The Newest Family Member

Ever since the fall, the men in my house, with sad longing faces, have been asking this question, “when will we get another dog?”. 

We knew we had to wait for the baby to come and get a little older. New babies and new puppies are not a good idea.

I suggested we wait until after our homeschool co-op was finished. With that added work load, a puppy would not be well taken care of.

Two weeks after the end of our co-op, Ian found a family whose Labrador had a liter of puppies. “Let’s go see them. I mean, let’s just go look at them.” Now everyone knows you don’t go and just look at puppies. So, we came home with a puppy of our own.

Ian wasn’t the only one happy! This is our 6 week old chocolate lab coming home with us.

We still haven’t officially named her. The boys are calling her Brownie, I like Gracie ( in keeping with our previous dog’s name Glory) and Ian likes Lady. We’ll have to decide soon.

She is super sweet. Loves to cuddle. Has the prettiest eyes. Hates to be alone. Loves her tug of war toy.

Needless to say, all the boys in my house are in puppy heaven.  And even though I’m not a fan of puppy training, housebreaking, crate training, and endless chewing up things, I must say, I’m having fun with her too. How could you resist this face?

Outlet Sale

You're invited to my Thirty-One Outlet Sale! Visit my website to get discontinued prints and bags for 50%-80% off! This is a while supplies last sales so once it's gone, it's gone. Sorry but Outlet items cannot be personalized. If you live nearby, I can get them personalized for you here.
Happy Shopping!

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men Col. 3:23

As it turns out, chores are an interesting subject. I’ve had lots of interest on how chores look for us so I thought I would share a little more about how we tackle that.
Let me start by saying my primary objective in teaching and training my boys at home is to teach them to be disciples of Christ, to daily share the Gospel with them (as I need it daily as well) and to instill a love and consideration for others. It is a never ending conversation about the privilege we have to own and care for a home and beautiful things. This conversation usually highlights that all our things belong to God and we want to use them for His glory. We talk about how doing such a large job as taking care of your home is better when we work together. So each one of us has jobs we can do.
A major part of this conversation, and my parenting in general, is that we have a need. Our greatest need is for Jesus. We need salvation first and foremost, and that is true for all of us, everyday. I try to use opportunities to teach my children that this truth starts with me. Mommy needs Jesus, Mommy needs help. So I continue with my confession.
Prepared to be shocked. I am lazy. My heart desires to do nothing sometimes. There are times I would much rather serve myself in laziness than serve my family by doing things such as clean the bottomless pit of laundry. So when we talk about chores, I sometimes start by reminding the boys that I too struggle to work. That I need to ask and pray for help to serve my family and others well. I encourage them with what encourages me, the Word. My favorite chore verse is Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men”. Even doing the dishes can bring God glory. This is what I tell myself as I scour the urine soaked toilet in the boys bathroom.
That being said. I’ve tried several approaches to help the boys work independently to do their designated chores. We’ve made chore charts with stickers, printed picture reminders, and other visuals. None of them worked well for us. Also, there are lots of guides out there that outline age appropriate chores such as this and this is my favorite chore list.

The big boys help with putting away their clean laundry and bringing down the dirty, clearing their places from the table and unloading a clean dishwasher, take out the trash, bring full bags to the compost, care for their bathroom and bedroom, feed and water the cat, unload groceries from the car and all the other basic chores such as picking up toys, dirty clothes, trash and so on. I’m still working on the two year old but needles to say, there are BIGGER issues we’re addressing with him!
Sometimes extra chores are a reward. By extra I mean things like cleaning the windows, cleaning out the car, cleaning the toilets and wiping counters, etc. So they would get an allowance or extra game time from some of these items. We usually employ this method when there’s something they’re really interested in having or doing. This way they learn to work for the things they want.
Sometimes, I use chores as punishment. My good friend, Joelyn, does this well. When we have complaining hearts, bad attitudes, quarreling or the loathsome “I’m bored”, chores come into play. In this case, I employ that raging energy for something useful. So you have nothing better to do than fight, okay, let’s clean the baseboards. Really? You are going to tell me you’re bored? Let me find something for you to do, why don’t you go pull some weeds. There’s nothing you can think of that you’re grateful for? Alright, let’s clean under the sofa and under the cushions. It helps, trust me!
That’s a little peek at our chore life. I’d love to hear how chores work in your house! How do you tackle the task of training your children to care for their home?

Love and Responsibility

Chores are a very normal part of life in the Jorgensen household. We talk to our boys about the importance of being good stewards of the the great things God has given us.  Taking care of our home, cleaning up our messes and being cleanly.  Obviously, Mom cannot and should not do it all. So each member has their own part in helping to keep our house in order.

For instance the dishes. The never ending, always there, endless pile of dirty dishes. Nathan’s job is to unload the dishes and neatly stack them under the cabinet they belong or carefully put them in the cabinets below. One of Jacob’s job is to put away all the dishes above the counters that Nathan cannot reach.

Sometimes, Nathan needs a partner to help him along in his chores. So he’ll ask me if I can help him. And I happily put away a dish or two to let him know he’s not alone. That’s really all he wants. And we chat about the day or what funny story he remembers or some crazy knock-knock joke he made up that day. It’s lovely. I spend a little moment with my sweet boy and its lovely.

Today, after one of these moments together, Nathan finishes and begins to walk out of the kitchen. As he goes, he says “Mom, thanks for the talk. It was fun”. Oh my melting heart. At that moment, Jacob is walking in to finish up. He starts putting a few dishes away and then replies “that boy has a bright future”. Not sure I understand correctly, I ask him to explain what he means. He says “you know, one day Nathan will have his own family, take care of his own home. He’ll be really good at caring for his family.” I smile proudly.

Two striking thoughts in this conversation. #1 wow. That was really cool that Jacob considered a “bright future” caring for and loving your family well. And also that he had noticed something so wonderful in his little brother. That’s not usually his M.O. #2 He hit the nail on the head. Nathan will be an excellent father, husband and leader as he is already such a sweet son, brother and friend. I love these boys. I’m excited about what God is working in their hearts. I’m hopeful for a “bright future” for all of them.

Being 4 Months Old

I promised myself it wouldn’t happen, but it did. I am late writing Evan’s monthly update. I love this little boy so much and enjoy every moment with him. I’m terrified that the busyness of life will cause me to forget something precious. So as the saying goes, better late than never!

In one months time, his sleep schedule has improved. He consistently and predictably naps during the day now. Yay! And it’s been a long time since his nap was in my arms, boo! His cradle cap is mild now and I think we’re stuck with the mohawk . I neglected to mention in last month’s post that he affectionately loves his pacifier and special night-night blanket. I just love having a paci baby again. It’s great to be able to soothe my baby in time of need.

At 4 months old, Evan has discovered two T’s. His toes and toys. He loves to play with his toes and has started reaching for nearby toys. It lights up my day to see this happy boy smile, and he’s doing it a lot more now. He has also found his voice. And even though he is a big guy, it’s a little on the squeaky side. Totally adorable. He is very ticklish and giggles so sweetly.

Children are such a gift from God and every moment I spend with Evan, I am reminded of how great a God we have who can create something so precious and then entrust us to care for him.

What is Good Science?

We learned this week in our classical classes that good science is the constant search for accurate information.

So the boys and I set out to create a fun science project. And what better way to learn and have fun than by making rock candy?

We started out with empty glass jars and wooden skewers coated in sugar, cut to the length of each jar.

Next, we combined sugar and water at a 3:1 ratio in a saucepan over medium heat until it started bubbling. We I didn’t have the patience to wait for it to boil, and it still worked.  After the mixture cooled, we poured it into the individual jars and added food coloring.

Then came the technical part. We secured our wooden skewers in the sugar syrup with…clothes pins It’s so technical, shirts aren’t required.

Then, we found a sunny spot for our jars and watched and waited.

Day One, not much happening. And I decided to cover them with coffee filters. The dust parts falling on the tops really bothered me. I’m crazy like that.

Day Three, large crystals begin to form.

 

Day Three, it’s really building up.

Big Finale, day seven.

I’d say this experiment is certainly considered good science!

Making Memories

A couple times a year, we like to do what any reasonable person would like to do in a city of 5 million people, leave the city.

Our favorite place to escape to is Camp Tejas. I’m about to show you why it’s our great getaway. Most important to note is it’s convenient location. Only a two and a half hour drive makes it a less stressful trip to begin with. There are no attraction rides, no fancy restaurants and not even any TV’s around. Some people find this hard to believe that a family of 6 can so thoroughly enjoy their vacation together without any of the above but it is so refreshing to take a break from the hustle and bustle of life.

For us, it’s as close as we get to camping, except there are cozy rooms with showers. Camp Tejas is a Christian retreat center but they also accommodate families like us who just want to getaway for the weekend. The hospitality is outstanding, all because the camp faculty love Jesus!

This time, we stayed in the Four Seasons which is located in the back of the property. There are 12 rooms connected by a covered courtyard. Each room is beautifully styled after one of the 12 months. We stayed in the July room, which of course was decorated in a July Fourth style.

The room was perfect for our family as it had two sets of bunks and a king size bed. It was very cozy and beautifully decorated.

I love all the detail that goes into decorating the guestrooms. You don’t see that at La Quinta!

This is the message that awaits each guest as they enter their room, it helps to set the right tone for our break.

It was really raining when we got there but it was no problem. We played a few games of checkers.

And found cozy spots to read. (no surprise that my boy is half dressed while reading)

And played some hoops, dodge ball and kickball under the covered court.

And played a few rounds in the game room.

When the sun finally came out, we got to enjoy the nature we came to see. The boys were most anxious to head over to the zipline. They couldn’t wait to get in that boost of adrenaline.

There were lots of trails for walking, lakes to canoe in, an ultimate Frisbee course and so, so much more to do. This time of year, the Texas state flower, the blue bonnet, blooms. It’s a magnificent flower with it’s deep color. We found a little patch of one of our walks. We praised God for His colorful creation and I praise God for these wonderful little boys.

These swings were calling my name and after they dried, it was my favorite spot. Especially while snuggling my baby.

At night, the courtyard lights up. We roasted s’mores around a fire. Took a walk under the tunnel of lights and finally crashed out around 10pm.

Our favorite thing to do in the car ride home is to plan for the next time we get to visit Camp Tejas. It’s our happy place!

Baby Legs

When I was pregnant with my third son, I attended a Birth Fair here in Houston. They had lots of great speakers on pregnancy, natural birth, breastfeeding and more. I also enjoyed the vendor’s that had come to the event as well. They sold everything from cloth diaper covers to slings.

One thing I came across then, and have seen a lot of online, are these baby leg warmers or leggings. I thought it was a great idea especially for the crawlers who are constantly on their knees. But I love the way they look on little babies too. They make a better option than baby pants because you can still change a diaper with ease.

In talking with a friend of mine, I decided I could make my own for a lot less than what they were selling online. All I needed were a pair of long adult size socks (preferably in a cute and fun print) and a pair of scissors.

So this is what I started with, a bare-legged adorable baby,

I used this pair of men’s socks. (I also found a cute skull print not pictured here but you really could choose ANY print!)

Using my fabric scissors, or really sharp scissors, I cut off the foot part of the sock. Leaving behind the long top. And just like that, cute baby leggings for my boy!

Too easy!

3 Months

Three months with this little guy have gone by fast in our house. It seems like 9 months is such a long time to wait and then when they get here, it goes so fast!

At three months old Evan’s single greatest accomplishment is, sleeping through the night in his own room! He’s still a terrible daytime sleeper (unless in the arms of Mommy) but I’m most thankful for a good nights rest. After a nap and feeding, he is all smiles. He loves to be talked and sung to. Nathan is especially good at making up a random song anywhere to make him happy.

Additionally, he’s developed the ability to tell if Mom is in the room or not. As soon as he catches me leaving him in his crib, he looses it. He’s completely fascinated by the lights from the TV, although TV watching comes much later. Being seated in the double stroller with big brother Austin keeps him very entertained.

Physically, this kid’s not slowing down. He’s 3 months old and fits in some 9 month clothes. Where did my little baby go? He has a bad patch of cradle cap and almost a complete mohawk on the top of his head.

We love him so much and keep telling him to stop growing, but he’s not listening

His Eye is on the Sparrow

Now that little Nugget is sleeping through the night, he’s officially moved to his own room. That’s one small step for Evan but one giant leap for me. It’s amazing how much better one functions on a full nights sleep!

As the fourth boy in our family, Evan gets the privilege of having all this amazing boy stuff handed down from his brothers. He has all the best boy toys, clothes, equipment and so on. One thing I didn’t want to hand down was the same nursery. Ok, ok, he’s using the same furniture, bedding and decorations but I wanted to create something new for Evan. God only knows, but this may be the last time I decorate a nursery.

I love the hymn “His Eye is on the Sparrow”. Especially Page CXVI's version. For those not familiar with this love song, the chorus lyrics are,

When Jesus is my portion
A constant friend is he
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches over me
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches me

I’m singing it now as I read the words. Great stuff.

All this to say, this lovely song to God is my inspiration for creating this for Evan’s nursery…

I found some incredible examples on Pinterest to help me along. I free-handed my tree with pencil and then filled it in with paint. I used a leaf cut sponge for the leaves, only because I didn’t have the time to hand paint each one. To complete his room, I’d like to find a wall decal with the words “His Eye is on the Sparrow” but I’m pretty sure I’ll have to custom order something like that.

Now our fourth baby has a nursery that’s all his own,

Nighty-night Evan

A Super Good Birthday

As I thought about what to do for Nathan’s upcoming 6th birthday, I tried to think of what would make him most happy. I know that he loves his friends, he loves superheroes and he loves Chuck E Cheese. So, we had a superhero party at Chuck E Cheese. This would be his first big birthday party so I wanted to make it special. Nathan helped me pick a fun cake design, I made personalized capes and we invited special friends. And this is what we came up with.

I’m really thankful for my talented friend Trina (whose super power is creating amazing cakes) who came and helped me create this ambitious cake. When the party was over, I asked Nathan what his favorite part of his birthday was and he replied “the cake”. Which makes me happy considering how much time Trina and I spent on it!

Even the little boys had fun, Austin shooting hoops with Daddy and Evan in the arms of Mommy.

Happy Birthday Nathan. You are a delight and joy to all who meet you. You have the biggest heart and are most kind. I am so thankful for you and I love you so much. May God give you many, many more happy birthdays.

Happy Birthday Nathan

A Proud Plug

The fast food industry. I’ve worked in it, we’ve all eaten it, it’s a necessary evil with kids. Lately, it’s been getting a lot of negative press (rightly so) for its injection of unhealthy diets into our meals and their sneaky ad campaigns.

Once in a while, fast food businesses go against the mainstream and do something right.

Even as a kid, I loved Chick-Fil-A. It was always a special treat and something about their food tasted extra good. As an adult, I love it even more. Because I know what a quality business it is. On the Chick-Fil-A Pearland facebook page this is listed as their mission,

"To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A."

When do you ever see the McDonalds franchise seeking to glorify God? Never. Well we witnessed CFA Pearland practiced what they believed this week. One of their ministry programs is the Cows Care program (how cute is that name). In this generous ministry, CFA delivers a meal to a family who has just had a new baby. THAT’S US! In their kindness and desire to glorify God, we received a delicious family size meal courtesy of our friends at CFA Pearland!

And it was DELICIOUS! So we proudly say, support Chick-Fil-A because they truly care about people and families.

EAT MORE CHIKIN’

2 Months Sure Goes Fast

 

I can’t believe my baby is already 2 months old! It seems like it was just yesterday I was holding him for the first time. The joy of working through labor and finally, finally getting to hold this little life that has been inside of you. He was big, warm and so snuggly, and still is! I keep telling him to stop growing but he isn’t listening to me.

At two months old, Evan is settling into a really good schedule. I can predict a little better what to expect each day. He is sleeping a solid chunk of time at night, usually waking only once to eat. For being my only baby born in the water, he sure hates his baths. It starts out fine and not too soon along the way, he lets me know its time to be done. His favorite sleepy time position is to be cradled in my arms with his special blanket (from Aunt Leilani) and a pacifier. The past month or so, the pacifier didn’t really help him but lately he’s taken to it. Let’s hope it sticks. I love a pacifier baby. He really loves it if the blanket is snuggled up to his face, which makes me nervous that he can’t breath but once he’s asleep, I will move it to the side. We’ve discovered that he naps the best in his infant carrier seat. I can only assume he still likes to be tucked up tight like when he was in my belly.

Even though he’s only 2 months old, he is wearing 6-9 months old clothes! Do you see why I ask him to stop growing? Good thing I saved all those clothes from his brothers. We had plus sizes already on hand. One of my favorite things he has started doing is smiling. He loves the sound of my voice and looks for me when he hears it. When I come close and lock with those big beautiful eyes, he just smiles as if nothing is wrong in the world. It’s really fun.

I love you Evan and I can no longer imagine this family without you. Like your brothers, you are precious to me. God has lavished kindness on me to give me such wonderful sons as you.

If You Give a Girl a Can of Chalkboard Paint…

Lately, I’ve been finding all kinds of great ideas that inspire me on Pinterest. You can find recipes, crafts, fashion advice and more. I love the DIY tutorials that make projects look so easy, even I could do them. So, I bought a can of this…

Chalkboard Paint. And decided to change this $14.99 poster frame (never mind the curious cat)…

into this…

a much needed message center in the kitchen. Now I can keep a weekly dinner menu for my family to see, keep the never ending grocery list and so on. But then, I practically had a whole can of paint left, so I decided to take this plain half bath…

 

and give it a funky graffiti wall…

The moral of the story is, be careful when you buy chalkboard paint, it’s addicting. And you’ll want to find new places to use it. Before you know it, it will be everywhere!