That said these feelings of discontentment and of being unappreciated can be staved by not only caring for our families but for ourselves as well. A wise woman gave me some wonderful advice when oldest daughter was born and I decided to be a stay at home mom. She told me find a hobby or activity- something that was mine- so when the kids grew up and moved out I would not feel useless.
I have also learned over the years that I have learned from various sources that there are three aspects of ourselves that we need to care for and nurture. They are our physical, mental/intellectual and spiritual well being.
Physical well being is our health, nutrition, fitness, hygiene and appearance. By appearance I mean we feel better about ourselves if we look our best. It can be as simple has having our face washed,our teeth and hair brushed and clean clothes on (even ifthe baby has spit up on you three times in the last hour.) I don't mean we have to put on make-up if we normally wouldn't or wear designer clothes. My mom once told me about a woman who showered and changed her clothes and did her hair everyday at 3:00 before her husband got home from work and her kids returned from school. It not only made her feel good about herself it also helped her relationship with her husband because she felt it was important for her husband to come home to a wife who looked as nice as the house did instead of to a slob in sweats. Sometimes just taking an extra 10 minutes in the shower or a coat of nail polish on our finger or toenails is all we need to feel better about ourselves.
Moms and dads who are primarily at home with kids,especially young kids who don't speak well, can feel like their brains have gone to mush. This is why we need to take care of our mental or intellectual health. Make it a priority to exercise your brain. Try to read at least a few times a week. It doesn't have to be classic literature to use your mind, a magazine or web article will work. (Look, you're doing it now.) Word games or even video puzzle games can stimulate your problem solving or critical thinking skills. You can also take a class or try a new hobby. My library has many programs throughout the year for various age groups. Although it doesn't usually work out for me to take an adult class, taking my kids benefits me as well. By taking my youngest to lap sit story time I get one-on-one time with my son, the focus is on my child rather than a mommy gossip group (not all mom groups are like this I just had bad experience in the past so I tend to steer clear of these)yet I have a brief chance to interact with other adults. Or when I take my three year old to the story time where care-givers are not required I have 30 minutes of me time at the library to look for books, read magazines or chat with the other moms.
Humans are spiritual creatures. As a Christian it is important for me to care for my faith by studying God's word, worshiping God, fellowship with other Christians, and serving the Lord and others. I encourage you to do what is necessary to care for your spiritual side.
Wow, I realize this is a long post,but that is because I feel it is very important. Please share your thought or ideas on how to pamper yourself. On up-coming Fridays I will post ideas of how to pamper and care for yourself.

Salt versus Iodine Consumption

This is a bit different from my normal Tuesday post, but I thought it was important to share and this was the best place to share.


I received an email from the Self Nutrition Data news.  It contained a very interesting article about the reduction of iodine in the average American diet. The article explained that although sodium consumption has gone up, iodine consumption has gone down. Much of this is sue to the increase consumption of package foods, but the reduction of adding salt to cooking. The sodium in packaged foods does not contain iodine like table does.

In my own personal cooking I have switched to natural sea salt, however while researching this topic I have discovered two things 1. sea salt does not contain enough iodine for body (come on now the label does warn us-it is stating the truth) and 2. iodine is important for a healthy thyroid, a good metabolism, and the prevention of birth defects.

An iodine deficiency can be linked with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, frustration and lower IQ, physical issues such as dry skin, constipation,weight gain and fatigue.

A 1/4 teaspoon of iodized salt contains 95 micrograms of salt. Depending on age 1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon of iodized salt will contain your daily requirement. According to A to Z of Health, Beauty and Fitness here are the daily requirements of iodine:

Infants: 40- 50 micrograms, Children 1-3: 70 micrograms, ages 4-6: 90 micrograms, ages 7-10: 120 micrograms, ages 11- adult: 150 micrograms, pregnant women: 175 micrograms and breastfeeding women need 200 micrograms a day.



Disclaimer and legal jargon: This is information I have come across and passed along because I find it interesting. It is by no means intended to diagnosed or treat a condition or illness. Do not change your diet or follow any advice in this article without contacting your doctor or health professional.

Welcome to Wiki Mom

I would like you to join me as I share my ideas, triumphs and mistakes as a stay at home mom of four. I am by no means an expert or the perfect mom.I am just a lady who loves God, her husband and her kids.

I have a somewhat interesting perspective to motherhood because I have two teenage daughters 18 months apart and two toddler/preschooler sons two years apart. Yes they they are all the from the same father/husband but God chose to give us 2 "sets" kids almost 12 years apart. I was 20 when my oldest daughter was born and 33 when my oldest son was born so I have been the young mom and now I am one of the older moms. I am a mom of teenagers so I am currently going through milestones like driving and dating. Yet I am a mom of little ones so at the same time I am going through challenges like baby proofing, potty training, picky eaters and understanding "kid-speak."

Please check the tabs above. Each one contains themed articles. I am trying to do a different theme each day and I am putting all the articles from one day on it'sown page for easier access.

I invite to share your stories and your comments. If you have a related blog post feel free to add a link or link my blog back to yours.


-Kim


Latest Articles:
http://wikimom.blogspot.com/p/no-more-manic-mondays.html