Toddling.

So, after last weekend's glorious adventure on the Washington Coast, I seem to have attained a new, fresh outlook on parenting, work, eating... ok everything! Yes, I know this feeling will fade. But my motivation doesn't have to.

My friend Tarena always has great stuff on her blog. She recently posted a link to another blog about the "No Spend Month."... an AWESOME idea. I followed more and more links till I came up with this list. Credit goes to the author of preschoolmama.com. She is a former Montessori preschool teacher, and someone with great advice for many things.

We have been having problems with getting Ian to eat food (yes, ANY food!), stay in his bed at bedtime, potty training, constant whiiiinnning... you name it, he's going through it. They don't call it the terrible 2's and 3's for nothing!

Here's a GREAT list of food suggestions from Preschool Mama (she refers to the child as "her" but I guarantee you, my Ian is no "her":

1. Try other ways of getting her to eat her veggies. Puree lightly cooked mixed vegetables, and use them as sandwich spread.
2. Lower your expectations. We all know how great broccoli is for bright sparkling eyes, but if the only vegetable she eats is beet , that’s fine too.
3. Have a list of foods by the refrigerator, consisting of foods that she can eat without having to ask you. Include all her favorite fruits, nuts, and healthy snacks. Having her preferences listed out will make her feel important, and encourage her to reach for an apple or raisins, whenever she feels those pangs.
4. Use a sticker chart to reward her for vegetables eaten that day. Avoid cash treats - here’s a reward system that works even better.
5. Use portion sizes based on her age. She has to eat as many mouthfuls or spoonfuls of veggies as her age. Calculations like these make sense to a child.
6. It’s okay to choose unusual substitutes when she’s having a particularly fussy day. Ice cream over cereal works as well as milk.
7. Compromise if she’s addicted to sugar bomb cereals. Mix unsweetened cereal with sweetened. She gets her sugar fix, and eats the more nutritious cereals too.
8. Occasionally, change your dining setting to make things fun. Eat on plastic trays, or pie tins. Eat lunch in the garden or the balcony.
9. Above all, quit fighting over food. If there are some things she has a natural dislike for, let them go and find substitutes.

I love the idea of presenting "ok" foods on the bottom shelf that Ian can grab any time. Foods I'm choosing: Yogurt, Fruit, Veggies, and pre-cut cheese!

I'm going to start with that, then move on to all the other battles we're going through. Heck at least if my kid's happy and well fed, I'm doing a pretty good job.

Grayland.

feet embrace glassy sand
as waves crash gently on the earth
not far from the tender dunes

hair and wind collide
as reeds sway and sand blows
this place calms us

we stop and listen
as giggles and waves sing to the wind
hands kiss the sand

this treasure we hold

one moment of embrace forges dreams
here we last forever

Oh Look I'm in a Nutshell.

Wow, its been a while since I've posted on here. Every time I think to sit down and blog, I find something else to do. Either clean my house or attend to my kids in some way, or be OUTSIDE. Its been so heavenly to be able to just throw the kids in the stroller or the car and go somewhere! I may not get around to blogging again soon, so here's my life in a nutshell...

- Soccer coaching seasons are over for both Aaron and I. This means more time with each other and with our kids, and more time for me to think about good meals instead of "...sorry, looks like we're having Nuggets again."

- Young Life Club is done for the year. It was interesting to be part of a "first year." (Young Life has been on hiatus in Blaine for two years). We learned a lot about today's youth, and about our strengths and weaknesses as leaders. Now we're praying about next year, and I personally am praying for some direction.

- Ian continues to develop into a sturdy almost three year old boy. My sister-in-law Amanda once told me that 2 1/2 was worse than 2, and 3 1/2 is worse than 3. I agree fully with the first one, therefore I am terrified of what's to come. I believe Ian has completely broken free from the mommy bond, and is bearing full-force into childhood. Scary. But fun!

- Ana is developing into the funniest little petite almost one year old. She's fully crawling, trying to stand, babbling like CRAZY, and can't stop laughing. She LOVES wrestling Ian, but sometimes gets hurt. She's still low in percentiles, so we are giving her all the milk and food we can. Two teeth now! I think. (She won't let me look in her mouth). She's also waving, clapping, and dancing. I forgot how fun 10 months old was!

- Aaron is developing into a sturdy 30 year old... oh wait, that's not one of my kids. But really, he's almost 30! We're getting OOOLLLLDDD.

As for me, I guess I just keep trucking. I love my life and the people in it. I'm having a great time now that its sunny and can go anywhere with the kids. My weight is finally really dropping off (if I'd stop eating ice cream it might even more). Our apartment is mostly put together and clean. I wish I could paint the walls. (Its not a matter of ability, we're just not allowed to).

Lately my prayer has been that God would make me satisfied with where I am. And that I would be satisfied just walking with Him. I've become a person who appears dissatisfied with my life, and its really not true. Emanate joy. That's my new goal.