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{ Ringing in the New Year– NYE 2013 }

December 31, 2012 by Fotini Filed Under: 2013, dress to impress, New Year Style, New Years Eve 21 Comments

Ringing in the New Year in style! Dress to impress and use this as your inspiration board….

1. The best part of 2012 for me and my family was the purchase of our first home! We’ve already made some incredible memories here and can’t wait to see what 2013 has in store for us!

2. A song that I totally fell in love with in 2012 was, “Learning To Be The Light” by NewWorldSon. If you haven’t listened to this song, you need to!! It’s so uplifting!

3. My biggest accomplishment of 2012 was buying our first home and working for a good two weeks making it move in ready for our family! We’ve created a little piece of heaven to live!

4. For 2013 I’m most looking forward to a new direction in my husbands career and what it brings our family! He works so hard daily between,work and school, and I know he’s ready for the next step!!

5. My New Year Resolutions are: To become more patient, exercise a little more and eat a little healthier!

**Wishing all of you a beautiful, blessed 2013!!**

{ MC: Disciplining at an Early Age }

December 29, 2012 by Fotini Filed Under: disciplining kids, kids, mommy panel, The Mom Connection 14 Comments

I am part of an AWESOME mommy panel with Cassie from Two In Diapers and Julie from The Naptime Review.

Each Saturday, we will bring you fresh new ideas and advice about motherhood.

If enjoy what you read, we encourage you to tweet about it!

Coming on January 5, we will discuss:

Setting goals with your children!

Now on to this week’s topic!

At what age and how do you begin disciplining your babies?

Here is what Mom Connection shared:

Welcome! I’m Julie over at Naptime Review. I am a mom of 2 wild, crazy and beautiful girls. My oldest just turned 4 and my baby is 16 months old. This is how I discipline at an early age:

I actually don’t. In fact, I was amazed the other day, when I was sitting around with a group of friends, listening how they implement time out with their babies. I thought, “Wow, I need to start with Alice.” So when Alice turns 18 months, I do plan on getting a spot in the house and designating it as the time out area. For now, I use positive reinforcement, such as hooting and hollering when she does something right. I also make up silly songs and dances to get her to follow directions. You have never seen me so excited when she cleans up her toys or heads to the door singing, “March, March!” Besides positive reinforcement, I say “No” very sternly. No comes in handy when she is skydiving off the fireplace or jumping and landing on her bottom in the bathtub. This child is CRAZY! I foresee many trips to the ER in the near future. If saying “No” doesn’t work I remove her from the situation. Unfortunately, she has a memory like an elephant so that often doesn’t work. Then, I just have to ignore the tantrum that is unfolding right before me.

I really struggled with finding what motivated and worked with my 4 year old, so I am hoping God gives me a pass on this one. If not, I am well versed and educated in the area of discipline. When Averie was 2 years old, I dragged my husband to a Love and Logic seminar. If you aren’t familiar with their theories and methods, I highly recommend checking them out. Click here to learn more about positive discipline methods.

Hi! I’m Cassie from Two In Diapers, and I’m a mommy to three sweet babies, ages 4, 3, and 18 months.This is how I discipline at an early age:

We begin at the age where they first learn that they can cause a reaction. I’m sure this age is different for every child, but for ours it usually begins around 6-9 months. This may sounds harsh, but we don’t begin with full-on discipline. In our household, we do our best to be consistently gentle but firm {although, of course this doesn’t always happen!}, which means that our baby getting into something that they aren’t allowed to play with results in a gentle but firm “no-no”, followed by a distraction – handing them a toy or playing a quick game of peek-a-boo. I don’t know about your littles, but mine seem to be more attracted to anything that causes a big scene… hence the calm correction followed by immediately moving on from the situation.

We are also firm supporters of Love and Logic! We strongly agree with teaching the kiddos that their actions result in consequences. If Grayson purposely drops his sippy cup on the floor, he doesn’t get it back until he is done eating and gets down from the table. If Bentley throws a toy, he loses that toy. We try to be as consistent as possible, which is definitely difficult at times. But we believe that calm, loving discipline can begin as soon as the baby is able to see that their actions can cause a reaction.

My name is Tricia from Mama Marchand’s Nest. I am the mom of N (her name on my blog) who will be three in March. This is how I discipline at an early age:

We started disciplining N just before her 2nd birthday. I posted all about it here and to be honest, not much has changed except that now, all I have to mention is a time out and she shapes up. If she’s not listening, saying no to me, or cops a ‘tude, I take her to a quiet spot in our house (or a quiet corner or a bathroom if we’re out somewhere) and we have a chat. We also start each day by talking about how we’re going to be “kind, thankful, and happy” and what all of that means. I’m no expert and there are days when N displays her “two-ness” more than others but so far, this is what’s working for us.

My name is Fotini! I blog over at Glamorous Affordable Life. I am the mom of (Isabella 19 months and Christian 6 years). This is how I discipline at an early age:

My son was a very laid back toddler, but when it was necessary to discipline I started around 2 years old. I began with time-outs (a minute for each year) and these were tricky at first, but persistence was my best friend!

To this day I do time outs with him and he takes it like a champ. Christian right now is at the stage?of beginning to talk back to us, no matter what it’s about. He calls it “debating”.. How my 6-year-old understands debating is beyond me, he will make a good lawyer one day 😉 We do the “3 strike rule”. I give him three warnings throughout the day and then it’s to his room to think about why he’s there. This gives him the opportunity to think about what he did and gives him the chance to not do it again. I also find that “taking away” his favorite things for a short time makes him realize that Mommy means business!

Isabella, on the other hand, is learning to test her boundaries. She’s much more daring, feisty and repetitive than my son was. I feel like I’m constantly telling her “NO” and directing her attention toward something else. Do you have any good tips on “disciplining” a 19 month-old?

My name is Kristen from The Mrs. & The Momma. I’m the momma of three girls (ages 7, 5, & 3) and a little boy (18 months). This is how I discipline at an early age:

Children at an early age know right from wrong…sort of. They know they’re not supposed to put their hands in the toilet…but they still do because they need to see the cause and effect. They need to know what happens when they do ______. It’s really an interesting method because they don’t always expect the same outcome as a result of their actions. Up until about two years of age, it’s best to just remove them from the situation after a firm but loving, “no.” Around 2 years old, we employ the use of time out. (I know spanking is a touchy issue, so all I’ll say is that we’ve chosen not to spank our children). Time out is effective especially when the child sees something they’re missing out on. Sometimes I’ll even make up something in which my child is unable to participate. Children hate being left out.

Thus, not only is the time out removing them from the situation, but they connect the consequence (not being able to participate) with the crime (whatever it may be). We also limit the time out for age in minutes (2-year-old time out for 2 minutes). Time out isn’t the only discipline we use, but it seems to be the most effective. Disciplining is tough because all children are different, and sometimes certain consequences don’t work….but it’s always best to be consistent whatever your method(s) may be. Black Dots page break divider

Your Turn:

At what age and how do you begin to discipline your children?

What works for you?

Leave us a comment; we love to read your tips and advice!

Need advice? Check out these previous Mom Connection topics:

Getting Your Child Dressed

Fun Holdiay Projects to do with your Children

Teaching Your Children to Be Thankful

Sibling Sharing

Be The Good Printable

December 29, 2012 by Fotini Filed Under: be the good, free printables, quote, subway art

I really love the quote “BElieve THEre is GOOD in the world”, so I decided to make a few printables to share with you all! I plan on doing a canvas project sometime soon with this quote as well! Enjoy!

Sharing this project on these lovely sites!

{ Wishing you a very Merry Christmas }

December 25, 2012 by Fotini Filed Under: Christ our Savior, Christmas, Jesus Christ, Merry Christmas 4 Comments

For those of you who are reading this, I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas! I hope you’re all able to enjoy the day with family, embracing the love around you and realizing that you are truly blessed. Although gifts are wonderful to give and fun to get, remember the real reason for our celebration, the birth of Jesus Christ! This is such an important purpose to share with our children. God bless each and every one of you!

What is Christmas without Christ?

JOY to the World

December 24, 2012 by Fotini Filed Under: Christmas subway art, Free Christmas Printables, free printable, Joy to the world, Merry Christmas, printable, subway art Leave a Comment

Here’s one last Christmas printable for you to enjoy! Merry Christmas Eve to all!

{ Our Snowman }

December 22, 2012 by Fotini Filed Under: building a snowman, kids, playing in the snow, snowman, spending time with kids 4 Comments

Never neglect the chance to make beautiful memories with your kids! Yesterday we got our first ‘real’ snowfall of the season here in Ohio. My son kept asking me all day to go out and play in the snow with him. I didn’t want to drag the baby out because I knew that wouldn’t last long. Once I put Isabella to bed last night, I asked Christian if he was ready to go build a snowman.. His eyes lit up and he ran over and gave me the biggest hug, and said “lets do it Mommy!”. That made my heart smile 🙂

We braved the cold with lots of layers and our rain boots! We had a little snowball fight and built a cute little snowman; Christian decided to name him ‘Candy Cane’.

We were outside for less than an hour, but we had so much fun! And he’s awfully proud of his Mama for building a strong snowman since it’s still standing this morning, lol!

{ Fab Pins of the Week }

December 21, 2012 by Fotini Filed Under: Uncategorized 1 Comment

Here’s my most popular pins this week!

1. {source, BHG} 2. {source, Houzz}

3. {source, Pinterest} 4. {source, Style me Pretty}

1. I love the traditional, cozy feel of this cabin-style Christmas! Perfect for any ‘Silent Night’! It dons the reds, greens and whites with a touch of sophisticated plaid perfect for any traditional style!
2. The outside of this home with its traditional design totally caught my eye right away. Head over to the source and take a peek at the inside too! The grey, white and brown tones create such an eye-catching appeal.
3. How stinkin’ fun would this be to do for the kids on Christmas Eve? Make a little tee-pee tent with sleeping bag, blankets and pillows for the kids to anticipate Santa’s arrival, I love it! Original source is unknown.
4. This is by-far, just about the cutest idea for wedding photo props EVER! If you adore this, you will definitely want to take a look at the rest of simple, sophisticated wedding!

Are you following me on Pinterest yet? What are you waiting for.. click here !!

Beautiful, Simple Gift Wrapping

December 18, 2012 by Fotini Filed Under: Christmas, Christmas wrapping, craft paper, diy, gift wrapping, wrapping paper, wrapping presents

I love wrapping presents for Christmas! This year I opted for brown craft paper. I lucked out last year and found a large roll at the dollar store, steal!! After Christmas sales are the best, and last year at Target I found some really cute felt Christmas tree ornaments 70% off per 4-pack. So this year I used them with some of the left-over yarn I had from the letters for my mantle!

This wrapping style is simple, yet beautiful! Your possibilities are truly endless with craft paper.. You can easily personalize it for each person, add your favorite touches {bows, dollies, ribbon, stamps}, have the kids draw pictures for family, and so much more! I had fun using the yarn because it was simple to just cut a long length off and just wrap it around the present and tie!

In the pictures below, you can see how the felt ornament had the gold tie, I just cut it off and thread the yarn through to dress the packages up!

Sharing this project on these lovely sites!

{ MC: Getting Your Preschooler Dressed}

December 15, 2012 by Fotini Filed Under: blog love, blogging, mommy panel, The Mom Connection 3 Comments

I am part of an AWESOME mommy panel with Cassie from Two In Diapers and Julie from Naptime Review, and a fabulous group of moms! Each Saturday, we will bring you fresh new ideas and advice about motherhood.

Coming on December 22nd, we will discuss:
At what age and how did you begin disciplining your babies?

Now on to this week’s topic!

Getting your preschooler dressed: Drawing the battle lines

Here is what Mom Connection shared:

Welcome! I’m Julie over at Naptime Review. I am a mom of 2 wild, crazy and beautiful girls. My oldest turns 4 on Christmas Eve and my baby is 15 months old. This is how I fight the battle of getting my preschooler dressed:

Well, every morning after my 4 year old wakes around 8 a.m., she comes in andquietly wakes me with a kiss. We then go into her room and she asks,“Mom, you are so wise and know what the weather is like today. Could youplease advise me on what is appropriate to wear? I can’t wait to get out of mypajamas and start my day.” I then give her an adoring look and find her awell–matched, unworn, weather–appropriate outfit for the day. We quickly getdressed and brush our teeth without any arguing. All the while, the baby isquietly entertaining herself in her own room.

So do you buy any of that? It is all a BIG FAT LIE! Our mornings are hectic,stressful, and sadly some screaming and yelling takes place. Some things thathave helped elevate some stress (although not much) are: laying out our clothes the night before, giving her only 2 choices, andnot letting her leave her room until she is dressed… but the biggest thing thathas helped reduce stress is to not sweat it so much. I try my best to keepmy child well groomed and in matched clothes but sometimes, I just give up! Aslong as her teeth are brushed and she is prepared for whatever the weather is,I did my job. So what if she is wearing a Christmas dress to preschool? Sowhat if she is wearing the same thing she wore to school last week? So what ifher shoes or leggings don’t match her outfit? I just have to let it go…

Anyway, I can’t wait to read all the other tips and hopefully implement somegreat stress reducing strategies. As my daughter and I are fighting over wardrobe,I think, “Oh man! She is only 4. What is life going to be like in 10years??” I am in trouble! I better educate myself or start drinking.

Hi! I’m Cassie from Two In Diapers, and I’m a mommy to three sweet babies, ages 4, 3, and 18 months. This is how I fight the battle of getting my preschooler dressed:

Lucky for me, this isn’t much of a battle in our home! My littles are neither picky about the way their clothes feel nor the way they look.

Bentley (age 3) occasionally complains that something is itching or hurting, which I think is mainly because of his eczema. In that case, I try to fix whatever the issue is. If it can’t be fixed, I let him change. It happens so rarely, though, that it’s not really an issue.

Emily (age 4) only sometimes has strong opinions about her clothing. I’ve learned to try to give her choices whenever possible, but to only give her choices in which I would be ok with any of the options. For example, I will pick out two or three shirts and two or three pairs of pants, and then let her know that she gets to pick what she wears – out of the choices I’ve laid out. I feel like this helps build her confidence and decision-making skills while alteaching her that I trust her ability to choose for herself.

I also try to let her pick out her entire outfit all by herself on the days that we aren’t going anywhere. She loves those days!

My name is Tricia from Mama Marchand’s Nest. I am the mom of N (her name on my blog) who will be three inMarch.This is how I fight the battle of getting my preschooler dressed:

I don’t fight the battle. *waves the white flag of surrender*. I learned to “not engage the crazy” (a brilliant phrase I heard from Allison of OMyFamily) early on when it comes to N’s clothes, primarily her shoes, and it has paid off! For a few months, she was wearing all kinds of crazy mismatched clothes to the park or to playdates. Now, she picks out her own clothes (and they usually match!) and knows exactly what shoes are appropriate for the season. Now, this might change as she gets older but for now, I’m thankful.

My name is Fotini! I blogover at GlamorousAffordable Life. I am the mom of ( Isabella 19 months and Christian 6years). This is how I fight the battle of getting my preschooler dressed:

My son Christian is in first grade this year, and he’s in the stage of wanting to pick out his own outfits (which is a whole other battle!), but he takes so long to actually get dressed and ready that we end up leaving the house late almost every morning. Last week I attempted waking him up 10 minutes earlier and insisting he keep his eye on the time while eating breakfast. So far so good! He’s learning tell time, so it’s fun for him!

As for my toddler, Isabella, getting dressed is becoming a daily battle. She is a wiggle worm and the changing table she once fit so perfectly on, is becoming a thing of the past. I sternly tell her that she could get hurt and keep my cool. Keeping calm is key! Can you relate? What’s worked for you?

My nameis Kristen from The Mrs. & The Momma.I’m the momma of three girls (ages 7, 5, & 3) and a little boy (18 months). This is how I fight the battle of getting my preschooler dressed:

Thankfully, my children prefer to wear clothes, so actually getting them dressed isn’t much of a problem. It’s what to wear that creates havoc in our household. It depends on the child, but getting my preschooler dressed can either be simple or difficult. Really, it comes down to whether I perceive my children’s appearance (clothes-wise) as a reflection of me….which changes depending on the occasion. For everyday types of situations (when it doesn’t really matter what she looks like and if people judge me, let them judge), I allow my preschooler to dress herself (as long as it’s weather appropriate). For the most part, giving up this responsibility gives her freedom of expression while also avoiding any head-butting between us. If we are going some place where I DO care what my children look like, I give choices….both of which I’m okay with them wearing.

Having four children who are all so different, one of the biggest struggles in the past have been clothes. They don’t fit, they itch, it’s the wrong color, etc. But implementing the above strategies has significantly decreased the wardrobe-related meltdowns in our family. And really, there will be much larger fish to fry down the road…so I’d like to save my energy for the teenage years.

Your Turn:

How do you fight the battle of getting your preschooler dressed?

Leave us a comment or share the link!

Love to hear from you!