Category Archives: Parenting

TBD and the next step…

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Life in limbo is hard….always waiting for the next meeting, the next decision, the next social worker that is going to define our greatest joy in a family or what would be our greatest tragedy in our tribe being broken apart. The stress is toxic to anyone’s body but most toxic of all to two already traumatized children that desperately deserve NOT to be in limbo. This is a daily reality for most foster children in the United States.

Heading into this week’s termination trial, I was oddly at peace with the anticipation of “the decision.” I had been repeating a specific affirmation that really held me up during the constant threat of drowning in all the worry – “I am perfectly supported.” I had my heavenly support, family and friends, everyone at work, and the support of the State’s tribe for WG and WB. Repeating this mantra without fully understanding it’s truth and application really helped my mind and heart let go of the anxiety and trust in the together that we have built around our family.

And in a dramatic turn of events, the trial that was slated for 3-4 days was over in 4 hours and I got to hear a judge state that our children were FREE! Free from their past, from their restrictions, and from the threat of going back. But also free to live, to thrive, and to breathe knowing that every breath they take is loved and cherished by everyone around them.

It was the first time I got to walk out of that courthouse like 62 times before and feel that right had been done (cue me forcing Scott to participate in the following video for our “video of the day”).


And then the fun began – we knew we had sent both kids off to school ridden with anxiety about what was happening that day (I had to lovingly coerce my little Miss WG out of the car to heard into the middle school). So getting them out early to surprise them and celebrate was amazingly fun. Here is a peek at WonderGirl’s reaction:

Off we went to ice cream, the park, and Kyotos to dwell in the overwhelming joy and relief we all were feeling that day.
We loved telling our friends and family the big news and really appreciated everyone’s excitement (I imagine that’s what posting an ultrasound or the big gender reveal might feel like) around our big day.

Now we wait a little longer – but this time all we wait for is a timeline, a few negotiations, and nothing at the end but a positive result (and a big party with our tribe of course). We get to do this part together with excitement free of fear – and this little team does excitement well. I hopefully imagine the next few months will fly by as we approach our final destination of forever.

This song, when I heard it in church a while back, brought tears to my eyes as I held my littles in my mind and heart and sang the song through their perspective. This particular verse and chorus is so relevant in this time:
From my mother’s womb
You have chosen me
Love has called my name
I’ve been born again
Into your family
Your blood flows through my veins

I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God.

Daily oils – Kiddo edition

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This is part 2 in a series documenting how our little family uses essential oils as part of our daily routines. If you are interested in how I personally use them, click here to go back to yesterday’s post.

Today, I will be summarizing how we use the oils to help WonderGIRL and WonderBOY stay healthy, focused during school, and manage their anxieties throughout our days together. This was a main reason I researched different essential oil companies and has been the greatest joy and blessing since starting because they actually work!!!

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Morning protocol – 
The kiddos have three different rollerball recipes that they apply each morning while eating breakfast. A rollerball is a 10ml glass container that you can add oils and a carrier oil (we use fractionated coconut oil) and is one of the easiest ways to apply the oils topically to your skin. We apply them to the backs of our neck, up and down our spines, and on the bottom of our feet.

1. On guard blend – 30 drops of OnGuard + carrier oil (to prevent from getting sick)
2. “Recovery” blend – 20 drops of DDR prime (cellular repair) + 10 drops rosemary (supports memory) + carrier oil
3. Focus blend – I have tried a great many recipes for this one. We use this one which is pretty heavy on the oils because of the needs of our kiddos. If you are not sure, start with half this recipe and adjust as necessary to your needs.
6 drops Cedarwood
15 drops Balance
4 drops Frankincense
6 drops Vetiver
4 drops Lavender
+ carrier oil

After school –
WonderGIRL takes one supplement to aid in focusing on her nightly homework routine. I also have each kiddo take one DigestZen softgel to help with their digestive health. I found these little “boosters” for health have made a huge difference in getting their little bodies regular and regulated (my two favorite words for them).

Nighttime routine – 
WonderBOY has a hard time sleeping in his room alone and sleeping through the night due to some anxious thoughts and nightmares. He will often ask for oils to be applied to his stomach and back before bedtime. Even if this is just a mental bandaid of sorts for him, we have found it really helps the transition into bedtime! His favorite oils to rub in are: Serenity, Cedarwood, and Wild Orange.

Of course, our children are older school-age children. Many people I know have newborns that they have also loved using the oils for. There has to be something so comforting about being able to meet your child’s emotional and physical needs in a natural way without having to go to the doctor or the drug store for medicine. Here a few ones that I have heard many use to help their little little ones:
Baby favorites – 
Digestive support: 1 drop of DigestZen or Fennel on baby’s tummy with carrier oil
Skin irritations: 1 drop of Lavender + Melaleuca (tea tree oil) + carrier oil
Teething: Dilute Lavender, Roman Chamomile, or Serenity along the jawline
Ear infections: Dilute Lavender and Melaleuca and apply around the ear (never put oils IN the ear) and massage down towards the lymph nodes to encourage drainage. You can also use the diluted oils on a cotton ball placed in ear – use a bandaid to help keep in place. **We used this for WB’s ear infection and it worked to alleviate both his pain and the infection – awesome trick!**

Coming up tomorrow – how my husband uses the oils and how I got him “hooked.”

If you have read enough to dive in and empower yourself with everything you will need to keep your family healthy and sane, head to my oils website to sign up. Under the “join and save” tab, you just enter some personal information, pick your favorite starter kit, and within a week’s time, you will have products in your hot little hands to start playing with. Plus, February is an awesome time to join with the option of getting $100 in free oils just for signing up this month. Message me with any questions and as always, no pressure here….I just want to spread the information and true power I feel with these to as many people as I can to help their family grow and thrive just like mine!

Also, if you aren’t ready to dive in yet but want me to come teach a class for you and some friends, I’m totally available to do that too – just message me and we’ll go from there!!

Happy oily weekend everyone!

Daily Oils – Mama edition

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Now that I have completely immersed myself in this lovely natural world of solving all of life’s problems daily ailments and struggles with our oils, many people are interested in how they work, how to use them, and if they really work. I thought I would do a 3-part blog series that outlines how our family uses them on a daily basis. Today, I will talk about my own personal use and how they help this busy, tired, complicated Mama take on a career, some hobbies, and the adventure of raising kiddos day in and day out.IMG_4062I love using oils in my diffuser – I play with different recipes, but I love Bergamot or LIme combined with something like Lavender or Cedarwood. I feel like these blends make our house/kitchen smell amazing but they also aid in helping some anxieties and general attitude that float around our house with two higher-needs kiddos and some outside stressors that we can’t control.

On myself – my all-time favorite oil blend that I use every single day is Balance. I pretty much lather myself up in it (apply to back of neck, spine, and feet with a carrier oil like coconut oil) every day but especially when my kiddos are driving me a little batty is when I truly feel it’s value. I love combining it with other oils like citrus bliss (smells like an orangecicle!) or rosemary for added benefits.

Since I work at an elementary school and come in contact with 340 germy little angels on a daily basis – keeping from getting sick is very important to me. We use the On Guard oils and products on our bodies, in the diffuser, and to clean our house (laundry detergent and hand soap to be specific) and none of us have been gotten seriously sick this entire school year – it’s an On Guard miracle I tell ya! When one of us does start getting a few cold or flu symptoms, we immediately go to town with a veggie cap full of oregano, frankincense, and on guard) to fight it off from the inside. It has worked multiple times this year and even on our weekend road trip last weekend, so once again – these oils truly save my days!
IMG_4063One last product that I love is the skin care line. I have just started getting serious about taking care of this aging face of mine and I love the products of this line. They smell amazing and keep my skin super smooth and ready for days with or without makeup. I generally wash my face at night so slathering this trio on right before bed is a treat and feels like a mini-spa vacation each night.

Coming up in this series tomorrow is our we use our oils to help our school-age kiddos. I will also document how to help partners and husbands AND explain a little bit about the business side that I have grown to love so much.

If you have read enough to dive in and empower yourself with everything you will need to keep your family healthy and sane, head to my oils website to sign up. Under the “join and save” tab, you just enter some personal information, pick your favorite starter kit, and within a week’s time, you will have products in your hot little hands to start playing with. Plus, February is an awesome time to join with the option of getting $100 in free oils just for signing up this month. Message me with any questions and as always, no pressure here….I just want to spread the information and true power I feel with these to as many people as I can to help their family grow and thrive just like mine!

Also, if you aren’t ready to dive in yet but want me to come teach a class for you and some friends, I’m totally available to do that too – just message me and we’ll go from there!!

Happy oily weekend everyone!

2 years together as TBD

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It started as a monthly tradition to celebrate living together because truly, we did not know how long we would get with our two amazing little wonders. We wanted them to know how honored we were to share in their journey and ride this crazy roller coaster together – what grew out of it was some fun anticipation each month and now yearly about HOW to celebrate our team’s growth and milestones. Scott and I have a fun time planning something special each year (added bonus that we then DON’T have to worry about planning Valentine’s Day shenanigans which neither one of us was ever stoked about).

This year, we planned some special events in Seattle to be touristy, see our closest friends and two very loved uncles, and enjoy some days off school – here are some snapshots from our weekend.
img_3943 Seattle must have known we wanted to go up to the Space Needle because as we drove down, the weather was perfect for taking the elevator to the top. We especially enjoyed spotting Qwest field, the ferris wheel we went on last summer, and our friend Taryn’s house in Queen Anne!img_3963 img_3999 As most of you know, WonderBOY is an avid basketball lover and player. We thought taking them to the Harlem Globetrotters show would be an exciting event. Turns out this show is quite entertaining for all ages but the kiddos especially loved the antics and humor. WB bought a special basketball with his own money and has been showing off his “routines” and tricks since we returned home (if anyone would like a live show I’m sure we could arrange this).img_4013 img_4024 Along with my besties, we explored the Seattle Children’s Museum on Valentine’s Day. This exhibit with a real live “eye doctor” chair was a big hit. As was the firetruck for little man (big man Scott was less enthused but went along with it – love him for that).img_4041 img_4043 img_4045 img_4047All in all, it was a lovely weekend. A few minor bumps included WonderGIRL getting sick (oils to the resuce) and WonderBOY completely going crazy after a missed dose of medication (long car ride with a screen to the rescue) but thus is traveling with kids. Something we are getting pretty good at navigating in year two I’d say!

And to you family and friends that have been riding alongside us on this journey now for two years – thank you. Thank you for the prayers, meals, and toys at the starting line and for the continued check-ins, prayers, and babysitting (Mama needs a break ASAP, hurry!!!!) throughout our time together. Scott and I truly value our “village” that is helping us raise these two precious ones and we are constantly pointing out how grateful we are for many of you during our nightly talk times with the kiddos.

And most importantly to Scott, thank you for saying yes. Thank you for taking on this challenge with me and learning and supporting and pretending saying that I’m right with me day in and day out with these two loveable monsters. I love that they get to watch our marriage grow in love and patience over the years. I appreciate that daily, they see a man of amazing character shower them with love and nurturing, filling in years of questioning and misunderstanding of what a real father should do with their children. I know I don’t always say it or show it, but I can’t imagine choosing anyone else to do this life with and God must have known what He was doing when He plunked us down in Haiti together 6 years ago to meet – I love you completely and forever.

on the back of the tapestry….

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During church this past Sunday, our pastor talked about trusting the big and little ways that God continues to shape our lives even when we turn away from Him and hurl doubts and bitterness His way. He created a beautiful visual for me about God’s part in creating “the back of the tapestry” where you can see how all of the seemingly abstract or random colors and designs on the front are brilliantly woven together and connected. So many moments come about where the only choice I have is to label it “a God thing.”

One moment in particular came this past Friday, as I was sitting on the couches (which are amazingly comfortable btw) at Trampoline Zone, watching all three kiddos members of my family jump with joy throughout the building. Normally during this time, I would be reading a magazine or concocting a new blog post on my phone, but I decided to just watch and embrace the moment. A few minutes later, a woman sat down and we struck up a conversation. Although I consider myself pretty darn social and able to make conversations with a good number of people, in these situations and on my sacred weekends, I like to switch into “introvert” mode and a hide in my shell a bit. So the fact that I was drawn to this woman and participated in the conversation as a two-way kind of thing was definitely a pull that was not my own.

As it turns out, this woman had 4 biological kids, 1 internationally adopted son, and 1 son that she had adopted from the foster system. We connected over the struggles and laughed over the funny parts of our journey that included others’ judgement or colorful comments that could and should be kept to themselves. It is these connections that make me feel most like a true mother. I feel “normal” in my little mighty tribe that feels like the opposite of normal most days (and especially foreign in the middle of the night when an anxious WonderBoy can’t fall asleep out of fear that we won’t be there in the morning which could be a sad, but true reality someday for my little man). She was much more veteran and wise than I could ever hope to be, but I hope that the connection was mutually beneficial to her as it was to me. My heart was truly filled just by this chance meeting. And this little encounter is one that can only be described as a “back of the tapestry” kind of thing because really, how does that happen? And how does it happen at a time or moment that I could really have used it the most?

Aside from this chance meeting, I have been working hard to put all the feelings, words, memories, and pictures from our first year as Team Brave Dinosaurs into a scrapbook to look back on and love. So many times I get to make the connections in hindsight that I may not have had the clarity (or quite frankly the time) to see in the midst of the crazy, frick-fracking hard, storm  beautiful formation of our little family. Here are a few shots of my progress (disregard my “white noise” Netlfix binge of Hart of Dixie in the background) – almost through April!!!
P.S. If you are reading this “big fan”, you have no idea how much that simple note and gift meant to me back in March of 2014. Please read the journaling in the top right to see how big of an impact it truly had on me in my early days/months as a mama.  Thank you thank you for your kind and caring gesture.

Looking for a gift for a kiddo?

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Look no further…..this gift was by far my favorite that WonderGIRL received this Christmas (thanks Mom!). No one that I’ve gushed over it to has heard of it so I want to spread the news and get these Unicef powerbands on as many little wrists as I can!\unicef wg

It is a a cool, humanitarian twist on the FitBit and just what WG needed for motivation to get some active minutes outside of school (something we’ve been working on since Summer with little to no success). She gets “steps”, then those add up to “powerpoints”, then after a certain number of power points, that unlocks “therapeutic food packets (peanut butter)” to children who severely need a nutrition boost in 3rd world countries.

She has absolutely loved wearing it and counting her points throughout the day. I even joined in the fun to go on a 35 minute walk/run yesterday to see how many points we could get in just one day. Each time you earn a “badge”, the child gets to see a video of the children he/she is helping which keeps her motivation going with the app you keep on your phone to sync her steps (very similar to the Fit Bit app).
 unicef

After completing this mission (you can see from the picture she is almost there at 88%!), you then pay a few dollars to choose specific missions in specific countries. We are excited to choose Haiti for her next mission since that country has such a special place in our heart as a family. This gift really is such a win-win for her and for us – motivation to get moving and stay healthy PLUS needy kiddos getting love and nutrition along the way.

According to the website, they are going to start distributing these in schools to help high-risk school students get active and increase the chances of so many other life benefits that could come along with that. How cool is that? I hope you share maybe an ounce of my excitement or else this entire blog post could be a fail. But maybe you have a 5-60 year old with possibly a birthday coming up and then voila – you will thank me!!!

Right now, there are available only through Target’s website and not as an in-store purchase but click on this link to take you right where you need to be!

 

One little word for 2016

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Choosing a guiding word for your year is a concept that I have bought into with varying intensity over the years. In 2013 I chose rooted, thinking this would be the year we start the adoption process.  One artifact from that particular year was a vision board I made as a result from participating in this workshop by Ali Edwards:

I love looking back at this vision board about my word because the following year in February is when my purpose and “mom’s life” begun so the board really did have a huge amount of meaning. I also feel that being purposeful and mindful about what being “rooted” would mean to us as a couple led to some hard work and counseling that set us up to even be able to start the roller coaster of our foster journey the following year.

In 2014, my word was connect which eh, didn’t impact me a whole lot. I didn’t set a word for my 2015 but in hindsight, I should have chosen survival. Hard year, lots of lessons, coming out stronger because of it.

This year, I am choosing the word together. I consider myself to be a strong and independent person and love conquering things on my own. Although I consider these to be positive characteristics, it sometimes means that I have a hard time asking/receiving help and relying on others (insert Scott nodding emphatically here). This year, I hope to embrace the help and the cooperation with others and yes, even embrace relying on others to get what I need and/or want. I want my word to not only be an adjective that describes my marriage and my family, but I want it to be a living, breathing action that I put effort into on a regular basis.

Together with my husband, I want to grow our marriage and focus on what WE need, not just what our children need on a daily basis. I want to work on who I am as a wife and a partner, so it will help us be together and live together peacefully and joyfully.

As most Mamas can attest to, time away from the house and the family to connect with other females can be the most healing thing we do with our free minutes. This year, I want to focus on intentionally setting up dates with my ladies and together, we can fill up our tanks and be the best wives, mamas, human beings we can be.

Coming up in February, we have an important court date where the outcome COULD be that our wonders are legally free. I won’t get to be part of the court proceedings as I will be testifying at some point during the trial. Being okay with not being in the courtroom as the single most important decision is being argued and facts presented is going to be extremely hard for me. I have to trust that our team of social workers, lawyers, GAL’s and commissioner will all work together and put the needs of our little wonders truly at the center of the proceedings. I have to rely on others to fight for our forever and this week will prove to be one of the biggest tests to my faith I have encountered so far in my 33 years of life.

As a follow-up to those court proceedings, my greatest wish is that we get to work towards finally being a forever family (in the legal sense). Our case getting turned over to adoption would mean being together as parents and kiddos for the rest of our lives – and there is no greater together than that.

The foundation to all of this will be me knowing that I cannot alone do this life. I will rely on my faith and my belief in a God that has a plan for me, my marriage, and my future family. Together in my faith journey, I want to surrender my control through prayer, some meditation, and quiet time to invite in His plan and His grace.

And just because this last portion of the post was so serious, I love this sweet little robot rendition of “Together”, a childhood classic. What’s your word for 2016? Leave it in the comments below because we all know putting it in writing (okay into cyberspace) makes it all happen magically and just as you planned…..yep. Just like that.

Ready…set…2016

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As a devoted lover of reflection and goal-setting, New Years Eve is a favorite of mine. Definitely not for the overrated party situation, but the time to look back on an entire year and see how much you have grown and thrived in 365 days. This was our second NYE as Team Brave Dinosaurs and my two little wonders love our tradition of hourly games and activities (and getting to stay up super late of course).

I found this free printable online that each wonder completed with their favorite moments and ideas from 2015 and some goal-setting for the next year. My favorite is that WB’s “I always say” is “You’re the best Mama” – we’ll forget for a moment that he says this the most when he wants extra screen time or a granola bar (he’s lucky he’s so darn cute).
wb nye wg nyeOur annual “milk and cookies” toast – cheers to WG learning my Mom’s beloved rice krispy treat recipe. Boo to a sneaky houseguest eating half the batter.

A few favorite gifts from 2015 – my new Cougs hat from my bests and that amazingly HUGE calendar from my HSLP. I was very much looking forward to today so I could fill it out and post it in our dining room.Scott and I got a date night this past week and we took some time to create some family resolutions and goals for the new year. I’m going to post them here to keep me accountable for actually following through (I may also need the assistance of this goal tracker but I’m not sure – I severely lack intrinsic motivation and follow-through – maybe this should be my personal goal – eh, maybe next year).

2016 TBD resolutions/goals:
Monthly – 
Volunteer together
Read-a-thon sleepover
Family hike

Weekly –
Non-screen chill time (board game, reading, coloring, etc.)
30 minute quiet time and scripture reflection

Other – 
Attend a play/musical together
Painting class
Family 5k (insert my instant panic here – yuck)

Happy 2016 to all of my readers – wishing you and yours an amazing year filled of WONDER, JOY, and adventures!

Christmas highlight reel – 2015 edition

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During our advent season, our little family read many scriptures and reflected together. One particular verse stood out to me in a big way (a rare occurrence when I read the bible mind you) and charged me with being fully present during our Christmas season. Luke 2:19 reads “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” While those wild shepherds were out shouting and gossiping about the magical birth of Jesus, Mary kept this news close and quiet and was fully present with her newborn son. After reading this story, I felt charged to do the same – to engage and be content with our moments in my heart versus being concerned with filters and clever hashtags (no offense to all of you holiday posters – I loved them all!!!). I felt truly at peace this past week and didn’t once feel the squeeze or pressure sometimes I feel during the holidays to have everything perfect (as compared to everyone else’s I see on FB/insta)…each night I took time to reflect and embrace and love on the day in my heart no matter how it turned out.

Here a few moments that made our week wonderful and peaceful:

notesA tradition that Scott and I started years ago was opening letters to each other on Christmas morning. This year, I not only loved my letters but reading others loving words to each other as well. WG’s letter in particular came after a very hard Christmas Eve wth Scott at work and high anxiety around him not returning home on Christmas morning. It makes me cry how much Scott’s loving actions impact her and re-wire her beliefs about love and fathering.

Having only one celebration per day gave us quiet mornings to enjoy our new treasures and start our days off slow and steady. This type of morning requires a cozy robe and juice out of a fancy glass of course.

They say your cousins are your first friends. For me, as one of the oldest, they were my first practice runs at being a bossy mcbosserpants mama. Now they are all grown up and I still love spending time with them! Our big Weber get together was wonderful and filled with fun as usual and now we get to start new traditions and new relationships to carry on that fun together.

One perk to never leaving my hometown is that all my friends come back to me during the holidays! This year, I got to meet my beloved Kara Lynn’s little man and sheesh look at that hunk of adorableness!!! Although we are states apart, our lives are entangled in so many ways as well as our hearts and I love that.

My brothers are pretty big dorks and when together they are inappropriate and immature dorks, but I love them anyway. Getting them all together in a room is a dangerous recipe for bad jokes and an annoyed mother but it also makes my heart so happy. I love how much my littles love them and feel connected to our extended family.

Coming later this week – our favorite gifts we gave and received, top moments of 2015 and what’s next for TBD in 2016!

P.S. One of my favorite pieces of this blog is that it is a tool to help me remember and document these small moments so I can treasure them again and again when my memory fades and when our family changes in the future. Thank you to all those who mentioned to me that you read my words and musings on life – I appreciate your kind encouragements about keeping it going not only as a tool for myself, but a possible resource or connection for others whose lives may parallel pieces of ours. Happy holidays to all of you!!

TBD and our Christmas story….

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image4Last year’s Christmas was our first one with WonderGIRL and WonderBOY and we definitely learned a lot. While Scott and I absolutely loved the magic that comes with celebrating this special time with little ones (melt my heart the picture above reading on Christmas Eve), we hit some hard road bumps that now we get to tweak for Christmas part 2.0 with Team Brave Dinosaurs. When inviting kids with trauma into your home, you are also inviting their own family traditions, gift-giving mindsets, and some emotional baggage from hard family get-togethers in as well. WG in particular has some anniversary trauma around Christmas time that really spikes her anxiety and mood swings – this was highlighted by her having to testify about this holiday season this past Spring. We try to be very mindful with our time, our own traditions, and how we set up holiday get-togethers to best set them up for success and to help all of us stay focused on “the reason for the season” during these busy weeks.
IMG_3404THE GIFTS
Gift-giving has been used very manipulatively with our little ones in the past. Wrapped gifts were given after traumatic events to rebuild false trust and apologies that never resulted in changed behavior. WG and WB were inundated with gifts and “stuff” without the love and trust that is supposed to accompany those same gifts. We also knew that anticipation of gifts and surprises are hard for them – the same rush of excitement we get when we feel suspense, their little bodies and brains read as danger and fear and can cause some pretty serious outbursts and behavior. We decided to tell them ahead of time that they were getting 4 gifts from us (what to read, need, wear, want) and a small gift on Christmas Eve. This alleviated the anticipation with realistic expectations of Christmas morning. We also put out most of their presents ahead of time to avoid sneaking around, snooping, etc. They also completely believe that we have traps set up (we love some good Spy Kids action) around the house and tree to catch them snooping.

Scott and I have always loved buying gifts for families in need during this holiday season. We would take the money normally spent on each other and use that towards “sponsoring” a family. On Christmas morning, we open sweet and creative love notes to each other that I treasure re-reading each year. We hoped that the kiddos would buy into this tradition and so they got to write us letters last year and they were SO flippin’ adorable. This also took away any pressure or burden for them to gift us anything as we explained we had everything we needed in each other (you get to be that cheesy with kiddos in your house during holiday season right????).

While we had our little family of 4 COVERED as far as gifts, we also had to carefully navigate how to ask our families to respect the childrens’ unique needs and that big toy-related gifts were not what WE wanted for their holiday season. Our parents and siblings were very respectful (for the most part) of our request – WG and WB were showered with cool magazine and kit subscriptions, gymnastics lessons, and other cool experiences they got to do with the people they have come to love the most in our world. What I especially loved about these “experience” gifts was that the holiday joy and love was spread out throughout the year and when we would complete them, WG and WB would get to appreciate the person and the gift so much more! This blog post does a wonderful job explaining how to request a more simple Christmas and has an awesome list of non-toy related gifts you can pass on to loved ones.

OUR TIME
Everything gets squeezed into the schedule during December doesn’t it? Christmas programs, church events, birthday parties and belt testing for Tae Kwon Do…..my planners really earn their stripes during this busy time of year. And while personally, I absolutely LOVE the social parts and the reunions – my family (hubby included) really don’t deal well with such a busy schedule. I try to spread our events out as evenly as I can and I say NO to many things (I believe the appropriate hashtag here would be #sorrynotsorry).

What I have also found useful in event planning is to not tell the kiddos far in advance what we’re doing. Again, the anticipation of a fun event for them can often be twisted around in their brains/hearts and can dramatically spike their behavior in the wrong direction. Instead we try to have very low-key mornings the day of and then with an hour to go until an event, we start getting ready and dressed and off we go! Oftentimes, other adults will ask WG or WB, “Are you getting excited for __________ (insert fun event here)?” and they will have such a cute, but blank expressions because we haven’t really told them anything yet. And for us, that’s what works. Until it might not this year…..then the countdown to an even better TBD Christmas 3.0 is on!!!!

Merry Christmas friends – thank you for reading and supporting our little clan!!!