A Heart.

It doesn't take long for someone who crosses paths with me to observe and learn that I love children.  Adore them.  Cherish them.  And the thing is, I don't just love the perfect children, the "normal" children.  I love all of them.  Especially those who need more. Need more love, need more education, need more direction, assistance, support. 

In my first year of teaching, 10 years ago, I crossed paths with several children who needed more than they were receiving.  They had families who loved them, provided for them, and they were in a great school, yet something was missing for each of them. I was a first year teacher in a highly demanding school, way out of the realm of my existence.  The aloofness of this school and some of the parental make-up made my learning curve drastic that year.  I learned, and I learned quickly.  I had administrative "support" or more like a "frequent flyer pass" to the principal's office for some stern conversations and untrue accusations.  But the best part of that year was the children.  They pushed me, encouraged me, and trusted me.  I became a better teacher and person because of them.  I learned to provide for them educationally so that they were able to attain a level of success they previously hadn't felt. 

I went back to school. I was determined to learn more to help each of them learn more.  I went back for a Master's degree in the area of Special Education. I became more equipped with tools that helped me help each of them and accommodate their needs.

I'm not a saint, nor a savior.  I just love kids.  All of them.  With all needs, all behaviors, all with desires to succeed, to be accepted, to be taught and loved.


And now, my first class that stirred my "pot" and got me learning and yearning for more...they're in college.  Succeeding. 

I love it.

And.

I love each of them for teaching me more.

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Whether you remember Mickey Mouse Club from our childhood or have become a fan of Mickey and friends through being a by-stander watching your kids watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Mickey Mouse is an icon. My children are not privy to oodles and oodles of Disney movies and toys, but they know the basic characters. When I told them that we won tickets to see Mickey's Magic Show, they were thrilled! Thanks to my friend, Sarah, our family night out was FREE! (That goes right along with our plan with Dave.)

Here are some pictures of the beautiful costumes and sets we saw to make Disney come to life in front of my children's eyes.

Our boys (in the Vikings apparel) with cousins Sami and Cullen

It was a blast!  The music filled our ears and my kids' eyes were loaded to the brim with wonder. The program kept the children and adults intrigued with the funny antics,jokes, and audience participation.  Prince Charming, Cinderella, the Fairy Godmother, Snow White and the witch, made an appearance as well as Alice, The Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts.

Here's a little video to show you the fantastic show we were treated to.

Thanks to Sarah at Sassyfrazz and her sponsor Feld Entertainment for this fabulous opportunity and a fun family night out!

A Halloween Treat

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Pumpkins Galore

Today I took the boys on an adventure

Introduced the babe to the fall elements--can you say WINDY!?

All by myself...just me and MY three little pumpkins...

It was an adventure...but a fun one at that!

Bless them.

This month, like every month has many meanings.  The most popular being Halloween, but this month is also SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) Awareness Month.  I wasn't real aware of SIDS until my first son was born in 2006.

The week after Liam was born, my husband's cousin lost her first son to SIDS on his first day of daycare.  As a new mother, this event in our family left a mark on my mothering.  I became fearful of this happening to my child and followed the Safe Sleep Checklist and read the statistics on SIDS.  I gave him a pacifier, he slept in a separate bed, but close for me to monitor him, always slept on his back, and I removed toys, blankets, and the bumper from his crib and cradle.  I was just as precautious  then as I am now with Landon and now Lachlan.

When Lachlan was born, the hospital he was born at issued Halo sleepsack to the newborns to wear in the hospital.  Halo currently works with over 400 hospitals as part of their Safer Way to Sleep Initiative.  They were a beautiful white with the hospital's signature on the front and the words, "Back to Sleep" which is Halo's campaign to place babies on their back to sleep which has proven to cut the risk of SIDS substantially. It's a wearable blanket that you never have to worry about riding up over the baby's face.  When we left the hospital, the hospital gifted us with a baby  blue version of this fleece sleepsacks which we added to our collection of cotton sleepsacks which are perfect for warm weather.

Halo SleepSacks can be found at Target and other retailers.  I highly recommend them.  Lachlan is quickly outgrowing his sleepsack (he's already a whopping 23 inches long!)  and thus, we will be making a future purchase of a larger sleepsack. 

I feel better placing our littlest love down to rest in his Halo SleepSack.  Bless this company for educating others on the safest way for babies to sleep and to reduce the risk of SIDS.

  (Cousin Starlyn holding Lachlan in his Halo SleepSack)
Follow HALO on Twitter and Facebook!

Wordless Wednesday: Whatcha Lookin' At?

Dave.

Last winter my husband and I met this man named Dave. Dave was eccentric, a little arrogant, but lived for the Lord. He was vivacious, humorous, and sometimes, a little rude.  But rude, in a good way.

You see, Dave has changed our life.  He's given us some tools to live the way we ought to live and since we've met him, WE are better. What has he urged us to do?  Well, we've set goals, made changes, and we're working as a team to eradicate some evil in our life.  Evil we call debt.  We're working to better our lives, the lives of our children, and eventually give more to those in need.  I can't wait!  I can't wait to give "away" what has been given to us, to better the lives of others.  It's fabulous.  Yes, we tithe, yes, we sponsor, and yes, we help.  But this new sense of GIVING is even beyond that.

I can't wait.  Dave has taught us to go beyond ourselves.  We are living like no one else so later, we can live like no one else.  In a DEBT FREE way!

Do you do Dave?  You can meet him here!