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« October 2007 | Main | January 2008 »
I have a new post up on the Larger Families.com blog titled "Gratitude: Putting a Spin on Struggles." The Larger Families site has a new look and we added some great new bloggers! Check out all of the inspiring posts from this month's theme pertaining to gratitude :-)
Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer hosts the Works For Me Wednesday carnival and here's my contribution:
With four young children I really don't have a free hand. Therefore lugging a big diaper bag containing supplies to meet all of their needs really is not an option. I think it was after child #2 that I wised up, got rid of the big diaper bag and came up with a different solution.
I now have a "keep-it-in-the-car-bin" that stays in the back of my van. It is a medium-sized under-the-bed type of storage container. Here are some of the items it holds:
Now the clean shirt may sound odd, but it has come in handy. We were attending a baptism and at the luncheon afterwards my son (2 months at the time) had a diaper blow-out while I was holding him. Thankfully I was all set with a change of clothes for him AND a clean shirt for me, waiting in the back of the van. Of course the shirt didn't match my skirt, but it definitely beat the alternative!
In the spring and fall I bring the bin in the house, restock it, change out the outfits according to season, etc.
With this in the back of my van I rarely need to carry even my small diaper bag. I simply throw a baggie of wipes and a few diapers in my purse and head off to our destination; knowing that if there is any type of *emergency*, I have supplies waiting for me in the van :-)
I'll be a columnist for the Writer Mama Zine!
Writer, author, teacher, blogger, Christina Katz, has a blog and zine based on her great book, Writer Mama: How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids. For 2008 she'll be taking her Writer Mama Zine to the next level and include columnists. Yours truly is one of seven lucky writer mamas to share a bit of what we've learned trying to make a name for ourselves in this business, when the name we're called most is "MOM!"
I think Christina must have the Midas touch because everything she has a hand in turns to gold!. She's played a big role in my writing career success with her book, Writers on the Rise Zine, and classes. So I can't wait to see how the Writer Mama Zine turns out! To check it out visit her site and click the envelope in the upper right-hand corner to subscribe. If you forget, don't worry, I'll remind you when each issue comes out ;-)
Today Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer added a little twist to Works-For-Me Wednesday. She's making it Backwards Day! Instead of posting a tidbit of advice we are blogging about an issue where WE need the advice.
So here's my questions: How do I get my 6 1/2-year-old and close to 5-year-old pick up the pace with their duties? We came up with a chart/list that details everything they are responsible for during the day (getting dressed, brushing their teeth, etc.) and a few chores (emptying the wastebaskets, unloading the dishwasher, etc). The list is working well and they are enthusiatic about checking the items off as the get them done. The problem is that they have a tendency to take FOREVER at times, especially the items that fall just before bed. The purpose of the list was to get them to be more responsible on their own and allow me to back off with the constant reminders ("now put your clothes in the basket", "take your dishes to the counter", etc.). But if they are being pokey I'm still on them to keep moving and get the job done. Any advice for getting my kids to pick up the pace??????
Halloween fun!
And, no, my husband and I didn't dress up :-( I was willing to dress up like the witch, but he wouldn't dress up like a flying monkey!
Christina at The Writer Mama tagged me for this Crazy Eights Meme. So here I go :-)
8 Things I'm Passionate About:
1. My children.
2. My husband.
3. A strong faith.
4. My family and friends.
5. My writing career.
6. My role as a wife and mother.
7. Living a life with integrity.
8. Finding some balance in life.
8 Things I Want to do Before I Die:
1. Watch my children grow up.
2. Have grandchildren (I hope my kids are on board with that ;-).
3. Travel a lot with my husband.
4. Write a book.
5. Get published in the "big" magazines.
6. Reach a point where I feel completely organized (a girl can dream, right?).
7. Feel strong, healthy and fit.
8. Build a house on my dream piece of property.
8 Things I Say Often:
1. The first and middle name of my daughter and oldest son when in trouble.
2. Didn't I just clean up this kitchen?
3. The nicknames of my 2-year-old and 17-month old.
4. Not tonight, honey, I'm tired. Honey, can you run some errands and take some kids with you?!?
5. Leave the cat alone!
6. What did I say? (replying to my children's insistent nagging)
7. Thank you (I must say it a lot because this has been one of the first words for all of my kids).
8. Mama loves you.
8 Books I've Read Recently (or am still reading):
1. The Department of Lost and Found by Allison Winn Scotch
2. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
3. The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
4. The Renegade Writer by Diana Burrell and Linda Formichelli
5. The One-Minute Organizer Plain & Simple by Donna Smallin
6. Saving Dinner by Leanne Ely
7. 10-Minute Life Lessons for Kids by Jamie Miller
8. The Red Tent (again) by Anita Diamant
8 Songs I Could Listen to Over and Over:
1. Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
2. I Could Not Ask For More by Sara Evans
3. You Are Holy by Michael W. Smith
4. Because You Loved Me by Celine Dion
5. It is You by Newsboys
6. My Savior My God by Aaron Shust
7. Wide Open Spaces by Dixie Chicks
8. When You Say Nothing at All by Alison Krauss & Union Station
8 Things that Attract Me to My Best Friends:
1. Their supportive attitude.
2. Their dedication.
3. Their sense of humor.
4. Their loyalty.
5. Their integrity.
6. Their acceptance.
7. Their values.
8. Their honesty.
8 People I Think Should do Crazy Eights:
I'm going to leave this part open to everyone. If you'd like to participate consider yourself tagged :-)
There's no need to wait until Jan to start something new. I need to make reading for enjoyment a daily habit. So to help *push* me a little I'll be posting about it here :-) I'll feature a new book that I'm reading every week. Sometime the following week I'll do a brief review. There will be a mix of fiction and nonfiction. I'll have a running list of the book schedule in case you'd like to join me as I force myself to take more "me-time"! Also, recommendations are always welcome!!!
Below is the schedule for the next few weeks.
Nov 11: "Table for Eight: Raising a Large Family in a Small-Family World" by Meagan Francis
Nov 18: "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everthing Across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert
Nov 25: "Twelve Ordinary Men: How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness, and What He Wants to Do with You" by John MacArthur
Dec 2: "Writer Mama: How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids" by Christina Katz (I've read this once, but the thing about books regarding a writing career is you can always learn even more by reading them again as your own career progresses.)
Dec 9: "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini
Dec 16: "Five-Star Families: Moving Yours From Good to Great" by Carol Kuykendall
