Multitude Monday! 370-380 :)

Thankful for soo many awesome memories so far this Fall. None of which we ever anticipated this time last year! Amazing how God works.  Can't  believe it is the late part of Sept! Wow.
370-This weekend we went to Iowa, for a Bible Conference and reconnected with lots of old friends. Was nice to be in a small town (crazy right!?) and was nice that my mom has cleaned my grandma's house extensively, so we had a house to ourselves. It was a little quiet retreat time ( except our kids bring lots of excitement not quietness :)), in Iowa, with beautiful weather & good teaching from the Bible. 
371- Thankful for my parent's heritage and their friends in Iowa. Met many new friends who great things to share about my family.
372- Encouragement
373- Hudson is on the move! He is up on all 4's, ready to crawl, but instead hops. It's adorable.
374- My brother is out of his long stay in "the justice system". He reunites with my mom tonight in NY. We are praying that he arrives there safely & that from this day on, he lives for the Lord and stays on the right, healthy track. Excited to reconnect. Excited for our family to have Uncle Dusty back.
375- Fall temps & pretty leaves
376- Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin candle (Bath and Body Works)
377- Matt Maher's Song "Lord I Need You"
378- Football
379- Individual Hummus Containers from Costco (GENIUS!!)
380- Johnny Appleseed's Birthday is Thursday! Bustin' out some homemade applesauce & apple learning. Celebrate with us on Thursday :)

Have a blessed week!!
Enjoy a quote from a plaque we saw at AJ's in AZ ...
"Find something you are willing to die for, and live for it"
What are you willing to die for?
XO

Hump Day Photo Upload :)

 Our fast bike rider girl :)

 Harrison & a cool dog we met yard saling

park date

 Mimi & our 2 toothed Hudson!! :)

 :)

Dodgeball

 

 (This is our behavior station- read "positive parenting post" if you want more details :))

Kisses

 Their Honey Do Lists

Yay for Hannah's success! Last night she earned a nail salon time and she has pink sparkly nails :)

Positive Parenting

So today I have revamped our behavior plan a bit & want to share just in case you are on the hunt for a great way to boost your kiddos self esteem & parent with a positive twist :)

Harrison is a breeze. He loves school- although sometimes since I am his teacher - he tries to wiggle out of assignments with his sweet blue puppy dog eyes- but then he has a great re-set button- he moves on and is EZ....
Hannah is not  a breeze :) She is a tornado :) So after an exhausting night at Gospel service last night, because Matt was speaking, and Hannah was screaming for most of it downstairs and outside, I wondered how can I help her... I know she was TIRED... so that was just silly of me to take her anywhere past 7pm last night- lesson learned- but we know she has a s*t*r*o*n*g will- and we know that God wants that will broken- so she can obey us, as we try and obey God, in parenting.
So.... today the teacher in me got busy :) YAY FOR PINTREST! YAY FOR MY H-DRIVE from school! And Kisses for Kudos was re-born!
Here is the idea should you desire it. It may sound complex, but in reality, after some printing and cutting, its super easy :) Promise. For me, it only works if I can be consistent with it- so it has to be easy.
Here is Hannah's Honey Do List for each day..............
*Obey with a Happy Heart. * Obey without delay ( I say OBEY and she says OKAY and then we both yell YAY :)) It has worked so far today ( must be poetic Monday :)) * Wipe the table after each meal *Get dressed on her own *
( Her learning time has its own behavior plan *The Clip Chart*, but we needed something for minute by minute daily "stuff", and the clip chart is not portable)

Each time she does one of her special jobs, she gets a paper kiss (see the image at the end of this post) She gets to chose the Kiss from the jar ( gives  that sense of control), glue the kiss to her Kiss Paper, get an M&M, and watch the Kisses add up to 5! That is her fave number. She wants to be 5, everything needs to be in sets of 5, etc- so 5 kisses = $1 or she gets an Activity Coupon  for iPad time, nail salon time, playdough time, tea party etc :) The past 3 hours has been BLISS :)
Hope this helps any of you mama's out there also with a Miss Independent Diva like our sweet Hannah!
XO
( I made up a sheet of these kisses, copy & paste to fill a page, and then cut them all out and have them in a Kiss Jar )

Then glue  a kiss to another document that is created (Sorry no clue how to upload docs on here!)

Mine just says KISSES FOR KUDOS, their name, and their jobs. The rest of the paper is blank so that there is loads of room for kisses to be glued on.

It is a great visual - and I love that its kissey & I love that she gets an M&M right away for instant feedback(Modify if sugar isn't allowed for your kiddo)

Will keep you posted as to our Success :) :)

Please pray...

Please pray for a sweet little 5 year old girl named Browyn.
She is on the painful chemo road- as she is trying to fight Leukemia
You can read more at her caringbridge page... www.caringbridge.com, look at Browyn Coleman's site.
Pray for her older brother Tanner, who is 7 and her mom and dad Tanya & Ryan.

We know the Lord hears our prayers and can comfort this family.
XO

*Pictures* Speak Louder Than Words :)

Multitudes... a few days early :)
360-370 ( 630 blessings left to journal & then 1,000 gifts will be accomplished (Ann Voskamp))

Bryon & Joni

 Hannah "at work"

Hudson's bubble under his tongue is back(lymphangioma sp!?), thankful it isnt bothersome :)

 Avacado!

LOVES it!

Color Wonder Paint. Pure GENIUS!

Cake pops ( Look nada like the box indicated they would turn out- but they are/were delish :))

Chicago fall has arrived...65 and windy. Bliss.

 Smiles in the city

Multitudes 350-360

Multitude Monday is here again!
What a fabulous week to look back to and be thankful for....
Here is a glimpse into our thankful-nesses :)
350- Hudson's 1st tooth is here! We see it poking out of his gum & feel it, and are thankful it came without any fuss! (Just a super red diaper rash for a couple days)
351- a 91% on my crazy intense research proposal! just 1 more assignment left and then 4 classes left til I have my Masters in Psychology!
352- Class area established. Despite my mom's awesome house with many places to work-  I really needed a nook that we could call "The Classroom". I'm sure it's just the teacher in me that needs a designated spot and maybe if we home-school more than this year, I will outgrow that need for certain structure, but for now, this mini space that we created is working great and we are using the amazing Clip Chart!! :)
353-Yard Sales! Scored Hudson the best excer-saucer ever for a whoppin' $5 & a Barbie Bike for Hannah!
354- Happy Day on 9/8 in Okanogan, WA! Joey's baptism. Thankful that Matt was able to go!

Joey telling his testimony, Wolter.

355-Dodgeball has begun for Harrison :) (Football was cancelled due to lack of participants, but he was excited for d-ball, and he had a blast!)
356- Tabata!
357- Hannah's Swim Lessons! Miss Elisha is awesome, and Hannah loves her 3 pals in the class.
358- Finding our new normal here in IL
359-Downtown Chicago & great bike paths
360- Party Planning for a great cause :)

Spread some love

Looking for a way to reach out to others?
Operation Christmas Child season has begun!
Click here for more information :)
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child

(Can't believe that the finished boxes need to be mailed or dropped off by mid November!) For everyone, whether participating or  not, prayer is so powerful and these kids and families who the boxes are sent to, need our prayers.
XO

Multitude Monday in Pictures :)

Happy Labor Day!
We are back from a wonderful weekend hearing good teaching from the Bible- in Akron Ohio. It was a great time of reconnecting with many old friends and making many new ones! We stayed at my dad's aunt and uncles house. So nice to spend quality time with family. Such a blessing!
Harrison was thrilled for his 8 new friends :) Love that he named each one on the car ride home tonight and counted them too. Hannah piped up and told us her friends too :) You will see some happy faces from this weekend in photos below & to our Labor Day BBQ here at my Mom's :)

If you are interested in hearing any of the Bible messages from this weekend- go to: www.akrongospelhall.com ( Look for 2013 Conference)

Music Class with Miss Hannah on Piano

 & Mimi on guitar :)

Hudson 5 months

 :)

Our friend Mary is a teacher over in Taiwan! She left on Saturday...this was at her going away party

Mary's brother Benny

:)

In Akron...Lindsey-Hannah-Ava

Snoozing

 Amanda & Brittney :)

Lindsey-Lissie-Jenna & Hannah

Harrison & Mo

My uncle Dave does a super cool outreach work at the local fair. He sets up a booth, makes these cool scriptures, and gives them away. He let our kids take a couple home :)

Uncle Dave & Auntie Katie

Labor Day BBQ at my moms

Very special guest appearance from Malaysia! Mrs Khoo!

Abby Jenna Abby

Rebekah Emma Ashtyn