Finally, a review of my favorite books!

 ***UPDATED*** (I forgot one!)
I'm finally sitting down to do a quick "review" of several books that have captured my attention lately.  Er, more like in the past year and 3 months from when I set a goal to read a book a month.  Remember the whole organization notebook, new years goals, etc from January 1, 2011?  I still have my notebook that contains my finances and coupons, plus a few craft/cooking ideas and Moms Sew Sassy receipts.  I did not read a book a month, I do not do a monthly menu plan and I do not keep a section for school/toddler ideas nor do I make additions to the gardening section.  But I'm ok with that.  Right now I have time to get things done, not write or plan to get things done.  ANYWAYS, the point of this post: Book Reviews.  Keep reading to find out my two favorite books of the year-ish. :)


The Help
So. Good.  Billy and I got away on a little "baby-moon" back in September to San Francisco.  I was flying by myself to meet Billy there while he was away on business so I picked up The Help and never put it down.  I started reading it on the way there and finished it on our flight home.  I have a thing for books written about real life, especially down South.  Such a fun read.  I think the book was better than the movie, but both were fabulous.

Bringing Up Boys by Dr. James Dobson
When Luke hit 15 months I found myself dumfounded.  He was rough.  He was dirty.  He was distracted.  He was wild.  He is a boy.  And I am a girl.  We were constantly on the go from one thing to the next and while I loved exploring that season with him, I was really having a hard time understanding HIM.  It was most obvious in situations when we would play with little girls.  IE: give Luke a piece of paper and give his little girl friend a piece of paper.  Luke's paper is completely covered in markings and ripped in two within 3 minutes and the little girl is still coloring just a small corner of the paper.  OR at the pool, little girl is sitting on the top step of the pool pouring and dumping gently and carefully while Luke is trying to run and jump in at any given moment despite his inability to swim (disclaimer: I realize not all children are like this but this was my experience during this season).  This book spoke to the many different wirings of boys and I'm thankful for Dr. Dobson's insight into their emotional, mental and physical capacity.  It helped me understand how my little one could/couldn't focus, could/couldn't hear, could/couldn't sit still, etc.  It gave helpful ideas on how to work around the way he was and is wired.  I'm not in agreement with the book in totality but this was a HUGE help as we ventured into learning how to teach Luke in a way that he understood.

Fearlessly Feminine by Jani Ortland
SO GOOD.  This book defined biblically - not what people suppose is biblical - but truly defined biblical womanhood and the power and mission God has given us.  As the review online states, "it tackles many sensitive subjects such as submission and materialism, feminism and beauty, motherhood and marriage..." And I liked that.  I like tackling the sensitive issues.  I want to know.  Some issues I've not known where I stand because I don't know where the Bible stands.  But this book was helpful in teaching me and breaking molds that I found in my own life don't line up with the things God is passionate about.  For the woman who has a more feminist disposition regarding women in the image of God, I think you'd be pleasantly surprised by this book.

Give Them Grace by Elyse Fitzpatrick
I've read several "parenting" books but this is so far my very favorite.  The subtitle reads: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus.  YES PLEASE.  This book totally opened my eyes and heart to God's grace in my own life and how my goal as a mother is for my babies to experience and understand the magnitude and depth of God's never-ending love and grace for them.  Yes I want obedient children and yes I want them to be respectful...but most of all, I want my children to know JESUS.  I want them to KNOW know KNOW Him to the depths of their being.  I want my heart and attitude to reflect the character of Christ and so often my response is out of frustration or an agenda of my own.  I was convicted by how little glory I give to the Lord when parenting my babies when their is a "win."  When I see God at work in their heart, the praise goes to Him not my abilities.  I was so humbled reading this book and so thankful that it wasn't just another book on how to make your kids listen and obey, but how to truly dazzle them with the love of Jesus!!

Don't Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman
So this is a practical book with practical examples and scenarios of teaching your children the blessing of submitting and obeying right away...without counting to three :)  I loved her sense of humor and humility while writing out her own life experiences with her children.  She also offers several printable tools online and in the back of her book which I've found profitable to help me remember appropriate responses or ways to handle certain situations.  Granted, Luke is only two so our conversations aren't nearly as long as some of her examples but you get the idea...

Shepherding a Child's Heart by Ted Tripp
I read this in seminary for my counseling courses but children were not in the near future at the time ;)  I'm currently in the process of re-reading it and it is just as good the third time around.  The biggest take away for me has been defining obedience: "Without challenge, without delay and without excuse."  It is all about appealing to their hearts instead of just behavior modification.  I want to guide my boys' hearts to the feet of Jesus, to live a life submissive to Him and so I appreciate this book's instruction and guidance for parents.

As for my favorites.....  the runner up is.....

Orphanology by Tony Merida
After hearing Tony Merida speak at our church, Southbridge Fellowship (ps-probably the best sermon I've ever heard in my life), I couldn't wait to read his book.  Hearing his heart for adoption and how their family has walked through it multiple times was inspiring and intriguing to say the least.  I wanted to know more. I've always known that adoption is at the very core of the gospel but hearing him speak and seeing the pictures really made it real to me.  So, I picked up the book on Monday and didn't put it down until Friday when I finished it.  I can't write words that really speak to how wonderful this book is, but if you are considering adoption, curious about adoption, want to read amazing stories about adoptions, or want to know how much God cares about adoption, then you need to read this book.


And...my very very VERY favorite book so far - and maybe ever - is......

KISSES FROM KATIE.
You need to read it.  Now.
This is a story of a young girl, a year younger than myself, who is currently living in Uganda and has 12 (GASP!) legally adopted little girls.  She has culturally gone above and beyond what anyone could think or imagine.  She has learned medicine.  She has learned motherhood.  She has learned non-profit organization.  She has learned heartache.  She has learned sacrifice.  She has learned death.  She has learned what is at the heart of Jesus: Caring for the widows and orphans.  The stories she shares make you feel like you are there walking with her on the dusty roads.  The excerpts from her journal entries make you want to cry tears of joy, sorrow, laughter and praise.  With every word that was written I felt like my heart drew closer to the Lord and gave me a deep fire and passion to take God's word seriously.  I cannot do this book justice by writing about it.  Please go buy it and read it and bask in the amazing testimonies of God and what He is doing through one girl who is living on mission in Uganda.

Real Foods = Major Changes

While my sister-in-law was recently in town with our adorable and ever-so-edible niece, Addi, she mentioned a blog that a friend mentioned to her.. 100daysofrealfood.com. It is based on the idea of eating without any - as in none, zero, nil, ANY - preservatives. 100% all natural and all good for you food. I've often been intrigued and very interested in this but the time it takes to rethink a menu, find appropriate recipes that are "allowed" and shop at multiple stores when necessary was daunting enough with one child. But thanks to Lisa, most of the leg-work is complete as her website and facebook page offer [free] menus, shopping lists complete with prices from Trader Joes/Whole Foods/Earthfare, and printable recipes. After browsing around and seeing if this was even possible with our budget and my time we've decided to take the plunge! We've made a few modifications to fit our lifestyle right now as we gradually transition to a healthier kitchen. Here's how we're approaching it:

1. I'm not getting rid of any previously bought processed/not-all-natural/not-organic goods. I can't justify the waste and we are just thankful for food in the pantry and refrigerator!

2. We aren't following her meal plan 100%. I'm using the meal suggestions and planning/preparing accordingly but hey if Luke doesn't like egg salad, no big deal. And if Billy prefers carrot sticks over celery sticks that's fine by me.

3. Her weekly budget is high for our needs. SO, we buy the most important things first and work around what fits in our grocery budget on a monthly basis. And as stated above, if I already have an ingredient in the house that doesn't fit her "criteria," I'm using it up before I purchase anything new.

4. We are not doing a "100 day challenge." We are slowly modifying our complete diet as we are able and are willing to make an exception here or there to eat out or splurge on a special treat. My hope is that within 6 months we are out of the main processed foods in our house and relying on what's in season and more natural alternatives, such as honey for sugar, whole wheat flour instead of white flour, etc.

This week we did our shopping on Saturday (the farmer's market and grocery shopping is so much more pleasant when my husband tags along!) and are only on day 2 of this "food makeover." I'll be sure to give an update at the end of the week to share how we're making this work. For now, run over to 100daysofrealfood.com and check it out for yourself. So worth it!

Busy Hands

A dear friend, mentor and mom of 3 boys once told me that if you can't keep their hands and mouths busy they'll get themselves in trouble. TRUTH. Trouble in our home = mass destruction. Luke uses the term "wild" or "silly." I would lean towards the side of tornadic activity. Luke does not stop moving. Ever. So when there is down time - ie, nursing Everett, unloading groceries, answering a phone call - this is usually Luke's que to derail and destruct. He just gets so antsy and energetic that without a specific task at hand things get out of control very quickly. Insert one of my favorite blogs, 1+1+1, here.

This mom has created a phenomenal resource for activities in the home. She homeschools, and while we are not homeschooling or putting Luke in pre school right now, there are fantastic (and FREE) resources that go on forever. I've created a drawer that contains several of these along with other intentional activities and hand-occupiers for the moments when I see Luke on the verge of being "wild" or "silly" and we can't make it outside. Since they're things that aren't always out in the open he enjoys the newness each time we pull them out. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Sorting the Easter eggs-

I laminated them (see previous paragraph about destruction..) so he just dumps out the bag and puts takes a loooooooong time putting them in the appropriate basket. Or sometimes just looks at each one and talks about the colors and patterns.

His "Cool Book" - he forgets the "S" on "School" ...

THIS is probably my favorite. Again, 1+1+1 came up with all the work by creating FREE printables for each letter and number, and all I had to do was print, stuff into sheet protectors and insert into a three ring binder. I found some washable dry erase markers so the fun keeps going and going. This was a huge help on our car ride to and from Washington, D.C. Not only did Luke have a blast looking through and coloring the different pages, he had even more fun taking baby wipes and wiping down every. single. page. And then coloring again.

Toddler Scissors

Luke thinks he's big stuff when he gets to use scissors. So I let him sit down with many sheets of paper and he goes to town. I don't care much about the mess because he also loves to take things to the trash when he's finished. It's a win win for both of us.

Songs & Hand Motions

When Luke gets impatient or irritable I can usually get him to sit down & focus to sing a few songs. Throw in some hand motions and this kid is tied up for a good 30 minutes. This is helpful if we're walking through the grocery store and he's getting impatient or if I'm feeding Everett and he wants to sit with us.

Sign Language

Y'all are going to think I'm crazy. BUT. Last week while we were on the Metro in DC Luke was getting VERY impatient and irritable. Since eating and drinking is a crime on the metro (ie: subject to a fine or jail) & I didn't pack anything for him to play with in the diaper bag, I randomly had him try to make letters with his hands. DISCLAIMER: I think the only sign language I ever learned was in 4th grade and all it included was the alphabet. I have no idea why this came to mind, but I'm so thankful it did! Billy helped him with his hands while I showed him with my own hands and he loved it! Crisis averted.

STICKERS

We have a huge bin of stickers that I pull out for him and he is free to use as many as he'd like on the paper. He's very generous with the stickering...

Please tell me - what are YOUR suggestions for keeping little hands busy???

What's in there? Nuffin...He is risen!

We had a great day celebrating the Resurrection with family on both sides. Lots of food & Luke's first real egg hunt. The end of the day ended with an over-tired, over-sugared, over-stimulated 2 year old. This moment, however, makes me smile :)

2 kids, 2 beds, 2 adults and 1 hotel room

This week we were excited to tag along with Billy to the nation's capitol while attended and spoke at a conference just outside the city. It was a quick trip and I was a little anxious about traveling with both kids, not to mention all of us sharing one tiny hotel room..but I'm so glad we did!

Thanks to a double stroller, child-friendly public transportation & beautiful weather we had ourselves a fun little mini-vacation. And there happened to be a Starbucks connected to our hotel which didn't hurt at all ;)

On the first day Luke, Everett & I hopped on the metro and went to the Museum of Natural History which Luke loved. His threshold for things like this is about an hour so we stayed put on the first floor and looked at all the mammals in various regions. It was very crowded but very cool. We walked around outside for a bit and stopped at a local vendor to pick up a hot dog lunch to enjoy on the National Mall. The weather was perfect and I just so happened to have a picnic blanket with us so we sat outside and enjoyed a relaxing lunch just the 3 of us. On the way back to the hotel we stopped at Union Station to pick up a few "treats" for daddy and Luke to share when Billy was finished with work. Luke loved picking out cupcakes - M&M ones of course - and talked about sharing them with daddy for the next 5 hours. Day two involved another trip on the metro to the Woodley Park Zoo. I must say I was a little disappointed but Luke enjoyed being outside and seeing a few animals. Several exhibits were indoors and would not allow strollers and of the outdoor exhibits there were only 4 that actually had animals in them. I can't complain too much, since it was free, but I think we'll stick to the Asheboro Zoo in North Carolina. On the way back to the metro from the zoo we saw OBAMA and his motorcade!!! I couldn't believe it and I thought it might be a fluke but sure enough, I checked online and he was exactly where we saw him earlier in the day. Crazy. Each day we made it back to the hotel around 2:00 just in time for both boys to take a nap and somehow, both of my boys slept for a good 2 hours. I have no idea how this happened, and I now realize that our 2 year old has been fooling us into thinking that he is a picky sleeper. We were all in one room, Everett crying some and Luke able to see all that was going on around him yet he managed to go to sleep wonderfully both for naps and bedtime. I'm amazed. For the down time we had in the hotel I brought things from home that I knew would occupy Luke for large (20 minutes or so) chunks of time... such as children's scissors and paper (this boy loves to cut), his "school book" - I'll post about this another day, his preschool leap pad with a few of his favorite books, and an easter egg game I made for him a few weeks ago. Thankfully he didn't get too restless while we were there and we all thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Unfortunately Billy had to work the entire time but I'm thankful he brought us with him. It was nice spending time with him in the evenings instead of at home by ourselves. Thanks for having us, babe :)

Here are a few snap shots from our trip!

This was Everett for 95% of the trip.

The boys in front the Washington Monument

Waiting to get into the Smithsonian

Last year he loved the pool. This year? Not so much.

Everett was all smiles on the way home!

A life without butter & chocolate

It might be no big deal to some. But growing up with a family of great cooks - er - great southern cooks - a day without butter and/or chocolate is a day not worth eating in my book. I'm sure my mom is laughing right now, thinking about my chocolate obsession, but seeing how many treats and M&M's she brings to Luke each week, it's no wonder I have a sweet tooth... love you, mom :)

So, as we have recently learned, Everett is not only allergic to dairy but also eggs. All things dairy, not just lactose. And anything and everything that contains the slightest amount of eggs. I want to continue nursing right now so this has meant a huge change in my diet. I think I'm too busy with my wild two year old to cry about it, but it has been quite the adjustment to say the least. I'm the girl that would eat butter plain. Plain as in...by itself. I used to request mayonnaise sandwiches as a child. And chocolate? Considered a main course in my book. So I have learned what I can and can't eat and have found many things to be quite helpful lately. For the most part I stick to meat and produce, but here are a few of my latest finds that have helped tremendously with this whole "dairy/egg" free business.

1. Oreos are considered vegan. I'm not sure what's in them exactly, but I eat them by the sleeve. This is not a joke.

2. Starbucks just became worth the price of their drinks. Soy options all around make the rainy, tired days a little bit brighter.

3. P.F. Changs has it figured out. You simply tell your server which allergies you have and they type it into their computer, and voila! A complete printable list that they bring you to your table of all the menu options that are safe JUST. FOR. YOU.

4. Whole Foods is the best place to go for those with allergies. I'm amazed at the mayonnaise, cheese, chocolate options that don't contain eggs or milk. I don't understand how it works, but I'll take it.

5. If I continue to buy the dairy free chocolate bars we may never be able to buy another house. They are expeeeensive.

6. There is also such thing as dairy free ice cream. Something about soy and coconut milk, but oh my it's delicious. And when sister hasn't had any ice cream in over a month, this is the best darn ice cream you could ever imagine. See number 5 for the reason why we do not purchase this on a regular basis.

7. As I'm writing this I'm realizing that our grocery budget has more than likely gone up significantly based on the stores and products that are available to those with allergies.

8. Always plan ahead. We recently took a trip to DC and while we were out and about there were very few options of things for me to eat on the go. Luna Bars are my new best friend.

9. Pinterest (although I'm still confused about this ... how is this different from just google searching???) has GREAT resources and substitution lists for baking and cooking without dairy and eggs. It's amazing how many things can be used to substitute milk, butter & eggs to get the same-ish result.

So, life goes on and tonight's dinner involves lots of meat and vegetables :)

My baby is TWO

My baby turned TWO on February 9. My BABY! I think I've become more sensitive since Everett has been born, hormones maybe ;) But I when I look at Everett and see how little Luke once was and how much he's grown I just can't believe it. We had a great time celebrating his birthday with a day just for Luke. We think his love language is quality time so we had just that - a day full of quality time just for Luke! Billy had been traveling all week so Luke's first surprise was to wake up to a big breakfast with his most favorite person, daddy. It was a feast of his favorites - blueberry pancakes, sausage & orange juice. For lunch we met up with his Gigi & Big D at another favorite, Chik Fil A. The staff made it extra special and brought out a balloon and ice cream with a candle ... yet another reason why we love Chik Fil A. After nap time we let him open his present from us which was a tricycle, so we of course spent the entire afternoon outside. That night we had Nana and Papa & a close friend over for supper: pizza & fruit salad topped with the cake he so preciously (is that a word) asked for: Chocolate with M&M's and orange frosting on top. I'll blame the lop-sidedness of the cake on the narcotics & sleep deprivation due to the c-section a week earlier ;)

So our sweet Luke.... He is full of life. And he takes in every bit of life as well. He is an observer, not quite the life of the party. He absorbs everything and takes a while to warm up to anyone or anything new. Quite sensitive, actually. He is a child of repetition and tradition. If you do something one way one time then that's what he expects from now until forever. His memory is amazing/scary. His sense of direction as well - the fact that he can tell us which way is "this" and what's coming next on a certain road is unbelievable. He loves music and instruments, especially on Sunday mornings. It's recently become our bribing tool for getting him to go to Sunday School - he gets to come and worship with the guitars and drums and Mr. Jad afterwards. He absolutely adores each one of his grandparents. They each share a unique and special bond with him which he loves. He is our quality time child. To sit down and read a book with him or lay on the floor to play a game fills his little heart right up. His affection for his daddy can compare to no one. He is still not much of a snuggler unless, of course, he is with daddy. He is very vocal and verbal and once he gets going he doesn't stop. He loves to speak of himself, such as, "Good job, Luke" or "Dat's right, Luke" or "Luke doin it dis way." He is also the master of trying to negotiate... two more of this, one more of this, do it this way, other one, etc. It can be funny at times but we are trying to teach him that he is not in authority around here... hah! He loves to learn and explore. He is very hands on and loves to play "games" or have craft time. He brings so much laughter and amusement to our lives. We are so thankful for our spunky, energetic and sensitive Luke. Here's a few of Luke's favorites at age TWO!

Favorite Person:

Daddy, of course.

Favorite Foods:

hot dogs or sausage

Chikfila nuggets

broccoli

zucchini

blueberry and raspberry greek yogurt

chicken

shredded cheese (but not cubed or sticks..)

cashews

peaches, blueberries, apples, pears, kiwis...any fruit is a win

Any and all sweets - mostly M&M's

Favorite Activities:

ANYTHING outdoors

T Ball

Reading books together, not by himself

Going to the library for craft and story time

COOKING - the boy loves to be in the kitchen with me or outside grilling with daddy

Digging holes

Drawing circles. It's kind of his obsession right now.

Any art projects or coloring

Favorite Music:

The Wiggles, Hot Potato - All. Day. Long.

Most worship music...anything with a Hallelujah, glory, great or praise gets him a little excited.

Favorite Things:

Firetrucks, ambulances, police cars

Trains, especially the one you can ride at Pullen Park

Ducks and geese

Elmo's World

Favorite Sayings - things HE says that I LOVE:

Any sentence he speaks of himself using "Luke"

"Hot diggy dog!"

"Good job, mommy!"

"Hey little buddy, Everett!"

"Whoa der, tiger"

"Glory to GOD"

And here are a few of my favorite pictures... insert mommy tears here ;)

2 week old

6 Months

1 Year Old!

18 Months

And here is he is, all big and TWO!!!