Mandi Ehman's Blog, page 141

7 Ways to Love Your Husband and Make Your Kids Feel Secure

The following post is from Jennifer, a lifelong educator:

source: Parker Knight

Did you ever hear your parents fight when you were growing up?  Most of us did at some point.  It didn’t happen often at my house, but an exchange of angry words sent me running to my room.  I couldn’t define all of the emotions back then, but I was scared and worried.

I wanted home to be a peaceful place where I felt loved and nurtured.

When parents have a good relationship, children feel safe and protected.

Investing in your relationship with your husband not only gives you a better marriage, it helps you raise secure kids.

They are free to explore their worlds and discover their gifts and talents, free from the concern that their world could shatter or change.  (Note:  If you are a single mom, this article is not meant to make you feel guilt or condemnation in any way.  It’s not a perfect world and kids are resilient.  But most would agree that, when possible, we’d like our kids to grow up with the shelter of two parents in their lives.)

Even if your husband isn’t interested in focusing more time on your marriage, there are ways to demonstrate your love for him that can draw the two of you closer together.  It will also give your kids the sense that dad and mom are in a good place with each other.

If you’re home before your husband, stop what you’re doing and give him a warm welcome when he arrives home.  You may be exhausted from your own job and juggling dinner and babies, but let him know that he’s worth a hug.  Your kids will note your priorities.
Discover your husband’s love language and “speak it” at least once a week in front of your children.  For example, if your husband’s love language is words of encouragement, say “Let’s all write a note to Daddy, to thank him for all he does for our family.”
Try to have a Date Night at least a once a month.  If finances don’t permit going out, arrange special times at home.  If your kids are older, tell them that they are going to watch a movie while you and your husband have dinner alone.  They may roll their eyes, but they’ll understand that you love your husband enough to put him first sometimes.  (It’s also a great way to teach them how to love their spouses when they grow up.)
You’ve probably heard that women need to feel loved and men need to feel respected.  Insist that your children demonstrate respect to your husband.  They’ll do best if they can follow your lead.  When you honor your husband, your kids rest in the knowledge that you care.
Make a decision not to criticize your husband in front of the kids.  You may need to vent sometimes, but your kids don’t need to be the recipients of your frustration.   Hearing “Mommy said that you…” not only hurts your husband and your marriage, it can cause your kids to worry about your relationship.
Let your children hear you brag about something your husband has done well.  It may be something simple like getting up with the baby or putting a load of clothes into the dryer. Knowing that you appreciate the little things about him helps them realize that you’re thankful for the little things they do, too.
Talk to your husband before you make your to do list for his days off.  Respecting your husband’s time will reduce the stress he feels.  It will also allow the two of you to plan some activities that will promote family unity, which helps your kids feel secure.

No matter how you show it, loving your husband will enhance your marriage and give your kids a strong sense of security about their family.

How do your kids respond when they see you loving your husband?  When does your husband feel the most loved?

Jennifer is passionate about children and education. She homeschooled her two sons for five years, established and directed a Christian school in Maryland for 20 years, and currently teaches in a public school in a Chicago suburb. She loves investing in relationships and delights in every moment that she spends with her family.


 

7 Ways to Love Your Husband and Make Your Kids Feel Secure is a post from Life Your Way

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3 Ideas for Busting Through the Winter Photo Blahs

The following post is from Krystal of Krystal Griffin Photography:

Source: Krystal Griffin

Right about this time of year many of us see a lull in the number of photos we take. One winter my husband commented that I took significantly less photos during the January-March months.

With a little thought, I realized that because I didn’t have a baby, who seemed to change before my eyes, I was out of the habit of photographing my children in a season that didn’t seem to have much going on.

But he challenged that thought, saying it made him sad to see how few pictures were taken over such a large chunk of time. Three months with hardly any pictures!? He was right. It had to change! These were my strategies (and still are) for busting through those winter photo blahs.

1. Seasonal Activities

My first thought had been that there was nothing going on in the second half of the winter. After thinking and watching, I realized that there are quite a lot of seemingly ordinary things we did through the winter months.

source: Krystal Griffin

What family activities do you enjoy when you can’t go outside?


What area of the arts do your kids get more involved in during the colder months?


What are your kids’ favorite toys this year?


What do you spend time teaching your kids how to do?

2. Not So Very “Schoolish” School Pictures

Because we homeschool there is a lot of learning that happens between our four walls (and a lot outside of them!). But even those of you who send your children to school outside the home have plenty of academics happening in your home. Don’t stop with the back to school photos. Those are fun and memorable, but the real learning happens a little at a time all year long.

source: Krystal Griffin

What are they reading this winter?


Is there a special school project they are working on?


Are they learning something outside of school that they have a special interest in?


Where do they set up for homework each afternoon?

3. Power Sessions

This idea came to me as I realized I was in a “photo funk”. I decided I was going to take 10 minutes to photograph my kids, home and family. There was no pressure, just use the camera for 10 minutes. By spending focused time just looking for the special things that made your family who you are, you may find you can capture a lot of special bits and everyday memories. You may even end up with a wonderful series of photos that tell a little story, all because you kept photographing over a short period of time.

source: Krystal Griffin

How do your kids interact with one another?


How do your kids wake-up?


What are your personal projects this winter?


What part if your daily routine do you love?

Next week I’ll cover another seasonal problem with our photos: low winter light.

Some of the most special images are from our day to day lives. Tell us about one of your favorite “ordinary day” photos. Better yet, show us in the comments!

Krystal is a stay-at-home mom of four children, ages 4-9, whom she homeschools. She is acutely aware of how fast her children are changing and is passionate about keeping family memories alive through photographs. Now and then she gets to help other families’ bottle up their own memories at Krystal Griffin Photography.

3 Ideas for Busting Through the Winter Photo Blahs is a post from Life Your Way

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Buy a Shirt & Fund Undercover Rescue Operations {Sevenly.com}

Have you discovered Sevenly yet? Sevenly offers a new shirt design each and every week, but these designs aren’t just pretty — they’re designed in support of a specific cause or charity, and $7 from each shirt sold is donated directly to that charity!

This week’s charity is Freedom Firm, a charity dedicated to the liberation of children enslaved in commercial sexual exploitation, to their effective rehabilitation, and to justice against those who have profited from their misery. Your purchase of a “Born Free” shirt funds an undercover rescue mission to free exploited children from sexual slavery.

See all of this week’s designs here.

Why Sevenly?

Sevenly is a for-profit company that is making a tangible difference through their giving. They offer high-quality, stylish clothing at a reasonable price and instead of pocketing all of the revenue, they give $7 from each and every shirt purchased directly to the cause of the week.

While giving directly to a charity is always the better option, Sevenly is a great way to expand your wardrobe and support the causes you care about at the same time. And your new shirt offers you the opportunity to become an ambassador for these charities as well, as the designs are sure to open up conversations along the way!

Buy a Shirt & Fund Undercover Rescue Operations {Sevenly.com} is a post from Life Your Way

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Easy Homemade Hot Chocolate

source: Mandi Ehman

We’ve all been enjoying this creamy homemade hot chocolate this winter, and today I’m sharing the recipe over at Easy Homemade:

Although we’ve been waiting anxiously for a significant snow storm this winter (and are more than a little jealous of our neighbors to the north who got a real live blizzard last week!), we have been lucky enough to get a few snow showers since Christmas, and this hot chocolate has become one of our favorite “snow day” treats!

It comes together quickly on the stove, and while sugar is sugar, I feel better about serving this homemade treat (with whole milk, fair-trade cocoa and just a few additional ingredients) to my girls than the stuff that comes in little packets. And it’s a whole lot cheaper too!

Click here for the recipe and some of my favorite variations.

Easy Homemade Hot Chocolate is a post from Life Your Way

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TV *Your Way* with The Hopper from DISH

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of DISH for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It never fails: We record a family movie on TV and sit down to watch it altogether only to discover more than a few questionable commercials. There’s lots of shouting, “Fast forward. Close your eyes. Don’t look!”, which kinda takes away from the enjoyment of family movie night.

That to me is reason enough to look into Dish’s brand new offering: The Hopper.

With The Hopper, you actually get commercial-free TV! Now you can instantly skip commercials in recorded primetime TV on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC. Only DISH gives you ad free TV with AutoHop on the Hopper.

But that’s not the only benefit!

You can also eliminate the need for other streaming services because DISH Anywhere  lets you watch live and recorded TV — including live sporting events, TV shows and movies — anytime, anywhere. With Hopper Transfers, you can also transfer recordings to your iPad to watch even when you don’t have internet access.

We’ve paid to be able to wash NFL games when we’re away from home more than once, so this sounds like a moneysaver to me!

Although I love to read, there are also a few TV shows I really enjoy, and Sean has a few more that he likes as well. When those shows are scheduled up against one another in the evenings, it becomes a juggling act to see which ones we can record when. Our current DVR only allows us to record/watch two shows at a time, which sometimes means skipping a show we’d otherwise like to watch, but with PrimeTime Anytime, you can record 6 different shows at the same time during primetime, available to you for 8 days after they air.

And finally, with Whole-Home HD DVR Functionality, you can pause, rewind and record live TV in any room plus access your DVR library on every TV in your home! That means you can record a movie in the living room, start watching it in the bedroom and then finish in the kitchen!

So how much does this amazing device cost?! That’s the best part! It’s FREE with a DISH Network package starting at $24.99 with a 24-month commitment.

We’ve been pretty happy with our TV service, but I just copied this post and sent it to my husband with the note: “Worth a try?”

Want to see it in action? Learn more about the Hopper.

And be sure to LIKE DISH on Facebook and Follow DISH on Twitter to hear about upcoming programming, future product developments and more!

TV *Your Way* with The Hopper from DISH is a post from Life Your Way

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How to Make Coasters Out of Felted Sweaters

Valentine’s Day may be right around the corner, but there’s still time to whip up a quick gift for your sweetie. These simple felted coasters are made from re-purposed sweaters that have been shrunk in the wash, giving them new life as felted wool. Better yet, they are calorie-free and handmade with love!

Here are the simple steps to create a one of a kind Valentine’s Day gift:

How to Felt a Sweater

Have you ever accidentally put a wool sweater in the wash? Then you know how easily it shrinks. The wool turns into thick felt that is super soft and easy to work with because you can cut it and the edges will not fray. Felting a sweater is easy to do in your home washing machine.

Choose sweaters made from animal fibers such as wool, angora, alpaca or cashmere.
Sweaters should have no more than 10% nylon or other non-animal fiber or they will not felt properly.

How to Make Coasters Out of Felted Sweaters is a post from Life Your Way

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How to Make Coasters Out of Felted Sweaters

The following post is from Micaela of Mindful Momma:

source: Micaela Preston

Valentine’s Day may be right around the corner, but there’s still time to whip up a quick gift for your sweetie. These simple felted coasters are made from re-purposed sweaters that have been shrunk in the wash, giving them new life as felted wool. Better yet, they are calorie-free and handmade with love!

Here are the simple steps to create a one of a kind Valentine’s Day gift:

How to Felt a Sweater

Have you ever accidentally put a wool sweater in the wash? Then you know how easily it shrinks. The wool turns into thick felt that is super soft and easy to work with because you can cut it and the edges will not fray. Felting a sweater is easy to do in your home washing machine.

Choose sweaters made from animal fibers such as wool, angora, alpaca or cashmere.
Sweaters should have no more than 10% nylon or other non-animal fiber or they will not felt properly.
Wash sweaters in HOT water with detergent and dry in a hot dryer.
If you are using a front-loading washing machine, throw in a couple of tennis balls to add some friction.
For a tighter felt, wash sweaters more than once.
Note: every sweater will come out differently. The more you felt, the more you’ll know what to expect.
Don’t have any old wool sweaters at home?  Pick up a few at a garage sale or thrift store.

Coaster Directions

Start by cutting a 4″ x 4″ square out of your felted sweater material.

source: Micaela Preston

Next, cut out a heart shaped piece of felt in a contrasting color.  (I used a cookie cutter to create the pattern.) Obviously you can use other shapes like a star or a circle to make coasters for any time of year!

source: Micaela Preston

Stitch the felt heart onto the square using embroidery thread. I recommend using thread with variegated colors for a little extra contrast. A straight stitch is easiest, but if you are up for something a little more snazzy, try a blanket stitch as shown below.

source: Micaela Preston

Voila! Your coasters are finished and ready to use!

Have you ever felted old sweaters? What have you made with them?

Micaela Preston is a green lifestyle writer and marketing consultant with a passion for sustainable products and brands. Her award winning blog, Mindful Momma, focuses on living a green and healthy lifestyle while balancing the realities of life with young children. Micaela lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two boys. When she is not writing, she is busy whipping up a healthy meal or the eco-craft du jour.

How to Make Coasters Out of Felted Sweaters is a post from Life Your Way

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Sandpaper Printed Valentines & Thank You Cards

The following post is from Kristina of Toddler Approved:

source: Toddler Approved

During the year we are always looking for ways to show kindness towards friends and family members. One simple way to spread a little cheer is by sending a note or card to say thank you or express love.

This week we decided to revisit sandpaper printing, one of our favorite printing techniques and use it to create some Valentines and thank you notes for friends.  

Sandpaper printing requires very few materials but is an activity recommended for kids ages 5 . Little artists needs to be able to press pretty hard when they are coloring with their crayons and this is challenging for littler kids. It is however a great way to strengthen finger muscles, so if you think your child is up for the challenge, go for it!

Supplies: 

crayons
sandpaper (We like coarse sandpaper because it gives more texture.)
cardstock or blank notecards (White makes the printed designs stand out the most.)
scissors
towel
iron


Directions:

source: Toddler Approved

1. Draw a shape or design on sandpaper. We like to outline our shapes with a Sharpie first so that it makes the design easier to see when cutting it out.

2. Color in the shape with crayons. Make sure to press hard and draw on the rough side of the sandpaper!

3. Cut out your shape.

4. Press the sandpaper (crayon side down) onto your cardstock. Cover the paper with a thin cloth and slowly press on the design using a hot iron. Hold for approx. 10 seconds.

5. Remove the iron and pull up the cloth and sandpaper to reveal your printed design on the paper.

6. Add a handwritten note inside (and any other embellishments on the card) and send it off to a friend!

If you’re like me, you will want to do this project again and again. It is a bit addicting once you get started and so fun to see how the colors transfer! This is also a neat way to print onto dish towels and t-shirts.

Here are a few other cards we like:

Toilet Paper Roll Heart Stamped Cards
Secret Message Cards
Printable Thank You Card Templates

Do you prefer to make cards or buy them? Do your kids write thank you notes or has that become a lost art? 

Kristina is a mom of 3 and a former Special Ed teacher for children with communication disabilities. She blogs at Toddler Approved as she looks for ways to make life a little more fun and creative with her kids while embedding learning into everything that she does. Kristina tweets as @ToddlerApproved and can be found on FB and Pinterest.

Sandpaper Printed Valentines & Thank You Cards is a post from Life Your Way

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Pampers Natural Clean Wipes (7 Packs) $9.98

(9 reviews)


HOT DEAL!

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Be sure to visit Jungle Deals & Steals for new Amazon.com deals every day! Or subscribe by email or in a feed reader so you don’t miss any deals.

Pampers Natural Clean Wipes (7 Packs) $9.98 is a post from Life Your Way

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*NEW* Daily Tasks, Items on Loan, Service Professionals + Safe Deposit Box Inventory Printables

Today I’ve got four new printables for your home management notebook, available in both full- and half-sheet!

I’m especially excited about the daily tasks printables, which is really versatile. Use it for business tasks, household chores or goal setting. Or give it to your kids to keep track of their daily chores, tasks and even homeschool assignments!

Click the links below to download or print the new printables:

Daily Tasks {Full Sheet} and {Half Sheet}
Items on Loan {Full Sheet} and {Half Sheet}
Service Professionals {Full Sheet} and {Half Sheet}
Safe Deposit Box Inventory {Full Sheet} and {Half Sheet}

See the full list of home management notebook printables here.

What other printables would you like to see added to our collection?

Mandi Ehman is the founder and publisher behind Life Your Way and the co-author of All in Good Time, as well as a wife and the homeschooling mom to four beautiful girls. She lives with her family on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia and loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

*NEW* Daily Tasks, Items on Loan, Service Professionals + Safe Deposit Box Inventory Printables is a post from Life Your Way

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