Posts by Rachel Spoelhof
Crafting With Old Christmas Cards
Do you love getting and sending Christmas cards in the mail? It is one of my favorite parts of the Christmas season. I love it so much I leave mine up all year.
I love looking at the cards all year long and Ellie and Hanna love to look at the pictures while they eat. It is a fun way to talk about our friends and family and keep them in our thoughts and prayers even after the Christmas season.
Each year as Christmas approaches I get excited for new cards to hang on my display, but it makes me so sad to get rid of the old ones. This is how I came up with the idea for a Christmas Card Book.
Supplies:
One-hole punch
Old Christmas Cards
Reinforcers
3″ multipurpose book ring
Step 1: Collect your cards
Step 2: Arrange your cards by size and shape
Step 3: Punch a hold in the left corner of each card…
Say “YES” to Help
I find it really hard to accept help most of the time. I like to be in control and feel like I can handle things myself. Even when I’m totally breaking down, I’d rather continue to be alone than ask for help.
However, it can be a blessing to me and to others to accept that help! I am experiencing this a lot this last month of pregnancy: Asking for help when I drop something, actually letting someone at the store help me with my groceries, asking my husband to cook dinner for me while I sit and rest.
I am so blessed to have amazing helpers. I have so many friends who are willing to help and offer help constantly. I got a surprise text last week that my friend had made our family dinner! It was such a treat to have a home cook meal, but take the night off from cooking it myself. My inlaws have watched Ellie and Hanna for almost all of my doctor appointment so that I could go alone. They are constantly offering their help and support.
This past week, Bekah came for a day and a half to help me with the girls. The girls adore her, and it was so much fun to have her help. We took the girls to the trampoline park and Bekah was able to run around with them, lift them out of the foam pit, and bounce with them (all things I can’t do right now!).
Even though it is sometimes hard for me to ask for all this help, I can see how it blesses me to have this time alone, and how it blesses the girls. It is great to watch their relationship grow with my family and friends!
What is something you’ve done …
Read MoreTrust and Wait
I’ve reached the point in this pregnancy where baby could come any day from today to three weeks from now. Of course, I’d prefer sooner than later. I would also just like to know the day. Rather than wake up every day wondering if this will be the day to meet my new little one, I would like a nice ticket stamped with a day and time that I need to be ready.
It is so hard to wait. It is easier to have things scheduled and controlled. Waiting for unknowns means we have to trust that the timing will be perfect. I know that my waiting period is only a few weeks. For you, it might be months or even years. But just know that if you wait for God’s perfect timing in God’s perfect plan, the end results will be just that – PERFECT.
What helps you trust and wait for the right time?
…
One Day at a Time
The thing that helps me stay organized and focused is to just take one day at a time. As much as I hate taking time from my evening to prepare for the next day, it is a huge relief to wake up and know that I am ready. Now getting my kids ready? That’s a whole separate ball game. But at least I am ready! I even do my best to get dressed and ready before I even go in the girls’ room. This helps me stay focused on them and their needs during our crazy morning routine.
Something that helps me stay focused on one day at a time is to keep my calendar current and up-to-date. I have my physical calendar on the wall in the kitchen with handwritten plans and commitments, plus my icalendar on my phone. I make sure to keep both accurate to keep myself focused. I appreciate that I can set reminders on my phone. I usually do a one day before reminder and a second one hour before reminder to keep my schedule in check.
Another thing that gets me focused is to have short term goals throughout the day. For example, my goal is to have the girls fed and ready by 8am, so that when the two sweet girls I babysit and take to school arrive, we are mostly ready. Once my girls are ready I know that we can leave at the drop of a hat if needed. I have already packed the car the night before, or at least organized our bags to take to the car when we leave. That give me a little wiggle time to wash dishes or maybe even apply some mascara and brush my own teeth before we have to leave at 8:30.
My …
Read MoreLast Minute Moms…We Are Enough!
Today I am feeling compelled to encourage my fellow “last minute” moms. You know us as the ones always scrambling, always a bit frazzled, and rarely completely done up head to toe (I personally pick one thing whether it be “real” clothes, make-up on, hair done, etc.).
I know I have thousands of things pinned on Pinterest collecting dust. However, I do know that even when I don’t have great activities planned out or fabulous meals on the table, my kids are for the most part HAPPY.
Ellie’s new thing is to ask me each morning, “What are we doing today?” Usually I have one or two things to tell her, but after each activity it is always the same question: “What’s next?” I often feel bad or guilty that I don’t have something planned and ready to go in the afternoon. While there is nothing wrong with being a planned, Pinterest-worthy mom, (in fact, I salute you!) there is also nothing wrong with leaving room to be creative and come up with things on the fly.
Most of our activities stem from some interests the kids have that day or week. I whipped up our Mailbox activity one day that Ellie was curious and interested in mail. Yesterday we were putting together our new stroller and my husband turned the box into a spaceship that we filled with toys and then let the kids sit inside the box and color. Brilliant!
I think time that isn’t planned is great for the kids’ creativity too. Ellie will create elaborate tea parties or trips to the zoo all on her own. I’m having a lot of fun seeing what she can imagine.
In closing, I just wanted to encourage you that it is enough to just be present with your kids. …
Read MoreRoar-iffic Lunch
I am on a “simple with a twist” theme. Can you tell? Baby #3 is coming in a couple months, so I’m trying to keep things interesting in very simple ways.
My two girls have been very picky for meal time. I had some success this week making them a “roar-iffic lunch.” They really like lions and making lion sounds, so I decided to make their lunch food into a lion.
They loved it!
I just changed the look of the same foods I have been offering them to make it a new experience. Here is their lion lunch:
Frozen waffle with butter, blueberry smile, cheese mane, freeze dried strawberry ears and nose, raisin eyes.
The silly lion faces made lunch fun. We also talked about the different parts of the face (eyes, ears, nose, mouth), which made it a fun learning experience.
There are so many little things we can change in small ways that make a big different with our kids. This lunch was fun for me to make and fun for the girls to eat.
How do you keep things exciting for your kids in simple ways?
…
Attitude Adjustment
I love when a friend shares something on social media that I really need to hear. A few days ago, a friend posted an article titled, “6 Ways Changing My Perspective Helped Stop My Kid’s Tantrums.” I almost didn’t read it, but lately I’ve been feeling helpless during my own kid’s tantrums. I’m so glad I took the time to read this blog because it was so helpful!
What really got me from the start was her quote, “It wasn’t until I changed my reaction to his tantrums and realized my job was to teach him how to calm himself that his tantrums ended.” I knew my anger during the tantrums was not helping, but gosh, silly tantrums make me angry! Especially in the car! There is nowhere for me to hide.
Here 6 tips were so simple, and just what I needed to hear. One of my favorite lines from her blog states, “My son needs to know I love him no matter what and not feel like he’s a bad kid for freaking out.”
I tried some of her tips today during not one, but TWO major tantrums. Two tantrums plus my pregnancy insomnia, girls waking up an hour early, and many other mini meltdowns would have normally been a recipe for quite the angry mom. But you know what? I didn’t yell or get angry. NOT ONCE!
The tantrums were pretty long and pretty loud, but I clearly saw how my attitude and my perspective influenced the duration and outcome of the tantrums. My daughter calmed down all on her own. By the second tantrum she said “sorry” all on her own. I ignored the screaming, kicking, throwing things and came up with positive ways to let her have space and calm herself down rather …
Read MoreRevamp Your Cooking Routine
If you are anything like me, your cooking routine can get burdensome and bland in a flash. Don’t put away those oven mits just yet. We can still save dinner!
Here are a few tips that I find helpful:
1. Add a new side to an old favorite meal. This helps me because I’m not creating and cooking an entirely new meal, I’m just adding some new flavors to spice up the dinner.
I love this Mexican Summer Salad to really jazz up taco night.
2. Visit the freezer aisle. You don’t always have to cook from scratch. Try some new flavors by combining a few items from the freezer section. I shop a lot at Trader Joe’s and they have a fabulous selection of meals, sides, and veggies in the freezer.
3. Have a weekly meal routine. We always do something super easy Sunday, such as breakfast for dinner. We always have pancakes on Saturday mornings. Tuesday is Taco Tuesday. Friday is family pizza night. These routines help focus my meal planning when I’m looking for recipes to cook for the week.
4. Have breakfast for dinner. I love breakfast, so breakfast any time is a treat, but it is also FUN to eat breakfast for dinner!
Our favorite is this hearty egg, meat, and potato dish.
5. Start a recipe swap. I’ve done this a few times with friends on Facebook. It is a great way to have new recipes at your fingertips that have been tried and tested by your friends.
6. Cook together. Plan a meal that your kids can help with. This will be a fun activity for the family, and often kids are more excited to eat something they have helped prepare.
Here are some tips for cooking …
Read More“You’ve Got Mail”
One of my favorite things to do is make and send hand-made or handwritten letters and cards. Ellie had developed a recent interest in mail and art, and I couldn’t be happier. We have had a blast the last few days making and sending cards to Ellie and Hanna’s friends.
Cultivate an interest:
We just happen to be reading books and watching shows about mail recently. I’ve received great advice from friends about learning at this early preschool age and that it should come naturally from play related activities. Because Ellie became interested in mail all on her own, this activity has been really fun for her.
Book we read: “I Miss You Every Day” by Simms Tabak
Show we watched: Elmo’s World “Mail”
Gather supplies:
Essential supplies are paper, crayons or markers, envelopes, and stamps. We had a lot of fun with stickers too.
Create a space:
Create a fun space that you can comfortably create your art. We tried a small table and also the dining room table.
Make your cards:
Let your kids be the artist. I only helped with writing names and the stickers.
Prepare the envelopes:
I briefly talked to Ellie about how to address the envelope. I said that her name goes on it because it is from her and then you write your friend’s name on it so the mail person knows where to send it.
The big thing Ellie was into (from Elmo and the book) was the stamps. I helped Ellie place the stamp on the envelop in the appropriate space.
Mail your letter:
We had a blast walking to the mailbox, but you can even go on a field trip to the post office to mail your letters. I prefer activities that don’t require a lot of in and out …
Read MoreSponge Ball Water Play
My first encounter with a Sponge Ball was at a splash pad. A mom and her son had brought them as a fun toy to play with in the water. They were so cool because they are made out of sponges and create fun effect when you squeeze them or throw them. Furthermore, because they are just sponges, they are soft and I don’t have to worry too much about the kids throwing them around.
I have been meaning to make them every since I first saw them, but life happened and I never got around to it. I went on Pinterest to remind myself how to make them. If you search “sponge balls” you will come across a variety of posts and activities, or you can just use my suggestions!
Materials Needed: Sponges, scissors, and hair bands
Actually, the hardest part for me was finding sponges without the hard scrubbing side. You want the soft colored sponges. I was only able to find wavy sponges at Walmart, but that just meant I had some fun wavy pieces in the sponge balls.
A three pack of sponges will make 1 ball. So buy according to how many sponge balls you want to make.
Any type of hair rubber band will do. I used goody brand “ouchless” hair bands because I had them at my house and they don’t have the metal part that some hair bands have.
What to do:
My sponges came in a pack of 3. New sponges come slightly damp so it is easy to cut them and assemble the sponge balls. I cut each sponge into 4 equal strips. Then I bunched the strips together (all 12 of them) and tied the rubber band tightly around the bunch.
DONE!
Have some fun:
Take your sponge …
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