Parenting Tips for Toddlers - Advice For New Parents

I can't tell you haw many times I've said that to my kids! This is a great round up of cleaning tips for kids! Love it!

Pick up Your Stuff! (The best tips for getting kids to clean)

An easy way to hem your pants by hand and keep the original stitching!

How to Hem Your Pants by Hand and Keep the Original Stitching

Do you struggle getting pregnant or struggle getting past 12 weeks in your pregnancy. Words a tips from a mom who knows

Coping with Infertility and Miscarriage

Infertility and Miscarriage can be devastating. This is a very sensitive topic. I know…because I’ve been there. I went through so many pregnancy tests, I started just buying them in bulk. So many times in my early married life, I wondered if my dreams of motherhood would ever come true.

Trying to get pregnant over and over and over again and not being successful is a very emotional road. I share my story only with the hopes that I might comfort or even help someone else who is now where I once was. I’m obviously not a medical professional, just a mom sharing her experience.

Growing up, I was the oldest of 8. One could say, I was born to be a mother. I helped raise my siblings after all, didn’t I? My own mother must have done a pretty good job, because all I ever wanted to be in life was a mom. I loved taking care of babies.

When I went to college, it was a no brainer, my major was early childhood. I became a preschool teacher when I was 18 and loved it. When I was 24, I married my best friend. I felt like life just couldn’t get any better…

Whenever my husband sees this picture he says, “That couple had no clue what they were in for!” He was right!

Although we agreed to wait a year before we had any kids, we ended up changing our mind a month after we were married and took the plunge! Two months later I was pregnant and ecstatic! We couldn’t wait to tell EVERYONE!

Thoughts of finally having a baby of my own to cherish filled my mind every second of the day. At 8 weeks, my worst nightmare happened and I miscarried. It was extremely painful both physically and emotionally. I went to my doctor who could only say that she was sorry but that it was completely normal. Anyone who’s been through a miscarriage knows that it does not feel ‘completely normal.’

A hilarious look on the bright side of the parenthood.

20 Problems You Don’t have to Worry About if you Have Children

If you read my post on the 15 phrases I never would have said if I didn’t have kids, you can understand why there might be times when it is difficult to stay positive as a parent. My sister told me about a speaker (John Bytheway) she heard who said we need to switch our buts. Yeah, I know– it sounds a little scandalous… or like the latest work out video, but it’s not like that. His point was we often say things like, “I love him, but he drives me crazy,” or, “She’s a good kid, but she never cleans her room,” and we tend to focus on what comes after the but. So, why not switch our buts and focus on the positive instead, he suggests? “He drives me crazy, but I love him.” “She never cleans her room, but she’s a good kid.” It completely changes what we say into something positive and can change the way we view people.

I love this concept. I was thinking about how easy it is to focus on all the problems and frustrations our young children can cause in our lives, and what a difference it could make if we applied the switching our buts principle here and started to focus on all the problems they eliminate from our lives instead? Admittedly, I had to stretch a little to find the other side of the but on some of these, but I did it. I switched my buts. And by doing so I can now present to you 20 problems you don’t have to worry about if you have children.

1- Kids are always breaking glasses, but you will never have to worry about what to do about that annoying haze that builds up on drinking glasses because your children will have broken the majority of the glasses by the time it gets really bad and you can just go buy new ones. So thoughtful of them. 😉

2- Kids drink a ton of milk, but you will never have to worry about it going sour before you use it all. Even if you buy 5 gallons a week. Which I do.

How to Raise a Family on a Small Budget

My sweet bloggin’ sisters now tease me about being the “small budget lady” because I’ve written so many posts on this topic. They’ve even joked about changing the name of our blog because of it. Well, here I go again! What can I say? Living life on a small budget is something I know a lot about! 😉

Are you saving up to have a family? Maybe you’re nervous about having enough money to raise a family or maybe you already have a family and are struggling to make ends meet. Welcome to the story of my life! Growing up in a large family, money was always tight and sometimes non-existent! I remember watching my mom clip coupons, I remember eating a whole lot of whatever happened to be on sale, I remember wearing my cousin’s hand downs and I remember…being HAPPY! How is that possible? Even now, I am married and have 4 kids of my own, and we have always barely had enough to pay our bills and make ends meet and yet we are HAPPY! I suppose growing up the way I did, I learned to appreciate the small things in life and to value relationships more than things. I also learned to rely more on God than myself and to trust that he would take care of me and my family. If you’re struggling in the decision to even have children because of money, or struggling to provide for children you already have, consider yourself lucky! It’s the trials in life that help us grow and become who we are really meant to be. Here are some things I have learned that help when the pockets are empty and the bank account is running low!

1. Live Within Your Income. However small it may be, find a way to live on what you make. That may mean sacrificing things you want for things you actually need. It doesn’t have to be miserable! Being frugal and finding creative ways to save money can be a fun journey. Plus, think of how much you can teach your kids in the process! For more great ideas on how to live happily on your income you can read this post I wrote.

#10 Will have you laughing out loud! Such a funny list!

15 Phrases I Never Would Have Said If I Didn’t Have Kids

Remember that T.V. show – Kids Say the Darndest Things? Well, I feel like since becoming a parent, the darndest things keep coming out of my mouth. Things I never dreamed I would have a reason to say. I’ve actually said things to my children and then thought to myself, “Did I really just say that? Why would I say those words?” And not just the classic lines your parents said to you that you catch yourself saying to your kids. I’m talking just really weird warnings, reprimands, and requests based on the strange and unreasonable things you find your children doing all day long. So, here is my list of the top 15 phrases I never would have said if I didn’t have kids.