Want a real Challenge? Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World

I love my kids and I want to give them the childhood I had, plus some. I want to make their days sparkle with wonder and their holidays,especially, magical. I want them to wake up on Christmas morning to a twinkling Christmas tree surrounded by pretty packages filled with the things they've dreamed of all year long. But on top of that, I want to raise them to have a grateful heart that recognizes and appreciates a gift for the extra-ordinary thing that it is. I want them to peel off the wrapping paper with suspense, be all smiles as they examine the item their mama picked out just for them and receive a warm hug as we chatter about how much fun it will be to enjoy their new gift together. And sometimes, that's how our holidays go-but not this Christmas. 

  Don't get me wrong, my family had a wonderful Christmas; particularly the advent season was extra rich for us this year. We actually did really well savoring the anticipation of the "countdown". I loved the exuberance of my kids on Christmas morning, but, in about 5 minutes flat, my pile of presents wrapped in love were completely uncovered. I was left feeling a little disillusioned as I drank my cup of coffee, surrounded by gifts I had put a lot of thought into picking out for my kids and now barely had a memory of them opening. A week or so later my oldest son was asking if he got any books for Christmas like his little brother did and where this sweatshirt came from. With a little sadness, I told him, "These are things you got for Christmas, but you don't even remember opening them. Next time, we need to slow down and actually see the gifts in front of us." And my sometimes very sensitive-souled 5 year old started crying and apologizing for not really recognizing or appreciating his gifts. I realize that all kids get over excited on Christmas morning and kids don't remember every gift they receive and  who it was from: kids will be kids and my son wasn't at fault. I also realized that it was my job to help him learn to recognize the gifts for what they were and cultivate a grateful heart.  The perfect book came across my path to give me the knowledge and resources I needed to make this mission a reality.

Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World. First off, and least importantly, this is a beautifully designed book! The textured, matte cream cover with the metallic leaving details makes it awful pretty to look at-I'm a sucker for a pretty book. On a more serious note, this book is really topping my recent favorites list- it is extremely relevant to most modern, Christian families. I think it's safe to say, this generation is unique in it's inborn belief that they really are entitled to just about any and every good thing the world could give them. We're seeing so many sad and scary examples of this on the news and in our culture almost daily. And I must admit, I fall prey to the marketing and mindset of this mentality sometimes. So while there is nothing new under the sun, the Entitlement Epidemic is a fairly unique challenge for this generation of parents. Once I acknowledged that my kids were not immune to this, I got intentional about seeking out all the help I could get on this topic!

 Kristin Welch has written an amazing resource that I really feel has a place in every family's parenting library. I love Kristin's humble offering of advice and very real life examples from her own family's trial and error experience with this area. I have always been a fan of "self improvement" books and have gained a lot of  life wisdom thru them- whether about marriage, parenting or spiritual life. While I do enjoy digging into the philosophy of these subjects, I really benefit from solid, achievable strategies as well- especially when it comes to parenting! I gained a lot of hope reading personal stories from Kristin's "veteran mom" life experiences. I could totally relate to her struggles with ungrateful kids and was encouraged to press on in my own parenting journey from her tales of parenting victories. 

 Raising Grateful Kids covers a broad scope on this parenting topic. The book starts out spelling out for us the difference between what our kids want and need and how our affluent, technologically advanced society really skews this truth. Welch takes us for a walk down memory lane on what a "normal" childhood used to look like, even not so long ago, and how much more children expect now. We then jump into the uncomfortable truth that we, as parents, are a huge factor in our children's entitlement struggle. This chapter addresses many of the reasons parents tend to "spoil" their kids- wanting to "buy" their friendship, wanting them to be happy or not wanting them to feel left out, etc. Kristin does a great job providing even scientific evidence why our children don't benefit from this. The book continues to walk us thru common struggles with the child centered home, "everyone's a winner" and the over availability of technology to kids. Welch offers some great tried and true tips and family strategies in these areas that I will definitely be implementing in my own family! I also really appreciate the Going against the Flow practical challenges for parents and then different age groups of kids at the end of each chapter.

 The next section of the book really does a good job of helping us set firm foundations for our children while we have them at home. Ways such as teaching obedience, immersing our household in God's word and living out God's love in our home. The Welch family is living out an awesome legacy of service with the many ministries they run and participate in. It was really empowering as a parent to read Kristin's stories of leading her children into opportunities to serve others and how sincerely her kids embraced and grew thru that. We are reminded that gratitude is always a choice regardless of the circumstances and that as parents, we are our kids best teacher and example of this. 

 Kristin solidly ends the book with a super practical Seven Steps to Raising Grateful Kids that's worth the whole book in itself! I really appreciated her farewell letter to parents; honestly sharing that, like the most parts of the Christian life, if you choose to raise your children in this counter cultural way, you (and harder on your parent heart, your kids) may not gain popularity because of it. They will look different than their peers and they'll feel it too; some days that will be hard on the whole family. But Kristin encourages us that it is worth it and our children (and their Creator) will thank us someday for taking the harder path to raise grateful souls. I know that's a legacy I want to leave behind. If you're after the same for the little souls you are in the process of shaping- get this book on your bookshelves! I think it's a resource you'll return to for years to come.

I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

A Few of My Favorite Things: Mother Culture

As a teenager, I acquired a taste and appreciation for the finer things. I bought high end makeup and cooked with gourmet foods. I took pride and pleasure in pursuits such as pondering song lyrics and cultivating my own personal style. After having one son and then another, I fell into serious mom mode (one part- survival, one part-self sacrifice). My reading habits were made up of baby sleep training and board books. My cooking consisted of "gourmet" baby food purées and toddler finger foods. My style became the infamous yoga pants and things I could easily nurse a baby in. It naturally seemed to me that to be the best mom I could be I would put my family's needs before my own and if there was any time in the day after that, well my hobbies could reside in that time slot. But you know, the needs just keep resurging and the to do list was never done, so my personal interests fell by the wayside. And as my self sacrifice felt like the obvious choice and best way to love my family, I also felt parts of myself slip away,for necessity's sake. I found as I filled my day absolutely to the brim with only little boy life, I was exhausted-physically, mentally and emotionally- by the end of the day. While a good nights sleep definitely helped to rejuvenate me,

I was lacking a recharge when it came to my mental and emotional stores. I was in need of inspiration and creative outlet. Then after encountering the idea of making sure your mama soul has some space to breathe (primarily thanks to one of my current mothering role models, Sally Clarkson), I realized being a martyr is not always the honorable,best thing to do. Yes, my family's needs do come before my own. Yes, I am not justified in spending my time on hobbies and self interests at the neglect of my family; but there is something to be said for knowing myself enough to make some small investments into my well being to be able to better and more joyfully serve my family. So as selfish as it felt, I decided I needed to invest some time into cultivating my soul and stimulating my intellect. It was worth the time to read good books and fill my mind with truth and beautiful mental images to recall when needed. It was good to sweeten my soul with beauty and things that brought joy into my every day life. 

 I set the culture in my home: What a large task to undertake and responsibility to realize. My tastes theme my whole home- decor, food, even mood. Being the only woman in my house, I've realized I really have to find intentional ways to recharge my femininity to be the woman my men need. One way I've cultivated that state of beauty into my life is to give myself permission to "indulge" in some items that bring me joy. So today I wanted to share a few of those things with you!

 First, I must have coffee. It is a necessity and a pleasure in my life; one of the first things I consume in the mornings and a treat I look forward to in the late afternoons. It's also a love language shared between with my husband a some of my close friends; expressed with hand crafted lattes when visiting and a gift of a new blend of coffee beans picked up on a trip. I have become pickier and pickier about my coffee preferences, but love that their are some really good quality local roasters to support thru my habit! Some of my favorite married life memories have been in a coffeehouse or at the least, include a good conversation over a good cup of coffee. My husband and I are always on the hunt for a new coffee source during our travels. Some of our favorites are Sisters Coffee and the Suislaw River Roasters. Sisters Coffee in quaint Sisters, Oregon is a rustic oasis of great coffee and a relaxing atmosphere. Whenever we visit, I try to pick up a bag or two of their beans of gold! It's the perfect souvenir to keep the vacation magic alive. 

                              

Because it's winter, I'm all about having a nice, warm beverage on hand-pretty much at all times! When it's not coffee in my cup, it's tea. I love a good spicy and complex cup o' tea. This year I happened upon a box of Tazo Joy blend at a discount store. It turned out to be my favorite tea to date and I'm wishing I would have cleaned out their supply of it! It's a really great blend of black, oolong and green teas that literally tastes like joy in a cup! I did some research and found that Teavana is now making their own version. I bought a box and while it's pretty close, I would say Tazo is still the best version. Of course it would be limited edition and now pretty much discontinued! :/ 

                                    

 There's something illustrious about a well designed, thick paged magazine. I try to keep a stack on hand to delve into on a slow, dreary day during nap time. I always keep my subscriptions current when it comes to Bon Appetit for new recipes and World Magazine for a christian perspective on current events. But lately, I came across a real treasure for christian women- Deeply Rooted. These magazine is a treat for the eyes and meat for the spirit. This is no fluffy, christian Good housekeeping; the articles are theologically challenging and true calls to embrace God's version of womanhood over the world's. Interspersed between articles is beautiful photography and hand lettering. I love how the magazine is broken up into six categories- Christ Follower, Creator, Helpmate, Keeper of the Home, Mother, Individual- something to speak to each role a woman carries in life. 

                             

                                       

 Another magazine I have really been enjoying since pursuing photography a bit more as a hobby is the Click magazine published by Clickin' Moms. It's a large format publication printed on lush pages that are (of course) filled with beautiful images. I love the mix of inspiring photos, informative tutorials and product reviews. These are hobby magazines worth re-leafing thru once in awhile. 

                         

For homeschooling encouragement and inspiration, I've really enjoyed the Family magazine put out by HEDUA. It has really evolved and changed style and content focus in the last year or so and I've been pretty good with that change. Before it seemed to be a very informative "how to" and product review focus, it know seems to address finding the right rhythm and style education for your family. They have crafted it to be both visually appealing and an uplifting read. 

 

I have really been enjoying continuing my journey behind the lens of my "semi-pro"camera. I forget about pulling it off the shelf some days and do miss capturing some special everyday moments, but I love having the capabilities to provide well documented memories. Awhile ago, my sweet and generous husband told me to buy myself something- I hesitantly and a bit guiltily purchased the new Sigma ART 24-35mm zoom lens. I sort of feel like a pro photographer impostor/wannabe with this ridiculously large lens on my camera, but it is pretty fun to use! It actually works really perfect for photographing my boys around the house. Our house being as small as it is, I really have to have a wide angle lens to be able to fit all of their combined action in a frame. 

           

One of the smaller pleasures of the stay at home mom life is a nice, hot shower and a luxurious body wash. Lately, I've been a fan of the Method Magnolia body wash.  I'm not usually into floral too much, but this is the perfect blend of warm and creamy with an uplifting floral note.

And lastly, my new, cozy addition to my blanket collection. I love the fun fair isle pattern in neutral colors. It was a clearance find on Macys.com and I almost thought it would be too heavy with the dual layers of the knit and the fuzzy Sherpa. It's my favorite now though- I love the weighted comfort of it. 

                                

And these are a few of my favorite things!  :) 

Whatever is Lovely- a beautiful adult coloring book with faith at its core

Usually I try and steer clear of all things "trendy", but the current adult coloring book is too fun to pass up! Coloring was defintely a favorite childhood hobby of mine and one I felt like I probably held on to for too long! But now coloring is the "cool" thing to do and there's even scientific evidence to prove its a stress relieving activity. I am not artistic at all (like really, truly-not at all) so having a beautiful  picture that I didn't have to draw but can still "create"- thru my own interpretation of colors- is really appealing. I printed out a few free coloring pages to color alongside my boys this fall, but hadn't seen any coloring books I just had to have. Until this one came on the scene-

Whatever is Lovely: A Coloring Book for Reflection and Worship. An absolutely gorgeous and very high quality coloring book collaborated by many of the finest and favorite Christian illustrators of the Internet. One of my very favorite illustrators- Jenny Stewart of French Press Mornings- has a couple beautiful offerings in this awesome collection. I will say, a couple of the pages seem a little "kiddish" to me, but I suppose you can expect that in a coloring book. For the most part, the pictures are lovely and varied in style. I can't wait to get some good quality colored pencils and have some "artwork" to hang on the fridge next to my kids'. ;) 

 

There's also a music playlist you can access online with a code found inside the book that is designed to correlate with the restful experience of using the coloring book. I'm looking forward to a relaxing evening to get the full experience - playlist and all! 

 

If you've been wanting to give adult coloring a go- Whatever is Lovely coloring book is a great launch pad! 

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

What my Baby Boy got for Christmas: the Perfect Bible for Little Hands

Well, Christmas came and went in went seemed like an instant! We enjoyed a slowed down, intentional Christmas season countdown and somehow, the actual day went by in a blink! But it was still a joyful mad dash of chaos :) Now we're in the strange week of transition from Christmas to a brand new year! We've been slowly taking down Christmas decor and enjoying our new gifts. In one of my last posts, I told you that one of our Christmas gift traditions is to get each of the boys a bible book of some kind. My baby boy who is (already!)  11 months old received The Rhyme Bible Storybook for Little Ones.

                             

This is the perfect, little bible for little hands! It has a padded cover and great quality boardbook pages. It covers 9 of the most beloved bible stories summed up in 4 pages each. The illustrations are whimsical and friendly and the rhymes are engaging and lyrical. I'm so happy to have this sweet bible addition on the shelf for my littlest reader. 

                                

I received this book in exchange of my honest review.

Eating well truly is about balance, not sacrifice

I have always loved good food-not just sweets or comfort food or a certain ethnic variety. I love well made food in almost every category. I savor fresh ingredients, complex flavors and unique cooking methods. I also have a deep love for cooking- for preparing the best dishes I can for my loved ones and yes, myself as well! As a young, single woman I would think nothing of spending a decent amount of my paycheck on gourmet ingredients for the best looking dish in my latest issue of Bon Appetit. A relaxing evening in meant curling up on the couch and watch the Food Network.

 But after marriage and 3 kids later, I find I don't have the time, energy or finances to cook my beloved gourmet way. On top of that, I don't have the metabolism of my teen self to indulge daily without feeling the consequences on the scale. Having done my nutrition research and choosing what sort of diet would be the healthiest and most sustainable for my family, I feel I can adapt most recipes to meet both our tastes and needs.

 

 

 

I was excited to delve into a beloved Food Network star, Giada De Larentis' newest cookbook-Happy Cooking:Make every meal count....without stressing out. That sounds like my kind of cooking! I wasn't disappointed; Giada's style really resonates with where I am when it comes to life in the kitchen. She is a busy mom, juggling hectic life with a desire to provide her family with real, good food. I loved the introduction she wrote explaining her philosophy on cooking and her desires for this book. I stole one line and used it as the title for this post. ;) That truly is the words I try and follow when it comes to food. Good food is a huge pleasure in life for me so I refuse to completely sacrifice that love. But I do try hard to find a healthy balance between clean, low carb style meals most of the time to allow for some true foodie indulgences every once in awhile!

 

 I am the most naturally uninspired when it comes to breakfast dishes, so I was very excited to see the varied and delicious breakfast recipes in the book. I will definitely be trying the American Breakfast Rice Bowl! This cookbook has a diverse and fun selection of recipes for every kind of meal and occasion you could imagine. I am excited to jump and get to cooking some of Giada's offerings. I especially love some of the unique, fun appetizers and dishes that would make great "company's coming for dinner" food. And I appreciate that being balanced out with very healthful, personally minded recipes scattered through the book as well.

 

 I have a feeling this book is going to become very well loved in my kitchen. In fact, I'm already planning on making these delectable looking Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze as my holiday giving cookie of choice!

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

You can never have too much Good News!

I have become a minimalist in so many areas of my life, particularly when it comes to material belongings. I have culled thru my closet, my kitchen, even my favored home décor items. Less is (usually) more. But what category I can't seem to cut down on is books, specifically children's books. I just LOVE books; a quality book feels like a treasure in my hands. And the book I know to be a very literal treasure is the Bible. I view the Bible as a the most life giving source of words ever written and try very hard to pass this reverence and love for the "Good Book" to my boys. So out of all books, I feel you can never have enough copies of the Bible around. We have several different versions of children's Bibles on our shelves and I have no intentions of stopping adding to that collection! I try to buy each of the boys a new Bible book of some kind for Christmas. This year my middle boy is getting the God's Good News Bible Storybook!

 

I love the large format and great quality of this Bible storybook, making it very accessible to little hands. I also appreciate that it's pretty straightforward: There is a selected text straight out of the bible, an engaging illustration of said story and a short devotional message from Billy Graham. I have always loved Billy Graham's heart for the gospel and making it simple and clear for All. I can trust that a Bible book from Billy Graham won't be watered down and will give my kids the true gospel message. I don't know of many other kids books from Billy Graham so I am excited to have this one on our shelves. I love knowing there is some Good News wrapped up in a pretty package under the tree for my little boy this Christmas!

 

 I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

A book that addresses the problems and power of the church

Church has been a big part of my life from the very start. I grew up in Sunday school and vacation bible school programs and with a Deacon for a father. My family always tried to be good friends to the pastor's family and my dad was involved in the governing of the church. We saw the nitty gritty of what makes a church run and what causes a church to flail. We ended up leaving my childhood church when I was 18 due to  long term, unhealthy attitudes and actions taken by the leadership towards the pastor there. We saw a lot of drama and hurt- the kind of stuff that causes people to be leery of churches or leave them behind all together. But my parents knew a truth- the Church is a diverse group of people, sinners, who are united under common beliefs and hope but still run into contentions and hurts between human beings. We now attend another small community church that we love and brought me some very good friends and even my husband! We love this little body of believers but you know what? We've also been hurt by other Christians there and seen some ugly issues happen here as well. No church, until Christ's return, is immune from human error.

 

 

 Unstoppable Gospel: Living Out the World-Changing Vision of Jesus's First Followers is a jam packed resource of a book that does a very through job addressing the issues that the church runs into and more than that, the power of the church. Gregg Matte maps out the history of the first church and the foundational beliefs they anchored their faith in and found their mission through. He stresses the importance of intense prayer and reminds us of our mission to take the gospel to the ends of the earth (and how amazingly possible that is in today's modern world!).  Matte brings us back to the core truth that a successful church isn't measured by how many ministries there are, attendance numbers or how relevant the service is. A successful church is all about Jesus.

 

 Unstoppable Gospel goes on to give some great advice on how to find a balance in tithing, to slow down and spot opportunities to minister to searching hearts, and how to find the true measure of the sacrifice required of following Christ. Matte finishes out the book with a challenge to consider the higher disciplines of a life in mission work and fasting. I feel this book covers a lot of bases when it comes to what the church was created to be, is in reality at times and can be thru the power of the gospel.

 

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.