Butterflies

I bought a Butterfly kit last winter when a homeschool store was going out of business. I got it for a great deal and thought it would be interesting to watch the catepillars change into butterflies. They had done this at our local library the year before and the boys asked alot of questions about the whole process.
I don't have any pictures of the beginning stages of the catepillars or their chrysilas, but these pics are the day that we let the butterflies go. Levi was standing ready w/ his butterfly to catch one when it started flying. Sadly, they flew up and away so fast, he really had no chance. Wyatt was able to get one to momentarily go on his finger b4 it flew away, but my camera wasn't quick enough to capture the moment ;-(
One of my favorite blogs is doing a give-away for a butterfly kit. And I would love win this and do the butterfly project again next Spring! You can enter to win too!
Just click here for details.

May--potty training, strawberries, flower pics

The first week of May, I cleared my calendar and STAYED HOME (no errands, no playdates, no park) to focus on potty training with my 2nd born child! I thought it might be a little easier since I potty trained W just a year and a half ago. What was thinking? I must have forgotten that tiny, but oh so important fact that L is a strong-willed, stubborn (is that the same thing?), "I do it by myself" kind-of-child!
L turned 3 in April. He talks and comprehends like a 5 yr old (and I'm not even over-exaggerating or biased...it's crazy the stuff he verbalizes). But his actions and understanding of right and wrong are age appropriate for a "terrible two stage" who just recently turned 3 yrs old. So, that combined w/ his personality...I very quickly realized on Day 1 of potty training, that it was not going to be easy. After potty training one child already, I totally understand that there WILL be messes. Lots of messes! I get that. I will be cleaning pee and poop off of the floor, out of underwear, out of bedding, etc, etc. That's one of the hard parts of potty training. Also, there's the challenge of getting them to understand the whole process, and physically controlling it. I knew that would be hard too. I never thought that I'd also be fighting to get him to just sit there. I had special drinks, special snacks, prizes and rewards, special movies, etc, etc. I thought we'd just spend lots of time sitting on the potty chair, potty ring, big potty...whatever! I was ready...or so I thought. I didn't think he would cry about sitting there. I mean I was giving him "the world"...allowing him to watch movies all AM, eat candy, etc. Let's just sit here! Oh no! Tears, angry grunts of protest, "I-don't-want-to-sit"....over and over! well, to shorten the story, after many days of trying many different angles, promising him a bike, and a bunk bed...nothing worked to peak an interest in him towards being a big boy like W and Daddy. He would occasionally have a success on the potty (not w/o a fight to get him on it), but then he would poop in his underwear and not even tell me. He didn't even mind sitting in it. YUCK!!
Then one day, I heard him get out of his bed during his nap time. I went upstairs to see what he was doing, and I was met in the hallway w/ the noise of a flushing toilet and w/ him hoisting a stool over his head carrying it back to his room and a big smile on his face. "Mommy, I went pee-pee in your potty all by myself!"
Now of course, the toilet had been flushed, so I had no proof if it actually happened. I asked him if he went standing up to sitting (we had been working on both, but he's not quite tall enough yet). He said he stood on his stool. I asked him if any drips got on the potty or the floor. (still wondering if this actually happened). He said, "Yes, but I wiped it w/ my shirt"....oh Levi!!! :-)
And THAT was the day that Levi decided that he would go potty all by himself! We have had less than 5 accidents since that day a month ago! Even overnight, he wears underwear and wakes up dry! Praise the Lord!

Tears


Silent protest


Also, in May, we enjoyed strawberries from our own garden!! The previous owner had planted a strawberry patch either last year or perhaps the year before, and we got to enjoy them this spring!


All of the following were also planted by the previous owner! I hope I can keep them going year after year!
Different variety of tulips


Gorgeous Climbing Rose Bush


Peonies!


Rhododendron

Most often on my "New Favorite Book" list...

Adam laughs, but I often have "new" favorite things. Do you??
I'll say, "This is my 'new' favorite food, resturant, movie, book, etc, etc". I guess the 'new' part is the fact that I'm saying it's my favorite right now. Or I like it so much that it's a favorite of mine, but it doesn't mean that something else in that same category that was my favorite a few months ago is no longer my favorite.
Make sense?? If you are a female, it will probably make a little more sense I guess.

Well, I have been re-reading a favorite book of mine the past few weeks. I think it's the 3rd time I have read it completely through. I often open the book and turn to dog-eared pages or flip thru to find the sections that I have underlined on a prior read-thru. The way I'm describing it, it sounds like a text book that I am studying. And in a way I am!

"Don't Make Me Count to Three" by Ginger Plowman.


I love it b/c she is really down to earth and the way she writes shows that she just a "normal" stay at home mom that struggles w/ the same things that I do. She is funny and keeps it real too. And most importantly she uses lots of scripture references, and quotes verses all throughout the book.
She points out that we should NOT have to say "don't make me count to three". When we say that or repeat ourselves, saying, "I told you to..." Then our children grow to expect that they do not have to obey when they hear us the first time. They know we are going to count to three or repeat our instructions again b4 we really "mean business".
She also points out how the phrase "Who had it first?" is really not best. Both children are NOT "preferring one another" as the Bible instructs. It doesn't matter who had it first. They are both being selfish.
I just love this book so much with all her real life examples and how she puts the focus on "what does the Bible say?" that I just had to post about it! I am not getting paid for this and didn't get a free book or anything. Just had a "day off from my job" and wanted to share something that has helped me in hopes that it will help you too! It's very similar to the "heart training" talked about in the book Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp.
Below is an exerpt from her book that gives the underlying tone that she set throughout the whole book.

I would like to encourage you to keep searching and learning from your holy instruction manual, the Bible. What a blessing it is that God has not left us to figure out how to raise our children on our own. He has provided us with everything we need for life and godliness. Please know that this book does not contain everything that you need to know for raising your children. You can't do step A and then step B and always get C as a result. If you depend only on the information I have provided, you will wind up defeated and confused. You must be 100% dependent upon God and His Word. His will is not for us to be defeated and confused, but dependent upon Him. And when we acknowledge Him in all our ways, He promises to give us wisdom and make our paths straight. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" Proverbs 3:5-6
Training our children in righteousness is a process, but God promises that just like laboring in a garden, we will reap what we sow. Let us keep on sowing the seeds of righteousness. I can think of no better garden to plant those seeds in than in the soil of my children's hearts. To God be the Glory!

My Baby Turned 3!

Levi's birthday was in April, but today was his due date!! He started out surprising us with being born a month early, and now everday with Levi is unpredictable :-)
But he sure is sweet!! Can't believe my baby boy is 3 yrs old and no longer a toddler. I love you Levi!

The day of his birthday party started out a little rough w/ Adam, Wyatt and I having food poisioning from the night before. But Levi had no idea and was so excited for his party. I re-used the Diego themed items from Wyatt's 3rd birtday party. Thankfully they are still too young really know or care about stuff like that. I'm all about getting the most out of our money by doing second-hand for anything and everything!

April

Wow--the whole month is GONE! April was crazy for us (thus no blog posts).
Every weekend we had something going on starting with Wyatt's outpatient surgery (umbilical hernia repair--Google it for info), then Levi's 3rd birthday (I will give him his own blog post and pics tomorrow), then a trip to the Outer Banks, then Adam's family came to town for Easter, then our neighborhood yard sale! Phew!
I got behind on everything!! Not much "school" done w/ the kids, not many pictures, not many blog posts, not much cleaning...just enough chores to have clean clothes, towels, and dishes.
I still can't belive how fast "time is flying" now that the boys are older and more self-sufficient. It seemed as if time just drug on when we were in the baby stages and not getting much sleep. Back then, I was so much looking forward to the preschool ages, that now I feel like I wished away the baby stages and didn't enjoy them enough ;-( But I'm not going to waste anymore time wishing away things but instead eat up every minute of the time with them now! But now of course the time is flying and I wish I could slow it down. Or better yet, stop it completely! Well, maybe I'd stop it AFTER Levi is totally potty trained...I'm ready to be past the act of potty training! ugh!

Here are some pictures and info from April:

Right before they gave him the "silly juice" to relax him in prep for the anesthesia


"Silly Juice" is kicking in. He kept asking everyone how we knew his name. ha!


The silly juice made him look really drugged and swollen in his face too.


Afterwards a few hours in recovery that were very rough, he was happy for this popsicle (which he promptly threw up right after we were discharged)


This Beach Access sign is just a few hundred feet from my in-laws house at the Outer Banks. The walk up the sandy path thru the dunes to the beach is actually further than the distance we walked from their house to this sign! Great location!




Almost there...beautiful dunes and the beach all to ourselves!


Since the water was too cold, the boys spent alot of time "playing" football.


More football


Family picture


The Easter treats we decorated (and taste tested) for the neighbors. (click on the picture to enlarge the view)


More Easter treats...Bird's Nests complete with jelly bean "eggs", and Peep "birds".


Easter Sunday family picture


Adam's parents with all their grandchildren


All the Haines grandchildren (click to enlarge photo to see Levi's priceless facial expression)

Not nearly as good as the sale they ran on meat back in October, but here's the link for a coupon!

For all you Food Lion shoppers, here’s a coupon you don’t see too often! Just go here to print a Food Lion coupon valid for $3 off an $8 purchase in the meat department. I am definitely putting this coupon to use!

Spring and Couponing

It doesn't feel like it today, but Spring is here in North Carolina. It actually felt almost like summer last week with highs near 80 and wonderfully warm sunshine! But it was just a tease, now we are have rainy, cold days. Later in the week when it finally stops raining, all the trees should be green! yay!! I always remember going into the hospital when Levi was born, and coming out and everything was green and fully bloomed!
One of the really wonderful things about our new house is all the time the previous ownerns put into landscaping and gardening. Below is a picture of the beginning flowers in our strawberry patch! yahoo! This is the 3rd season for them and they are in a raised bed w/ a closed, hinged cover to keep the birds away, so the strawberries should do well from all that I have googled :-) Hopefully we'll have our first fruits in another month or so. The previous owners also planted 2 blueberry bushes, but last year was the first year, so they are looking a little small right now. We'll see.
And if we weren't going to PA for the whole summer, I would have planted a vegetable garden in the compost rich soil that the previous owners have been turning over for the past few years! We are blessed.

I have been going back and forth as to whether or not couponing is "worth it" for our family. I don't deny that some people save lots of money by couponing, but it does take alot of time. Not just time to cut out the coupons, but the extra trips you have to make to specific stores to get certain sale + coupon match ups. But anytime I think about "quitting" couponing, I end up getting some awesome deals like the one pictured below.

got all of this for $2 b/c of Harris Teeter's sale + super doubles (when they double coupons over $1). I have never done this well b4, so I had to post the pic! :-)
The cereal was FREE (on sale for $2, and had 4- $1 off coupons which HT doubled), the laundry detergent was $1 (on sale for $3, and had a $1 off coupon which HT doubled), the salad kit was on sale + coupon too.