Hearts At Home

Hi Gals! I am sometimes the last one to find out about something cool, so maybe you all know about Hearts at Home already. I have heard of it, but never checked it out before yesterday. I have installed a button on the side of this blog that will link you directly to this site. It is an organization that is all about the business of homemaking, parenting, marriage, and everything that goes with it. Click on the link and check out this fabulous resource for yourself!

Hope you are all enjoying being with your family and kiddoes this week...I know I am!

Debbie

Here's a link to a post by Jill Savage, founder of Hearts At Home, that might take some of the stress off the next few days...have some fun!
http://www.jillsavage.org/2010/12/best-of-2010-be-yes-mom.html

Fun with the Kiddoes

I know there are a bunch of smart, resourceful moms out there. I'm wondering what you do for fun with the kids, especially those free or inexpensive ideas. I just found out about the free zoo in Madison...we are headed there today. Leave a comment and share all of your great ideas, even if you don't attend Mom Time. Happy Christmas Vacation Week!

The Perfect Christmas

For a few weeks, I have had the pleasure of saying that I am all done Christmas shopping. Before you turn green with envy, the reason I am done shopping is because the budget says I am done. I could continue to buy good deals forever, but the money tree set aside for Christmas presents has dropped its last leaf.

As I got the kids' presents out to start wrapping the other night, I said a prayer. I prayed that the pile in front of me wouldn't seem too small. It is hard to be the mom at Christmas, as much of the responsibility of a "good"  Christmas is up to us.  I tend to worry what if my kids aren't happy with their gifts. What if it isn't enough? What if I missed that one thing they were really hoping for? Ah, the pressure we put on ourselves. I spend the whole Christmas season trying to explain to my kids that it isn't about the presents, it's about Jesus, then I freak out over how many presents I was able to buy.

Can I encourage you one mom to another to just let it go? When I prayed before wrapping presents, the peace of God that really does defy logic and reason surrounded my heart. I was able to be excited for what my kids would receive and remember the gift of Jesus that the season is really about.

I imagine that God wasn't fretting over the gift He has given us, worrying that we wouldn't like it or want more. He knew that Jesus would be enough for us. This Christmas, I will concentrate on teaching my kids about the value of giving over receiving and leading them deeper in their understanding of what Jesus' birth means for us. I will try to treasure the moments of extra family time, knowing how fleeting time really is. I will try not to get undone by the pressures of making a "perfect" holiday, hung up on details that no one cares about but me.  I will look for the wonder that each new day holds, each day a gift in itself of unending possibility.

Christmas Comes to Mom Time

We wrapped up a great semester of Mom Time this past Tuesday with food, fellowship, and carols. It is a trademark to end each semester with a food day, and this one definitely did not disappoint. I don't know about the rest of you, but I love a buffet. I mean, I really love a buffet.

Some new twists this year included making it a "working breakfast." We assembled gift bags for the WeeStreet program, laundry bags complete with quarters, detergent, and softener sheets for the food pantry, and made Christmas cards for a local nursing home. Many hands made light work, and it felt good to know we were touching lives in our community while we had fun at the same time.

To close, Shannon Bartz led us in Christmas carols. Personally for me, this was the highlight. To hear the voices of all the moms lifted in worship, singing to our great God...it just chokes me up. It was wonderful to take a step back, quiet the pace of the season, and just enjoy one another.

A sincere thank you to all the women who helped out with our final meeting. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to journey this last semester with you. Merry Christmas from the whole team!

Little Treasures in Time

The teaching that Jenn and Becky did this past Tuesday got me thinking about savoring every moment this Christmas season. Even though it isn't "Christmas-y", I wrote this post in September of 2009. It is good to get this reminder of how quickly time flies...no matter what season.

Little Treasures
Rarely are we given something as priceless as children. If kids were fine china, we would tuck them in a special cabinet behind a protective window. We have something infinitely more valuable, but get so caught up in the mundane that we miss the wonder of it all. We like to say we "have" kids, but in reality, we "receive" them. They are entrusted to us; we are their parents, but also their stewards.

Tonight I stayed up way too late to finish reading My Sister's Keeper, which details a family's battle with their child's cancer. As I was sitting here reading, I had to fight the urge to go check on my kids. To put my hand on their backs, to feel their chest rise with breath. I love tucking them in at night, feeling their little heads beneath my hand, giving them one last kiss in the little sweaty fold of their neck while they lay on their tummies. I breathe deep, smelling little boy smell...a little dirt, a little ice cream, sometimes shampoo.

Time has a sneaky way of erasing things we think we will never forget...the weight of a baby's bottom in our arms as we nurse, the scent of a newborn, even the way their little voices sound and the funny words they make up. My older kids are 17, 21, and 22, and it hurts me to say that I know I've forgotten things I was sure I would never forget.

Some of these precious memories are given back. When my oldest daughter holds her daughter, I am reminded of my first years as a mom. But even now, I marvel at how fast time passes. Treasure it, I want to shout. Even knowing all I know, it is so hard sometimes to live in the moment, appreciating how fleeting it really is.

Tonight, my six-year-old wanted me to come out after dinner and play baseball with him. I can still see his little face looking through the screen door, watching me finish up the dishes. He said, "I know cleaning up is more important than playing. I'll wait."

I turned off the water and went outside. We played until it was too dark to see the ball.

Holiday Tips

This is the teaching from Becky and Jenn today. Do not attempt to complete all things on this list! The purpose is to inspire you to pick one thing to help this season be more peaceful and meaningful for you and your family.

Tips to Countdown ‘Til Christmas

Advent Wreath

Advent Books

Jesse Tree

Wreath

The Gift

Tips To Have a Peaceful Holiday

Anchor the season in perspective

Give proactive attention

Protect rest and routine

Be a blessing

Mix the generations

Manage kids’ stimulation

Relax expectations

Tips for Gift Giving Alternatives

Homemade Mixes

Acts of Service

Spend Time Together

Coupon Book

Plan a Trip/ Outing for the Day

Photo Gift

Pottery

Frame Kid’s Drawings

Ornaments

Tip for Staving Off Christmas Vacation Boredom

Go to the library

Call an elderly friend

‘No Screen’ Day

Clean Out your Closet Day

Quiet Hour

Children’s Museum or  Zoo

1000 Piece Puzzle

Ongoing Game

Go Ice Skating

Play Outside Each Day

Spray Bottles of Colored Water to Paint Pictures in the Snow

Blow Bubbles Outside

Thank You Note DayChild

In Charge of Meal Prep

Ringing the Bells

This weekend, we started a new tradition. I hope...I mean, it's not really a tradition until you do it more than once, right? Hopefully it's one you will want to continue with also.

For a group service project, Mom Time rang bells for the Salvation Army kettle at Brookfield Square. This was a first for our family. I know we had some Mom Timers do it for the first time also, as well as some brave veterans who took Boy Scout troops with them. I admitted to being a little nervous about how my kids would behave, because nothing says warm and fuzzy like two boys wrestling on the ground in front of the red kettle. My seven year old closet atheist balked at wearing his shirt that says "Joy to the world, the Lord has come", but in the end it was that shirt that made the difference as people commented to him on it. We talked about doing nice things for other people that are in our power to do so, as some people put in a dollar and others put in a quarter. Everyone should give as they are able to do, and it was a great object lesson for the kiddoes. We read the Angel Tree cards and I think we all realized that real people's lives were being impacted by what we were doing.
If you rang the bells, and want to share how it went for you, leave a comment. If you took pictures, email me at dgiese85@gmail.com and I will put them on the blog. Thanks for taking the time to touch our community with the light of Christ!

O Christmas Tree

Ok, kids, I'm putting my tree up today. For me that means taking it out of the box and assembling it. We've always done a real tree until last year, when I decided to order a fake one. The biggest reason...? I like to keep it up for a while, and my trees never last as long as my enthusiasm. So, I have a nice 7.5 foot tree and a pack of evergreen car fresheners that my hubby thought would be a nice touch.

We'll see.

Anyway, how about you? Real or fake? Let the kids help decorate or do it as a "surprise"? (Surprise to me means I didn't really want any help, so, Surprise! Here it is...)

I'm compromising this year. I will assemble the tree and do the lights while my kids are at school, then let them help with the ornaments. You know, the whole control issue just flares up right about now...

Leave a comment and share any funny or not so funny Christmas tree memories!

The Christmas Trumpet

It's like a trumpet blows before the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone and the Christmas season is totally underway. I have the house half-decorated....everything but the tree is out. The shopping is mostly done, and it is time to enjoy the people I love while celebrating the birth of our Savior.

If only it were so easy, right? In this season that makes you think of love and fellowship come the realities of over-excited kids, gifts lists than run longer than our budgets, and trying to fit all of the expected activites of perfection into our real lives. Baking cookies, Jingle Bus tours, Christmas concerts...there never seems to be enough time.

When I slowed down this weekend to think about what I hoped to accomplish this season, I remembered this reflection from last year. I was reminded of what is important, what can go, and how everyone else fits into my plan.

I pray that this year, for myself and for you, will be a time of savoring the season we are in, in every sense of the word.

Ode To Thanksgiving
May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nare a lump,
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
Any may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Rene'

Top Ten Ways to Keep Your Kids Happy...

So, if you are anything like me, the thought of bringing your kids to someone else's house for a holiday gives you hives. Ok, maybe that is a little strong, but you just never know how it is going to go. Tonight we are going to grandma's house for dinner, and I have already started thinking about how to keep the kids entertained. Here's what I've come up with...please leave a comment and let me know what has worked for you!
1. Plan for the fact that dinner may not be ready right away and bring a few healthy snacks to tide them over. Cranky kids are often hungry kids.
2. Pack a notebook, pencils, and crayons. Have them interview the other guests. If they can't write, they can draw pictures of everyone who is there.
3. Let them choose a few books to bring over.
4. War, with a deck of cards, is a great way to pass the time. It also gives them 52 things to pick up when the throwing begins. Card houses are fun too.
5. Prepare them in advance for anything that might be a stressor for them. My son was desperately afraid of dogs when he was younger, so we would start coaching him ahead of time when his furry cousin was going to be part of the gathering. Give him some coping strategies.
6. Talk with the hostess ahead of time and see if there are special jobs your kids can be in charge of, such as gathering coats, stacking presents, or collecting recyclables.
7. Bring bubbles...it is almost never too cold to go outside for a few minutes.
8. If this is an extended visit, have a place to unwind when your child is just getting overstimulated. At my mom's house, this is the enclosed front porch.
9. Bring activities related to the holiday for your child to work on. http://www.familyfun.go.com/ has tons of resources...I'll be printing out some Thanksgiving activies myself.
10. Remember that it is their "big deal" too. They are excited and probably not trying to be annoying. No one is as bothered (usually!) by your kids acting up as you are. I will be repeating this to myself all night tonight!

I did not list anything to do with handheld electronic things, not because I am against them, but because we don't have any. If you bring a Nintendo DS, bring a bunch of batteries!

So, what works for you? What are you tried and true methods of keeping the kids entertained? I would love to know. Seriously. I could use some coping strategies myself.

The Countdown Begins...

Ok, gals, we are three full days away from the biggest food fest of the year...at least at my house. This morning I took the turkey out of the freezer to start thawing in the fridge. There are years I had to float him in the bathtub all night Wednesday, but this won't be one of them. I'm making a sweep of my cupboards and checking for missing ingredients. So far I've discovered that I have three bottles of pumpkin pie spice but no poultry seasoning or sage. The can of whipped cream I bought last week has somehow gotten used up already...

I have started making lists of what can be done ahead of time. For me, Tuesday is the day to get the house cleaned up, including making sure the serving plates I'll use are ready to go. Sometimes that means trying to remember where I put them last year. Wednesday is the big day of food prep. I get all the veggies chopped, desserts made, and ingredients that I will need first thing Thursday morning set out on the counter before bed on Wednesday. That way I can jump right in after that first cup of coffee.

I think my favorite part of the holiday is all the wonderful smells. I am a bread stuffing girl, with celery, onions, apples, raisins, sausage, and lots of sage. There is nothing like the aroma of everything sauteeing together in the big dutch oven. My biggest challenge every year is the gravy. It seems to have a mind of its own. Even using the same ingredients year after year is no guarantee that it will turn out. If that is your challenge, check out this article for some tips.

The turkey is definitely the centerpiece attraction. Remember the butterball hotline? It is still up and running, but in this computer age, help is just a mouseclick away. Here's the official butterball site if you are cooking for the first year or just have some questions. They also have some great recipes there.

Still wondering what to cook, or just need something new? I love Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade because you don't need a million ingredients that you may only use once this year. Her Thanksgiving episode had lots of yummy ideas!

What is your favorite dessert? I already know I can't choose just one. Pumpkin pie of course, but then there is my semi-famous pumpkin cake roll, apple pie, and the sort of healthy raspberry jello cranberry salad. I think I love Thanksgiving because the menu really doesn't change for us. It's all about tradition, that familiar feeling that lets you know you are home.

I hope you all have a wonderful day, and don't get bogged down in the details of making it perfect. Enjoy your family and these precious years. It won't be too long until you are fighting your daughter (or daughter-in-law!) for the right to cook Thanksgiving at your house!

The First Thanksgiving

Preparations are well underway for the big Thanksgiving dinner. Well, mentally at least. You can only work so far ahead. The groceries have been bought, mostly. I know what needs to be done when to make the day flow smoothly. This year, it will just be my family at my house, unless anyone wants to come over. Of course, when I say just my family, that still involves 5 kids, a granddaughter, and possibly a special friend or two of my adult kids. I've been cooking Thanksgiving dinners long enough that they no longer freak me out. Not like the first time...

It was 1988. My oldest child was 2 months shy of her second birthday, and my youngest child was two months old. My husband at that time was a soldier and we were stationed in Nurnberg, Germany. Because families were in short supply, we were the unofficial headquarters for all of my husband's single friends. We were expecting about 18 guys for Thanksgiving. In a one bedroom apartment. With a kitchen the size of a large bathroom. With a wife that couldn't cook. I mean I really couldn't cook. The turkey was too big to fit in the oven, so we had to do some magic with a butcher knife and cut it in half. We also had to borrow the neighbor's oven to cook a ham in. While some of the details have faded, I do remember that the meal took close to seven hours to actually cook, and that my mashed potatoes turned out gray. I'm still not sure why that happened, but they were definitely gray. My gravy was lumpy and everything was cold by the time the turkey was finally done, but in the end it didn't really matter. Not because we all had that warm cozy holiday feeling, but because most of the guys had given up and gone to McDonald's, not to mention the alcohol that had been flowing freely. It was not exactly a Martha Stewart holiday.

Even though the day was far from perfect, I do cherish the memory. It was during that time that I grew to love opening my home to friends new and old. I want to have the kind of place that people just feel comfortable in. Those years taught me that my home could be a refuge, a place to kick back and be yourself.

While I no longer get all nervous about cooking a big meal, I do like to have the details in place. Check back Monday and we'll chat about the timetable of Thanksgiving. I'll also list some resources if you need some last minute ideas. In the meantime, I'll be dreaming of love, laughter, and lots and lots of food.What are you all doing? Cooking? Travelling? Eating out? Leave a comment and share what you are up to!~Debbie

Welcome!

Whether you attend Mom Time on a regular basis, or are just wondering what we are all about, welcome!! We are hoping that this will be a place to post what we discussed each week in case you missed, provide additional resources, and give you a chance to get to know us a little better.

Your Mom Time team is made up of Rene' Wade, Debbie Giese, Sherry Judy, Jenn Hoggatt, Becky Thomas, and Luanne DeBoth. Check out the Mom Time Team page to learn a little more about each of us.

Leave us a comment and let us know you stopped by!(There just might be a little something for you if you do...)

Dealing With Difficult People

Nothing says the holidays are coming like having to deal with some difficult people, even those we might find in our own families. The tension of the season is that we are supposed to be happy and cheerful, but sometimes reality intrudes. When we remember that while we can't control the attitudes and behaviors of others, we are in charge of our own reactions. Here are some quick tips to keep the joy flowing:

• A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1). Even though you may be well justified to snap on someone, it will only make things worse. Be the one to de-escalate the situation.
• The words of the reckless pierce like a sword, but the words of the wise bring healing. (Proverbs 12:18) Your choice to use healing words can have the ripple effect of touching more lives than just the person you are dealing with.
• Let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (James 1:19) Oh, if only my mouth didn't work faster than my brain sometimes. Amen?

In the ME book we have been following, by John Ortberg, he tells us about the 1/4 second principle. When we decide to move a part of our bodies, be it our mouths or our hands, it takes the direction from our brain about one quarter of a second to travel down the nerve pathways that enable our bodies to cooperate. We have that long to decide if the action we are planning on is the correct approach. It is in that split second that God can work, if we allow Him to redirect our thoughts. I know that for myself, that quarter second can seem like a really long time as I battle between what I really want, to fight back, and what God wants, to let His peace rule in my heart.

When tempers are flaring and there doesn't seem to be enough time in the day, I am going to choose in advance, to listen for that voice that speaks in the split second. Jesus is not just the reason for this season, He is the reason for it all. And when I fail, I will pick myself up and try again. I will thank God for the difficult people and trying times that He allows into my life, knowing that He will use it all.

Staying the Course

Luanne Glass, Director of Women's ministry, shared a Tip Talk this week with us about not growing weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9). Life with the kiddoes is rewarding, but can also be a little bit trying and downright frustrating sometimes. Check out this blogpost by Lysa TerKeurst. She shares some of the verses that get her through the day, providing her with peace and perspective as she raises her five children. Be encouraged as you go about your day that though the days may be long, the years will fly by. Treasure everything...the good, the bad, and even the pukey!