Being a mom is definitely rewarding...but do you ever have those days when nothing seems to go right, even if they are small, annoying things? Don't get me wrong, it's been wonderful to be home more, and working (outside the home) less but somedays I really feel the frustrations of motherhood more than others (don't we all!?!)
I found this song on youtube - it's Francesca Battistelli's new single. She's a mom & a contemporary Christian singer...I liked it so much, I had to share it!
It made me realize the small things aren't all that big of a deal in the big scheme of things...and it also made me remember that everything that we go through, happens for a reason! I hope this song lifts your spirits like it did for me. : )
Is anyone else finding winter really LONG this year? Excruciatingly LONG?
I am SO done with winter. I've done my duties pulling the sled around the neighbourhood endlessly, shovelled the driveway multiple times, and put on mittens, boots, hats, snow pants a million times by now - and I don't think that's an exaggeration.
Winter is seeming to be never ending this year - and it could be due to the fact that I'm working out of the house only one day a week & I start to get a little cabin feverish when the temperature plummets to -15 or -20 degrees Celsius and we're all stuck indoors. Little boys' wrestling matches are inevitable...it's even worse if it occurs while I'm trying to get them dressed for the frigid temperatures...darnit, I just turned my head for a minute to find one matching pair of mittens and poof, they are rolling all over the mudroom floor and THEN all of a sudden all the winter gear they were wearing has somehow been removed. Arghhhh!
Add a husband who is doing non-stop renovations to our new "income property" and I can officially say I have cabin fever. Ummmmm, adult conversation anyone?
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for getting outside in the winter months to play and run off energy but when the wind chill is THAT chilly I think it's inhumane to be outdoors for long periods.
So I've started to be a little more creative lately to keep the kids busy.
We've done the regular crafts, painting and colouring activities. We've baked brownies, muffins and banana bread....
I've even searched for nursing jobs in Florida...(No, I'm not kidding)
C'mon honey, couldn't we move there, even just for a couple of years 'til the kids can put their OWN mitts, scarves, hats, boots and snowpants on?
Okay, so realistically to pass the time on those long cold days, we've had a few other fun ideas - and my oldest gets credit for the first one!
Here are a few things we've been doing at our house beat the winter blues & cabin fever:
1) After buying the boys new swimming gear (hats, swim shirts and trunks) for our upcoming trip to the Dominican Republic, it became ISLAND time in our living room. Everyone wore their sunny weather gear, we took the pillows off the couch and even used the dog's bed as an "island". They had so much fun playing this, I even served them dinner on their respective "islands".
2) Playgroups - We've been checking out the local playgroups in our city. Yes, you have to leave the house, but it's worth the trek in the cold weather once you arrive to the playgroup. It's free and the kids have a great time playing with different toys and different kids. They usually have crafts and circle time too - 2 1/2 hours of relaxing play time, doesn't get much better!
3) Help mom clean. Okay, it sounds a little mean, but they love this, I swear. All you need is a spray bottle, some cloths or paper towels, and vinegar & water. With supervision, they spray the windows, and floors with this natural cleaning product...and voila, my house is cleaner, and the kids are entertained. They are so proud that they "helped" mom : )
4) Bath time in the daytime -- they love this too. After they're done, I wrap them up in towels and dry their hair with my hair dryer. Again, they think this is the greatest thing! If the timing's right, they get dressed into warm clothes right from the dryer. So sweet. (And a few less items for me to fold, even sweeter)
5) Dance! This is probably our favourite activity. No Americano is our new favourite song. The boys dance to this and love every minute. I've gotten it on video a few times & they think it's hilarious to watch it afterwards. I also recently downloaded the "Hey" hockey anthem (c'mon, you know all the words: Hey...heyyyyyy ... hhhhhhey) And remember 2 Unlimited?? They eat it up!
Here's a little Jersey Shore video for you to enjoy -- my boys dance to the same song the Jersey boys do...but I have to say, I think mine are much cuter : )
: ) Well, that's all for now - I hope you're keeping safe and warm!
What are you doing to beat cabin fever at your house this winter?
I recently had the opportunity to review a Canadian made product called WEAN GREEN. I am ALL for using glassware for food storage and freezing - the amount of chemicals, such as BPA that are actually found in our bodies is a little frightening.
These products were designed by a mom of 2; and I was so pleased to see the sample arrive in my mail.
A little about Melissa, the awesome mompreneur: Wean Green was founded in 2008 by Melissa Gunning, the proud mom of two little weaners, Rayne and Talia. Melissa has combined her passion for healthy living and happy babies, and channeled it into Wean Green. Her creativity and enthusiasm radiate through every aspect of the business, and she is proud to be the hard-working mom behind Wean Green.
The products are great! I love the vibrant colour, easy snap on/off lids, and they are GLASS which is great (I am ANTI-plastic, I must confess!!) They can be used for other food products as well (think smarties, goldfish, Cheerios!) I'm hoping to interview Melissa in the near future - for the readers out there who are interested in starting their own business - I know I'm interested in hearing how she got started and would love to hear her advice for women and moms in business. Here's the scoop: (For more visit Wean Green here) Wean Cubes are a perfect addition to your kitchen when starting your baby on solid foods. Homemade baby food ensures the best foods for your baby, and Wean Cubes ensure that these foods stay pure and fresh.
4 x 120 mL (4 fluid ounces)
30 mL, 60 mL and 90 mL measuring lines
Available in packs of four
Great things to know!
Made of durable glass with a silicone-sealed lid
Safe & environmentally friendly
BPA, PVC, Phthalates, and Plasticizer free
Glass is 100% recyclable and sustainable
Smart Clips lock and secure food inside
Measuring lines help you monitor food intake
Stands up to the extreme temperatures required to make, store, freeze, heat, and serve baby food
Four fabulous colors: Raspberry, Blueberry, Peas, and Carrots
Soooooo if you want this product for FREE...leave me a comment below, follow me on blogger (this site) or join my facebook page Outnumbered Momma Blog Fan Page for a chance to WIN!
If you comment & join the fb page and become a follower; you get THREE entries to win. (The follow link is on the right side of the screen)
You can send me a message and let me know you've joined the facebook fan page.
Later next week I will give away my FREE samples of the Wean Green product to one lucky momma!
You may have read my previous post last year on the idea that it "takes a village to raise a child"... the truth is, sometimes we need a little help and feedback while doing the tough and rewarding job of being a parent.
If you're anything like me, you sometimes wonder how your parenting skills are. Or, maybe somedays, they're great, and other days you know they're not quite up to "gold" standard.
For our family, we have some interesting "dynamics" in our home with a 2 year old, 4 year old, and 9 year old in the mix. There is sibling rivalry, a big age gap, a small age gap, and of course trying to balance time between all the kids. How do people with more than 3 kids do it?!?
Over time, people can form bad habits...and I think as parents we can do the same. Sometimes it gets to be the same old, same old, trying to "discipline" them the "right" way, sometimes without making positive changes to achieve this. In my life, I find I'm generally trying to keep the peace and keep everyone happy... and I don't always give a lot of attention to the way I'm working through everyday issues.
Recently, my hubby & I noticed what we were doing wasn't always working...so I first signed up for the Ontario Early Years Newsletter via email, and started to receive information about parenting classes.
I signed us up for the COPE (Community Parent Education Program) through our local Ontario Early Years Centre - it's a 10 week program for parents of kids ages 3-12. Perfect for us! Lucky for me, my hubby is a good sport and is joining me. (Okay, whatever - I pretty much signed us up and said, "Guess what you're doing honey?")
We've attended 2 weeks so far -- and honestly I feel like we've already walked away with some great tools for problem solving, resolving conflicts and generally building healthy relations with our kids. I'm so excited about it, I felt it necessary to devote an entire post to this topic!
I won't discuss everything in the course, but there are a few things that have really worked for us. Positive reinforcement. Simple. Easy. Tell your kids they're doing a great job at something when they're doing it. It's amazing the rewards that come from that simple action. They start to WANT to be better behaved because they just eat up the praise!! We have a tick sheet from the program that we as parents can check off when we really pay attention and praise our children...
Ignoring behaviours. There are certain things that we can let go. For example, we discovered that the big "SIGHS" that my oldest lets out when he's frustrated...let it go!! Ignore it. Doesn't get much easier than that! You're pretty much doing nothing. It's sort of like I've always said..."Pick your battles".
So what happens when the sighs turn into "that sucks" or "I don't care" or worse? Well, we are going to work on that this week. It's problem solving. We are going to discuss it with him, and make a plan for alternative words or phrases to use. It will give him time to vent his frustrations as well (such as, my little brothers play with ALL my toys all the time!!). We are hoping to come up with a plan for appropriate language, and also what he needs from us as a family to make him happy too. I have a feeling some "alone" time for my oldest will be in the cards... It's a win win situation.
So, those are a few of the highlights of our class so far. I'm looking forward to the next 8 classes...it's fun, it's open conversation and the facilitators do a great job of ensuring everyone in the group is able to participate.
If you're interested, check out your local Ontario Early Years Centre - they have wonderful playgroups for ages 0-6 years, as well as a variety of workshops and courses for kids and their parents. The course we are taking has free childcare, and they even feed the kids a healthy snack while we're there.
It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, how many kids you have, where you work...when you walk in the door, they are there to support people to become better parents and stronger families.
The feedback and positive environment really makes me think of one of my favourite sayings, "It takes a village to raise a child"
: )
Peace & love, Keri
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