Father's Day Craft // Hand-print Sign From 2 Year Old

Hey ya'll!  This adorable, little, hand-print sign is Part 2 (see Part 1 a Father's Day card) of Gavin's Father's Day gift to Jesse this year.  I just LOVE the way that it turned out (besides the obvious thumb problem with the hand-print :-/ , but oh well.  It's still super cute!).  The precious rhyme paired with his darling hand is such a great gift and will end up as a keepsake for years to come I'm sure.

What You'll Need:

White construction paper

Green (or whichever color you'd prefer) finger paint

A scrap piece of wood (never very hard for us to come up with since we run a sawmill and are building our house)

A good black marker (or calligraphy pen if your good at that!)

Twine

Hot glue

A prepared craft area ready for  paint + toddler = MESS! :-) Have Fun!!!

...And one adorable 2-year-old's hand!

How To Make It:
1. Cut out the paper to fit the size that you want it to be on your board
2. Make the hand-print on the paper
3. Have fun using the rest of the paint with your toddler on other projects or just have fun with it while the hand-print is drying
4. Write the rhyme, child's name, and date
5. Neatly glue the paper to the board on the edges
6. Wrap and glue the decorative twine

Have Fun! :-)

What Father's Day crafts have y'all made?

Do you have any other special "hand-print" craft ideas?

See also:

Father's Day Craft // "I Love You This Much" Card

DIY Homemade Playdough Recipe

Father's Day Craft Idea // "I Love You This Much" Card

Hey y'all!  Father's Day is just around the corner and today's craft is so adorable and a really easy last minute gift to make from your toddler.

Here's what you'll need:

2 sheets of construction paper in different colors (we used blue and green)

A pen

Tape

...and a cute, squishy baby hand! :-)

Start by tracing the little hands and then cut them out.

Write on one (the front of the card) "I Love You"

and on the back of the card "Happy Father's Day! Love, (child's name) age and year" so

that you'll know when it was made in the years to come.

Now cut a strip from the other color of paper and write on it "This Much!"

Lastly, tape each side of the strip to each little hand.

That's it!  Now you've got a super cute Father's Day card!

What are some cute toddler crafts that y'all made recently?

Maternity Outfit // Gray Striped Maxi Skirt & Navy Blue

Hey y'all!  As I'm quickly approaching the 3rd trimester, maxi skirts have become a staple for me.  They are just so versatile!  You can wear them stylishly above your baby bump and tuck in your blouse, or comfortably under the bump, like I did here for church last Sunday, which also kinda holds up your heavy belly a bit and feels good on your back!  All of the maxis that I've been wearing throughout this entire pregnancy are actually non-maternity skirts, but because the material is so loose and stretchy they work great.  It's always a plus for me when I can make my normal clothes work without having to buy any new clothes! :-)

The greatest part about this outfit is that the entire thing cost less than $10!!!  As a young pregnant mom on a tight budget, that is a WIN!  I would encourage all of you pregnant moms to search your local "returns" stores for maternity clothes before spending full price on them new.  We have a store near us, where I got this shirt and skirt, that sell new clothing that people returned, were overstock, etc. and the prices are marked waaaaay down for the same clothes you would pay full price for at the mall for example!  It definitely pays off to take your time and find the best deals!

My sister-in-love, Chelsey gave these

sandals to me and I like them very much!  They go with basically

everything and give the outfit a classy look.

// outfit details//

Shirt: Bargain Hunt (for only $2)

Skirt: Bargain Hunt (for only $7)

Sandals: Given to me

Do y'all have any favorite places to buy discount maternity clothing?

What has been your favorite church outfits to wear this summer?

DIY Homemade Playdough Recipe

Hey y'all!  One of Gavin's very favorite things to do is play with playdough! I've tried a bunch of different "homemade playdough recipes", but have never been super pleased with them until this one.  This one has been amazing!  It lasts a long time, feels better then store bought, was sooooo quick and easy to make, and doesn't leave a messy film on your hands or play surface!

What you'll need:

1 Cup Flour

1/4 Cup Salt

1 Cup Water

1 Tbs Oil (we used olive oil)

2 tsp. Cream of Tarter (can be found in the spice section of most grocery stores)

About 4 Drops of Food Coloring (depending on how dark or light you want it)

Optional: A Couple Drops of Essential Oils  (We used peppermint essential oil in the greenish colored batch and ground cinnamon in the reddish colored batch to add a pleasant smell.  I want to try lavender and/or chamomile sometime for a calming playdough.  Just be creative!)

How To Make It:

In a saucepan mix all of the ingredients together using a wooden spoon (the order doesn't matter).  Stir well until mixed thoroughly.  Heat over medium heat and keep stirring the whole time until the "playdough" is one big thick clump.  Remove from heat and knead by hand.  Be careful 'cause it is hot!  Store in an airtight container.  That's it!

When cool, have fun playing!!!

Gavin really enjoyed getting to "help" me

make it and then of course getting to play with it! :-)

Playdough is a great learning toy for toddlers and

a good, quiet, busy, and constructive play activity that we use a lot.

Do y'all have a favorite homemade playdough recipe?

Are there any other DIY toddler "toys" you've made recently?

Daily Toddler Schedule for the Stay-at-Home Mom // Our Structured Routine

Hey y'all!  Having a gently, structured, daily rhythm and routine with little ones makes life easier for everyone.  "Scheduling" helps us create more time for fun and learning and keeps mom's sanity! :-)

When my son was 14 months old, I felt like I was always fixing messing, changing diapers, and half accomplishing things and was really struggling to get ahead on normal housework, let alone have time for fun crafts or playtime together.  I felt like I had worked all day long, but at the end of the day couldn't figure out what I'd actually accomplished!  It was very frustrating and exhausting.  Can anyone else relate to this? I finally realized that my main problem was that I had no written plan for the day, therefore Gavin had no idea what to expect either.  As my husband always says, "Failing to plan is planning to fail".  That is so true!

Taking the time to make a daily plan for you and your toddler will save sooooooo much time and misery in the end.  Children need to know what's next.  It will let them know when it's time to work excitedly or when it's time to play quietly while mom does paperwork.  Instead of being "clingy", Gavin has become helpful.  Instead of whining for my attention, he knows what's happening next, pitches in, and knows and looks forward to when it's time for us to play and learn with my undivided attention.  Sure, everyday is different and random things will come up in our lives unexpectedly, but having a basic, intentional, routine will help keep your sanity as a stay-at-home mom and you get normal stuff accomplished, plus have time for playing with and teaching your baby (and in my case also help my husband run our businesses).  And toddlers LOVE mommy time! ;-)

This is our daily routine as of right now:

5:00 - Mom wakes up and has devotions (drinking a cup of coffee or tea and sitting out on the porch can make this a favorite time to look forward to).  I am NOT an early bird by nature, but have come to LOVE this beautiful, quiet part of my day.  I also do like 10 minutes of prenatal stretches which really helps my pregnant body to not ache and also gives me energy.

 5:30 - Work on blog post, check business messages, research new ideas.

(Jesse wakes up)

 6:00 - Start preparing breakfast

 7:00 - Gavin wakes up, eat breakfast

(Jesse leaves to work)

 8:00 - Clean up from breakfast, wash dishes, get dressed, brush teeth, make beds, start a load of laundry (continue throughout day and also hanging them up to dry and bringing the dry ones in), sweep, set out meat or start something in the crockpot for supper, quick declutter.  Gavin "helps" with chores and plays.

 9:00 - Lesson activity (such as learning colors, shapes, letters, numbers, etc.) (should be planned ahead of time)

 9:30 - Constructive playtime such as playdough (click here for an awesome Homemade Playdough Recipe), building blocks, coloring, etc.

10:00 - Snacktime

10:15 - Reading

10:30 - Playtime

11:30 - Tidy up, prepare lunch

12:00 - Eat lunch

  1:00 - Cleanup lunch, Gavin's nap-time.  During nap-time mom folds clothes, finishes blog post, does any paperwork or computer work for personal or business.  Or takes a nap too if needed (I did throughout the entire 1st trimester of this pregnancy)!  Sometimes I read and study also during this special quiet time.

  3:00 - Playtime/schooltime/craft with mommy! (Again, activities should be planned ahead of time)

  3:45 - Outside playtime if weather allows and "help" mom with yard work, in garden, etc. (if weather is bad, indoor playtime) or mom works on sewing project for example and sets little one up making something too.

(If inside play due to weather, tidy up)

  4:45 or 5:00 - (depending on the meal or when Jesse gets home) Prepare supper.  If Jesse is home Gavin will usually go "help" him with whatever he's working on.

  6:00 - Eat Supper

  6:45 - Everyone helps clear table.  Daddy playtime with Gavin while mom finishes cleaning up supper.

  7:00 - Bathtime, storytime, bedtime for Gavin

  7:45 - Mom and Dad time

  9:00 - Write in journal, plan for tomorrow

  9:15 - Bedtime

I also have some different schedules for certain days of the week and month, but this is our basic, daily routine.

None of our lives are the same, but this is what works for us.  I would like to encourage you though to take the time and set up even the simplest of routines.  It truly does help!

See also:

How I Potty Trained My 2-year-old in 3 Days

"Dear Moms of Little Ones"

Maternity Outfit Post // Blue & White, Stripes & Jeans

Hey y'all!  Wow, it's so crazy to realize that my little boy will turn 2 years old this weekend!  Where has the time flown?  In only about 3 1/2 months we will be welcoming our new baby boy into the world!  Big changes coming around here.  Well, anyways, I'm pretty excited about having two little munchkin fellers running around. :-)

 Sorry for the odd lighting in all of these pictures :-/

With my quickly growing baby belly, it is hard sometimes to find outfits that

are comfortable, but also look nice.  This one of definitely fits that description!

 My daily hairstyles lately have ALL been some type of bun!  Today's was a Sock Bun.

Bun styles are just soooooo practical for mom life, summer heat,

and can be thrown into place in a jiffy.  I highly recommend them. :-)

// outfit details \\

Shirt: Sears

Cardigan: Sears 

Jeans: Thrift Store (for $.80! a great find)

Flip-flops: Given to me

Thanks so much for visiting!

Take care and have a fabulous rest of the day!

Choosing Contentment // 6 Ways to Be More Satisfied Everyday

"...I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." -Philippians 4:11b

Contentment is an attitude choice.  It takes effort, but is so worth it.  We've all seen people that are rich and have every material thing, but are very unhappy, and also the little kid living in poverty with a big smile on his face.  What is the difference?

          - Contentment is the ability to chose to be satisfied with what and where God has placed you in your life and to make the very best of that situation.
       
           - To make the best of everything, even when you don't necessarily have the best of everything.

It is easy to look at negative aspects in our lives and sometimes wish for something in someone else's "more perfect" life that we see on facebook, pinterest, instagram, watch in movies and shows, hear in songs, or read in books. But, instead of looking around at everyone else and seeing how awful you've got it, be thankful for what you have and where you are, and make it beautiful!  It is great to dream about where you want to be in life, but don't just wish about it to the point of only seeing the negative of where you are.  Make goals for what you would like and put the work in towards the steps to achieve that goal!

We often think well I'd be "happy if" I did this, or if I moved there, or if I had a nicer house, or had more money, or was in this relationship, but the truth is contentment is a choice of attitude.  If you are unhappy and discontent now where you are, that is going to follow you even to where you say you would be most "happy if".

Once you've learned to see the beauty in the mud, and chosen contentment over comparison, you'll feel a huge burdening weight of the depressing, pulling-down, feeling of dissatisfaction lifted off your shoulders!  There is so much beauty all around us, if only we would take the time to see it!

Thankfulness, joy, and contentment are very closely related.

When you intentionally chose to be thankful,
joy and contentment are produced.  

Here are practical 6 ways to choose contentment everyday:

1. Look around and find something or someone that you are thankful for right now.  Find 5 things a day and write them down somewhere that you'll see them often and/or in your journal.  Then every time you think of something you're grumpy about, replace it with one of those 5 things.  Practice makes perfect; when you practice thinking contentedly and thankfully, it starts to become a habit.

2. Instead of looking at a hopeless pile of dirty dishes in the sink and griping about having to wash them, be thankful that you get to wash them because you have them to eat off of, and you had food to eat!

3. Stop looking at everyone else's joys and wishing they were yours.  Start noticing and appreciating your own!  There are so many others that wish they where in your shoes.

4. Look up verses in the Bible about contentment, joy, and thankfulness and memorize them.
Here are a few to get you started: Psalm 23:1, Philippians 4:11-13, 1 Timothy 6:6-8, Psalm 118:24, Proverbs 17:22, Proverbs 15:13, Hebrews 13:5, Nehemiah 8:10, Galatians 5:22, Proverbs 17:22, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

5. Help someone else!

6. And finally, set goals to get where you're trying to go and start accomplishing them, but only after you decide to be content right where you are.

So will you join me today in choosing contentment?

Will you decide to start being satisfied with the blessings God has already given you?

I assure you, it is a lot more pleasant, uplifting,

and fun than wishing, wanting, or complaining. :-)