I’m always in awe of moms, dads, grandparents – whoever – those people who seem to effortlessly find the most creative ways to entertain children. The ones who look at a box of transparencies destined for the trash can, and see an art project just waiting to be born. And reborn, with the quick wipe of a wet paper towel.

I see ingredients, a recipe, and dream of ways to change it, enhance it, sometimes break it. I see a blank computer canvas, and create, adjust, enhance.

I don’t see creativity through the eyes of a child. But I’m surrounded by people who do. My mom, a former preschool teacher (the mastermind behind the transparency project) and one of my sisters, an elementary school teacher. These are the ones who make entertaining kids seem so effortless. So fun. So easy.

Last week, after a very long week, I didn’t have the patience, the energy or the desire to entertain the boys anymore. I just didn’t. I was too tire. Yet, there we were, stuck at home because we had spent the week running from place to place to place and I just didn’t want to run anymore. None of us. So, instead of getting on each others nerves all day long (although we did plenty of that too) I brought out an activity introduced to us by my teacher-sister. This is very possibly the best activity on the face of the earth. The easiest. The simplest.

The best way to entertain a preschooler. For 1.5 hours. I kid you not. He played, by himself, for 1.5 hours.

Water beads. These tiny little balls, that when soaked in water for 6 hours, expand to approximately one million times their original size. They turn into these soft, squishy pearls that almost seem to glow.

They also become battle grounds for super heros and villains. Obviously.

I should probably mention that my sister saw this idea on Play at Home Mom, a blog that I’m now officially addicted on. So, if you can’t find me, I’m over there, browsing, Pinning and generally trying to out do my mom and sister for fun kid activities.

What’s your go-to, super-simple way of entertaining your kids for more than 5 seconds?

 This post is proudly linked up with Parenting BY Dummies, Seven Clown Circus, Better in Bulk, A Beautiful Mess, Live and Laugh…Out Loud.

How to Occupy an Almost Four Year Old for One and a Half Hours is a post from: Alli 'n Son

Dear Little Man,

Before my very eyes an entire half year has passed. Slipped by really. In a sleep deprived state, the last six months have passed in a blur.

You have now, just finally, figured out that sleep is good for you. Actually, it took us that long to figure it out too. After weeks of sleeping well, you suddenly went into a downward spiral of not sleeping. You were up every few hours. Hungry, but not really hungry. It was exhausting. For all of us. We didn’t realize that we were floating through life, slightly unfocused, until we all started getting sleep again.

It turns out that you are a baby who needs a consistent sleeping and napping schedule. We see that now. Morning naps were never your thing, until we started enforcing them. And then, suddenly, you started sleeping more. You were happier. You slept through the night {well, almost}. Life was easier. Full of smiles. More enjoyable. It took some time, some tears, and some tough love. It pained me, but in the end, it was the right thing to do, teaching you to soothe yourself. You are a happier baby for it.

At six months you have the roundest cheeks that I have ever seen. They are rosy and amplify every emotion that crosses your face. And there are many. Joy. Laughter. Sadness. Anger. Oh man, can you get angry, mostly when you aren’t eating, right at this very moment. This temper, I think we are in for it when you hit the terrible twos, the horrible threes, and who knows what else. We are so in trouble.

Speaking of trouble, your handsome brown eyes, smile that lights up the room and the uncanny ability to win over any woman who crosses our path, well, we are so in trouble when you are a teenager. We just may have to keep you under lock and key until you are 18. Perhaps longer. Yes, 30 sounds about right.

You have already proved to us that you have a strong will. You can roll over, both front to back and back to front. Yet, you choose not to. I’ve seen you do it. More than once. But you prefer to cry and kick your legs around until someone picks you up and holds you close. You want to be in someone’s arms at all times during the day. Seriously. At all times.

You are just beginning to sit on your own, reaching for toys within arms reach. Pulling forward just a little too much, until you’ve folded over and find yourself stuck. Or pushing back in a fit of excitement, only to find yourself falling backwards. But don’t worry, I’m there to catch you. Well, most of the time anyway.

At six months I’ve finally caved and given you baby food. Rice cereal mixed with breast milk to be exact. I didn’t want to do it. It broke my heart a little, knowing that I wouldn’t be the sole source of your nourishment. We’ve had a wonderful breastfeeding experience so far. It’s one of my favorite parts of our day. Just sitting together, snuggled up, skin to skin. The kiddo, your brother, sitting next to us, reading story after story after story. It’s one of the calmest and most perfect parts of our day.

Yet you were obviously ready. You devoured the first bowl. In fact, you were so eager to eat it, that you grabbed the spoon right out of Dad’s hand. Already you just want to do everything yourself.

You are changing every moment of every day. Friends, family and complete strangers are finally noticing that you and your brother are not identical matches. Yes, of course you look similar with your deep brown eyes and your tanned skin. But I see more and more of me in you every day. It’s only fair, since your brother is the spitting image of your dad.

At six months you are working your way towards babbling. New sounds and noises are always emerging. You mimic our sounds, facial expressions and movements. No words yet, but everyone in the house is bound and determined that “momma” will be your first word. Me. Dad. The Kiddo. We all repeat “momma” to you over and over and over, hoping that it will sink in. I can’t even begin to tell you how my heart would explode if this is indeed your first word.

You are beginning to recognize your name, as your name. You turn toward my voice, with a big old smile on your face. Your eyes light up when your bother sings your name from across the room. You eagerly search out Dad when he calls your name. I love witnessing that, seeing you learn.

I’m so not ready for you to grow up. The first year will be the hardest, so full of challenges. Full of living our lives around your needs. Full of giving up personal time. Full of sacrifices. But I don’t want it to end, because it’s too short lived. I love being needed by you. I love being the one you reach and grab for the moment I enter the room. I love being at the center of your world.

It’s just so magical.

So please, little man, please slow down just a little? So I can breath in the little baby that you are, and hold on to it for just a little longer?

Love, Momma

 This post is proudly linked up with Parenting BY Dummies, Seven Clown Circus, Better in Bulk, A Beautiful Mess, Live and Laugh…Out Loud.

Six Months is a post from: Alli 'n Son

When Hubs and I began taking about having another kid, we agreed that the ideal age difference, in our minds, was about three years.

We wanted this age difference between we assumed that the kiddo would be fully potty trained by age three. He was.

We wanted him to be largely independent. He was.

We wanted him to be old enough to understand why we need to spend so much time with the baby. Why we can’t devote our every waking second to him. He understands, but doesn’t always accept.

We wanted him to help out, be part of the experience of having a baby. He does, he’s an awesome helper.

The kiddo was just over three years old when the little man entered our lives.

We couldn’t have planned it any better. Even with our infertility struggles, life – God – has a way of working out.

What I didn’t know, is that by having two boys in different stages in life, we could experience the stages at the same time. See their differences.

See how they begin.

Witness how they grow.

Two boys. Brothers. Concentrating. At different stages in their lives.

How we got so lucky to have created these little beings, I will never know. But I’m forever grateful, thankful, and awed by them.

 This post is proudly linked up with Parenting BY Dummies, Seven Clown Circus, Better in Bulk, A Beautiful Mess, Live and Laugh…Out Loud.

Concentration is a post from: Alli 'n Son

Picture this: it’s the weekend after Thanksgiving. My inlaws are visiting. We’ve just inhaled a delicious dinner of smoked turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, wine. And peppermint cheesecake to finish it off. We are all basically immobilized on the couch from all of the food.

The dishwasher is filled. So many dishes. I swear we just did a load the night before. Actually, we did.

Hubs goes to turn it on.

Nothing happens. No lights. No sound. No nothing.

It’s dead. 100% dead. Try as we might, we can not fix it.

Which means we are left with an entire dishwasher full of dirty dishes. Which now need to be unloaded, washed, dried and put away. All by hand.

I hate washing dishes by hand. Loath it. But I love baking, which of course results in tons of dishes. All of which had to be washed by hand. For over 6 weeks.

Yes, we survived, barely, for 6 weeks washing all of our dishes by hand. Well, not all of them. We did use as many paper plates as humanly possible.

Last weekend, our struggle was finally over. Our brand new dishwasher arrived, all pretty and shiny. It sat in our kitchen, taking up almost all of the kitchen, for two entire days, just taunting me, before it was finally installed.

Hubs and my dad, working side by side, got this baby installed in less than three hours. Not bad if you ask me.

Best of all. It works. IT WORKS! Can you hear me singing, I’m so happy?

No more washing dishes by hand. Except for those pesky ones that are too large to fit in the dishwasher, or are just too delicate. Which, for some reason, we always have a stack of them waiting at the end of the day.

To be hand washed.

I just can’t win.

 This post is proudly linked up with Parenting BY Dummies, Seven Clown Circus, Better in Bulk, A Beautiful Mess, Live and Laugh…Out Loud.

My Messy Kitchen is a post from: Alli 'n Son

Winter is a difficult season for me. It always has been, but it seems to be getting harder with each passing year.

It’s more than the cold. It’s more than the snow. It’s more than the endless days of cloudy, gray and gloom. It’s more than being trapped inside.

It’s something deep inside me.

In the winter, all of my flaws become more apparent.

In the winter, I’m harder on myself. I’m harder on my husband. I’m harder on the boys.

I’m full of guilt for my short temper. Guilt for my raised voice.

Guilt for the desire for more and more time to myself. Guilt over having that time away.

Guilt that I’m not doing enough. Guilt that I’m doing too much.

Guilt that I desire something more than staying at home with the boys. Guilt for not making it happen.

Guilt that I’m screwing up this life.

The guilt, it’s overwhelming during the rest of the year. But in the winter, it’s  all-consuming.

It’s exhausting.

I’ve never been one for resolutions. They seemed pointless to me. Something that you want, yet never reach. As if resolutions are a finite goal. But they aren’t.

Last year I resolved to live more in the moment. I’ve had days where I succeed beautifully. Days where I fail miserably. And days where I gently remind myself to stop what I’m doing and just take in this life of mine.

My resolution, it wasn’t meant to ever be reached. It was meant to be something that I’m constantly striving for. In that respect, I feel that I’ve succeeded. I’m still working hard at living in the moment. I haven’t given up.

I won’t give up.

This year, I’ve promised myself that I will lose some of the guilt. It’s weighing too heavily on me, especially now, in the winter. When things are so dead and full or sorrow.

I’m doing the best that I can. That doesn’t mean I’m always at my best, that I always do the right thing, or that I never raise my voice.

But, I’m doing a good job. My kids are happy {usually}. My marriage is solid. I’m fulfilled.

There’s not much more that I can really ask for in this life. Not much more that I need.

So I’m losing the guilt. Because it’s taking up precious space that could be spent living in the moment.

 Did you make a new years resolution?

This post is proudly linked up with Parenting BY Dummies, Seven Clown Circus, Better in Bulk, A Beautiful Mess, Live and Laugh…Out Loud.

Winter and Resolutions is a post from: Alli 'n Son

We’ve had some trying days lately. Days when I’m not sure how I’ll make it through without tears. Mine. And the boys. Days with a simple moment of sweetness that somehow make it all worth while.

We’ve had quiet days, filled with popsicle sticks, glue, paint and markers.

We’ve had Christmas moments made priceless by a little boy sitting as far away from Santa as humanely possible.

We’ve had happy smiles. Chubby cheeks. And an adorale squeaky friend named Sophie the Giraffe.

We’ve had silly moments where the couch turns into a shower and 6 poofs become the silliest things on earth.

We’ve created and baked, laughed and snuggled.

We’ve had a year. A great year. A year full of adjustments and learning. Countless smiles. Many belly laughs. Some tears. Some acceptance.

Most of all we’ve had a year filled with learning to let go, learning to pick your battles and just living in the moment.

How was your year?

All Amazon.com links are affiliate links.

This post is proudly linked up with Parenting BY Dummies, Seven Clown Circus, Better in Bulk, A Beautiful Mess, Live and Laugh…Out Loud.

We’ve Had…A Year is a post from: Alli 'n Son

The stockings are hung. The tree is decorated. The house is filled with cookies galore.

Santa has our list. It will not to disappoint. It promises to fill little boy hearts with glee.

The Christmas menu is planned. Our day will be filled with joy. Crafts. Cookies. Of course cookies.

And yet, here sit our holiday cards. Beautiful. Perfect. Waiting so impatiently to be addressed. Stamped. Mailed. To those we love. To those we don’t see enough of. To those we want to share our holiday spirit with.

These lovely cards, which so wonderfully capture the joy of life with two boys, courtesy of Storkie Express. These cards which more than met my expectations. These cards which actually captured my breath when I opened the package last week. These cards, which so desperately want to be mailed out.

They sit, waiting, until I can find 30 minutes to address them. Until I can find the energy to handwrite everyone’s address. Until I can keep my eyes open long enough to make sure that no one is missed.

I’ve made our list.

Checked it twice.

And yes, even the naughty ones will receive this gift.

But, since I can’t send one to everyone, as much as I’d like to, this is my happy holiday wish to everyone. May your holidays be wonderful, full of family, friends and cookies.

Of course cookies.

Storkie Express

These beautiful cards wouldn’t have been possible without Storkie Express, a company that specializes in invitations and announcements with style. From classic, elegant designs to something a little more modern and stylish, their selection is wonderful. And seriously, there’s something for everyone. Birth announcements. Save the Dates. Parties. Graduation. Baptisms.

And unique, holiday ornament cards. Oh the holiday cards. I can honestly say that I haven’t seen anything like them. They sent my heart a-fluttering when I first saw them. I agonized over which design to pick {and which photo to use}. And then when I received them in the mail, very quickly I might add, I couldn’t believe my eyes. These aren’t cards that you stick on your fridge for a couple of weeks, and then toss after the holidays. Oh no. These are cards that will be lovingly placed with the ornaments, brought out year after year. Good thing they are printed on super thick paper, so they will stand the test of Christmas time.

Storkie Express has a little secret too, which makes them just a little more awesome. They have Christmas elves who, if you ask nicely, will assemble the ornament cards so you don’t have to. Santa’s little helpers. I love it.

If you haven’t ordered your holiday cards yet, there’s still time. Sure, you won’t get them in time for the big day, but there’s nothing wrong with sending them out after Christmas. They are holiday cards after all. Or if you need thank you cards to send to Santa for all of the toys he’s bringing you, well, Storkie has tons of those too. In fact, they have cards for just about every occasion that you can think of.

I’m pretty certain that my cards won’t make it in the mail on time. Oh well. That’s life with two boys.

Disclaimer: I received a $50 gift code from Storkie Express to facilitate my review. All opinions are mine and mine alone.

This post is proudly linked up with Parenting BY Dummies, Seven Clown Circus, Better in Bulk, A Beautiful Mess, Live and Laugh…Out Loud.

Happy Holidays and a Storkie Express Review is a post from: Alli 'n Son

It’s been far too long since I’ve talked about the Blogger Body Calendar and Violence Unsilenced. It’s been a crazy, busy, stressful and overwhelming great year for everyone involved. Actually, since we’ve last talked things have a changed a little. Band Back Together took over because honestly, we needed help.

And we got help. Now it’s here. It’s finally here. And it’s beautiful.

The 2012 Blogger Body Calendar is for sale through Zazzle.com For just $19.95 you will be the proud owner of a calendar featuring some of the best and most creative bloggers showing what it means to be a strong woman. You know what’s even better? Proceeds from the sales are going to Violence Unsilenced, a site dedicated to giving abuse survivors a voice.

And you know what? I’m in it. Twice. *bush*

So please consider purchasing one. For yourself. As a Christmas gift. Whatever. Just buy one, okay?

{P.S. If you use code CALENDARSALE you can get it for 50% off! I’m not sure how long this code is good for, so go buy it now.}

This post is proudly linked up with Parenting BY Dummies, Seven Clown Circus, Better in Bulk, A Beautiful Mess, Live and Laugh…Out Loud.

2012 Blogger Body Calendar For Sale is a post from: Alli 'n Son

Last week I made a big declairation in our house.

We would not be sending out Christmas cards. Not in the mail at least.

I needed one less thing to do this holiday season. One less thing to stress over. One less thing nagging at me for falling behind on. Again.

Then the cards started to trickle into our mailbox. Those early birds who have their act together, making the rest of us look bad.

And then, the last straw, as I realized as my stomach dropped to my feet, I had promised to review Storkie Express like, months ago. Yet I hadn’t ordered anything yet.

*gulp*

Yes, that’s me, the bad blogger who forgot to review something because a baby has sucked all of my brain power, memory and ability to get anything done.

*gulp*

Thankfully, an email showed up with the cutest holiday cards in the entire world. I’m so not exaggerating. Holiday cards that double as ornaments. It’s like a card and a gift all in one.

Take that early holiday card senders. You may have gotten your cards out early, but are they presents at the same time? No, I don’t think they are.

Unless of course you count the beautiful, funny or cute photo of you and your family. I suppose that could be counted as a gift.

Anyway, I set out with my camera to capture the boys at their best. The only thing is, you can’t ever capture two boys, a four month old baby and an energetic 3.5 year old at their best, at the same time.

See? They are goofy, but at their best, no, not really. That’s what life is like with two little boys. Full of energy and character, but seldom ever sitting still and smiling, at the same time.

I did manage to find one Christmas card-worthy photo. But that will have to wait for another day. For my official, official review of Storkie Express. Until then I would love if it you jumped over to check out their super adorable holiday cards. Because I know that there are more late holiday card sender outers. I’m not the only one, right?

Right?

This post is proudly linked up with Parenting BY Dummies, Seven Clown Circus, Better in Bulk, A Beautiful Mess, Live and Laugh…Out Loud.

Christmas Card Out Takes is a post from: Alli 'n Son

I have a hard time finding balance. I move too quickly. I do too much. Or not enough. I’m an all or nothing sort of person.

But every once in a while, I get it right. The right balance between the boys and myself. Between quality time together and quality time apart.

The right balance between letting the boys just be boys, and enjoying their boyness. Every messy, loud, rowdy, racing bit of it.

It’s an amazing experience, being the mom of two boys. It’s something I didn’t know I wanted, until I had it. The only room for girls in this family, is for me. And I’m okay with that.

Actually, I kind of prefer it this way.

This post is proudly linked up with Parenting BY Dummies, Seven Clown Circus, Better in Bulk, A Beautiful Mess, Live and Laugh…Out Loud.

Balance is a post from: Alli 'n Son