Posts tagged family

In response to Better Homes and Gardens article on dinning out with little children

May 23, 2010 · Filed under family, parenting, Uncategorized · Tagged , , ,

This morning I read an article about how to deal with little children while dinning out written by a woman with out children.  And lets just say she really failed at it.  While she made some great points she missed key things that some parents might find useful.   And her comment about breastfeeding in the bathroom.  Lets just say I have a feeling BHG is going to loose readers or say they are sorry soon.  Any ways you can find this article here.

But I thought as a mother of three children and soon to be four who would rather dine out while children in tow than leave them home I would share my tips on what works for me and also open this post up to tips from other parents that have been there and done that.  (I will edit this post to add some of the ideas as well)

One thing I find works for me is to go early like before 6pm if you can.

Another thing I find is don’t go when they are sleepy I find for at least my children this makes them cranky and makes a long meal even longer.

Have a dinning out bag of quite things for your children to do.  I have three kids right now when I go out so I try to have a bag for each of them of quite things they like and these things stay in the bag and only get used while dinning out.  For my Oldest things like a fav book, sometime his ipod shuffle with music or a audio book and headphones works great.  Sometimes he even gets to take his game boy with headphones and play that quietly (to be honest my 9 yo is the one to normally act up and get the 4 yo going) For my 4 yo we have found crayons and coloring books and paper work well and just playing tic tac toe with him is a great thing to keep him busy and quiet.  for my 18 month old, her’s is crayons and paper and her dollie she’s very good in the restaurants. Any toys they may get in the bag are quiet but if they make noise they must have headphones as I know others don’t want to hear it either.

I make sure my kids go pee before we sit at the table, I find this limits the getting up in the middle of dinner.

I teach my kids not to stare at other people tables and see what they are doing and to enjoy us as a family.

I order things I know my kids like and then have them try something new that my husband or I ordered.  I find this works best to not waste money on food but also gets them to try new things and my kids would rather try off of mom’s plate then there own.

Strollers was mentioned in the article and while many places I see this as something that isn’t really needed (I don’t own one) I can see where some places they are so I say common sense works wonders here.

One thing I believe the article got right was clean up after your kids, and if you not going to leave at min. another 5%-10% of a tip.  It holds up other people wanting to eat as well.  And really you clean up after them when your home it’s not hard to teach them not to do it other places.

Big thing is to practice at home and at other family friendly places and to start young, children just don’t pick up this behave just because they reach a certain age.

I know this list isn’t complete and I am sure I will be back to add more as I remember them.  and as others share their tips so please share your tips with me.

Now on to asking woman to breast feed in bathrooms, this is just wrong on so many levels.  And I really don’t want to get into it right now but ask all breastfeeding mom’s to check local law on it and remind staffers if this ever becomes a problem for you.

EDITED TO ADD

Many mom’s I know are calling for a boycott of BHG and I have to say that I agree with this, I think they should pull the article and apologize to all the mom’s they pretty much told to Breast Feed in the rest room.  I receive this Magazine as a gift but will not have it renewed when it runs out and what I will do with my next copy I am not sure,  but it won’t stay in my home.  I am going to look to canceling it as well.

More I think about this the more I am pissed.

Oh one more thing to those that have a problem with what I am doing what are you staring at me?

There is a Facebook page boycotting BGH now you can find it here

ok contact info for BHG

BHG.com
Meredith Corporation
1716 Locust Street
Des Moines, IA 50309-3023
E-mail: support@bhg.com

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Mr. A’s reply…

January 11, 2010 · Filed under family, spiritual, Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , , ,

So tonight I finally got a chance to talk to Mr/ A and get his feelings on the answers and really loved Ruby’s answer his reply was.  It just makes sense.  Sounds right to me and he was done with the topic.  But he wants me to tell everyone his so very happy you all took time to answer his question gave him links to look up and read.  He said he may have more questions in the future and hope you don’t mind helping him.

As his mother you know I am thankful and i will say it again Thank you.  You made his weekend and day today and he has thought long and hard.  and well you helped a mother out as well so thank you agian

Blessings

Spirit

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Quick Update

January 11, 2010 · Filed under family, religion, spiritual, Steps down the path, Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thought I would just update real quick Mr A and I didn’t sit down and talk like we wanted we had dinner plans at a friends house plus we were running around getting ready to be with out water for three days.  With that said I am hoping to get to it tonight as his he has read all the answers (except the new ones have to wait till he gets home for those) and has been thinking about it.

I also plan on getting back to the life of a soul later today things have been just crazy here.

So last night after running around and getting clothes washed dishes done and diapers wash and tons of water stored, we went and had dinner over at a friends house.  We had a leg of lamb that I bought but wasn’t sure how to cook it and she loves lamb and knows how so it worked out great.  And we watched a movie as well.  It was a great time and lamb was great learned I love lamb and we will be doing it again.

We also made plans for next weekend as well which will be good Miss A and I need to get out more and Miss A needs to be around other people because right now she will only let mama and dada hold her this isn’t the greatest.  G (my friend) has been in her life since she was a baby and Miss A loved going to her.  And this is the only person I trust to watch her.

Miss A is also walking a whole lot more as well but see likes to do it when others are not watching her.  Sees a silly girl.  Mr R his is just growing up so fast seems like yesterday he was my little man that needed mama for everything and not it’s always I a big boy I can do it.  Don’t get me wrong I love it I do I just miss my snuggle time with him is all.

Mr A is 9 now and such a young man and smart he is always asking questions that his dad and I need to look up the answer to before we can answer them he sure is going to be fun as a teen.

Mr Spirit is doing better with his meds and has a meeting with docs. later next month to see what his options are for treatment to be honest I feel good about this I mean we know what is wrong we can fix it.  I will mean a new MOS which I am sure he can deal with.  Now he wants us to start thinking about where we would like to move next.  He choices are Arizona or the UK one is neat family and would be great for the kids the other is a dream.

I think he needs to dream right now because he is worried about his neck.  I understand this I just want to get through this get him healed, but there is so much he needs to be healed from.  He is hurting not only in his neck, but his mind and spiritually.  Today he has his appt for Therapy for his PTSD thing is many don’t think he has it so he gets a hard time.  But his he is great at hiding what is bothering him.  I love him but this bugs me about him at the same time.  But he is getting help and for that I am grateful it was a hard time for a little bit  but it’s getting better.

Well I just dinner on the stove to cook all day…mmm..beef roast.

Blessings,

Spirit

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Thank you everyone!

January 9, 2010 · Filed under family, Steps down the path, Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , ,

Mr A loved watching the answers come in and the blog stats go up thank you all.

We are going to have a chat about it more tonight and sometime tomorrow I will post about that later.

Blessings

Spirit

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Life Update

January 7, 2010 · Filed under family, Steps down the path, Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , ,

I have been focused on the spiritual part of my blog I haven’t updated on our daily lives.  Well they are boring so this won’t take long.

First the best news Mr. A got a 100 in math I am very proud of him and he has been working so hard.

Mr. R. is still my wild child but I love him so.  Today he was afraid of the wind so I told him it’s was just mother nature trying to blow out a trick candle and that if he wanted to he could make wind.  So he is no long afraid of the noises the wind makes and walks around trying to blow things over.

Miss A. well other than her falling and hitting me in the head she is doing great she got mad at getting out of the tub today she is sure a water baby and lives up to her sign.  She is going to be walking very soon. She does some but not 100% solo yet.  I really love watching her grow up and reach all these different milestones but I am also sadden as it means she’s growing up.  Kids are just not Kids long enough anymore.

And she has started saying bath today as well.

Mr. Spirit well he is back at work and it’s the same old same old.  The meds he is on for his neck and hands seems to be working but when we up the dose it’s hard for him to stay awake, but he’s not in pain and that’s a great thing.  He is also getting the help he needs for things he has seen and I think it’s great he opens up to me as much and he can but he really needs someone he can be 100% honest with.
As for me, my eye is healing nicely, and I got my packet for school today.  I worry about how we are going to pay for it and may just move to doing it in a year we are so close to being ahead and able to save a good deal of cash for raining days I don’t want to mess that up.  Mr. Spirit talked about me using his GI Bill but that just doesn’t seem right he could do so much more than I could he should use it for himself.

Other than that there really isn’t a whole lot going on.  Just the same stuff.

Though tonight I got to sit and explain blood types to Mr A and it was fun I just loved it and he did to it was such a great bonding time.  Him and I don’t spend enough of that time together and I am working on changing that his school hours make it hard but we will figure out away.  He has tomorrow off because of some farm or cattle show in the town of his school.  So maybe we will make that puppet theater that he wants so bad.  Or we will make some more puppets.  So many ideas.

Blessings,

Spirit

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How a soul is born…well how I think it happens

January 6, 2010 · Filed under religion, Steps down the path, Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , , ,

Well ok, maybe I don’t know but this just feels so right to me I thought I would share. I do know that to have a new soul made the mother and father must come together on it. Does that mean that they have sex, in a way yes.

When a new soul is born it’s because the mother and father have come together as one in the most perfect union, this union is how we have all come to be. This union is of love. Now it’s not like sex is here on earth but the same idea or at least that’s how I see it.
We are all born with a piece of the mother and father within us. But at the time we are born so is our soul mate. Our soul mate is our prefect half the other that completes us. When we join with our soul mate there is an energy that is expanded and we are given the chance to become one with the mother and father again. This is the goal for many souls.

Now many would probably why I think this is true and how things are done. And truth be told it just is, I think it’s because I liken the mother and father to true parents and how they have children.

Sorry it’s so short, mommy duties call

Blessings
Spirit

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It’s been a couple of days

January 4, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , ,

It’s been a couple of days since I last posted.  And well I am working on a few posts to post.

One on past lives and cell memory and birthmarks.

Another on old souls.

and I hope to get one on how I deal with deployments and tips…and would like to post one on spiritual marriages.

But first my family needs me and

we need to get back to normal after a long break!  And I have to get my new computer set up to the settings I like and such.  Also I have to do somethings for school as well.

I will be back tonight!

Blessings

Spirit

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Happy New Year’s!

December 31, 2009 · Filed under family, Holidays, religion, Steps down the path, Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

In a few short hours another year will have gone by and a new will begin.  And at this time many are making promises that they make every year of what they want to do in the next year.  Wither it be lose weight, workout more or even keep the house clean more.  And while many will not keep their promises in the next year some will.

For me I will not be will not be listing such promises or making them because well every year and every day I try to better myself and I will admit this year I haven’t made some great choices in how I handle myself, things I have said or done.  Now I could sit here and say will I had post pardon depression and then depression after I nearly killed my children in a roll over but fact is every day someone is dealing with those things and I am grateful that I have worked through them.

But then again I was very lucky in the fact I have a great husband who supported me and fish oil other wise I would have had to find a doctor and see help.  I am glad that there was a natural thing to take to help me out.  With all that said I am glad that there is a new year around the corner.  I look forward to all the many many many great things that will come.  From my children reaching mile stones to my husband healing, he has a neck injury from war that needs healing.

I also look forward in the next year to starting my schooling.  I have decided on natural medicine to study.  As to were this can lead for a career I am not really sure to be honest but I know that it will help me become a better mother and that I love.

So I didn’t get my blessing jar made yet I want to do that on the first day of the new year I think that’s more important it will be a great way to start the year of and it will be positive and I know my oldest will love it.  I did do my revitalizing my spirit in getting ready for the new year and I will do it again in the morning after I wake and just start not only the say and the year off with a good foot.

I am hoping that I can find time tomorrow to meditate and carve that time into everyday as well.  I really need to do that more often I am hoping to contact and speak with my spirit guide and I also hope to start looking into Astral Travel soon as well but I need to start with one thing at a time.

I have so much that I want to get done this year it’s crazy and yet I am not promising to do them as I know they will be done because it’s just the path we are all on.  Mr Spirit will be looking for a church soon I personally think he knows which one he will love but he wants to talk with the pastor some more.  He is afraid of them not accepting our marriage and me with my faith.  And he says he doesn’t need a church to talk and have a relationship with god.  Which I agree with him but I know it’s important to him.  He won’t tell me but I know he misses it.  I want him to have that again.  And if that means I get my butt up early and head off to church early on sunday morning and load the baby up and sit next to him well then that’s what I will do.

But he would do it for me in a heart beat as well, I love that we can support each other so well.

Ok on to something different and because I don’t want to make many posts and I know that many are not reading this anyways….

Mr Spirit found out more about his neck injury and well I know he will be fine I don’t know how but I know he will be.  I still worry, I worry if he needs surgery I worry because he is dealing with this and dealing with PTSD and that’s just a lot.  Mostly I worry because he doesn’t feel right sharing with me, he doesn’t want me to know the things he has seen and done in war and he is afraid I am not going to be able to handle it.  And while I know I can I respect that he doesn’t want to share it and I am just grateful he is talking to someone about it.

Also the doc he saw earlier this week gave him meds for is neck but they also fix the shaking in his hands.  My dear sweet husband’s hands have aways shook the whole time he’s been alive and this whole time no one has told him he didn’t have to live this way.  He had a fear of holding our newborns because of the shaking and because he was afraid of dropping them because of it.  But he has been given that all back and while we don’t have a new-born and I don’t know if we will have another child I do know that it will take time for him to get used to it.

So with that I live the past in the past and I look forward to a great and wonderful new year full of hopes and dreams.  Full of healing and just everything that is good.  I look forward to school and I look forward to my watch my children this coming year.

Happy New Year’s Everyone!

Blessings

Spirit

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Blended faith home….how does it work?

December 30, 2009 · Filed under family, Holidays, religion, Steps down the path, Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

I have been asked this many times and honestly it’s hard to answer because it just does.  But a few important things I think I should share that work for us Mr. Spirit a Christian and myself and Pagan.

1) Respect is a must
2) Understanding that you are not always going to agree one what is right
3) Support each other in their chosen paths

So let me start with respect.

Things would never work if I didn’t respect that Mr. Spirit believe differently than I.  And they wouldn’t work if he didn’t respect my beliefs.  Mr. Spirit over the years has had many people ask and or tell him to make me change what I believe.  He understand where they are coming from but at the same time he doesn’t get it.  Why would he want to force me to believe something that I myself couldn’t no longer force myself to believe in.

He knew that it wouldn’t be true faith, it would be going through the motions and he didn’t want that for me he respected me and that path that I am on that it’s right for me.  Do I think he wishes that I would convert? Honestly I don’t know I know that we rub off on one another and of faiths change with every passing day.

As for me I could never ask or try and force Mr. Spirit to believe as me.  I truly believe god speaks to us all in the way that is right for us to hear him and I truly believe Mr. Spirit is on the right path.  I do know that my faith makes it hard for him to follow a dream of his to be either an asst. chaplain/pastor or a Chaplain/Pastor.  Many churches at least that he has been to so far don’t like the blended faith home we have they will take him as a member but that’s about it.  I hate this and I am willing to be the good pastors wife and sit in church every Sunday and listen to him and do what is needed of me.  I am willing not to be out of the closet for this for him as it is I am mainly out online and that’s it.  But he refuses to ask that of me.

And with that you see how we respect each other and we try to support each other on our chosen paths.  When I say I am willing to be quite and hid my faith so he can meet his goals he doesn’t like that.

Now on to understanding.

Mr. Spirit and I have had many of debates on what we believe some he will look at me and say that he just doesn’t agree.  And you know what I am fine with that just like he will be answering questions for our oldest and who Jesus was and when I am asked I say I believe he was a man that lived but the son of god nope.  But I also try and be very respectful of the fact he believe that he is when I say it and I say mommy believes but many believe like daddy.  And Mr Spirit is normally quick to say that our oldest needs find his own path and see what he believes. (but that’s another post in it’s own my oldest and his journey)

Agree to disagree goes along way with this it also helps when we have fights every now and then to remember we don’t always have to agree and things will be ok.

Now on to supporting one another.

This we find easy I don’t know how to explain this we are partners in parenting and life and even our spiritual lives even though we don’t agree on paths.  We just support one another when they need it.  I support Mr. Spirit in finding a church and helping find where they are and websites for him to look up on and numbers to call.  Why because he works crazy hours.  I support him in making sure he has what he needs for his spiritual growth and that the days that are special to him are celebrated and as special as the days that are important to me.
It’s important to him to pray before meals so we do it.  And so many other things.  He supports me in making sure that I know that while with in my home I am safe and don’t have to had and if I need time to do a ritual it’s fine he will keep the kids busy.  If I need him to help me he does.  He is planning on praying with me over the Blessing Jar tomorrow because he knows it’s important to me.

I don’t see issues with blending faith it just takes communication (opps forgot that one in the list), respect, understanding and support just like everything else in a marriage.  So in the end I would like to say it’s easy there is no trick to having a blended faith home many people do it and I am not special because we do it.  It works for us is it for everyone no but that is how marriage and life is.

Any questions?

Blessings,
Spirit

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I am Anti Anti aging or in other words pro aging

December 29, 2009 · Filed under family, religion, Steps down the path, Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , , ,

I am tired of all the anti aging things out on the market and what is thrown out to women that getting and looking older is wrong and you shouldn’t. I used to feel this way I had a hard time turn 25 because I was a quarter of a century old. But now I look and think about it and realize I was not old but I was wiser and I am going to welcome every wrinkle and gray hair there is out there that comes my way.

Aging isn’t something that’s bad or something we should try to stop but it is just something that is. With every passing year we have learned something new we have loved and lost and we have grown while it be psychically or spiritually or emotionally. Think about it in the last year what are some things you have at to live through and grow with as a person?

But while I am cool with my ageing and my growing older and I know I will welcome my time to be a crone I do grieve for my children’s childhood going by so quickly. I know it’s how it is supposed to be and I understand that but in the world of today it seems we ask to much of them. So this is going to be my new goal to become cool or fine with the growing up of my children and enjoy their different stages of their life and try to guide them to be a great person.

In the mean time I will boycott anti ageing creams and gels and all that stuff. I will enjoy everyday I am given and find something to learn from it.

So rejoice with me as I grow older and with the new gray hair I found, for it brings wisdom and reminds me all that I have learned.

Blessings,
Spirit

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