Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

JDaniel4s Mom

growing & learning with him

Search Results for: label/Alphabe Thursday

True Meaning of Easter Rocks or The Jelly Bean Prayer in Rocks

By

Jelly Bean Prayer Rocks- Each colored rock and the word it displays shares a part of the Easter story.
I love the Jelly Bean Prayer. I found it mentioned on the 1+1+1=1. In fact, I printed out the little coloring book 1+1+1=1 has on her blog last year to share with JDaniel.
The idea is that you share the gospel with your child as you give to them the jelly beans one at a time while they learn the poem that makes up the prayer.
Red is for the blood He gave,
Green is for the grass He made,
Yellow is for the sun so bright,
Orange is for the edge of the night.
Black is for the Sin we made
White is for the Grace He Gave
Purple is for the hour of sorrow,
Pink is for the new tomorrow.
While I love the idea of using jelly beans to share the gospel with children, I didn’t want to have to give JDaniel jelly beans every time we went over the Jelly Bean Prayer.
Little boys love stones and they love to hold them. I decided to have JDaniel help me paint some stones the colors mentioned in the prayer. I later went back and wrote the message each stone conveyed in the poem on it.
This set of stones is so easy to work with. Right now it lives in a basket in our kitchen and I have pulled it out to go over the prayer during meal times a few times this week.
By the time we get to Easter Sunday JDaniel will have a real understanding of Easter and of God.

Here are some other wonderful Easter activities for kids:

Legend of the Dogwood Craft

Chalk Bunny Hopping

Experiments with Egg Parachutes

Plastic Egg Greenhouse

Plastic Egg Patterning

You will find even more Easter activities on my Easter board on Pinterest. 

This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe Thursday.

Spring is… Allergies

By

What do you think of when you think of spring?

Blooming trees

Flowers pushing through to display their glory

Warm days filled with playing outdoors

Riding bikes down streets filled with black plastic bags filled with newly cut grass clippings

Lemonade out on your porch

Digging in dirt to plant a garden

Sweat-filled brows and dirt-covered jeans

For many of you, the visions you have of spring resemble the glimpse of spring moments I listed above. Spring is the time of year when your family spends tons of time outside exploring, working, and playing.

For my family spring are a time of ever dripping noses, rashes caused by topical allergies, and itching eyes.

For my family, spring means checking the pollen count level that is sent to me in a daily e-mail. If it is a high pollen day, the medicines JDaniel takes at night during most of the year are taken in the morning so, he can play outside during recess at school or attend a birthday party outside.

For my family, spring means long socks worn under lightweight pants to prevent the skin on his ankles and legs from having a rash.

For my family, spring means skipping playgroups if the host of the week chooses to host playgroups at a local park.

For my family, it means playing for a short time in the early evening when the pollen count has dropped.

For my family, it means exploring the library for new books, the children’s museum for new exhibits, and exploring the play equipment at an indoor playground.

For my family, it means doing loads of crafts, playing loads of games, and playing with a load of construction equipment in JDaniel’s room.

I hope spring will change for us. JDaniel’s allergies have lessened a little this year. Maybe someday he will be able to play a spring sport, work in a local community garden and not fear the green that coats the world outside in the spring.

Until then we wait for mid-summer when the things he is allergic to diminish and the green haze fades.

This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe Thursday.

Quest to Find Answers to His Questions

By

Our days start with questions.

“Is it morning yet?” JDaniel shouts from his bed upstairs.

“I think I see light outside my window. Do you see the light?” he continues his questioning.

Sometimes it isn’t a shout but, it is a whisper in my ear made after tiptoeing down the stairs.

Once the first questions are answered, he is ready with the next set

“What can I have for breakfast?“

“Can I look in the fridge before I decide?”

“Is there still leftover pizza?”

“Can I have ice cream? It is a dairy product , isn’t it? Don’t you let me have dairy products at breakfast time?”

Once breakfast has been eaten, the questions shift to non-food questions.

“Can I watch a show or use the iPad?”

“Will you play with me before you shower?”

“Do I have to go to school? Can’t I just stay with you?”

“Won’t you be lonely without me?”

“Do we have to get in the car now?”

Once we get in the car, the questions shift to building connection questions.

“Are leeches and worms in the same family?”

“Can you tell me the name of every type of cat the you know?”

“What were my favorite sleepy time friends as a baby?”

“ What are all the books you know about frogs?”

“Why can’t I have the window down?”

“Why is there pollen?

The questions barely end after we get to school and I walk him to his classroom.

They start over again as soon as we get back in the car on our way home.

Similar questions to those asked at breakfast are asked again during lunch.

Once lunch is done, the questions swirl around activities we will do in the afternoon.

“Do I have to have quiet time?”

“Will you play with me first?”

“Can we play outside?”

“Is the pollen bad today?”

“Do you have a craft planned?”

“Will I get a treat if go upstairs for quiet time without fussy?”

“Does this counts as fussing?”

“Is quiet time done? Hasn’t it been a long time? Isn’t five minutes a long time?”

“Where is my shoe?” “Did you put it somewhere?”

“Can a friend come over?”

These questions will continue until dinnertime. When new questions will be asked.

“Why can’t I choose the food for dinner?”

“Why can’t a cheese sandwich be what I have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?”

“ Can I have some of Dad’s green tea instead of milk?”

“Can I use hand sanitizer instead of washing my hands?”

“Can I just have five pieces of meat and five peas?”

“Is this tomato a vegetable or a fruit?”

“Why are most things we call vegetables fruits?”

Following dinner these are the questions said most.

“ Do I have to take a bath?”

“Can I play light sabers in the dark with Dad?

“Can we read two or three books instead of one? Two are good for me.

“Can’t we just snuggle?”

“Can I have another hug if I get in bed?”

“Can I have more water?”

“Are all bats nocturnal? Why didn’t God make me nocturnal? Can’t I be nocturnal?”

“Why am I in bed when I’m not tired?”

“Would you say that frog and alligators are in the same family?”

“Why won’t you answer questions after nine o’clock?”

“Will you come check on me?”

“ Will you always love me?”

Finally the questions end and it is silent.

I think that while he is finally sleeping he is still thinking of questions to ask.

He is building connections, testing limits, finding understanding, and constantly learning through questions.

I am left with two questions.

What will he ask tomorrow? Will I have the answers?

This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe Thursday.

Please Save My Star Wars Pajamas For My Children

By

For Christmas JDaniel received a pair of Star Wars pajamas from my sister Kate. He absolutely loves them. There have been a few nights that he has insisted that they be taken out of the wash pile so that he can wear them. They stayed in the wash pile and we had to find a pair that was almost as nice due to the fact that they had breakfast from that morning spread down the front of them. JDaniel really wasn’t happy about it but, he was willing to compromise after some calming conversation with me. I was the one calmly chatting.

This pair of pajamas has to be packed if we go away for the weekend and are his preferred clothing for the daytime too. He has only worn them all day if they are stayed clean at breakfast and he was too sick to leave the house up to this point.

They are only three months old and they are covered with pilly bumps and are starting to grow too short due to constant washing and drying.

Last week as we drove around town gathering things for his birthday parties he asked if I would save them for his children.

Here is how the conversation went:

JDaniel: Mom, will you save my Star Wars pajamas for my children to wear when the get big enough.

Me: Sure, we can save them.

JDaniel: I really think they will like them.

Me: How many children are you going to have?

JDaniel: As many as God decides to give me.

I know I was talking to you about pajamas but, I couldn’t have been more excited by his answer. We have been talking about handing things over to God and letting him send us His answer. I love that JDaniel is growing in His understanding of God.

I will keep my promise and set aside his Star Wars pajamas in a special box that already holds the outfit he wore home for the hospital and few other baby clothes that I would love to pass on to grandchildren someday.

I don’t know that JDaniel’s future wife and children will think about these pieces of memorabilia. I hope that they will appreciate that they were important to JDaniel or me. The Star Wars pajamas will probably be the most loved and most worn out thing the box. I have a feeling they won’t be the only pair of Star Wars pajamas in there. tTis pair will need to be replaced soon and JDaniel may want every pair he ever has saved.

Do you have a box of special things you are storing or have stored for your grandchildren?

This post is linked to Alphabe Thursday. It is P week.

If you can and are interested in doing so, I would love for you to visit The Creative Moms List on Circle of Moms and vote for me. ( You can vote daily.)

Odds Are JDaniel Will Have Another Lion Birthday

By

March here in South Carolina has come in like a lion every year for the last four years. Odds are that it will come in like a lion this year too although if it decided to come in as a lamb I would be really excited.

We have had a mild winter here in the Upstate. We have had no snow. There have been many days that have been in the 60s. JDaniel hasn’t worn his mittens or his woolen hat this year at all. It looks like a lamb year might be in the making.

But…

March has a way of changing the weather here dramatically. JDaniel’s birthday is on March 5th and he had interesting weather each of his almost four years of life.

His Birth Day

The day JDaniel was born there were huge downpours of rain. We could hear the rain pounding against our hospital room windows. I was so grateful to be in a warm and cozy room with my guys. I remember thinking the weather really didn’t match how I was feeling on our first day as a family. It looked so grim and wet outside.

Year One

We had a snowstorm right before JDaniel’s first birthday. I dragged JDaniel outside in a snowsuit that I didn’t think we would ever need to take pictures of.

He was so bundled up that he probably couldn’t have moved his arms or his legs if he tried to. I am not sure what he made of this cold wet snow that I sat him in to take a picture. He didn’t fuss but, I am not sure that he liked it too much.

JDaniel’s playgroup came over for his first birthday party a few days after the storm hit and most of the snow had melted. The weather had warmed up so much that I had bottles of sunblock for the children to put on when we went out to play on the deck. There was still snow in a few places in the yard but, I don’t think any of the children had coats on and many had sun hats or baseball caps.

Year Two

After having mild weather the year before, I decided to have JDaniel’s birthday at the zoo. The weather was cold and a little windy. It was fine we were running through the zoo. It was cold when we stopped moving to have monkey cupcakes under one of the pavilions.

That year all the children had on woolen hats or hoods and most wore mittens until it was time to have cupcakes. I think I decided to bring his presents home instead of opening them there. It was just too cold.

Year Three

JDaniel wanted a construction site party. I thought our yard would be the perfect place to dig in and play with JDaniel construction equipment. The weather was cold and windy once again after being pretty the week before.

The children crowded into our kitchen to have lunch and eat cake. They played in our two upstairs bedrooms with the construction equipment while the moms chatted in the living room.

Our Cape Cod-style house was okay for eight children and their moms when JDaniel was one but, it felt really crowded with eight three or close to three and their moms.

I decided that the party needed to somewhere else the next year and it would probably need to be inside.

Year Four

I don’t know what kind of weather we will have next week for JDaniel’s birthday. I do know that I have been stuck by the decision to have inside somewhere outside of our house.

We will be at Chuck E. Cheese next week where there is plenty of room to play and where they will do the clean-up even if we have to dig out our driveway to get there.

This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe Thursday.

Nothing Could Be Finer Than An Afternoon in Carolina

By

Last weekend was a mixture of wonderful sunshine and a bit of cold rain. While we wish the cold rain had been snow, we loved the days of sunshine that allowed us to be outside in light fleeces and long-sleeved shirts.

My husband and I sat and watched JDaniel try to catch pretend butterflies as well as swing around just enjoying the feeling of the soft breeze through the net. There is something magical about watching your child spin in sunbeams.

It was grand to sit on a sun-warmed driveway and watch your son find such joy. It is moments like this that make me reflect on how big he is getting and how he is aging right before your eyes. It is as if each spin moves him one step forward in time.


When the net is tucked away, it becomes time to aid JDaniel in the gathering of sticks for his beaver dam and find hiding places that will keep the big beaver (my husband) from depositing them in the woods. It had been a while since we had gathered sticks. There were many to pick up from under the great beach trees and carry to safety. Gathering sticks is something so simple and yet fills him with such a sense of accomplishment and the bushes with stacks of twigs. Thankfully the big beaver returns them to the woods often.

Following the branch collecting, we finally held our heart hunt. JDaniel and I had both been sick earlier in the week and the hunt had to be delayed. I don’t know who was more excited about finding chocolates in the hearts JDaniel or my husband. They both love chocolate.

What do you do to top an afternoon of stick gathering, butterfly catching, and heart hunting? You are left with sweeping the yard. Yes, our yard in the front has now been well swept as has the curb. There wasn’t much to sweep in the grass this time of year.


After having very little fly up from the ground when JDaniel was sweeping the grass, he decided he would fly himself. What fun it was to watch him zoom from the front yard to the backyard! It made me want to grab a broom from the garage and fly around the yard myself.


We have been blessed with many warm days this winter that I haven’t captured in pictures. I am so glad that I was able to capture this wonderful afternoon. It was definitely one to remember.

This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe Thursday and  Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop.

Valentine’s Day Activity- Looking for Love

By

Love can be a tricky thing to find. Sometimes it doesn’t look like it is present but, if you hunt for it truly can be found.

Quest for Alternative Energy
You may have to look past the treasures you have gathered to see that love it there.

You may find that you have to stand on your tiptoes and stretch to find it.
You may find that it is just outside your window waiting to be seen.
You may find that love grows when you reach out and help others.
You may find that it is waiting right beneath where you usually set your gaze.
You may find that love is sent to you from people far away.
You may also find love is waiting for you to sit down beside it on a warm winter’s day.
Is this part of some for JDaniel?
These pictures were taken while I set up for a heart scavenger hunt for JDaniel. He loves to hunt for things in the yard.  He will have a wonderful time seeking and finding these tokens of love.
The plastic hearts were found at Dollar Tree and held chocolate hearts as their treasures.

I am Unemployed?

By

Stay at Home Mom

When I turned in my resignation letter shortly before JDaniel was born (I was a teacher and we had to turn in our resignation letter in the winter if we aren’t going to be there the next fall in the county I worked in.), I knew I was leaving one career to start another.

My new career was getting to be a staying at home mom. I totally viewed it as a career change because it was.

I traded in teaching others children to get to be home to guide and teach my son.

It has been a demanding job at times. Raising a strong-willed boy and helping he learn really has been the most challenging career I have ever had.

My life has been filled with building forts, spotting him on the playground as he climbs, introducing him to ways to find answers to his multitude of questions, potty training and more.

I have been a nurse caring for his terrible reactions to pollen.

I have been an advocate for healthy eating by introducing him to a variety of healthy foods.

I have been a limit setter. Teaching how to treat others and care for yourself.

I have been a life skill instructor. Teaching my son how to clean up after himself, get dressed, and take care of our house.

The list could go on and on but, I don’t think you need to read all about what I do as a mom. You do the same things and maybe even more.

What got me all fired up about this?

Two weeks ago I took JDaniel in for a check on how the gash on his head is healing with his plastic surgeon. When I checked in I was given a list of data to check to see if it was still accurate.

I skimmed down the list. Everything looked right.

Then I really read each item. Right under my name there was an area for the employer and just to the right of the colon after the word employer was the word unemployed.

I wanted to cross out the word and put stay at home mom beside it but, I didn’t.

I did ask the receptionist if she thought to stay at home moms were unemployed. She totally agreed that they weren’t but, she did say that the hospital system the doctor’s office belongs to doesn’t have code for that.

Well, I think they should! I really think that stay at home mom should be a recognized profession.

When my husband got home, I told him all about the form.

I asked him if I was unemployed.

He is a really smart guy. His answer was “No way!”

He didn’t just say that to make me happy or appease me. He has spent a full day trying to balance playing, house care, potty training, food providing, and everything else that happens during the day. He knows that it is a full-time job.

This post is linked to Alphabe Thursday and Things I Can’t Say!’s Pour Your Heart Out.

signature

Finding the Topper for Your Tree

By

This is the first year we have done a full-size tree for Christmas. In previous years we have done small tabletop trees that JDaniel couldn’t topple. I wrote about last year’s tree in a post called Maybe This Tree Will Grow Next Year.

JDaniel was super excited about selecting a tree. We visited several stores to find just the right one. He lobbied hard for a bright blue tree, but we ended up settling on a traditional green one.

After setting up the tree, we hung up some of our non-breakable ornaments along with the ones we have made while doing the Truth in the Tinsel curriculum and some homemade ornaments. 

The tree was missing something. It needed something on top of the tree. We hadn’t looked for a star, dove, or angel while looking for the tree so, we had to head out again to find a tree topper.

JDaniel fell hard for a multicolored star that lit up and since I hadn’t given on the blue tree. I went with the star he picked out. When we brought it home and tried it on the tree, the top of the tree began to lean toward the floor and the star decided to not stay stationary on top of the tree.

JDaniel was so disappointed. He really loved the star, but it had to go back in the box.

I decided to create a game out of our star search by having him search for things around the house we could use on top of the tree. It was raining that afternoon and cold I really didn’t want to head out and start the tree topper search again.

He came back within ten minutes with a box loaded with things for us to try.

We tried:

 A Playskool Man
A Rocket
A Sippy Cup
A Chenille Worm
A Wrench
A Fireman’s Hat
None of these really fit well with the rest of the tree.
A few days later we headed to Walmart and found the perfect star. My husband and I love it. JDaniel would still like to keep trying.

What is on top of your tree?

This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe Thursday.

Delightfully Living in the Clouds

By

We spent Thanksgiving at Mount Magazine State Park in Arkansas.  Each family was assigned a cabin overlooking the valley below to stay in.

When I looked out the glass doors that lead to the deck our first morning there, here is what I saw. It truly looked like we would be walking on clouds if we stepped a few yards away from the cabin.

When I looked just to the left of our cabin, this glorious sight came into view. The clouds truly looked like they were glowing in the early morning light.

Looking back off the deck an hour later the sky continued to lighten up and the clouds appeared to have lost some of their puffiness. If you look carefully at the back of the picture, you can see the flat top of a neighboring ridge.

As the day went on the clouds lifted off from their perch over the valley and took flight. There were strong winds that pushed them away and kept my hair fluttering around me as I took this shot.

Even as the sky became a deeper blue the clouds stayed with us. The wind died down some and the day became warmer.

By the time we started our walk to the Mount Magazine Lodge for Thanksgiving dinner, we could look across the landscape. Our cabin is on the left-hand side of the picture.

JDaniel loved searching out bugs and other wildlife under this now vivid blue sky as we walked. We came across a dozen flying grasshoppers on our way to lunch as well as a walking stick.

Mount Magazine was a truly wonderful place to hold our family reunion over the Thanksgiving holiday. I have more pictures I will share with you later as well as the adventure we had sleeping in the airport on our way to Mount Magazine. It will be up tomorrow.

This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe Thursday and several Wordful Wednesday link-ups!

Categories

memberships

From the Past