Two|Four, David Platt, and Josh Via

My husband, Josh Via, has the privilege of co-leading worship for Two|Four tonight.  It's going to be an incredible night!

WHERE:  Richland Creek Community Church

WHEN:  Wednesday, September 8, 2010

TIME:  8:30pm

SPEAKER:  David Platt, author of Radical


If you live in or near the Raleigh, NC area make sure you come join us TONIGHT!

A List For The Babysitter

Contrary to popular belief in this house (ie. the kids),

this momma knows the things you will try to talk your babysitter into.

And then there are all those little details that the sitter may simply need to know...

My list for the babysitter keeps getting longer and longer.

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Zeke will tell you he is thirsty ALL THE TIME - 

but we do not have drinks after dinner...

unless YOU want to wake up to his little hand tapping your shoulder at 2am 

because he has to go potty again.

(PS-you don't get paid overtime if you stay for that)

Areyna will ask for the door to be kept cracked open - 

this will entice them to get out of bed at least every 5 minutes or so!

Just shut the door already!

No, we don't leave the closet light or hall light on for them.

That's what their nightlight is for.

You have to put band-aids on their thumbs so they won't suck them.

Not the clear ones that won't come off for anything.

They still cause "prunage" and it makes it difficult to tell if they sucked it or not.

Then, this causes tears in the morning because they think they've failed.

And that's no way to start the day...believe me!

Micaiah sleeps with - 

his bubby, fan on, blinds closed, door closed

Zeke sleeps with -

his bubby, a band-aid on his thumb, music, 

blinds closed, door closed, nightlight on 

and prefers to sleep naked

Areyna sleeps with - 

handpicked animal of the stuffed variety, band-aid on her thumb, 

music, blinds closed, door closed

Micaiah - 

if you use a disposable diaper...

make sure it is not a swimming diaper.  

The only thing those are good for are to keep poop in.

Pee, on the other hand...

Cloth diapers - 

1 insert for normal, everyday diapers

2 inserts at night...

UNLESS he's had a lot to drink.

Then you'll want to put 3 inserts in that bad boy!

TV -

turn converter box on

turn TV on

turn dial to "1"

little black remote is for channels

large silver remote is for volume

don't even bother trying to watch if it's cloudy, ha!

DVD - 

turn TV on

turn DVD player on

turn dial to "3"

little silver remote is for DVD player

large silver remote is for volume

You better make sure you ask who's turn it is 

to pick a movie or you are in for a HUGE meltdown

Areyna will use her sweet little 5-year-old logic on you - 

but stay strong...

BUGS DO HAVE TO STAY CONTAINED INDOORS!

Then we get into allergies, medicine dosages and discipline...sheesh!

My babysitters probably hate me!

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What does your list for the babysitter look like?

When The Momma's Happy Everybody's Happy

As I was reading through Sacred Marriage, I realized a common theme among the chapters.

This little secret that I'm about to share with you has been reenforced by several other things I've been reading as well.  (Interesting how the Lord does that!)

It's nothing really new or profoundly clever but it has been a much-needed gentle reminder.

Are you ready for it?

I set the temperature / mood for the house.

You've heard the saying before, "When momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" and isn't that the truth!  I know those days when I am at wits end, completely overwhelmed and totally drained, if I choose not to control my emotions and hormones you better believe the kids and my baby's daddy know it.  I am forcing them to feel like they have to tiptoe around me just waiting to see what will set me off next.  This is simply their reaction to my attitude.

Then, there are other days when I feel completely in control and caught up on life's demands and my family feels the freedom to breathe.

As a wife and mother I have a responsibility to cling to Christ in a whole new way.  It's not only for me but for the family which the Lord has blessed me with.

Here are some mental things I've been working on to "set the mood" in our home:

I am working on (NOTE: working on - I am far from perfect and I don't imagine I'll ever have it down) staying calm while disciplining the kids.  I am trying to have a consistent, even tone and act with control.  This is a domino effect for the rest of the day, you know.  If I start off this way the kids know that I am working on self-control, and in return, they are more prone to exemplify self-control themselves.  And, well, if they are still having "one of those days", I can at least tolerate it more, ha!

For my wonderful, hard-working husband I am working on having realistic expectations.  He has a lot on his plate right now as he juggles being the worship pastor at Journey as well as keeping our ministry going.  Not to mention, being a father to three kid's yearning for his attention and a wife who needs him just as much, if not more.  I want him to feel like he can come home and breathe.  I want him to exhale when he walks in the door, not shrink away as he drives up to a house full of screaming kids and a wife who is pulling her hair out.

Here are some practical things I do on a regular basis to set this mood:

Light some candles.  Even if it's just one single candle on the kitchen table or counter that Josh can see as soon as he walks in, there is just something relaxing about a lit candle.

I put "simmer music" on.  It helps calm my nerves, as well as calm the kids down so they aren't jumping off the wall as soon as Josh walks in the door.  Nothing is more overwhelming than walking into a house  that mirrors a birthday party at Monkey Joe's!

I try to be proactive.  I keep a mental list of those times that habitually become chaotic and figure out a plan.  Around here it's dinner time. I ask Areyna and Zeke to sit down with Micaiah and play with him and try to keep him occupied so I can fix dinner without a whining child tugging on my leg as I drag him between the stove and the refrigerator.

I want to create a home environment that shouts God's love, grace and patience.  Aren't these the things that the Lord has lavished on my own life?  It doesn't all depend on me, but the majority of the "temperature" that is felt around the house is put off by me.

What temperature is your house?  What do you do to keep sanity in your home?

Not Me Monday

I always take precautions when doing laundry,

such as emptying pockets and carefully sorting colors.

Especially when it comes to washing my cloth diapers!

I am also a very careful cook.

Therefore, 

I would never pick the last two ripe tomatoes off our vine

to make cheesy tomatoes for dinner...

only to drop the whole pan, 

upside down on the  BLUE kitchen rug 

as I pull them out of the oven.

Nope, not me!

I would never be that clumsy!

Not only that,

but I would never just scoop them back up, really quickly,

and dish them out on our dinner plates to eat.

Are you kidding?!

That's just disgusting.

Not to mention...the germs, the hair, the crumbs!

No way, not me.

Since that detailed tomato incident never occurred,

I would never have to place the BLUE rug directly in the washing machine

to be forgotten about.

I always remember important stuff like that.

I am SO glad that this never happened...

because in my haste to unpack from our trip

I might want to go ahead and get all my dirty diapers washed.

That would mean that they would be thrown in the washing machine

with the aforementioned, BLUE rug and that would just NEVER happen!

NOPE, not to me!

Because, then my diaper inserts would surely turn

the same shade of BLUE as my BLUE rug!

And my Fuzzibunz would be so fuzzy...

...that I would be picking out balls of lint

from the deepest, darkest crevasses of the male anatomy

for a week!

And that just would NEVER happen to me!

No way...NOT ME!

Fall Means...

Pumpkin Spice Late

Cooler Weather

Open Windows

Crisp Mornings

Lazy Sunday Afternoons

Colorful Trees

Routine and Structure

Less Mosquitos

Football

Playing Outside ALL DAY

Anticipation Of The Holidays

Motivation To Bake

Apple Spice and Pumpkin Spice Scented Candles

Jumping In The Leaves

____________________________

What do you LOVE about fall?

Fun Facts For Friday

1 - We're headed down to Charlotte this weekend to play at Ridge Church.  I can't WAIT to see some sweet friends that we haven't seen in almost a year!

2 - I was planning on doing school 3 days a week.

Here comes that word again...flexibility:)  This time it comes in a different context.

My kids begin begging for school as soon as their last bite of breakfast has been consumed.  And this happens every day, of course...therefore, school has occurred every day!  I can't refuse them a learning experience, now can I?!

So, we'll plan for three days a week and if more happens in one week then that is awesome!  I am SO glad they are enjoying it, because I sure am too!  (I never thought I'd say that!)

3 - Here are a couple of pictures of our projects we've worked on this week.

Zeke decided to make a "mean turtle" with his apple print.

Areyna, the perfectionist, decided to "stamp" her apples.

Thursday we went on a nature walk outside
and glued sticks, leaves, blossoms and berries, to show how apple trees look in different seasons.
They LOVED doing this!

4 - Devotion update - I am finishing the final edits to my manuscript and completing all the final paperwork before I submit EVERYTHING!  Writing the book was easy compared to this tedious task of perfecting...everything.  I'm totally ready to just submit it and be done with it, as is, (which is what I did with all my papers growing up.  Proofreading?  What's that?!), but Josh has to keep reminding me that it's not just some English essay for my College Professor who doesn't even read through my paper.

5 - The next couple of weeks are about to get crazy up in here!  Josh's little sister is getting married next Friday and then two days later begin's the Via Family Vacation near the Outer Banks.  Hurricane season is in full swing, so I'm SUPER excited...Woohoo!

Have a GREAT weekend ya'll!

Get To Know Us Better - Zeke

Wow, have I really dragged this series out or what?

Without further ado...

Here are some fun things you may or may not know about Zeke!

What is your favorite thing to eat?  Mac-n-cheese

What is your favorite color?  Blue

What is your favorite thing to play with Areyna?  to play with my bullet guns

Who is your favorite Super Hero?  Superman

What is your favorite instrument to play?  the drums

Does Areyna ever do anything you don't like?  sometimes she pushes me away

Does Cai ever do anything that bothers you?  Yeah!  He takes my toys.

Does mommy do anything that bothers you?  you give me spankings and you tell me not to touch your computer.

What does daddy do that you don't like?  um, nothing

What is your favorite song?  Happy Day

Who is your favorite singer?  Phil Joel

Who is your hero?  Daddy

What's your favorite thing to do with daddy?  play with him, play cars with him, I like to go to Journey with him, play my drums with him

How do you know that daddy loves you?  'cause he plays with me,  and because I love him

How do you know mommy and daddy love each other?  'cause I saw you love each other

What else can we tell people about you?  I like to wear costumes, I like to wear superman costume, I like to watch a movie with my dad and mom, I don't like having bad dreams, I have the hiccups, I like playing cars.

Next is Josh. What juicy news do you want to know about him?

Just Look At 'Em

Butterflies In My Stomach

Well, I've gone and done it.

I've begun homeschooling!

I planned out our year, week for week, for the rest of 2010.  Each weekly lesson includes art, science and math, as well as our usual reading.  I have made our "second" living room into our homeschool room with four separate centers within the room.  The couch is for reading with mommy.  The Art table is for art, workbooks and writing.  I set up a special manipulative station as well with a rug and some pillows on the floor to do flash card games and other "alone" activities.  The large area rug in the middle of the floor is for group projects and anything else we can come up with.

I wanted to have a special tradition to start each year, so Josh and I agreed that on the morning of the first day of school we'll celebration with Ice Cream for breakfast.  No objection on the home front to this rule.  At least the "health/nutrition" lesson isn't until October, ha!

I've already learned an important lesson in our journey and we have only just begun.  You want to know what it is?  Of course you do:)

F.L.E.X.I.B.I.L.I.T.Y

After traveling all day on the day I had planned to start school and then having to run errands and go to a doctors appointment all morning/afternoon the next day I was already beginning to feel a sense of defeat.  I quickly reminded myself why we are homeschooling and that a HUGE perk to schooling at home is that we can be flexible.  

With my to-do list piling up (we were hosting small group, which includes dinner for all) and laundry and straightening up the house, not to mention unpacking from our trip, I decided, in my head, to just start school the next day.

When I asked the kids if they just wanted to start the next day they said, "No way!  We are excited for school TODAY!" 

So, we went ahead and dove in with both feet...and had SO much fun doing it!

Zeke with his workbook I found at Wal-mart.

Here's Areyna doing some math cards

(I also found these at Walmart for super cheap)

Zeke is working on some alphabet manipulatives

while Areyna and I worked with her reading on the couch.

Our theme for the next couple of weeks is Apples.

This day we charted out different ways to eat apples.

We made a graph/chart.

Taught the kids how to read and mark the chart.

Assigned each of us a separate color.

Decided if we "really liked", "kind of liked" or "didn't like at all" each category.
Then,

marked how well we liked to eat apples a particular way.

We are also going to cook with apples,

paint with apples,

make apple trees that depict what they look like in different seasons

and

read books and do some searches about apples on the internet.

I was very nervous to get started, and feeling very inadequate, but know that we have prayed through this decision.  I am already getting excited for the other activities we have planned and even more excited to teach our children so many wonderful things that the Lord has created for us to explore!

By the way, happy September everyone!!!