An Answer for Everything

Amber 4 Comments

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I am constantly impressed with Rylin’s quick responses to life’s little conundrums.  For three years old her insight is impeccable though sometimes a tad sassy.

 

When we entered the playgroup with our local school district, the teacher greeted the girls.

Teacher: “Rylin & Sydney you look so pretty in your purple clothes, and your nails are painted to match!”

Rylin: “Actually, my nails are fuchsia.”  (and of course she was correct!)

Teacher: “I think she’s mastered colors.”

 

When Grandaddy and Aunt Carol were babysitting, Grandaddy was going to the grocery store.  Harper begged to go too.

Grandaddy: “Harper, you can’t go because I don’t have a car seat for you.”

Rylin: “Next time, you could ask my mom and dad to leave a car seat so he can go.”

 

At birthday party another child spilled a cup full of water, which spread all over the table.

Rylin: “Little kids probably shouldn’t have open cups.”

 

Oh how this little lady is keeping us on our toes.  She’s attentive to everything around her and is listening even when you think she’s not…

 

hugs!

 

Amber

 

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Outdoor Play, Everyday!

Amber 8 Comments

outdoor play

I hate it when I don’t take my own advice with the kids, especially when it involves one of my “soapboxes”.  This is one of those instances.  Professionally, I receive numerous requests to consult with parents and teachers regarding behavior and academic problems in children.  Over the past decade I’ve observed hundreds of classrooms in many different schools.  I often find myself fidgeting while observing lengthy lectures in elementary classrooms and think to myself, “I can’t sit still this long, why are KIDS expected to do so?!?!”  For behavior problems (e.g. off task behavior, verbal or physical aggression, fidgeting) I always recommend additional opportunities for sensory motor activity.  I’ve advocated for hyperactive children to get additional recess, or at least extra opportunities to move during their day.

When school staff uses removal of recess as a consequence I’ve encouraged them to at least consider what I dubbed “alternative recess” where the child is not permitted to use the playground, but instead can exercise, run laps, walk the perimeter of the playground, etc. to avoid making them sit still.  When teachers are told they cannot provide more than 15 minutes of recess per day, but struggle with behavior problems, I encourage them to sneak physical activity into their lessons.  Some teachers take breaks between lesson and lead in classroom exercises while others take the class outdoors for lessons.  In order for children to be ready and able to attend and follow directions, they require adequate physical activity.   This year I cringed as I overheard a kindergarten teacher announce “You won’t get recess tomorrow if you are hyper like this again!  You can’t handle recess.”  and when another teacher opted for indoor recess because it was “too cold” (it was about 50 degrees and sunny).  Kids are not equipped to remain still and quiet indoors for long periods of time, and there are ramifications when adults expect it.

During the heat of the summer, I took the kids for walks around the neighborhood and we played in the front or back yard at least once per day if not more.  If it was miserably hot, we used water to keep things comfortable, or ate cold snacks like watermelon and popsicles.  Sometime around October I mentally thought it was too late in the season to do water play and put all the water toys away, but it was still HOT here.  There was less daylight at that time too and the rain came.  It must’ve been about that time of year that we stopped playing outside daily.  We got into a rut of indoor play and being quite lazy.  When the holidays came, we over indulged in television.

No surprise, the kids weren’t napping well and were often cranky.  DUH!  They didn’t get adequate physical activity and outdoor play.  Since having that “ah-ha” moment, I’ve made a conscious effort to take the kids outside to play at least once, if not twice daily.  If it’s cold or damp, we dress for the weather and find few legitimate excuses to stay inside.    The kids typically balk and fuss about going outside, but once they start playing they forget they wanted to stay indoors then fuss when playtime ends.

Outside, the kids have noticed shapes in the clouds, experienced static electricity, and “cooked” meals using garden harvests.

Sasha has enjoyed sunbathing again and the chicks found plenty of bugs to nosh.

Our play equipment has been enjoyed again.

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The American Heart Association recommends that children two and older get at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity daily.

One of the major reasons we moved from our old house was for a yard with ample space for play equipment, a garden, kids to run freely, and to house backyard chickens.   We’ve invested quite a bit in the yard to make it a sanctuary for our family and it must be used every single day.  Since getting back outdoors, the kid’s behavior has improved.  They sleep better, are in better moods, are using their imaginations, and are learning.  I’m reaping these benefits and so are the furry and feathered members of our family.  Outdoor time serves us well!  Sometimes it takes a little effort to get kids dressed for outdoor play, but it’s always worthwhile.

 

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Peppermint Mocha

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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!”

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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

 

Money Saving Tip for Grocery Shopping

Amber 8 Comments

 

coupon free money saving tip

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.

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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:

  1. Grocery trips (even by myself WITH kids) take less time because my list is extremely organized and I don’t waste time wandering around the store searching for items.
  2. We spend less money, especially at Costco because we stick to the list.  Granted groceries will probably always be one of our highest expenses with a family of six, we are saving at least $100 per month.
  3. Even if I don’t have a meal plan, I can whip up meals during the week without making special trips to the store because we have a well stocked pantry.
  4. We don’t waste food because we don’t buy duplicates of things.  Duplicates result in everyone becoming bored of an item and also things go stale when there is excess.

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.

 

How do you plan grocery trips?   What are your favorite money saving tips for grocery shopping?
Hugs!
Amber
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Quadruplets Quoted

Amber 1 Comment

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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!”

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Harper and the happy new family!

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Happy Friday! Stay tuned for more quadruplets quoted…

hugs,

Amber

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Train Ride {Summer Bucket List}

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Yes, you read the title correctly, it says “Summer Bucket List“, and it’s December.  I set out to take the kids on a train ride as part of our summer bucket list, but our trip was delayed significantly.  Nisey and Poppa gave the kids a train ride coupon for their birthday in July, and then we all decided it was much too hot to enjoy during the summer.  Nisey and I researched local trains and considered which would be most enjoyable for three year olds.  We determined the train at the zoo was both cost effective and ideal for preschool aged kids (e.g. classic looking train with a 15 minute  trip).  Then we waited crisp, yet sunny weather for our trip.  After Poppa purchased our tickets we boarded the Yellow Rose and awaited departure.  Harper could hardly believe we were riding on a legitimate train.

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While we were at the zoo, we also seized the opportunity to ride the old fashioned carousel.
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 And, we nibbled on a delicious picnic lunch…
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Oh, and we checked out some of our favorite animals.  It turned out to be a gorgeous day for a train ride and trip to the zoo.
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So that’s it, we FINALLY completed our summer bucket list.  Ta da!
  1. Movies
  2. Sea Life Aquarium
  3. Train ride
  4. Fire station tour
  5. Library story time
  6. Sprayground
  7. Zoo
  8. Bahama Buck’s
  9. Frozen yogurt
  10. Community pool
  11. Grill dinner outside
  12. Water Table
  13. Inflatable Pool
  14. Sprinklers
  15. Ice Cream
  16. Indoor playgrounds
  17. Lee’s Grilled Cheese
  18. Blow bubbles
  19. Chalk drawings
  20. Board games
  21. Play dates
  22. Summer Reading Club
  23. Dance classes
  24. Fireworks
  25. Sleep over with grandparents
  26. Nature Walks
  27. Bounce house
  28. Popsicles
  29. S’mores
  30. Sparklers
  31. Water pistol duels

hugs,

Amber

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The Magic of Santa

Amber 7 Comments

Despite my unwillingness to brave lengthy lines for the quads to see Santa, we’ve managed annual visits.  It helps that he makes an appearance at our local mothers of multiples Christmas party, which is where we’ve had our rendezvous the past two years.  This year, Sydney and Mason were willing to sit on Santa’s lap, but neither would chat.  I had to sit beside Santa for Harper and Rylin to approach him, and thankfully they obliged me for a picture.

At the ripe old age of three, Rylin is becoming a rather precocious sceptic.  When Bop, our Elf on the Shelf, appeared she informed everyone he was “Just a decoration.”  Sigh.  I haven’t gone out of my way to conjure up fantasies for her, but I’m not letting the magic slip away either.  I’ve been successful at turning all questions back on her, and in recent days she’s been weaving all sorts of magical stories about Santa and his North Pole cottage.  Yesterday I had to bite my lip when Rylin proclaimed that because Bop was facing away from her, he couldn’t see if she was naughty.  Today she was worried about the unseasonal warm weather we are having in Texas because, “Santa won’t come unless there’s snow, Mama.”  Despite my explanation that Santa lives where it snows and travels anywhere, poor girl is still worried he won’t come to Texas.

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Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.
-Roald Dahl

Dearest Rylin, I hope you’ll always find a touch of magic in your days.  I promise, it makes life a bit sweeter.

hugs,

Amber

Holiday Home Tour 2015

Amber 4 Comments

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.

Christmas decor can be beautiful, yet functional and cozy for young children.©FourtoAdore.com

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.

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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.

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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.

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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 way my ornaments are out of little hand’s reach, but I can still enjoy them.

 

This year, I spruced up the playroom bookshelf with a basket of Christmas books and our Melissa & Doug Nativity Set. I wedged the nativity’s base on the bookshelf and the kids leave it there though they enjoy playing with the nativity pieces and rearranging them.

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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.

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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.

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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

Pictures with Santa

Deck the Halls

A Feast of Plenty

Amber 4 Comments

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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The dogs notoriously prey upon the kid’s dinner plates so we sent them to doggy jail for a bit.

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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.

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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.

Silly Thanksgiving Family Photo

Hugs!

Amber

19 Practical Gifts for Kids

AsideAmber 2 Comments

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.

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RAIN GEAR

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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.

 

BEDTIME

DIY no skid toddler slippers

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.

 

 

HYGIENE

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.

 

DINING

Family Movie Night

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.

 

SUPPLIES

Last Christmas a family friend gave the quads money to put towards activities.  We enrolled them in summer recreational dance classes and purchased the necessary attire for it with the money.  If your child will be attending preschool or participating in an activity, either the supplies or money to pay for the activity itself could be on the wish list.

 

 

EXPERIENCES

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.

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  •  Memberships or tickets for local theme parks, zoos, or museums

  • Gift cards to restaurants with play areas

  • Movie Tickets

  • Magazine Subscriptions

 

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

 

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