Our Funny Family Halloween Costume

Robbers and Bag of Money Family Costume

So I found the idea on pinterest…(where all the good ideas are) and knew I wanted to try it for our little family of three! The money bag costume was based on a wearable blanket pattern but instead of arms I just sewed an elastic hem at the top and added two elastic straps to hold it up. Here are the pics of how our mommy/daddy robbers and little bag of money baby costume turned out. Enjoy!

In hindsight I wish I would have put the $ symbol a little higher but when you have limited time on your hands you have to let things go sometimes...

They are such a cute pair!

I love my little family!

Here's a detailed shot of her little headband made of elastic, fake money folded over and fanned, and real change glued together.

And a few more cute shots :)

Oh that smile!!

Bits of bills sewn on to the back.

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A Pretty Face

Sometimes all you need is an adorable face to make your day!

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Devo:Freedom and Passion

To love something or someone passionately sometimes comes easily, at least for a while, maintaining that passion takes deliberate action...a choice to remain devoted regardless of circumstance. If the thing that holds our passion is anything other than Jesus Christ, it may even put up a fight when our hearts realize the idolatry we've been sweeping under the rug (I know from experience).  

Jesus said, “The first in importance is, ‘Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.’ And here is the second: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ There is no other commandment that ranks with these.”

Our precious Lord lays it out real simple for us and I'm thankful because being a work at home mommy and trying to figure out how to not fail at life, I really appreciate clear direction when it comes to living the way I was created to. 

Here's to letting go of anything that is putting up a fight to hold our attention more than the one who created everything and yet gives us the choice to choose him. Not because we have to but because to be in love with a Holy God is a beautiful, all consuming, completely fulfilling, adventure that doesn't end when we leave this earth!

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A Year Ago She Finally Came Home!

One year ago this week, my little Aislynn was released from Nationwide Children's Hospital after ten weeks of recovery from surgery just three days after being born. One of the worst things anyone's ever said to me is that after resuscitation, a blood transfusion, and scary labor complications my not even four pound daughter needed surgery on her intestines. There are no words to explain the gut wrenching feeling of a parent knowing their child is in trouble, if you've been there you know what I mean.

So many fears - will she make it through surgery? Will they find something else wrong? Will I ever get to take my baby home and hold her in my arms without needing a nurse to hand her to me and check vitals and wires and ahhhhhh! I wanted her to get the care and recovery she needed but I also knew that near the end of her stay, she needed to be home to heal. Home, the place of safety, security, love, acceptance, support, joy, laughter...all of those healing components that are basically impossible to recreate in a hospital environment.

Mommy and Aislynn packing up to come home! 8.4.2012

I'll never forget the nurse on duty that morning who pushed the doctors and surgeons to let Aislynn be released knowing she was going to a place that would help her heal and finally start her life! 

The lyrics to the song below were a constant reminder that only Christ Jesus was my way through this trial and because of him I have a beautiful, healthy, healed daughter. I pray that God uses her story to show others that he is not held back by death, disease, pain, sorrow, or persecution and he loves his children with a fierce and powerful love.

"My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus name

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus name

Christ alone; cornerstone
Weak made strong; in the Saviour's love
Through the storm, He is Lord
Lord of all"
-Cornerstone by Hillsong

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Sensory play:water in a bag

This play activity is so easy and can be put together in minutes and cleaned up in seconds! Just fill a ziplock bag with water 3/4 full and add 2-3 drops of food color. For the color below we added one drop of green and one drop of blue. 

Then we used Aisy's favorite butterfly stickers and put them on the top of the baggie after taping down all the edges so as to prevent bitting the baggie ;).

Fun and squishy learning!

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Devo:Freedom and Peace

The word speaks for itself! I'm still inspired and meditative about running after peace through the power of the Spirit and the action of praise to my God!

{more} read week 1 devo - read Matthew chapter 7 - memorize and meditate on Matthew 7:11

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Rainbow Spaghetti:Sensory fun

This rainbow noodle sensory activity was so much fun for both of us! The color stayed only on the noodles and the olive oil made our skin nice and smooth!

Aislynn had so much fun finding her bath toys!

She ate a few noodles but that was part of the sensory experience.

I liked doing this activity in this plastic bin because it was easier to clean up than in the bath tub. The noodles were easily dumped in the trash and the oily bin cleaned up nicely with dish soap and water.

A few more pics of the cuteness!!

Thanks for the inspiration growingajeweledrose.com we'll be back for more!

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Devo Week 2:Freedom and Provision

{more} read week 1 devo - read Matthew chapter 7 - memorize and meditate on Matthew 7:11

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Love Through Training: The Nap Struggle

Love through training: The Nap Struggle

There she was again, standing up in her crib with that adorable grin just begging me to give in to her plea to keep playing and skip nap time....

...when the grin didn't serve her the crying began along with the continual getting back up to stand in her crib in protest. After 48 hours of nap rebellion my one year old was getting far too unhappy to let this power struggle go on. She usually would take a second nap later in the afternoon and it really helped keep her together until bedtime because her morning nap was much earlier in the day. As a preemie, she very much still needed this second nap and as a parent I'm painfully aware that lack of sleep during the day begets lack of sleep at night.

It took a very intense twenty minutes but because we introduced the basic sleep training timeline of twenty minutes to allow the brain to calm itself down at a young age, she was asleep only a half hour later than her normal nap time and for me that was a big win!

Here's what we did. I laid her down after a routine similar to bedtime (diaper change, white noise/fan, and dark room, kisses) then quickly left the room whit the door slightly open. I then used our video monitor to see when she was reaching for the crib bars to pull herself up and spoke firmly "no please Aislynn". She pulled back her hands and cried for a while before trying a second time to pull herself up and was met with the same firm but calm response "no please Aislynn". Again she pulled her hands back, cried for a little while, and gave it a third try. "No please Aislynn"My tone was the same firm but calm. She gave a final whimper then went to sleep for an hour. 

I really value giving her the gift of sleep as well as the gift of healthy boundaries to help her brain establish itself to react well in a safe and loving environment. She's going to learn somewhere/somehow so I'm glad I can control part of the learning to make it positive and healthy instead of negative or harmful. 

Happy Napping!

Helpful Tips:

1. I will never ever regret purchasing a video monitor!! In addition to the above victory, It made earlier sleep training much easier and less painful as a mommy because I could always see that my darling one was ok and just needed to teach herself to calm down
2. 
   
3. Making sure to put power behind your "NO" by using it sparingly and only when you are committed to following through with a consequence when it's disobeyed is a crucial part of the above success story.
4. 
   
5. A firm but calm voice is much better received and should come from a place of calm authoritative strength and love. Your little one never wants to and never should be in control even though they will test you a million times a minute! 
6. 
   
7. Give yourself a break! We all make mistakes and get worn down so get a good nights sleep and try again tomorrow!
8. 
   
9. Training is a marathon. Build on what you have already established but never go back on previously set rules. Consistency is like a warm blanket and a pacifier to your kids.
10. 
    
11. Ask for help! Parenting is tough so get a baby sitter and get some you time whenever possible so you can be at your best for your little one.

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Penning Eternity: L.D. Foulis

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Devo: Freedom and Protection

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