During the holiday season we took the kids to Starbucks for a hot cocoa date and ordered a peppermint mocha for the adults. When Sydney batted her big brown eyes and begged for a sip, Daddy obliged. Her thoughts on the beverage….
“Mmmm, coffee! It tastes like chocolate toothpaste!”
A toothpaste flavored beverage doesn’t sound particularly enjoyable to me, but Sydney seemed to enjoy it, and I thought it was a good peppermint mocha.
What will these kids say next?!?!
hugs,
Amber
Every time I look over the family budget, our grocery bill is the easily the largest expense after our mortgage. I try to meal plan, which helps, and I compare prices when deciding what to buy. I do NOT have time for coupons or shopping at several stores each week, and I want to provide my family with lots of fresh and healthy foods that aren’t necessarily inexpensive. Yet, I knew we could whittle our bill down at least slightly. Months ago, Megan from Twin Talk shared her grocery list tip and I immediately put it to work. I created a spreadsheet in Excel with an inventory of our pantry, freezer, refrigerator, and basic household items sorted by location in the store. It only took about 15 minutes for me to put this list together, and it’s on the computer so I edit it whenever necessary. It’s so simple.
A copy of the list always hangs on the side of our refrigerator. When we run out of an item, I highlight it on the list. Then, before we head out to grocery shop, I scan our pantry, freezer, and fridge to make sure nothing is missing (this is often a good time to do a quick fridge/ pantry clean out). After making a weekly meal plan, I scribble any extra ingredients on the list that aren’t part of our regular inventory. Even when we are planning to make multiple stops, I use the single highlighted list for every store we visit. It keeps things simple for me.
While shopping, we stick to the list and only allow 1-2 discretionary items. Prior to this list we often added many items off list because we didn’t take good stock of our pantry. This is where we wasted money. Many times we bought things we didn’t need, and worse, more of what we already had. For instance, after one trip, we discovered THREE boxes of Cheerios and we bought another two pack at Costco. That was WAY too many Cheerios, even for us. On the flip side, sometimes I’d begin cooking and would realize we were missing a critical ingredient AFTER I started cooking. Not good.
Since beginning our inventory grocery list, I’ve seen the following results:
If you’d like to try this money saving tip, you may want to check out our list- Grocery List (Excel spreadsheet)to get started. However, it’ll work best if you personalize it to your own inventory and preferred stores.
The kids have been rather gregarious for a while now, but in recent days they’ve been coming up with some hysterical and sometimes heartwarming material. In fact, I purchased a blank journal for each of them and have done my best to jot down our favorite quotes. If you follow us on Facebook, you may have seen a few cute ones posted.
This gem comes from Harper.
Harper was busily playing with his rescue vehicles when he announced,
Harper: “Mom! The fire truck and ambulance are having a baby!”
Me: “Oh really…What kind of baby?” (I was thinking boy or girl)
Harper: “They had a train!”
Harper and the happy new family!
Happy Friday! Stay tuned for more quadruplets quoted…
hugs,
Amber
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The day after Thanksgiving, I tuck our fall décor away and begin the task of decking the halls. I’ve always enjoyed adding a little Christmas sparkle to the house, and that has not changed since the quads arrived. In the past few years, we’ve made a few changes to our décor keeping safety and functionality in mind, but that doesn’t mean our Christmas décor is lacking.
Two years ago we introduced the tradition of Elf on the Shelf, and the kids have enjoyed searching for our elf, Bop, each morning. This year, Bop appeared two days after Thanksgiving hanging from a deco mesh hammock. After briefly studying Bop, Rylin proclaimed, “He’s just a decoration!!!” Doing my best to mask any emotion, I inquired why she thought he was a decoration. Smarty pants quickly replied, “LOOK AT HIM!” She’s continued with similar remarks and inquisitive questions ever since. I’m doing a precarious dance between honesty and letting the kids enjoy the magic of childhood. I’m finding it’s best to respond to questions with, “What do YOU think?” This gets the kids to do a little creative thinking of their own, and I’ve been quite impressed with their ideas.
After breakfast the kids helped us put ornaments on the tree for the first time. They took their job surprisingly well and treated each ornament with care. They had a few interesting design choices (e.g. layering six or or more ornaments on a branch), but maintained focus and took time to put each ornament on the tree. Since having the tree up, they’ve rearranged few times, but are always good about handling the ornaments with care. Granted, we are currently using only shatterproof, dough, and plastic ornaments. I don’t think they are quite ready to handle our heirloom and blown glass beauties. The deco mesh helps fill the tree with glitz even though our best ornaments are still in storage.
We still use the seven foot tree George and I purchased for our first apartment, but it’s a bit short for our den these days. To give it some height, and restrict the kid’s access to ornaments, we put it on a sturdy coffee table. This particular table was my grandmother’s, and she used it for her Christmas tree too. A few years ago, we refinished the table and it serves as a kid’s table in the playroom.
When we moved into our house, we immediately covered the fireplace with the magnetic board that covered the fireplace at our old house. The kids weren’t quite two when we moved in, and we didn’t want them accessing the fireplace. However, they are now 3.5 years old and able to respect boundaries and understand safety much better now. We decided to pull the board off this year to see how they’d handle it. I was ecstatic to find gas logs behind the board. It’s been so easy to enjoy a cozy fire without having to deal with wood and the kids don’t mess with it at all. In fact, they ask if we can turn on the fire so they can read Christmas books on the rug.
For the quad’s first Christmas, we ordered monogrammed stockings, but had a conundrum of figuring out how to hang eight stockings. It didn’t make sense to buy eight holders, and we didn’t want to drill into the mantle. Instead, we used three industrial C clamps to attach a curtain rod to the mantle. It’s proven to hold all of our stockings and be sturdy against the most curious toddlers.
I wanted to enjoy some of my favorite blown glass ornaments, but knew they couldn’t be hung safely on the tree. I created a wreath around the dining room chandelier adorned it with my bride’s box ornament collection. 
This year, I spruced up the playroom bookshelf with a basket of Christmas books and our Melissa & Doug Nativity Set
The girls have been doing well with keeping things nice in their big girl room. This year, they have a silver tinsel tree with pastel ornaments on their dresser, and they are oh so proud of it. The boys aren’t quite ready for removable ornaments in their room, but have a sturdy metal tree to enjoy.
While the tree appears to take center stage in our Christmas décor, the nativity is our most important piece. My parents used this nativity in their first home and passed it down to me when I had my first apartment.
How do you deck the halls? What are your favorite decorations?
If you are searching for inspiration, consider cruising Pinterest for seasonal décor. I have my own Christmas board, and BloomNation also has a board dedicated to holiday florals that is worth a peek.
Hugs!
Amber
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Christmas Traditions, Old & New
The Reason for the Season: Our Nativity Story
Typically my parents host Thanksgiving for our family, but this year they had plans to attend the Dallas Cowboy’s game in the afternoon. To keep from rushing the feast, George and I offered to host. Hosting a Thanksgiving feast is quite an undertaking, especially when you have big shoes to fill, but I think we delivered. Prepping things ahead of time helped keep things running smoothly the day of.
The weekend before, Nisey and the kids made votive holders using Dollar Tree hurricane jars, Elmer’s glue, silk and felt leaves, and twine. I think they turned out perfectly!
For a rustic tablescape, I used a burlap table runner paired with fall colored place mats and napkins, pumpkins, and wooden chargers with an “S” monogram inherited from my grandmother. I really love using family heirlooms for special occasions like Thanksgiving.
As hosts, George and I planned to roast the turkey as well as a few other key players while the rest of our meal was delegated to our guests.
Beverages: Apple Pie Moonshine (adults only), Mulled Cider
Appetizers: Spiced Pumpkin Soup & Jalapeno Cranberry Cheeseball
Main: Roasted Turkey
Sides: Cornbread Dressing, Braised Green Beans, Macaroni Salad, Sweet Potato Casserole, Scalloped Potatoes
Dessert: Pumpkin Pie Bars, Pecan Pie Bars, Chocolate Pie
If you’d like to try one of our menu items, stop by our Thanksgiving Pinterest board for links.
Sydney, clad in her Sofia the First ballgown, volunteered to be my sous chef the day prior. She was charged with mixing cornbread for the dressing while George roasted pumpkins for the soup. Before bed on Thanksgiving eve, our cranberry sauce was chilling, the components of the dressing were prepped, the turkey was in a brine, and the pumpkin soup was complete.
Since the bird occupied the oven, our soup simmered perfectly in the crock pot in the morning. By the time our guests arrived, the soup was creamy and warm.
Our den is quite small, but it made for a cozy gathering. I’m also aware that we may need a few more chairs as Seth was relegated to the kiddy rocking chair.
Between our dining room and kitchen, there was adequate room for twelve adults, but it was a bit tight for the quads. We moved their child sized table to the kitchen and Rylin set the table for them. The seemed to enjoy having their own table.
The dogs notoriously prey upon the kid’s dinner plates so we sent them to doggy jail for a bit.
After stuffing our bellies with decadent morsels, the girls cozied up on the sofa to watch the recorded Thanksgiving Day Parade while the boys enjoyed football upstairs. By the end of the day, I was utterly exhausted, but it was a perfect day spent with family and friends.
Keeping with tradition, we snapped a family photo completed with coordinated wardrobe. We started with subdued poses, but ended with this silly one. It’s my favorite shot by far, mostly because it appears that George is yanking my Dad’s hair, but apparently he didn’t touch dad at all.
Hugs!
Amber
When birthdays and Christmas approach, our family and friends often ask for gift ideas for the kids. Having four kids generally means four of each thing and it’s easy to become overwhelmed with “stuff”. I’m not against them receiving new toys, but there are also many non-toy options that are practical and loved by the kids. I also try to keep budget in mind when others ask for suggestions. As with anything, a favorite character or color always sweetens the deal. At this time, our girls are interested in anything princess while the boys like superheroes, pirates, and vehicles. If you are the parent of a toddler or preschooler, or are shopping for one this season, consider some of our favorites.
Earlier this season, we invested in rain boots and rain coats for the kids and they were worth every penny. Their new gear has been practical on the many soggy days we experienced this fall, and I think they will work for the few snow days we’ll see. The kids are also really proud of their gear and how easy it is for them to put on and take off themselves. They often choose to wear rain boots even on sunny dry days, which is fine by me since they don’t need any help.
Our kids are experts at stalling bedtime, but they have a few creature comforts that seem to help. Right now, the girls prefer wearing “dressy” nightgowns that look more like dress up clothes than pajamas. When our friends babysat one night, they thought the girls were trying to bamboozle them into allowing dresses for bed rather than pajamas. The boys aren’t as picky, but they have pajamas with capes attached that are super cute. Since we have a lot of tile in our house, the kids also like wearing slippers to keep their tootsies cozy.
Each of our kids sleeps with a dream lite pet that projects stars onto the ceiling at night. It helps them drift off to sleep, and is also comforting to them if they wake up in the night. The kids haven’t slept in sleeping bags overnight yet, but we’ve found them handy for family movie night, sick days, and time with the grandparents. We are also practicing sleeping on them for the day we finally take our first road trip.
The quads enjoy bath time and don’t mind brushing their teeth, but they prefer hooded bath towels and brush their teeth longer with power toothbrushes. They also enjoy wearing plush bath robes before and after bath, or anytime they feel chilled in the house. I have been surprised by how often they ask to wear their robes.
The kids are only allowed to eat in the living room for family movie night, and for those occasions, they use a lap tray to keep things tidy. Their lap trays are also handy for art projects and table top tasks such as puzzles or magnets. Since they share almost everything, the kids like having their own personal character dishes and cups that are not shared. Since the kids are getting too big to use our favorite sippy cups, we have replaced them with lidded, insulated cups with a straw they cannot easily remove.
Our kids benefit from getting out of the house to explore the world, but taking four kids out for something simple like ice cream can be expensive. We have greatly appreciated gift cards to local eateries and memberships to local attractions. Our kids also enjoy checking the mail everyday to see if their monthly magazine subscription has arrived. I often toss their magazines in my purse for waiting rooms, the car, or when we visit others. They are full of stories and activities to occupy them.
When it comes to shopping for young children, gifts don’t have to be expensive or extravagant. With the exception of memberships, all of the items on our list are under $30, with most in the $10-$15 range. Sometimes it’s the little things kids appreciate most. And, more importantly, we set the example for giving and receiving gifts with our children. Happy Shopping!
Hugs,
Amber
Disclaimer: For your shopping convenience, you can click on any of the items, which will take you to Amazon for additional information. Should you choose to make a purchase via an Amazon link, Four to Adore will receive a small commission. We appreciate support for this website!
Long before becoming a parent, I remember watching both my aunt and cousin struggle to potty train their children. Both were moms to bright kids with extensive vocabularies, and they were good moms. These children seemed fully capable of being toilet trained but clearly their parents were committing fatal errors in the process. Being trained in behaviorism, I had many theories as to why they were failing and didn’t mind dishing out “helpful” advice whether it was requested or not. Both of these moms struggled for YEARS with potty training their children. I naively believed I would have a smooth potty training experience in my future. Ideally, my children would be accident free by two years old and would never, ever wear a pull up.
“Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select — doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors.”
–John Watson, Behaviorism, 1930
At age two, Mason and Rylin showed some interest in using the toilet. We bought a toddler sized potty seat and began modeling for them. Shortly thereafter they began sitting on their potty seat and occasionally peed. Victory!!! Harper and Sydney weren’t as interested, but occasionally sat on the potty seat too. By about 2.5, the girls were waking up dry in the morning and I felt they were gaining bladder control. I wasn’t ready to delve into full-fledged potty training, but continued modeling for the kids and added an embedded seat to the toilet with potty stool to their bathroom. At this point, Rylin was able to keep her pull up dry, but was unable to have a BM in the toilet due to gastrointestinal issues (she sees a specialist for them). Shortly before the kids turned three, I decided it was time to hunker down and use the “Three Day Method” for all four kids. I consulted numerous articles, books, and of course, my most powerful resource, other quad moms.
I collected an arsenal of supplies including:
The night before kicking off potty training, we removed all rugs leaving bare tile and plank that could easily be wiped down. I created clean up stations in key rooms, which included a roll of paper towels, Lysol wipes, and Nature’s Miracle stain remover. In the bathroom, I kept a stack of fresh undies, books and magazines, and a trash can for soiled clothes. Knowing potty training quads was too much even for me, I solicited the help of Nisey for three days, and George was off work. The first morning when the quads woke up, we presented them with their very own personalized potty seats (I put their names on them using stickers to prevent squabbling over a particular seat), new undies, and t-shirts they chose at Target.
As expected, the first day was rough, there were lots of accidents. Fortunately, there were many successes too. Even Harper who never successfully peed on the potty learned this skill. On the second and third day, the kids were getting the hang of peeing on the toilet, but not one would poop. I consulted other moms of multiples and discovered that many kids took several weeks before they consistently pooped the toilet even though their parents considered them “trained” after the three days. I took comfort knowing this and we continued the potty training process. Nearly a month later not one child pooped on the potty. Ever. Some accidents were so bad that I cut undies off the child so I wouldn’t have to pull the mess over their legs. Numerous undies made it to the trash. I felt defeated. What was I to do? Call the Worst Potty Trainer for advice, of course.
I know, who would call the person who admittedly failed at potty training not once, but three times? Me because I FINALLY understood why she failed. When I called my cousin, Jennifer, self-proclaimed worst potty trainer ever, I could hear her husband laughing audibly in the background. I wasn’t seeking advice to “fix” the problem or to magically train the children. I knew I presented the opportunity for success, but for one reason or another they weren’t ready for it. I needed reassurance that it was okay to stop with all the pressure and let the kids wear pull ups, for their comfort and my sanity. (At this point my sanity was hanging on by a thread). Jennifer taught me a new mantra that I repeat in my head multiple times per day,
“Absent extenuating health issues or extraordinary circumstances, your pre-schooler will not go to kindergarten pooping in his or her pants.” -Jennifer Knott, Confessions of a Pastor’s Family
Jennifer also gave me this piece of wisdom,
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 6:34
God’s desire is for us not to worry.
After our conversation, I put all the undies away and added Pampers Easy Ups Training Pants to my monthly subscribe and save with Amazon mom. And, more importantly, I breathed a sigh of relief. I let go of all the pressure to “train the kids”. I left all the potty seats in the bathroom and continued praise for success, but the stresses of watching for signs, cleaning up messes, and utter frustration were relieved. About four or five weeks after quitting potty training, Mason disappeared from the dinner table. I thought he headed to the playroom, but soon heard a little voice proclaim, “I pooped on the potty!!!!” Everyone leapt from their seats to confirm his claim. The other three kids screeched in delight saying, “Mace, YOU DID IT!!!!” We all beamed in pride. And you know what? Mason has continued using the toilet independently for weeks. The others aren’t quite there, but they’ve had successes here and there, and they will go to kindergarten using the potty. I’m done potty training, and I’m good with that. Our attention has shifted more to one of “toilet learning” than toilet training, and it’s much less stressful for all of us.
P. S. I’m fully aware of the MANY potty training techniques available to get the job done, and I bet I’ve tried the majority of them. I know that numerous parents have met success with such techniques. You may even be tempted to share your own nuggets of advice, but please just keep them to yourself 😉
Related Articles:
Advice from the World’s Worst Potty Trainer
Potty Training Twins: A Series of Stops and Starts
Potty Training Quadruplets- 101
Toilet Learning vs Toilet Training
You’re Doing it Wrong: 48 Tips from the Worst Potty Trainer, Ever
When I was a child, my mother always made my Halloween costumes, and she was quite creative. I went through a few years of wanting to be things instead of people. Long before the invent of Pinterest, mom managed to craft costumes including a bag of M & M candies, a shocking pink Crayola Crayon, and a bunch of purple grapes. When the quads arrived, I was determined to follow her example of creating cute costumes without spending much, if any money.
When the quads were infants, Aunt CiCi made them mummy onsies. The next year, we used white t-shirts to make four of a kind playing cards. When they were two years old, we went as Noah’s Ark; the kids wore animal print clothing with coordinating ears and tails. These first few Halloweens, the quads tolerated whatever I chose for them. As threenagers they weren’t quite so complacent. In the weeks leading up to Halloween, the excitement over the holiday began. Throughout the day they’d inform me what costume they intended to wear, which primarily consisted of favorite television show characters. Feeling defeated, I decided I would take them to Target to choose their own costumes (gasp!) Much to my delight, Target was running a buy one, get one free sale on children’s Halloween costumes. If I was going to fork out cash for Halloween costumes, at least I’d get them for a bargain.
After cruising the crowded costume aisles several times over, each child chose their own costume. I could hardly contain my excitement when they managed to coordinate with one another as superheroes: Supergirl, Captain America, and Spiderman. Proving the purchase was worthwhile, the quads wore their costumes nearly everyday after we brought them home. And, I believe they will continue wearing them throughout the year.
Mason wasn’t keen on the Spidey mask so I found a Spiderman baseball hat at Target for him to wear instead. Rylin added her own flare to her costume by adding a sparkling tiara. Harper and Sydney were excited that they were compliments to one another.
Our neighborhood is the perfect place for trick or treating. As soon as the sun begins setting, families clad in Halloween costumes begin lining the sidewalks. Homeowners (or kind relatives) perch on the driveways sharing treats while spooky music fills the air. There are so many trick or treaters, most people realize that closing the front door is a fruitless effort. Some families leave a clever note and basket of treats on the porch while they enjoy the festivities for themselves.
The quads had a hard time understanding the concept of taking only one treat from a bucket so I had to keep an eye on them.
Sometimes the treats looked so yummy, we had to stop walking to nosh on one.
Once we were back at the house, the kids began tearing through their treat buckets for goodies. We let them choose a few favorites before confiscating the haul. Sneakily, we distracted them by charging them with passing out treats for our visitors.
How did you spend your Halloween night?
Hugs!
Amber
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Long before our kids made their debut, George and I loved conquering DIY projects and decorating our home. We are quite thrifty and find joy in such projects. Every project begins with inspiration, and many times it’s from a design site, or my favorite, the Pottery Barn catalog. Oh how the Pottery Barn catalog speaks to my inner designer’s heart. Everything is always impeccably tidy and organized, yet inviting and warm. Whether there’s a dining room set to host a meal or a cozy sofa by the fireplace, I’d love to jump right in. While I come up with some fantastic Pottery Barn hacks, looking at these glossy pages sometimes skews my expectations for our home.
Is our home well-designed, cozy, and inviting? I believe so, and our friends and family seem to agree. Our home is filled with heart and it’s the very place where an abundance of family memories are made, but it’s no Pottery Barn catalog. Every night after all of the children are snug in their beds, I scurry around the house working to fight clutter. Though the kids tidied up themselves, there are always stray toys posing as tripping hazards, a sink of dirty dishes, dirty shoes and clothes littering the floor. And that’s just the clutter. Let’s not even entertain the dust bunnies, finger prints, and pet dander (I try to ignore those things when possible because there’s never enough hours in a day).
Once the kids were in toddler beds, unbelievable shenanigans ensued. I’m talking, flipped beds, stripped boys, peeing contests, drawer emptying, clothes swapping. We thought if we moved the boys into bigger, heavier beds some of this would stop. Nope. This pair is clever and has an uncanny way at finding solutions to any problem they encounter. We pray they develop their curiosity and ingenuity to future careers…
Because of this, the boy’s room isn’t quite up to par with the girl’s grown up room, but it’s okay. It’s real. They have the same DIY Jenny Lind headboards attached to the wall. They have some artwork, which is also secured to the wall and out of reach as they’ve been known to hang from paintings, snapping the picture wire. Harper no longer has a foundation to his bed since he developed a routine of turning the mattress to create a teeter totter, which he told us was his car. Their lamp is on the hutch, far out of reach since they dangled it by the cord and said it was their lantern.
Bedtime is full of epic stalling techniques. Once these four created a bridge of kitchen stools and began chanting in delight.
My seagrass baskets meant to conceal toys in the den are often tipped over, allowing kids to crawl into the entertainment center.
This was one of the girls’ “masterpieces” created during nap time one afternoon.
A while back, I developed a habit of making our bed. It takes about 90 seconds and makes me feel more accomplished as I begin the day. However, little people are known to sabotage my efforts by hiding among the pillows. Frustrating as it can be, they are simply adorable when they do this.
There are days when all of the clutter and grime in the house makes me feel anxious. I wonder to myself why it isn’t like a Pottery Barn catalog. Why can’t I keep things in a better state? Well, duh! OUR HOME IS NOT A POTTERY BARN CATALOG! Families don’t live in catalogs, they are merely spaces created by designers to sell products. They are void of all the love and joy of a home, and memories are not made there. I’ll probably always continue my battle against clutter and work endlessly to keep things as tidy as possible, but it won’t be because I’m striving for a catalog photo shoot. These things will continue because I’m the type of person who thrives in an orderly state and I simply cannot let it completely go. I can change my state of mind, however. Instead of feeling defeated, I can recall the events of the day. When I trip over a Hot Wheel or Lego, I can remember the kids building a mighty tower and racing cars together and pick them up with a joyous heart.
Maybe it’s not a Pottery Barn catalog that makes you feel as though you don’t measure up. Perhaps it’s your friend’s Facebook photos of glamorous vacations and hip parties. Maybe it’s a coworker who easily meets goals, or the friend who eats a strictly organic diet and runs marathons. Whatever the case, remember where your heart is, and stop making comparisons.
hugs,
Amber
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