Teaching Toddlers 102: Watering Flowers

 

When I look at Nico, it is hard to  believe that my vibrant energetic mess machine was a helpless infant less than a year ago. Time really does fly, and they really do grow up in the blink of an eye! In the short growth gap when our little ones go from babyhood to childhood, there is an array of important lessons they must learn. We all want to give our children the earliest possible preparation!

One tip I picked up is that it is never too early to start teaching them responsibility. 

 At around 18 months, most babies are highly aware of their surroundings, and they are aware that they can have both negative and positive effects on those surroundings. For example, a few months ago, Nico discovered that he was just tall enough to reach the low light switches in the house; whenever mommy or daddy isn't looking he begins to constantly click them on and off. 

But, soon enough he will learn that "With great power, comes great responsibility."

Now is the time to start showing your toddler how to take care of the things he can directly effect. Start with simple things and gradually increase complexity as the child becomes even more aware of the world around him. 

• When you leave or enter a room let the child turn the light on, or off, teaching him to conserve energy.
• If you have plants in your home or garden, let your little one help you water them, teaching her to take care of the environment. 
• If you have a pet let the toddler help/watch you feed it, teaching him that living creatures share our planet and might sometimes need our help. By letting him groom the animal gently under your supervision you are also teaching him how to handle other living things with tender care. 
• At the end of play time, let her help you pick up her toys, if you don't already do this. She will learn to clean up after herself. 
• When you are putting away his clothes, let him put a few items in the drawer so he will learn that everything has a place, and that sometimes, even mommy needs a little help!

Those five little "chores" may seem trivial to us as adults, but they could make your toddler feel like a SUPER BABY! Whenever he/she completes a task give them loads of praise and lots of high fives! Encouragement is the best way to reinforce and maintain gratifying behavior, and it makes those little guys feel special, and important!

Bible Coming To LIFE!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the story of the great flood, it is a very old story about a man named Noah who was the only person on Earth, literally, who did what was good in the eyes of God. God was displeased with the world He created and the evil people who lived there, so He told Noah to build an ark, a GIANT boat, in preparation for a big storm that was coming. 

God was going to make it rain! 

Not only that, but He was planning on flooding the entire planet. God simply told him that He loved him and that Noah would need to prepare. 

Unlike many of us, Noah got straight to work building the ark with his sons. Though the task at hand seemed ridiculous and impossible he was obedient. Noah didn't wait for a sign, he didn't doubt that it would rain so profusely, he didn't try to convince others that he was right; bottom line is that Noah did not WASTE TIME!

 

When God asks us to do something, we tend to procrastinate, or ignore the task all together. We think, "God would never talk to me." or "Why in the world would He tell me to do that?" The truth is, He talks to all of us everyday. We should open our ears to listen, not just hear, and once He reveals our destiny to us, we need to get started! 

A few amazing people are doing just that in Williamstown, Kentucky. The makers of the Creation Museum are working on constructing a life size Noah's ark! Their goal is for the Ark to stand as a reminder of the biblical story of Noah. Soon, we will be able to know how hard Noah and his family worked to do the same thing thousands of years ago with the guidance of God. 

Finally, we will be able to witness what happens when we fully commit to our calling from God!

6 Hacks For Affordable Living

One of my New Year's Resolutions last year was to SAVE money! However, it can be challenging when you also want to have fun and enjoy the life we are working so hard to maintain. It can be difficult to find areas in life where we can cut back, but believe me they do exist! 

This year I plan to save even more with these simple life-hacks that can be turned into vacation inducing habits!

1. DIY anything you can! - If Pinterest has taught me something it is that you can pretty much do anything yourself. Whether it is having you own vegetable garden, or making your own baby food, or even setting up a line to dry clothes in the summer and spring! These things may sound time consuming, but they are shockingly easy and relaxing. There is something serene about doing things the old fashioned way, so break out the elbow grease and get your hands dirty! 

 

2. Unplug it! - In our home, we have made a habit of unplugging the things that we aren't using. Examples? The stove, the coffee maker, the microwave, the TV, not charging the computer while we use it unless it is dying, etc. Not to mention NEVER leaving any lights on in rooms that we are not in, especially in the morning and afternoon. By doing this, we have managed to reduce our electricity bill by 20 to 30 dollars a month! It may not sound like much, but in a year that adds up to at least $240. 

3. Ditch the smartphone! - These days, everyone has a smartphone. When I was growing up, I remember that smartphones, such as Blackberries, were reserved for professionals to help them with their careers. If you are not using your smartphone for school or work, or if you already have a tablet AND a laptop AND a digital camera AND an Ipod, maybe you should rethink that $400 investment. If you can access Facebook via, laptop, is it really necessary to have it in your pocket on the go? For the past year I have been using a very affordable, and virtually indestructible, prepaid phone from AT&T. The phone itself cost me $20 and the monthly unlimited plan (which includes internet) costs $45 - $50 a month. If all you are interested in is unlimited texting, they have an even cheaper plan that is $25 - $30 a month. Plus, I never have to get my screen repaired. 

4. Drink more water! - Stop buying juice and soda all together. It is loaded with sugar and salt, which is not good for you, let alone your children. (If you are concerned that they won't get the nutrients they need, buy multivitamins, and fresh fruits and veggies!) Instead, buy a filter or purifier to clean the tap water from the sink. If you simply can't live without juice, buy powered juice which is just as tasty and lasts much, much longer. OR buy a juicer and make your very own juices at home (revisit hack #1)!

5. Cook at home! - Eating out can be fun and exciting on occasion but if you are trying to save money, maybe you should turn your weekly visit to you favorite fast food joint into a monthly visit. You can make so many of those meals at home and what's better is that you can usually make it taste better! All you need to do to be an extraordinary chef is follow directions well, have patience, and pay attention to detail! Trust me it really is as simple as it sounds!

6. Carpool isn't just for school! - Good news, we can carpool almost anywhere. This is especially true for those of you who don't have children. Not only can you catch a ride to work with coworkers, you can also go shopping with friends, which makes it all the more fun! Take a buddy with you grocery shopping; one week you use your car, the next you can use theirs! Not only does carpooling save on the monthly gas bill (and regular car maintenance) it is good for the environment. Talk about two birds with one stone!

Good Cop, Bad Cop

On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner died in Staten Island, New York, after a police officer put him in a chock hold. The tragedy was caught on tape, and Eric Garner was heard repeating the phrase "I can't breath" until he lost consciousness.

 

On August 9, 2014, 18-year-old Mike Brown was fatally shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. His sudden death, at the hands of a law officer, caused violent protests.

Those are only two examples of the slew of negative stories regarding police officers in recent Media. It seems that people are being influenced to believe that all cops are violent, racist, selfish monsters who couldn't care less about the safety and well-being of the community. This new anti-cop mentality is causing people to act out all around the country. They are "taking matters into their own hands" by murdering innocent men who bravely put on their uniform everyday with the goal of protecting absolute strangers.

The deaths of those men were a terrible tragedy, as are all untimely deaths, and the men responsible NEED TO BE held accountable. It is important that murderers learn the value of ALL human life. 

 

On December 20, 2014, uniformed police officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos were fatally shot in their squad car in Brooklyn, New york. The double murder is still currently under investigation. 

The belief that all police officers are evil is ridiculous. 

All police officers are human. Are all humans racist? No, right? Therefore, we have reason to believe that not all cops judge others by the color of their skin. In fact, most police officers take their oaths very seriously and are just as appalled as the rest of us by what happened to Eric and Mike. I do not want my son to grow up thinking that he cannot turn to a police officer in an emergency situation.

No wife/husband should have to worry that their spouse is not going to return home simply because he/she wears a uniform and a badge. No child should be told that their mother/father is in heaven because of someone's ignorant vendetta against the police. 

Once again, I encourage everyone to start thinking for themselves. 

Is it simple to make a difference! 

All you really need to do is be respectful and know your rights. This goes for police and civilians alike.

Value EVERY human life!

The Story of Christmas Lights

Christmas lights are beautiful!

We can all agree that they have become the signature to any ideal celebration! 

For many Christians, a lit Christmas Tree symbolizes the light of Jesus shining in the darkness.  

But have you ever wondered why people decorate trees, or anything for that matter, with string of tiny colorful light bulbs?

It is speculated that Martin Luther was the first person to decorate an evergreen tree with candles. He was walking home one night and found himself fascinated but the way the stars twinkled through the evergreens. He chopped down and mount an evergreen in his home, and glued small candles to the branches to share the magic of the stars with his family. 

The tradition caught on and soon everyone was decorating their trees with tiny lit candles. Because of the extreme fire hazard, most people did not light their trees until the night before Christmas. 

Since then, Christmas lights have had major developments. 

In 1882 Edward Johnson wired red, white, and blue bulbs together and put them on his tree. His idea was a step in the right direction, but the bulbs were expensive and they had to be wired by a professional electrician. 

Finally, in 1917 Albert Sadacca decided to make the lights multicolored. He started a company called NOMA Electric Company, with his brothers Henri and Leon, which soon became the largest Christmas lighting company in the world. They used a new invention where the string of lights could be plugged in to a wall socket. 

In the 1960's the lights we all know and love became popular and are similar to the lights we use today. 

Minus the LED of course. 

Merry Christmas! ;) 

ISIS Recruiting Teens

For those of us praying for peace in Syria, things have not improved by much, if anything they have worsened. The city is now a completely inhabitable ruin, and the fighting continues to rage on each day. 

The problem is that most of us are unaware of what ISIS even is. 

It stands for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Their goal is to create an Islamic state across Sunni areas of Iraq and in Syria. ISIS is the group of Islamic terrorists that have taken over much of Syria, forcing thousands of innocent people from their homes and murdering hundreds more.

What is worse is that they are beginning to recruit teenagers and young adults all around the world. They have propaganda in an estimated 23 languages so far, and the CIA has detained 15 teenagers in airports who were on their way to Syria to their "rightful place" with ISIS.

This group in KNOWN for being ruthless. They posted the graphic beheading of American captives publicly online, expressing no remorse. 

So, how are they getting youth to join?

Through effective social-media campaigns that promise devout Jihad spouses, and a home in a true Islamic State where they are free to devote their lives entirely to their religion and their God. 

The video looks a little something like this:

Let's not be so naive. 

Spread the word to everyone you can and inform them of the evils that ISIS has committed so that NO MORE youths are encouraged to join such a horrible group! 

Ignorance can infect an entire generation if we are not careful, knowledge is the only cure. 

New Tiny Teeth!

Babies are always more than proud to show off their brand new set of chompers, even if they only have one or two!

 

With new teeth comes new responsibilities! 

As soon as Nico had about six teeth we decided it was time for a visit to the dentist, who was pleasantly surprised upon meeting us!

She went on about how rare it was for parents to bring their child at such an early age, and about how amazing it was for Nico to have a head start towards healthy brushing habits! 

 We even got an adorable free toothbrush! 

A little bit of advice:  

Don't forget you camera! Unfortunately, I had to learn this the hard way because I left my camera at home. You are NOT going to want to miss seeing your little one in that giant green chair! It is something that you will want to remember forever! 

If your child is a biter there is a trick that the dentist showed me to prevent painful injuries, on my part and on his! 

Take two fingers and put them in between the back of his gums where he does not have teeth yet. This will hold his mouth open and though he will be instinctively biting down, you won't suffer any notoriously unpleasant baby bites. Your baby will not like this. 

Your baby doesn't really like foreign objects near his mouth unless he puts it there, or unless it's food, preferably something sweet. Don't be alarmed when the dentist asks you to hold him down, and keep your cool when he starts to freak out. This is NOT going to hurt him. So, smile at him, sing to him, tell him it's okay, and remind him that the dentist is a friend when everything is over! That will make return visits easier in the future! 

 

Stay healthy and keep on smiling =) 

 

 

Being A Better You!

It is no secret that there is always room for improvement, and that goes for everyone. Sure, you might be successful and you might "have it all", or you might be a loser and have nothing; no matter who you are there are ways to turn yourself in to the person you have dreamed of being!

1. Read more! Studies show that people who read more have an easier time learning new things and setting large goals for their lives. That's right, readers are dreamers! Read more articles, magazines, newspapers, fiction, anything really. Also, readers are less likely to develop brain deteriorating diseases, such as Alzheimer's, in their old age. Apparently, one page a day keeps the doctors away!

 

2. Have one conversation a day that is NOT centered on you. The world does not revolve around any single person. The next time you talk to someone, try listening to him or her. Learn about their life and be excited for their accomplishments, or learn about what troubles them and offer productive solutions that can help them. One of the best ways to help you is by helping others! Not only will it make you feel good to show this person that you actually care, but also they are likely to return the favor!

3. Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. The Japanese have recently let the world in on a secret! It seems that drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning has all kinds of amazing benefits! Aside from all of the health reasons, it put people in a better mood in general. Those of us who are not morning people will find ourselves surprisingly energized and, dare I say, HAPPY! When your body is feeling good, it will let you know by lifting your spirits. 

 

4. Set goals for yourself. In reality, everyone should set goals for themselves everyday, but at least once a week is good enough. The best kind of goal will help you reach an overall bigger goal later in the month or year. It could be anything! Think about what you would like to achieve and then make a clear path on how you are going to get there, and tell someone about it. Don't brag; just let them know what you have in mind so that someone will be there to hold you accountable. 

5. Make a budget. "I would be happy if only I could afford..." I hear that all the time, but here is something I bet you never considered. If you set and follow a budget you can afford literally anything you want. However, it usually takes a little while to get there, which is where most people drop the ball. Patience is truly a virtue. Good things come to those who wait!! 

6. Eliminate all excuses in your life. This one is perhaps the hardest of all. It takes training because we complain about and make excuses for everything. I was late because..., I didn't wake up early because..., I don't eat better because..., you get the idea. Simply stop using the words BUT and BECAUSE. If you are late, you are late, it doesn't really matter why does it? This will encourage you to find solutions for your behavior flaws instead justifying them. 

 

7. Be polite. For some reason, especially with our generation, common courtesy flies over most people's heads. It's like they don't understand the concept of "please" and "thank you." A nice smile goes a long way, and so does a simple compliment. I'm not saying you should walk around sucking up to people, but you should at least do you best to be nice. Try to remember the golden rule, teach it to your kids even: Treat other the way to want to be treated! 

6 Things to Consider When Expecting...

So, you found out you are expecting a child!

Congratulations! 

Babies are the most wonderful little creatures on Earth, as you will soon discover. 

But, now what?

Maybe, you don't really know that much about pregnancy or parenthood, or maybe, people have shared a few specific details from their personal experiences. Maybe, you have done a lot of research and you know everything about what  happens to a woman's body during those 9 months. 

While it's important to know those things, there are somethings that you will only come to understand throughout the pregnancy. 

It is an uncomfortable time for some women, very uncomfortable. But for others, it is easy and it feels very natural. That is why I advise you to never compare your pregnancy to someone else. Every woman is completely different from another therefore the same goes for pregnancy. 

Know that you have options. Everyone can tell you otherwise, but it is your body and only you know what is ultimately best for you. It is an enormous responsibility to have some one around who depends on you for everything. 

Make sure you are willing to love some one more than you love yourself.  Being a parent is the most selfless thing you can ever do.

You will need a lot of emotional support. You need some one around who will try to understand what you are going through, to pamper you, and tell you how amazing you are for carry a life into the world. Make sure you find that person! Or make sure you are that person!

You don't have to take everyone's advice. Everyone will have something to say to you about what you are going through. They all think that their way is the best way. I think that your way is the best way. God blessed us all with children that only we know how to deal with specifically. 

The most important thing is love. LOVE LOVE LOVE! If you are nervous about how you will do as a parent, just love them. For who they are, for everything that they are, and make sure that you let them know it!

It's Getting Hot In Here!

 

No, it's not just you, it is really getting warmer, and the United States is not the only country being affected. The World Meteorological Organisation reported that the global average land and sea surface temperatures for the first 10 months of 2014 had soared higher than ever recorded. WMO also reported that 14 of the 15 hottest years were recorded in the 21st century. 

Global Warming is no longer a crazy, extreme theory, as once believed by many!

Now that people have finally accepted it, what are people doing about it? 

The United Nations weather agency gathered in Lima to discuss climate change negotiations in attempts to prevent the temperatures from rising to dangerous levels. 

While that is a very good thing, we have to remember that it is NOT only up to them! 

It is up to humans to collectively realize this dangerous problem and work together on the solution. 

The best part is that the things we can do to help are so simple!

Tips on bringing downs the heat:

- Change your light bulbs in your home to Energy Star qualified products.

- Carpool to work with your coworkers. Make it fun by sharing breakfast pastries and coffee!

- And one that I hope we all know, REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE!

 

There's No Place Like Space!

 

Humanity's unquenchable thirst for knowledge has led us to countless discoveries and achievements. It led us to discovering new species' of life, sailing the oceans to different lands, and most recently, landing a probe, Philae, on a comet in Space! 

Though it may not sound like much, this latest accomplishment will help scientist learn more about the origin of comets and how that origin relates to the home we call Earth. Most comets are composed of dust and ICE. As you know, where there is ice, there must have been water, and where there is water, there must be life!

Hopefully, the new discoveries will help us decode some of the mysteries of God and it will help others realize that there is no such thing as coincidence. I believe that purpose comes from something, and everything has a purpose. 

The purpose of the Earth is to sustain human life, but what gave the Earth that purpose?

If everything has a beginning, even beginnings, then how would we ever find out what the beginning of everything really is? 

UNLESS, there is something out there that has always been.

Not an exception to the rule, the creator of the rule. 

The origin.

Whatever happens, whatever you believe, one thing is certain; History has been made in our generation yet again, and it is something that we should all be aware of!

7 Secret Parenting Tips

We can all agree that being a parent is extremely difficult, especially being a young one. 

Our kids are their own people, which makes us wish that they came equipped with an instruction manual and all the gear they will need throughout their childhood. Let's face it, we don't always have the answers and we don't always know what to do.

That is why I searched all corners of the internet to bring you 7 Parenting Tricks that will help you save money like its your job, cure sicknesses like a doctor, and make you feel like a superhero!

1. Vapor Rub Socks - Us Latina moms are well aware of the Vapor Rub remedy used on us every time we got sick. When your child has a cough instead of giving your child a Vapor Rub bath, try rubbing some on his/her feet and covering them with socks! This will help them fall asleep!

 

2. DIY Baby Puffs - I love those yummy Gerber Puffs for Nico, but they are just so expensive for a container that doesn't last him very long. So, I found a great recipe for puffs you can make yourself using ingredients that are much better for baby!
Baby treats
2 Tablespoons Oil
2 Egg Yolks
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 Cup Baby Cereal
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Water
Mix all ingredients. add enough water to make it come together. add more cereal if you added too much water. Roll dough into tiny little bite size balls. You don't need to worry about separating them all completely, after they bake, they separate easily just by shaking the pan. Bake at 325 for about 7-10 minutes. let cool for 5 minutes or so before putting them in an air tight container. Store in the fridge.

3. Removing Baby Stains - I haven't tried this one yet, but wouldn't it be amazing if all those baby food stains would magically come out? Apparently they do! With a little Dawn dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda, you can remove even set it stains. It calls for 2 parts peroxide and 1 part Dawn and baking soda (1 cup of peroxide and 1/2 cup of the Dawn and 1/2 cup of baking soda) 

4. Jumbo Play Yard - Play "yards" are expensive and small. Babies don't really have room to roam or play so it can feel more like a jail than a play area. Skip the play yard and baby gate buying and get a large inflatable pool instead! Its a great safe place to put baby without you needing to worry about baby boredom or a little escape artist. 

 

5. Doll Hairspray - A small spray bottle with 2 tablespoons of fabric softener and water will make any dolls hair soft and silky like new! I wish I knew about this as a kid. This will save many barbies from "emergency" hair cuts. 

6. Crib Teething Guard - When Nico started teething, I wondered how long it would take him to chew through his wooden crib bars. We took an old blanket and cut it to turn it in to a very effective teething guard. He still chews on the blanket, but he will not be breaking out any time soon!

7. Plane Common Courtesy - This was a really nice idea! If you are flying with a fussy baby or toddler, maybe you can try making little treat bags with a few pieces of gum and candy and a tiny explanation note. It would look something like this: 

Sending Love Around the World

A few weeks ago our church announced that we would be hosting a charity event, Operation Christmas Child. The organization Samaritan's Purse leads this event and asks ordinary people to fill a shoe box (or any box that fit the required dimensions) with things that could make them heroes to children in need all over the world. Things like toys, hygiene products, school supplies, etc. (<-link for list of suggestions). Once the the box is filled you tape a label to it and drop it off at a host location to be sent to the Samaritan's Purse. 

From there, they send the box to children in need. 

Some of those kids have nothing.

Some have no one. 

This is an amazing opportunity to show them that some one cares about them, and that God is watching out for them. 

Words cannot describe how much this touched my heart! I feel like sending 100 boxes out! All I could imagine was Nico's sweet little face in the place of the children living in extreme poverty. I can only imagine how devastating it is as a parents to not be able to give your little one everything they deserve, and then to think that the world is over looking our suffering. 

I want those people to know that some people are honestly trying to help in any way possible, even something a trivial as filling a shoe box with Dollar Store goodies.

Of course we do what can!

Not only can I send a box, I can SPREAD THE WORD!

This event relies heavily on the participation of volunteers! It needs people to go out and put boxes together to send them to kids who desperately need to feel special and parent who need to know that their is hope. 

Their goal is to reach 100,000,000 children.

We can make it 1 Billion!!!