9 Reasons Why Big Kids are the Bomb

When my kids were younger, I confess I pitied moms of older kids. It seemed to me that as friends' kids got to be about 7 or 8, the kids became louder, not quite so adorable, and frankly, kind of annoying. When my oldest started Kindergarten, I mourned. I knew we were entering a new stage in life, and that my daughter would change in some amazing ways, but I knew that she would soon be almost unrecognizable from the toddler/preschooler I cherished so much, and I dreaded it.

I knew I would love my kids as they grew older, but what I didn't know is that these years would bring their own magic that would sweep me up completely, leaving me to wonder how I ever could have thought that the preschool years would be my favorite. 

My older two kids are 8 and almost 7, and they have opened up a whole new world of parenting and family for me.

1. Sharing Hobbies

This picture was the absolute highlight of my two weeks of Christmas break. Last winter I fell in love with cross-country skiing, and this winter we bought stuff for the kids so that they could learn as well. Over the break, my husband and I took them to a local trail we love to ski, and I felt like my heart was going to explode with happiness. "Here I am, doing what I love! And my kids are loving it too!" I kept sneaking glances at them, their flushed and happy faces, their quiet concentration - surrounded by our beautiful Alaskan trails - and I truly couldn't imagine a happier place to be.

2. Watching Them Learn is Amazing

While of course I cherish the memories of those first shaky steps toward walking, watching and listening to the things they learn as older kids is so cool. The other day, my 6-year-old and 8-year-old, who are in a 1/2 combo class together, were having a conversation about supply and demand and I swear it was the cutest thing I've ever heard. Beginning with learning to read, and moving on up through multiplication and division (and supply and demand) I have been endlessly fascinated to watch them learn these big-kid skills. Just watching how their brains put information together, process it, and internalize it - both of them so different in their learning - it never gets old for me.

3. Playing Games

I love that the kids are old enough to play games that the whole family can legitimately enjoy. Our family just discovered Ticket to Ride and Apples to Apples Disney, and we've been having so much fun. The games don't end in tears, there's no careful calculations on the parenting pros and cons of "letting" them win Candyland - just fun. Together.

4. Long Conversations on the Beach

Not really on the beach. But I LOVE talking to my kids now that they're older. The other night at bedtime tuck-ins, my (always-stalling) 8-year-old and I had an in-depth conversation on teacher's unions, health insurance, and career choice. And then sometimes we're just silly and laughing, and sometimes I'm hearing about their day, down to the last detail. But I can get lost in conversations with them in a way that's brand new, and something I hope I have at least 50 more years to enjoy. 

5. Just this:

"I'll take the yellow cup. I don't care what color I have." I fall to the ground in worship.

6. Sharing Books & Music

My own kids aren't quite old enough for this year, but my 10-year-old cousin is a reader, like me. I love curling up on the couch with her and looking for new books on Goodreads, reading the same ones at the same time, and discussing them afterwards. My kids and I also like the same music, and rock out together to our favorite Pandora stations. Shhhhh.... I'm a terrible parent in what I let my kids listen to. I did feel vaguely ashamed last night when my kids and I were all dancing and singing to lyrics that included, "Says she won't, but I bet she will." Uh, whoops. And let's not discuss Blurred Lines.

7. They Get Funny

Sarcasm and teasing are some staples of our family dynamics, and as my kids get older, they're definitely learning! Listening to them play with language and come up with jokes that are actually funny, make a hilarious remark with perfect comedic timing, or lovingly tease me about all the naps I take - while both my big kids were funny as preschoolers, they are getting downright hilarious now.

8. They're Still Adorable

How could I have thought older kids weren't cute? They may be getting less cute to strangers and acquaintances, and I'd be lying if I said that my precocious 4-year-old doesn't captivate every crowd, but my older kids are at this beautiful stage where I can still see the little people they were, and I can catch a glimpse of the big people they are going to become. Which leads me to....

9. They Become People

I love watching my kids grow into themselves. What sports and activities do they choose? One is obsessed with sports and learning to play hockey, the other loves fashion and carefully plans out each accessory. Who do they hang out with at school? How do they handle challenges? What do they think about social issues? I feel now, more than ever, I am starting to glimpse my kids as tweens, as teenagers, as adults. I feel like I'm getting to know them as people. And pretty cool people, at that.

What a gift of parenting, yes? To think that every stage is the best? I anticipate some challenging years ahead, but I know that these guys will continue to grow and amaze me in ways I could never now imagine. But for today, I feel like I'm in parenting nirvana. Though I have probably just jinxed myself, and tomorrow will end with a foot-stomping, sobbing tantrum of epic proportions. Because those still happen.

Favorite Books of 2013!

I set a goal again in 2013 to read 50 more books. I set this goal in 2012 and blogged about my 4- and 5-star books from that year. Now another year has gone by, and it's time to recommend my favorites from 2013! As always, you can find me on Goodreads if you want another friend to follow!

As I mentioned last year, to me, a 5-star review means that I loved it, couldn't stop thinking about it, and couldn't wait to get back to reading it. Also that I think most people would enjoy reading it. A 4-star review means that I really liked it, couldn't wait to finish it, and I think most people that like the same types of books that I do would enjoy reading it. And again I'll throw in a disclaimer that while I have a low threshold for gore and violence in books, I have a fairly high threshold for sex and language, so there are probably books on my list that would be R-rated in the movie world. Consider yourselves warned. :)

This year I'm going to rank them in order (roughly), starting with my favorite. I made sure to add a review for all my 5-star books if I hadn't already written one. But for my 4-star books, if I originally wrote a review, it's there. If not, it's not.

5-Star Books

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

By far my favorite book of 2013. I loved it so much that I bought it in hardcover, making it exactly the second book I have purchased in the past 5 years. This is the story of a 5th grader who was born with a facial deformity, and his experiences as he adjusts to going to school for the first time. I loved the characters, the dialogue, and the family dynamics of this book. As soon as I finished it, I was recommending it to everyone I knew!

View all my reviews The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a historical fiction account of Mrs. Tom Thumb, who essentially spent her life on display at the circus, and how she tried to rise above it. While this is not fact-based enough to be considered a biography, I learned a lot about the era, and the historical figures in the book. I couldn't shut up about this book for like a week after I read it - I wanted to talk about it to everybody!

View all my reviews Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Usually for me, a 5-star review is one where I honestly think that ANYBODY would enjoy the book - it's that good. I can't say that's the case here, but here are the reasons I had to rate it 5 stars anyway:
1. On page 3, Gary Schmidt was already describing Doug and his life so perfectly, I had to log back onto Goodreads to see if this book was a memoir. That's how well he captured this character.
2. It's not unusual for me to read late into the night, feeling guilty about it and knowing I'll be tired but it'll be worth it, blah blah blah. The difference last night is that I realized with a jolt at 1:30am that I was a separate person apart from this book - I was so completely immersed in Marysville, New York, circa 1968, that I literally forgot that I was even reading.

It did meet my other 5-star requirement of "not being able to stop talking about it." I wanted to discuss this book with everyone I encountered tonight after finishing it.

Gary Schmidt writes amazing characters. They're unique, they're lovable, they're vulnerable. I was so invested in these characters, that I found myself gasping out loud or breaking into ridiculously huge grins - not normal for me. Anyway, loved this book. Great read.

View all my reviews Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I literally could NOT put this book down. I devoured it in one sitting, and was left wanting more. Though some parts in the middle dragged, the originality of the storyline and the strength of the writing bumps this book up to 5-star territory for me. I was not surprised to read that the author is an elementary school teacher - he captures the elementary school experience so perfectly. In fact, the more I think about why I enjoyed it so much, I realize that he perfectly captured so many things I can relate to - working with students on the Autism spectrum, being a mother, the relationships between staff members at a school, the art of being a teacher, etc. Loved it.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I kind of wanted to rate this 4 stars, because the entire time I was reading this, I felt so sad, and it really wasn't a pleasant experience in that way. But I know this is a book that will stick with me, and some of the writing was just so amazing - so 4 stars just didn't really feel right. Poor little Oskar - he just got in my head. It was so heartbreaking to read about his guilt and regrets over the death of his dad. I loved his character. The only thing I didn't like about the book is that it changed narrators, and it was confusing to me at times who was speaking and when in the story they were narrating. I loved the extra story of his grandparents, and I'm glad it's in there, but maybe the audiobook would have been good for me so that I knew who was narrating. Anyway, this was a heavy book about loss and grief, but it was beautifully written and I think I loved it.

 4-Star Books

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



View all my reviews


  The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars






 The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars






 Hold Still by Nina LaCour
My rating: 4 of 5 stars






 Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was really torn between 4 and 5 stars for this book. I loved Lou and Will's love story, and I thought the author painted what I imagine to be a realistic picture of someone in Will's situation. It was a unique and interesting love story and plot. But.... was it amazing? Probably not. But I did really, really enjoy it.

 Looking for Alaska by John Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

John Green was the author of my favorite book from last year, The Fault in Our Stars. I love him because he creates such realistic teenage characters and relationships. He really captures the dialogue, friendships, thoughts, and first loves of high schoolers, in a realistic and not-demeaning way. I didn't think this was as wonderful as The Fault in Our Stars, but it was WORLDS better than The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, another teenage/boarding school/feminist/teenage friendship/pranking book. They were so similar in many ways, but John Green just really nails the teenage experience in a way that no one else can. I think I would have been absolutely in love with this book had I read it as a teenager. His characters and their relationships remind me so much of my high school experience. Well, aside from all the drinking and smoking. ;)

 When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an easy, quick Young Adult read - got through it in about two hours. I loved the characters and the plot, and never could have put it down.



 The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars






 Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
My rating: 4 of 5 stars







A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I fell in love with the three female characters in this book, and their relationships with each other. I'm such a sucker for books that involve a changing point-of-view, and the relationships between mothers and daughters. I thought the youngest of the three, Mosey, was written as a very true-to-life teenager, and I loved her exchanges with her mother and her grandmother. One of the characters narrating the story has had a stroke, and I found her chapters so interesting, to see how the author had her describe events and her life, even as she's had this "brain event." I was actually enjoying the book so much I toyed with giving it 5 stars, even though I feel stupid doing that for "chick lit" books, but then some of the events at the end got a little ridiculous, in my opinion. But a solid 4-stars. Not a life-changer, but I enjoyed every minute of reading it while snuggled up on the couch.

 Gold by Chris Cleave
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

While this won't go down in history as one of my favorites, I did really enjoy it. The ending was so suspenseful to me, I was skipping half a page at a time just trying to see what happened. And while I know that some people found the ending a little too tidy and "Hollywood," I'll be honest - I like my books to end that way. :)


The Voice by Jennifer Anne Davis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars







The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars






Divergent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

2013 Resolution Round-Up & 2014 Goals!

I don't know what it is, or if it's weird, but I love hearing other people's goals and resolutions. Maybe some of you are the same way? And I absolutely LOVE setting goals! I enjoy having something to work toward, and looking back over past goals and realizing which ones I have met and incorporated into my life is always motivating for me.

Here were mine for 2013. Let's see how I did....

*Pray daily. Failed miserably. We'll try that again for 2014. 

*Nourish my relationships with James and the kids. Be present. Eh, this one was too hard to quantify. What I really wanted when I set this goal was to stay off the computer when my kids were awake, but I was too scared to actually take that step for 2013. But it's on the docket for 2014.

*No Babycenter. It is a waste of time. Goal met!!!!! And this was a HARD one for me. I had spent about 7 years on the Babycenter forums, making friends and developing relationships, getting information and asking/answering questions. But it was becoming a huge black hole for my time, and I was getting sucked into too much internet drama. I did have to pop in for the Amazon deals thread to get good deals on my Christmas shopping, but I stayed out of the forums and discussions all year, which was a major thing for me. 

*Read 50 more books. Goal met!

*Maintain weight and focus on being fit and healthy. Goal met! Well, if I don't count the five pounds I just gained over the break (which I don't - totally temporary puffiness, right?). I did a much better job this year focusing on having a healthy body, doing sports and activities that I enjoy, and working on accepting my body.

*Participate in the hobbies and activities I already enjoy. Eh, I did okay here. I wanted to get myself off the computer in the evenings, and focus on doing some sewing, crafts, reading, etc. I did meet my reading goal, but I don't think I sewed anything all year. :(

*Learn to cross-country ski, and blog at least once a week. Goal sort of met. I did learn to cross-country ski (and I am now totally in love with it), and I did end up with an all-time yearly high of 66 blog posts, but I didn't blog regularly once a week, which is what I meant when I set the goal.

And on to 2014! Here's my tentative list....

Health and Fitness

*Lose 10 more pounds.

*Learn to skate ski, and take a ski class.

Home and Organization

*Follow my 4-Week Cleaning Schedule for 4 straight weeks.

*Have the whole family do Job Jars at least every other week.

*Paint one room in the house.

*Buy new bedspread.

Family and Spirituality

*Stay off phone/computer on weekdays when kids are awake.

*Pray daily.

*Set and maintain a routine for scripture study with the kids.

*Have a weekly Family Night.

Hobbies

*Read 50 books.

*Devote one night a week to sewing, crafting, or blogging.

Whew! That's going to be a challenge! Wish me luck!

Product Review: Jillian Michaels Body Revolution vs. Insanity

I know that many of us (myself included), make fitness-related goals around this time of year! I wanted to share a review for a product I've been using, Jillian Michaels Body Revolution, and compare it to the Insanity workout, which we did last year. This post was in no way sponsored by either company - I just wanted to share my experiences!

Images Via

Background
Body Revolution and Insanity are both multi-disk programs designed to last several months, which focus mainly on strength training, but also some cardio. Body Revolution is currently on Amazon for $90, and comes with 15 disks, while Insanity is $145 for 10 disks, and both have 4.5 star ratings on Amazon. They each come with an eating plan, which I did not follow for either program, so I won't comment on that part here. I believe both are designed for people who already have a moderate level of fitness and want to focus on toning - I would not consider either of these to be programs for beginners. If you're looking for a good beginner's program, I would highly recommend Jillian Michaels' 30-Day Shred.

Difficulty Level
Body Revolution starts out easy, and gets progressively more difficult. In fact, the first few DVDs of Body Revolution seemed downright simple. It wasn't until the day after when I could feel the burn! It was really easy for me to get in a routine and stay motivated when the initial routines weren't too challenging, but felt effective at the same time. Every two weeks you move up a level and the exercises get more difficult. I am currently on disks 9 & 10 and the workouts are HARD.

Insanity had me struggling from Day 1. In fact, my daughter walked in while my husband and I were suffering through the first day and remarked, "Um, I think this workout might be too hard for you guys." I work out fairly regularly, and consider myself to be in pretty good shape, so I thought I would be fine. For me, Insanity was hard to stick with because it was so difficult, and I ended up giving up eventually. I think I lasted about 4 weeks.

Length
Body Revolution - 30 minutes each
Insanity - 30-80 minutes each

Results and Final Opinions
While the built-in fitness test with Insanity helped prove that I was getting more and more fit, I didn't really stick with it long enough to see noticeable results. With Body Revolution, I did not see a significant amount of weight loss. Part of this, I believe, was due to the fact that I was not adjusting my eating in an attempt to lose weight, and part of it was because I was gaining muscle mass. However, I did take measurements before I started the program, and a month into it, and I had lost a cumulative FIVE inches off my thighs, hips, and waist! I could also see noticeable definition in my arms, stomach, and booty.

While I know there are many people who are true devotees to Insanity and other Beachbody products, to me the time commitment and intensity level did not suit my lifestyle. On the other hand, with a quick 30 minutes at a time and so many DVDs to choose from, I can see myself continuing to use the Body Revolution videos for many years to come.

Bottom Line
Bite the bullet - the $100 for Body Revolution is totally worth it!

Easy Meatball Pizza Sandwiches

Ready for an easy dinner idea? (We're not going to call this a recipe - my husband would be embarrassed). This is such a great recipe for this time of year - simple, quick, hearty, and warm. And even though these are the easiest thing ever, for some reason this had never occurred to me as a dinner idea until my mother-in-law mentioned it. Thanks, Nancy!

These actually started out as plain meatball sandwiches, but my kids would not eat them until they were re-represented as "pizza sandwiches" with a few harmless meatballs on top. And, turns out, I loved the addition of the pepperoni!

Easy Meatball Pizza Sandwiches
Ingredients:
*Hearty dinner rolls
*Meatballs (homemade or store-bought)
*Spaghetti sauce (homemade or store-bought)
*Provolone cheese
*Italian spice blend
*Pepperoni (optional)

Directions:
Cook meatballs and spaghetti sauce in crockpot or on stovetop. Cut dinner rolls in half, and top one side with pepperoni, and meatballs. Sprinkle with Italian spice blend, and top with Provolone cheese. Broil until rolls are toasted and cheese is nice and melty. I love my bread nice and toasty, so I give it a little pre-broil before adding the ingredients, as shown below.

Yummmm....

If You Could Change One Thing....

While I'm not accepting the challenge to blog daily for NaBloPoMo, I am trying to blog more often for the month of November, and I was intrigued by their post prompt yesterday. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

The answer came easily to me. If I could change one thing about my personality, I would love to have the gift of making conversation. 

I am doubly challenged by this seemingly-perplexing concept. On one hand, getting to know new people is next to impossible for me. If I didn't have a friend to go with, I would be way more likely to stay home from an event than go and make conversation with people I don't know. It's not that I don't like making friends, it's that I literally CANNOT think of what to say to people before I know them well. I am horrible at making small talk. I can't think of a good way to open the conversation, I can't keep a conversation going, I live in fear of awkward pauses. Meeting new people is terrifying to me.

Then... it gets worse. I meet people. I get comfortable. And then I can't shut up! I tend to dominate conversations, talking loudly, telling stories, and just generally getting all wound up. I thrive on the energy and laughter of the group, and get more and more animated, and more and more talkative. When I come down from my "high," usually after I've left, I kick myself for how obnoxious I've been and how much I talked about myself. Really, the art of making conversation is not one that I've mastered.

*sigh*

I have two aunts who are beautiful and gracious conversationalists. When they meet new people, they ask all the right questions to get to know them, and to make the person feel comfortable. They always manage to strike that balance between asking and sharing, and make each person they talk to feel special and valued. It's such an amazing gift, in my opinion, and one I would love to someday cultivate.

But for now, luckily, somehow I manage to make friends, and somehow, once I have them, I manage to keep them. Despite the fact that they've heard the story three dozen times already about when I broke that one girl's nose at Color Guard practice. Heh. 

10 Gift Ideas for the Little Lego Lover

My son is OBSESSED with Legos, but sometimes it seems like you can only buy so many sets, know what I mean? On a recent trip to Costco, I wanted our trip to seem more legit than just going to eat at the food court, so we walked around browsing, and they had some great books that caught my eye. I thought I'd pass along the ideas, along with a few more, for anyone else thinking ahead to the holidays!

1. I posted last year on Facebook that we had gotten this Lego Ideas Book for our son's birthday.

This is NOT a book with instructions. Instead, it is a large, coffee table-style book filled with Lego creations organized by theme. It gives ideas on different ways to use specialty bits and bricks they may have gotten in other sets. It also has interesting interviews with people who build Legos professionally. My son still spends hours thumbing through this book, and even has us read pages for his nightly bedtime story. "Be creative with your bricks! You can use different bricks to achieve the same effects. If you don't have green cabbages for your farm truck, but you have yellow bricks, you have hay bales!" Zzzzzzz for me.... !!excitement!! for him.

Other books I saw at Costco.... We don't own these so I can't speak to how loved they might be, but all three of my kids were clamoring for these at the store!

2. Lego Minifigure Year by Year

3. Lego Play Book: Ideas to Bring Your Bricks to Life

4. The Lego Book

5. Building Brick and Minifigure Ice Cube Tray/Candy Melt
While we didn't use these for our Lego Birthday Party, lots of other parties I saw online did! How fun would these be to make ice cubes, candy, crayons, and more!? My kids would love these!

Photo credit: amazon.com

6. Lego Candy

photo credit: amazon.com

As seen in the cake we made for Parker's Lego party, these Lego brick candies actually stick together! My husband and I may or may not have stayed up playing with these little guys. Fun and tasty, they would make a great stocking stuffer!

7. Lego Advent Calendar

I have always wanted to get one of these for my kids, but I never have. I'm tempted every year, though! Maybe 2013 is the year.

8. Lego Alarm Clock

Maybe if I got this for my son, he would actually be willing to get up for school! Nah, doubt it.

9. Trio Blocks

photo credit: amazon.com

Okay, I know these look kind of "young" compared to what Lego guys might normally be into. And it's true that we started buying these for my son when he was probably 2 years old. However, these are still a building favorite with my crew and their cousins (ages 4-11). They create all sorts of buildings, vehicles, animals, and bugs. We actually keep a tub of these over at Grandma's house because it can entertain the 6 kids & cousins endlessly, and they're much easier to clean up.

10. Giant bag of Peanut Butter M&M's

These have nothing to do with Legos. But, um, hello? Who would not want to be the recipient of a giant bag of the best M&M's on the planet? Does anyone have me on their Christmas list this year?

I'd love to hear any other reader ideas on what to get for a kid who loves Legos!