Moving Day!

I do not have everything up and going, no blog roll yet or sitemeter etc, however, I am moving to my new blog site!

Meet Me In The Garden

I will have a grand opening when I finish, but for now come join me as I figure this wordpress out, get my template situated and add all the gizmos.

Please come Meet Me In The Garden!

Frugal Book Finds

I have talked about reading to your baby in a previous post, but today I would like to share a cheap place to get those books. I use paperbackswap for my books as well as kids books.

You sign up by clicking on the logo and then add any unwanted books you have (kids or adults) and when someone asks for them you get points. You get points for putting up your first books as well as points when people ask for your books. I love it, I get rid of unwanted books and get all kinds of books that I do want!

Another place I find cheap books is Salvation Army stores, other thrift stores and yard sales.

One caution, when getting books a little one might chew on either wash it if washable or use a disinfecting spray made for kids toys etc.

For more frugal ideas go to Biblical Womanhood and follow the links. I would recommend looking over her site as you do, she has good ideas!

Read to your baby.

Do you read to your child? I have a fifteen month old granddaughter that I babysit every day. She has been pretty sick this week and crying a lot, something so unlike her. This baby is one of the happiest kids around and so much fun to watch normally.

I have a number of kids books here as she loves me to read to her. One book that was my all time favorite when my kids were little was "Are You My Mother".

I had hunted for this book at yard sales and in the stores and could not find it. About a month ago I found it on paperbackswap.com

Monday, my poor little granddaughter was so sick and all she wanted to do was go in the car, so we went to the post office. The book had come! I was hoping that this would make her happy.

It is now Wednesday and I could not tell you how many times I have read the book over and over. She loves it too! In fact, I took her out on the porch and she pointed to a spot where a bird was building a nest in a can. I told her it was a bird's nest, not even thinking about the book. Scout, put her finger to her mouth ans said "shhh baby birdie". She had made the connection with the book!

Read to your baby! even when you think they are too young, they are learning. It works for me and my granddaughter!

This Weekend

It is coming. I am officially the owner of three new domains. I will only be using two of them. Had to buy the third one to get the one I wanted as he would only sell me the two together.

My blog will be moving as soon as I get my templates set up as I want them and I am excited. I plan on a little bit of a new direction, a whole different look and hopefully get to be a better blog.

I have been with blogger now and this will be all different, but I want more control over my blog and the look of it. I want to add pages, be able to eventually have a newsletter and have more interaction with my readers. I am nervous about the move, but think it will be better.

Since I am working around a toddler it may take me a bit of time to get it set up, but I am hoping that it will be up in a week. I may be slow at posting, so please be patient with me.

When the big move comes I will let you know, post my url and look for you there!

A Free Gift

For more Frugal finds go to Biblical Womanhood.

Wake up and Smell the Baby

I have had five kids of my own, babysat numerous grandkids as well as other kids but it never ceases to amaze me what kids will get into.

You bring home that sweet little bundle of joy. Nothing could be cuddlier or more of a tug on your heart. You really love that little one. You bathe them, feed them, cuddle them. You talk to them, play with them and take cute pictures after you have dressed them all up.

Ohhhhhhhh how lovable!

They grow, play more by themselves and get more and more creative. What a nice time, you can watch them instead of having to entertain them. More time for you.

You put them down for that nap, look at them and wonder how God could have blessed you so with that sweet, wonderful, smart and creative child. Ahhhhhhh.

You lay down on the couch to catch a shut eye and wake up to the sounds coming from the back room. Cute sounds. Happy sounds.

You think, isn't it nice that they wake up happy and playing now instead of screaming?

Or is it nice?

You open the door and the odor hits you. Then you look at the face smiling a big grin at you? What is that brown stuff? The odor tells you, but you do not want to believe it.

Yes, your sweet, cuddly, wonderful little one has discovered how to remove a diaper and have lots of fun! The only clean place is her hair. The netting on the pack-n-play is brown, as is the pillow, sheet, blankets and top of the pack-n-play.

She is standing there so innocent and smiling, you need to hunt for a place to grab her and pick her up without wearing it all yourself.

But... you still love her!

Good thing God feels the same about our messes, I am sure they look as bad to Him. But He loves us, takes us and cleans us.

igoogle To My Internet rescue

It is Works for Me Wednesday ant Rocks in My Dryer. I enjoy Wednesdays as I am able to hunt our what other people do and what works for them.

I love to read other blogs, as well as some web sites and was having a hard time keeping up with all of them. One thing I have found that works for me is igoogle. igoogle is the personalized google homepage that you can add what you want to. My igoogle home page has my rss feeds from the places I want to keep up with reading.

What is great with igoogle is you have tabs so you can put different things on the pages and have them organized. I have my first tab with my weather, blogs that I read and news. I also have a game on there for when I get bored.

My second tab has more blogs, a few web pages and some funny blogs/videos etc feeds.

My third tab is my google reader and more info places and my fourth tab is blog helps. This is where I have blogs like problogger, blogging 101 and other blogs that help bloggers.

This way I can see right away what my daughter is writing about at Beauty from Chaos, what her husband is writing about, what Natural Mommy is writing , Families against Feminism, Real Life and other blogs.

When I find a blog that gives info and support to what I am writing about I also put that on one of the tabs.

I love my igoogle homepage and it works for me, give it a try!


For more ideas head over to Rocks in My Dryer!

My husband is singing my praises

It is not my birthday. Not our anniversary. Not his birthday. I did not make his favorite meal. Did not let him have the remote (well, I did, but he always has it). So why is he praising me?

My life is lived in prayer asking God to make me the woman I am meant to be. The wife fit for him.

So, why today? He is always loving, kind, affectionate. He always brags about me. Why more today? Why more hugs? More praises? What brought this on?

We went to church. Rick is the building administrator for a church and this means we need to be there early. Part of his job is getting everything ready, making sure everything is working, heat/air is right and no one has made a mess that requires last minute clean-up. He needs to clean the pulpit as it is a Plexiglas and shows every finger print so this is always a last minute job.

My part on Sunday is to make the coffee that is out for everyone and to set out the communion.

We were both busy at work when a man came in. He works with the video equipment and always comes shortly after we do. He went to do his work and about 20 minutes later his wife came in. She plays the piano and comes early for the praise team practice.

What does all this have to do with my husband? Why did he suddenly come in the kitchen loving me and praising me to others?

Mr. X was told by Mrs. X that he did not do his job that morning before he left and he had to go home and make the bed. Rick heard that, I heard Mr. X come in the kitchen for coffee and announce he had to run home to do his husbandly duty and he was just told about it. Later my husband told me what happened, and announced that he was so glad I was his wife!

Any of you that read my blog know that I promote the husband is the head of the home and wives are to not be the ones wearing the pants. We have no right to order our husbands to do anything. Husbands are to be loving, wives to submit when there is a difference of opinion.

This incident reminded me of how messed up our Christian marriages have become . I am not going to repeat previous posts about husband/ wife relationships, but I want to add to what has been written.

My husband was praising me, being affectionate, bragging about me "in the gates" all because I was letting God work in me. He appreciates me. He does things for me. He lets me have say in things and often agrees with me. Not because I make him, but out of love.

Wives, if we ask God and seek Him to make us into the wives we are to be with a meek and quiet spirit, honoring our husband and respecting him it will make a difference. He will brag about you in a good way, be more loving than you can imagine and want to be with you.

Treat him with disrespect. bossy, controlling and dishonoring and you will not only have a husband who wants to do his own thing, but you will also have to face God for not being what He intended for you to be. One other thing, it will also make your husband have to stand before God and explain why he was not the man of the house and did not rule his family well. In the end, it will fall back on you.

Pray today, that God will make you the wife He intended. Get out your Bible and find all that is in there for wives. We can all improve, but it takes relying on HIM.

Showing love 20 frugal ways

How often do you show your husband you love him and are glad he is there? How about your kids?

I used to think I did not have the money to really show them, or him. I would see things I knew that he would like but did not have resources. Sometimes it would be a way to decorate, or a special gift etc. However, it does not take money, or very little, to show your love and give reminders everyday of your love. We need it and so do they!

I would like to list special ways you can show your man you are there for him and you are still in love with him.

• leave little notes, in the shower, his lunch (kids lunch) under his pillow. You can make cards on the computer or by hand or just a quick "I love you" on a scrap of paper shoved in by his book mark in the book he is reading, at his computer etc.
• On the same note, (hehe, not literally, pun there) you can leave something you like about him, appreciate or thank him for. ( I appreciate how much you tell me you like my cooking, or how hard your work for us, etc)
  
• If he usually comes home from work and wants something to drink, have it ready for him.
• Have his socks, underwear etc dug out of the laundry basket so he does not have to dig when he is getting dressed. ( my kids are grown now, but I remember how it was getting all that done with 5 kids around, but pulling them out for him to dress in the morning makes a big difference.)
• Ask him if there is anything special he would like for dinner. Let him choose from what is in the house.
• hug him often
• kiss him often
• be playful... you know what I mean!
• give him peace when he wants to read the paper for a few minutes. He needs his unwind and switch gears time, then let him know about your day.
  
• Don't be a big spender so he has to worry about paying the bills!
  
• Be frugal
• Men do not talk like we do, they give a brief version and that is it. Show him you are interested in what he says, ask questions, but do not "nag" at him.
• Thank him for all he does, not a "thanks for everything honey" but a "thank you for changing the light bulb for me, I could not reach it. You are my hero".
• Make him your hero and tell him. Men need to know that.
• Have a honey do list, but do not nag, and when he does it praise him and let him know you appreciate him.
• Let him know you appreciate him (even if he did not do it) if he feels appreciated and loved he will do more for you and the family.
• Save your loose change and take him out for a meal or a dessert or something special.
• Tell him you love him again, and again and again!
• Tell him you would marry him again
• get the cat out of his favorite chair before he walks in the door.
  

These are just some ideas that do not cost money. You probably have more and I would love for you to tell me in the comments!

What? You do not "feel" this way about your husband? Start finding small things to thank him, etc. Do it just because he is your husband. Eventually you will feel it and he will change as you change. It is cheap, frugal and very mighty!

For more frugal ideas go on over to Biblical Womanhood!

Choose your gifts wisely

This came across my email today and I thought I would pass it on. I guess because my husband's name is Rick I thought it was funnier than it probably is.

MISSING HUSBAND

Rick was in trouble. He forgot his wedding anniversary. His wife was really angry. She told him 'Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in less than 6 seconds, AND IT BETTER BE THERE!!'

The next morning Rick got up early and left for work. When his wife woke up she looked out the window and sure enough there was a box gift-wrapped in the middle of the driveway. Confused, the wife put on her robe and ran out to the driveway, and brought the box back in the house.She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale.

Rick has been missing since Friday. Please pray for him.

Kids Cup Cakes

Last night I went to a Bible Study that my husband and I attend. They always have some kind of goodies there that are very hard to resist.

There is one woman who makes the yummiest, most fattening things every week. However, she was not there yesterday and someone else brought a treat that reminded me of when my kids were young.

You know how you need cupcakes for the school parties, or just for treats? Well, Lacy made a school treat last night. She took some ice cream cones that were getting a bit stale. Rather than throw them away, she made them into cup cakes.

A few tricks to doing this:

1. make sure your cones stand up and can't fall over, a pan with sides and them in tight works.
2. be sure your cake mix goes to the bottom, if not you will have a gap in there with no cake. Tap them to get the mix down
3. bake as you would any cupcake, checking for doneness as the recipe calls for.

Decorate as you want, or just ice.


As you can see, they can be enjoyed by all ages!

This is 15 month old Scout enjoying one Lacy sent home for her.

She had a shower after she was done!

For more Works for Me Wednesday go to Rocks in My Dryer!

Wedding, Branson and great fun!

Last weekend my husband, mom and I traveled from Texas to Missouri for the wedding of my niece. Becca was such a pretty bride and I wanted to share a few pictures with you.



They were married on Feb. 29 and had a really nice wedding.

I had never been to MO before and this was a real treat. On Saturday my brother took us to do some sight seeing as well as to enjoy a meal at a famous restaurant and see a show in Branson.

If you ever get to go to that area, check out Lambert's Restaurant. You will have a dinning experience like you have never had before. Be ready to catch your rolls, eat all you want, drink all you want (non-alcoholic!) and not spend a whole lot of money. Check out their website!

Branson is a great place as well. We went to see Pierced Arrow and if you want great laughs, good music and some good patriotism check out their site as well. The comedian Jarrett Dougherty is one of the funniest and versatile guys I have seen. If you can't go, get his CD and enjoy!

The Joys of Parenthood

I read blogs. I love to see what other people write and learn from them and hope they from me. Because of this I get feeds from many blogs on my google home page and my google reader. Today I was doing some reading (trying to avoid what I had to do today!) and read a great post on Bringing Good Home. It brought back many memories of when my kids were small and the many things that they pulled, tried, got into and could have been disastrous. Some were.

As moms we sometimes think we will not survive those years. I had four kids in 5 1/2 years, then another one 5 years later. When #5 was coming I consoled myself that at least this one would not do something one of the others had done, so I should know how to handle everything.

I had already had a child put a paper clip in an electrical outlet and burn his fingers and welded the outlet shut (to this day mind you!). I had a child feed motor oil to the next one down the line. I had them pull diapers off in the front yard while a nosy neighbor was watching us with binoculars. Quite the eye full she got as the diaper was also full.

Then there was the child that climbed on everything. The crib had to be pulled down when she was 7 months old because we could not keep her in it. There was the daughter that got on the top of a 5.5 foot dresser to play around the room without touching anything. Swung on the door to hit the bed and hit the frame instead. Lost 3 teeth and cut up her lip in the doing.

The list goes on from the first 4, so what else could another one do?

Try climb on the stove, open the door of the oven, turn on all the burners and walk back to my side so fast she was never missed. Until the kitchen was on fire! Or eat the border off a cake for 300 people and tell me it "only a little bit, no one will notice". Or strip her clothes off and open the door for the mailman (we lived in the city).

I could go on and on, but each child is different and believe me, what they pull as kids is nothing to what they pull as teens! Mine were good teens too, no real problems, but still a wild, fun ride.

We do survive. Relax, discipline when needed and laugh a lot inside. When it is Halloween and your daughter is in the back of a police car dressed up like a jail bird and the cop drives by your house, remember it will be a good story later. (She did nothing wrong, someone whose door they went to did and they called the police!, of course I did not know that when she went by in the back of the car!).

Life is a journey. Enjoy the trip. You will survive!

Free Source for MaMa's

Today is Frugal Friday at Biblical Womanhood and I want to share a free source of help that I found.

Mamasource has so much, mom run businesses, babysitter services, and a source to ask questions and get answers from other moms. Mamasource is geared to your community. You sign up, put in your town and you will be connected with other moms and sources in your area.

For more frugal ides go to Biblical Womanhood.

Scrapbook Help Needed

Today is Backwards Works For Me Wednesday at Rocks in My Dryer. This means that it is a time when I ask for your help and you leave me a comment helping me!

I am looking for ideas for starting a scrapbook. Now, I have never done a scrapbook but have bought all kinds of supplies and have been getting my pictures sorted. I want to make a family scrapbook to share with my kids but am stuck on the starting part. I have ideas, but do not know how to decide to make the pages, where to start in the book or anything. I want to include great grand parents as well as recent.

Do you have ideas how to get started? How to get that first page going? I am normally creative, and think once I get it going I will be fine, it is the starting that has me baffled.

Any ideas would be very appreciated!

To help others, go to Rocks in my Dryer.

I wish I had pictures!

Last Thursday we left Texas for a trip to Springfield Missouri to attend my niece's wedding. She wanted to get married on February 29th because she thought it would be fun. Well, it was fun!

My mom, husband and I drove the many miles to Springfield and I saw country I had never seen before. Even though I have been to many states, I had never been to Oklahoma or Missouri before and enjoyed the opportunity to not only see more of this country we live in, but to also spend some time with my brother and his family.

When we got out of high school we went our separate ways. Not out of anger or anything, but it was the way life took us. He went to a ministry in CA and eventually met his wife there and I went to Philadelphia and met my husband there. As a result, we have both lived in different places and our families did not get together much.

His kids are really neat and I enjoyed them so much. Paul John and Shirley spent most of the time with us as they are the younger ones that are still home. Even though they are twins, they are as different as could be!

Hopefully I will have some wedding pictures to post before too long. I did not take any so need to depend on my sister in law to send me some, hopefully soon!

My mom leaves to go back to New Jersey on Wednesday and then things may return to semi-normal around here and hopefully my posting will be too. Between my computer going down, the visit and wedding I feel like I have been neglecting my blogs.

Take time with family while you can. We will not always have them to enjoy!

My Mom Is Here!

My mom has come to visit. I live in Texas, she lives in NJ and she has flown out to be with us till March 5th. As a result, my posting will be a bit short and not so often. We will be going to a wedding in MO over the weekend. Life gets busy when there is visitors!

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have family and I am glad for my large one. Enjoy your family while you can, they are not with us forever.

I will be enjoying my mom!

Life's little messes

Kids sure can make a mess. A really messy mess. A really cute messy mess!

It takes a lot of patience to let them learn things for themselves, but it is something that is needed. So many times parents do not want them to make a mess and as a result do not let them learn.

I finally got some of my pictures back from my computer melt down two weeks ago and would like to share three grandkids whose mommy's let them learn by making a mess!


This is Chris helping make a cake for his mother. He is doing quite a good job I think, even tasting it to be sure that it is going to be good!

This is Scout. Scout loves to do things for herself, including eat spaghetti. Below is Lexi, also eating her spaghetti.


Aren't they the cutest???

I decided to make this post part of the Natural Mommy's Meet and Greet. So go there to see more cute pictures (Some are even of my granddaughter!

Do not use credit cards!

Today is Frugal Friday at Biblical womanhood and I wanted to share something with you. When you get done reading here, click on the link and go to Biblical Womanhood for more ideas.

Many years ago I made a mistake that I realize now many are making. In an effort to be frugal I would see things on sale and buy them using the credit card. I was "saving so much money", or so I thought, that it was worth it to get it even though I did not have the cash.

What happened next was the bills came in. I was new to credit cards and did not realize how much that purchase was costing me. Way more than full price till it was paid off! Cards that allow you to transfer funds at 0% interest often charge a lot for spending that is not transferred. They then take the payments off the 0% interest first and you are stuck paying interest for that sale item until you get the rest of the balance off of there.

Do not use cards to save money! Not unless you pay them off as soon as the bill comes in, then it may work. I say may, because many cards are now doing 2-cycle interest, in which the interest is carried over for two payments and there is no grace period.

Frugal ladies, keep the card in your purse and use cash, or you are not being so frugal.

For the love of your husband

Today is Works for me Wednesday and I want to share something that really works, not just for me, but for most wives.

Some time ago I wrote about honoring your husband and how today's women seem to have a problem in that area. Yesterday I was reading some of the blogs I normally read and went to Real Life's post "All Husbands are idiots..." It is not what it sounds like and really worth reading.

As I read her post I was thinking about what works for me. I am in my second marriage, both to wonderful men. My first marriage was for 29+ years and ended when death parted us. I am now married to another man who is a gem also.

While I can't take the credit, because I feel God is the one to get all the credit, I can tell you some things that I do and do not do that I know makes a difference. Both husbands have told me so.

• I praise my husband. He has many good features that are worth praising.
• I talk positive about him to others. My talk is uplifting, letting others see his good qualities.
• No negative talk to others. If i have had a problem that I did not know how to handle I sought out someone older and wiser and one that had enough wisdom and sense to not hold anything against my husband (and to keep their mouth shut!). This has almost never been an issue, but in 29+ years of marriage there were a few times where I was dwelling on negative and could not see it.
• It is ok to tell funny stories, if they are not degrading. We have some funny things that happened that could be told in a negative way, but yet do not have to be. For instance, and my husband would tell you this one himself if he were writing, he has a bad throwing arm. We live in Texas and sometimes there are rattlesnakes in the pasture. He was crossing the pasture to look for a cow that was down and saw the snake in the path. Rick decided to hit it with a rock. He threw, missed, threw missed, and so on until he had this nice fort built up around the snake. That snake was peaking out the hole, sticking it's neck out, then its tongue out and hissing at my husband, then ducking back behind the fort. I had to go out to the pasture with a shovel to kill the thing. (He did the killing, eventually). My hero! We laugh, but I could make that into something really negative and put him down to someone.
• I try to make dinners he likes, get him drinks when he is working hard and such little things to show my love.

My list goes on, but by doing these things it keeps my mind in a positive frame, shows him I love him and keeps us close. It also works to make him want to live up to what I think of him. He changes as I change and it works for our good.

I would like to ask that if there are those reading who have blogs that promote and are in line with what I am doing here (please read my purpose) that you send me an email using the contact on the sidebar. I would like your blog name. I would like to get other links for blogs and resources that are in line with my stand and desires. Thanks

This works for me! For more works for me ideas go to Rocks in My Dryer.

Like it or lump it and other such foods.

When my kids were young we were on a very tight budget. My husband was a new pastor and we were in our first church. We had four kids at the time and he was making $100 a week and we had to pay our own taxes and social security out of that. Frugal was not an option, nor was it most of my life.

I would carefully plan meals and shop. We had an Amish farm we could get cheese at really cheap as well as some other bulk foods, so cheese and pasta or rice was a staple at our house. From what was cheap at the Amish farm and what was on sale in the stores, I made meals.

Most of my meals were a creative invention. I did have some basics that we ate, but many were put together creatively and nutritionally as I had ingredients for in the house.

Thus began the creative names. My kids had to have a name for something before they would eat, so I began making up names for casseroles. We had "Like it or Lump It" A favorite and asked for many times over, even years later. Then there was "Take it or leave it" when something had an ingredient one of them did not like.

Use your imagination, use leftovers, use what is one sale and make something. Who knows, your family may just love it and want it for years to come. Try to remember what you put in it just in case!

I followed this plan as a widow and now as a married woman again!

For more ideas go to Biblical Womanhood!

Happy Valentines Day!

I hope you are having a great day! While I know that valentine's day is not the same as your anniversary or birthday, it is a special day to honor those you love, especially your spouse.

Today, I am thinking about how blessed I am to have the man I have in my life. He is my love, my best friend and my blessing.

Today, I am thinking about what an honor it is to be his wife and to be the helper God made for him.

Today, I am thanking God for this privilege.

Today, I am praying I can be all I am to be that he may be all he is to be.

Today, I am also thanking God for the 8 children we have together, their spouses and the 18+ grandchildren. (+ because there is another one on the way!)(scroll down the link).

Today I am thanking God for my readers. I am so glad for each and every one of you!

Happy Valentine's Day Y'all!

Back Up Your Computer!

Today is Works for Me at Rocks in My Dryer. I do not have the graphic since my computer went kaput on Saturday and I am working off a friend's computer tonight.

I have learned the hardway what does not work for me. Now I am a computer nut. I have pulled apart computers, replaced parts, love my software and have taken computer courses for web design as well as software courses.

First lesson: BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER!

I get an F. I have no backup and I now have no hard drive.

Right now I am at a friend of my husbands computer shop. He can't get the info off my harddrive either. Now, I have all family pictures, old pictures, all my blog info, affiliate info and passwords. Documents that are needed, my web design files and all my email addresses are all on that harddrive.

Paul tried, but can't get the thing to work and said there is only one chance of getting to work, but he does not have the part. It seems I need to get another drive, same model number and try to take a part off and maybe that is all that is wrong. MAYBE!

I said "what should I have done to back this up?"

Here is what he said should work for me (and you!).

• 
  
  Get another hard drive that you can plug in and have a software program to ghost the hard drive.


• 
  
  Get an external harddrive and software to back up at a certain time every day, week or whatever.


• 
  
  At the very least, make a copy of your important info on cds or some other storage and keep it in a safe place.

So, from now on, I am backing up! This will save me the time, head ache and heartache I am facing now, and that Works For Me!

What if you were Mrs. Noah? (part 2)

If you have not done it already, please go back and read yesterday's post, it should be directly below this one. Today's post may not make as much sense to you if you do not read part 1 first.

Noah is now making good headway on his ark, but Mrs. Noah still has something to say. I imagine if it happened today there would be all kinds of complaints, I mean a huge ocean liner being built in her yard with no water anywhere? What could that husband of hers be thinking. Why would God tell him to do such a thing.

I am sure by now, after 50 years, her "honey do list" was getting pretty long.

Mrs Noah: Dear, How many times in the last 50 years have I asked you to fix the leak in the shower? Or get that stack of wood off my flowers? or take out the trash? And then there is this old looking living room, why can't we get it painted? I wanted it done 25 years ago and all you do is work on that ugly thing in the yard. What do we need it for anyway? 50 years you have been at it and I have not seen one drop of rain yet!

Noah: That is because the ark is not done, we do not want it to rain yet. And, why paint the living room? It will all be destroyed anyway. Now darling, stop nagging! God gave me this job and I intend to finish it. He is going to destroy the whole world and we are the only ones going to be saved. It is up to us to follow His orders so that we and the animals can all be saved.

Mrs. Noah: Yeah, about those animals! Do I really need to be locked up for only God knows how long with all those animals? Monkeys swinging all over and kangaroos bouncing around? And how can anything be out of those giraffe's reach?

Noah: Dear, God has it worked out. We need to obey Him.

Mrs Noah: I have had it with all this, there is no way you are going to get those animals in, you are not hearing God, He would not tell you to do something so illogical!

And on and on she goes as poor Noah tries to follow God. 50 more years he has to listen to this stuff.

Finally, God tells him to get his family and the animals into the ark. God sends the animals and Noah gets them in, two by two of some and more of the clean animals and birds. They are marching in and out pops Mrs. Noah again.

Mrs. Noah: Lions and Tigers and Bears, OH MY!

Noah: Yes, now get things together we are boarding next.

Mrs. Noah: I am not getting on there with those things, no, no, no!

If this happened today, would Noah be getting his family in the ark. If you were Noah's wife what would you do?

Noah's wife obeyed God. We find no where that says he had to fight his wife about doing God's will. I believe she was a submissive, Godly woman. She may have given her opinon, but Noah had the final say.

If your husband wants to follow God in an area you either think is crazy, or not what you want to do at all, are you willing to be the type of wife God expects?

Search your heart and pray you can be what God wants.

What if you were Mrs. Noah? (part 1)

Do you like to read and put yourself into the story? I usually do not, but this week I got to thinking about Noah. I began to wonder what happened in their family when Noah felt that God wanted him to build an ark. I thought about his wife.

For some background, read Genesis 6-8 when you have a chance. I will give some background here.

• Noah was 500 years old when God asked him to build the ark
• Noah had 3 boys and a wife
• God gave the directions and specifications for all details of the ark, size, rooms, kinds of wood etc.
• Noah's neighbors were not the greatest people. God said that all mankind was evil, only Noah had faith in God and trusted Him.
• Noah would need to have enough food for all the animals, places for them. God was going to send 2 or every kind of animal to Noah, and more of the clean animals and birds. He needed food for all of them and for the people.
• The ark would contain only Noah's family for people, Noah, his sons, their wives and Noah's wife.
• All other animals, birds, fish and people would die when it rained.
• Noah did not know how long it would rain
• Noah had never seen rain, but had to take God's word for it that rain was coming.
• God told Noah when to get into the ark; God sent the animals and closed the door of the ark
• It rained for 40 days and 40 nights
• The rain came, all the earth was in turmoil. It was a violent time with water coming down and shooting up.
• They were in the ark about a year.

I may add more to that list, but that is a bit condensed.

Now, put yourself in Noah's family. I want you to think. What about Noah's wife? Noah just came home and told her that the Lord told him to build this ark. He knows God said it, he is in turmoil over the whole thing.

I think if it were today the conversation might go something like this:

Noah: Honey, you will not believe what God told me today. He told me to build an ark and...

Mrs. Noah: What is an ark, Noah?

Noah: I am not sure, but it is huge and it will float, it is going to rain.

Mrs. Noah: What is rain, Noah?

Noah: Water from the sky dear. It will pour down just like you dumped that bucket from the well over your head, but more of it and everywhere. And water will even come up out of the ground. There will be so much water the whole world will be covered.

Mrs. Noah: I can't believe that.

Noah: I need to get a lot of wood and other things.

Mrs Noah: And where do you think we are going to get the money for that wood?

Noah: God will provide. Plus we have a lot of it growing out there.

Mrs. Noah: OH NO! If you cut down those trees the neighbors will see in our yard and there goes our privacy.

Noah: Honey, God said to do this!

Mrs. Noah: BUT, what about the neighbors? What will they think? Can you build it way back in the field?

Noah: rolls eyes

Noah now goes and begins getting the wood together. This is a big chore and takes a long time to even get enough to get started building. He brings it in and sets it in the yard. He collects other needed items as well, setting them down in stacks.

Out walks Mrs. Noah.

Mrs. Noah: Hey, I said not there! You are getting into my flower bed! Noah, this compulsion of yours is getting out of hand. Are you sure God told you to do this? Why would He tell you to make something like this? It has never done this thing called rain before, and how do you think you are going to get this all made. Remember, you are 500 years old, time for retirement. Sit back and relax dear! You are too old to build this huge thing.

Noah sighs, listens to his wife and keeps working. By now he is wondering if God did say it. It is not logical. It will take him forever to get this made. However, he keeps on working.

Out pops Mrs. Noah again. "Dear, do you think you have that board on their straight?" "You know, Naomi called and said that the town is making fun of us, they think you have lost your marbles doing this, they are preparing to get the code enforcer over here to check this thing out. She said that old Sarah and her husband are getting a petition signed to make us cover up the front by the road because it is an eyesore. Noah, why do you have to make this thing? Why can't you just make something small and easily hidden? Are you really, really, really sure this is what God said?"

Noah: Yes dear, I am doing it by what God said. It has to be this big because we are going to have to live in it with two of every kind of animal that roams the earth as well as the birds and all. It will need to hold enough food and water for all of them and for us as well for a long, long time.

Mrs Noah: WHAT?? We are going to live in this with animals? You know I hate animals!

Noah: I am not fond of living with them either, but God says...

Mrs. Noah: I think you are crazy. How can we live with all those animals? How can we keep the lions from eating the others, or the dinosaurs from stepping on us or the mice.. well, I guess I do not care about the mice... eek. Noah! What about all the poop for all that time? Where are we going to put that? And how can we live with the noise and the smell? The possums roam at night, the owls hoot at night and the coyotes howl at night. They will keep us all up. Did you ever think of that Noah? Huh???

Mrs. Noah walks off mumbling and Noah feels discouraged because he does not have the support of his wife.

Come back tomorrow for part 2. For tonight, think about what if you were Noah's wife? read Genesis if you have time.

Compare Thrift Stores

Today is Frugal Friday at Biblical Womanhood and I am joining in.

As wives and mothers I believe it is our responsibility to live within our means. Being frugal is the only way many of us can accomplish this. Others can afford more, but choose to live frugally so they can save, give to missions or help the poor.

One of the things I do is shop thrift stores. We all know of Goodwill, but there are many other Thrift stores around; Salvation Army, private ones and church thrifts are a few.

One thing I am learning to do is compare shop at thrift stores. I do not know about you, but around here the Goodwill is getting to be priced awfully high. I went in there last week and a shirt that still had the tags on from the store was priced $1.50 more than the original price! Walmart shoes were more than to go to Walmart and buy them.

Just because it says "Thrift Store" does not mean it is. Compare!

We have a private one nearby that has a lot of junk for high prices, another one the prices are very high for a thrift store also. The Salvation Army seems to be reasonable and often has times when the prices are marked in half or certain tags are marked in half. There is also a Christian Thrift store where the proceeds go to helping the poor and missions. This store is the greatest! Their prices are great, they are nice to deal with and will work with you.

Thrift stores are all different. We sometimes justify the money, or do not compare and just spend because it is a so called "thrift" store. Don't be fooled! Compare like you would any other store.

For more frugal ideas hop on over to Biblical Womanhood!

Check out other blogs!

I think we all loved the bloggy giveaway from last week. It was fun racing through all the 800+ giveaways listed and seeing what we wanted to try for and what we did not. I loved it as much as the other guy.

One thing I noticed as I was racing through though, I was not really seeing what the blogs were about. I was just looking for the giveaway and what you had to do or write in order to have a chance at the prize.

About half way through I began to realize that some of these blogs looked interesting and had some nice things to offer in the way of crafts, how to's, affiliate offerings etc. I still was not taking the time to look, but from there out I took notice of something more than the free gift I was trying for and actually took the time to put a few on my google reader.

Now, I am going back over the list slower, and looking at blogs as I can and seeing what is really there in the blogs that participated. Some are not for me, but others either are on the same line as mine, so I want to see what they are doing and learn. Others are good craft or sewing ones and have good sources listed on their blog or instructions in their posts.

I would suggest for some great shopping, learning and free internet sources, go back over the bloggy giveaway list slow and read the blogs, look at the resources on them and see what is there. Take time and I am sure there is a gold mine for your shopping and learning experience.

Works for me!

Who are you imitating and who is imitating you?

It happened Friday. It was as cute as could be, but so profound when you think of it in light of what Christ said.

My husband was sitting in his chair Friday morning, not really wanting to get up and get dressed for work. He began to get up and stretched with his arms looking like a jet plane and stood up as he did it making a moaning/roaring noise. Scout, our 14 month old granddaughter, watched her grampa intensely. He then told her that what he did was a stretch, and he did it again and told her again he was stretching. With that she "stretched" too and followed him to the kitchen "stretching" all the way. Noise and everything.

At various times through the day she would practice this new skill. It was cute, but it reminded me that no matter what we do, we are teaching our children something. Good or bad.

When we tell someone a half truth, our children learn that this is ok, and will then lie to you and others when they are old enough. We hide things, they see and learn. "If mommy can hide something she did or bought from daddy, then I can hide what I did from them". What are we teaching them?

When little ones, even infants, are around think about everything you do. Do you want them imitating you? They will!

On the other side of the coin is are you an imitator? Christ said we are to be imitators of Him. We are to be like little children. Little children imitate. They will mimic what you say and do. We are to be the same way with what God tells us and shows us through Christ.

Watch what you say and do, someone is watching and following. Your actions speak louder to them than your words. If we are following Christ, we do not need to worry about them imitating us.

We Have A Bloggygiveaway Winner!

After throwing all the names in a basket, my dear Husband picked one out, so we have a winner!

Karen

I want to thank all that joined in this fun time and hope you come back soon. Karen, check your email for one from me.

Go For Free First

Where do you go when you need something? I mean information, ideas, how to do and other such things. I used to run to the library and look for books there. It is certainly more frugal than buying them, however we have a better way right at our fingertips.

I look online! I find all types of how to information, patterns, craft ideas and anything else my heart desires. Well, almost, all I can do is find pictures of chocolate.

There are coloring pages to keep the kids busy, printable games for them too. I found a cute free Valentines puzzle to make for the kids.

With so much free on the internet I use that first before I buy anything. I learned to type by hunting out the internet! So it even has its perks!

I also found a really great search engine for you to try. I It is called Mahalo and when you type what you are looking for in the box on the home page it opens up a tabbed window with all different search engines. Try it! You can find things you never knew before.

I hunt for recipes, things to do, how to make things or repair things, health issues etc.

We pay for the internet. All of us on here are paying something to have the ability to blog and communicate. Why not stretch that item already in the budget? Whatever you are going to do, need or want to do, research the free source first. You may not need to spend the extra money on a book, how to guide or pattern. You may also find a more frugal way of doing things. For more ideas about being frugal go here.

Sometimes I think I am crazy.

Check out my Bloggygiveaway!

I know it is Wednesday, and I always participate in WFMW. Today is no different, but it is a different kind of post. Not something someone can really change and do, but something that maybe will help someones attitude or make them think.

When I was young I had the kids home and loved it. Oh, they went to school and all, but I loved the vacations time, snow days etc when they would be at home. I was a stay at home mom, enjoyed the kids (most of the time! I had 5 so the fighting was something else at times).

As the kids got older and began to date I was a bit concerned. Yes, there was the usual concerns about what they were doing, but there was also the concern over I AM GETTING OLD!!!

Then, they had the nerve to marry. NOW I WAS GETTING OLDER!! Depressing. Then, one of them had the nerve to tell me I was going to be a grandmother. Now I was really upset! Yes, upset. This meant I was as old as my mother and grandmother. I knew that the cane was coming next! I was depressed. Very.

Sean was born and I loved him, but I did not want to be a grandmother. Call me Grammie, it helps to not feel so old. Sean broke me in a bit, who can not love a baby?

Then my 4th child married and let me know that grandchild number 2 was on the way. OH NO!!! A walker was coming now! How much older can I get before they put me in the grave? However, by now I was broke in, so when Ivy was born I was a little more accepting of the idea and enjoyed another grand child, but I did not want to be known as a grandma. So, people thought she was my child and I let them. Where ever I went and anyone asked how old "MY" baby was I just told them. Why hurt their opinion?

Well, this year I will be old. I have 18 grand kids and more coming I am sure, I love it. I still hate the word grandma, but I love the kids. However, I do not want to be old. I am crazy!! Having grand kids is fun, you have them, enjoy them, send them home and have peace at night. You can play with them, bake with them, teach them, all the joys of motherhood, but still get a nights sleep!

I have one granddaughter all day, I love it, but at 4:37 she leaves. I can eat supper in peace, but I miss her. See, I am crazy!

Now, I look at myself and my attitudes and wonder what is with my thinking. I am going to be 60 this year. It is the end of the world to be that old. Yet, when I think back to being 25 or so and having to live all I have lived over again I do not want it. Yes, there were plenty of joys, and I still think of them. Being a grammie you have the best of both worlds.

What works for me? Being a grammie, but not being old. However, since that is not possible, I am trying to enjoy the grammie and the old. Sometimes life just makes up have an attitude adjustment, but sometimes those adjustments come in steps over a long time.

Are their things in your life that need an attitude adjustment? Work on it! It is worth it and it works for me!

Bloggy Giveaway!

This giveaway will end at noon central time, Saturday the 2nd. Good Luck! My husband will pick one of you and I will contact you by the end of the day!

It is bloggy giveaway time and I am going to participate by giving away a family devotional book.This book is from Creation Moments and is one in a series of devotionals great for any age. Use them for family devotions or alone. The book has great facts about our world and how it is God Created and God designed.

Here is an excerpt from the book:

The creation is filled with plants and animals that use deception to survive. The glow- in-the- dark- cookie-cutter shark is a master at such deception.

The cookie-cutter shark is only a foot to a foot and a half long. It doesn't have powerful muscles and can't swim very fast. But it doesn't need to. Lunch serves itself. The shark typically lives between 600 and 3000 feet below the surface of the water. Looking down from above one of these sharks, you probably would not see it, because the top of it's body is as dark as the deep waters where it lives. Looking up from below, you would not see the dark outline of the of the shark against the light that filters down from the surface. This is because the shark's first deception: its underside is completely covered with light-emitting cells that match the illumination from above.

The deception doesn't stop there, however. ~~~ (read the rest on page 88)

The series is available from Creation Moments. However, this book is available from me for free if you win my bloggy giveaway!

To enter:

1. Leave a comment below and be sure I have a way to contact you
2. Giveaway will end Saturday, Feb. 2nd
3. Open to anyone, blog or no blog. USA or Timbuktu!
   

For more giveaways check out Bloggy Giveaways!

Valentine's Day Is Coming

We are only a few short weeks away from Valentine's Day. Instead of waiting till the last minute and going out and buying all your cards, why not take the time now and make them? The kids can all join and make it a family time to make school valentines, grandparent valentines and friend valentines.

When cards are made personal and you put yourself into them they mean more to most people. Creativity can be cheaper than buying, especially with the price of cards these days.

So, get out your crayons, paper, scraps of ribbon, stickers and anything else you have that might go on a card. I have seen Jello used, elbow noodles, bottle caps, paper plates and doilies. Let the kids have fun! Do not make them do it perfect.

Why not make your special loved one a card too? Take the time now, think about it and then by Valentine's day you will be prepared, have saved money and will not be out there spending like the rest of the world.

Some sites for Valentines ideas:

• Jello Valentines Card
• About Family Crafts has sites listed
• Family Fun has not only cards but other great things for the day

There are many other sites that offer free designs and ideas for a frugal but wonderful day. Your family can spend the time together and work together to make it special.

For more frugal ideas check out Biblical Womanhood.

Why I Married My Husband : Guest Post

WHY I MARRIED MY HUSBAND
By Saralee Perel

It seems as if God made a plan: The only creatures that will share their lives with my husband, Bob, will be very needy ones. This includes 4 cats, 2 dogs, 1 pet duck, 1 mouse and Grandpa.

Grandpa, our plain old catfish, is a perfect example of why I've been married to Bob for 30 years. We had a blight in our 29 gallon aquarium a decade ago. All the fish died except Grandpa. Bob cried, as he took his brood outside and buried them.

So 20-year-old Grandpa, who's 1 inch long, has the whole tank to himself. He needs high maintenance. His water needs constant changing and daily testing for impurities and lots of other care.

Since I, too, have needed high maintenance for several years. I've wanted to lighten Bob's load. "Sweets," I said, "I can find a good home for Grandpa."

"He already has a home."

Grant, our 19 year old pet duck, needs a lot of help. In winter, Bob keeps her warm with a heat lamp inside her coop. When the electricity goes out, the lamp won't work, so Grant spends her day in our bathtub. She's very arthritic. Everyday, Bob grinds calcium and aspirin into her food, and stays outside to make sure she eats it.

"Sweets, I can find a good home for Grant."

"She already has a home."

This season, mice come in our house for warmth. With a Hav-A-Hart mouse trap that captures them alive, Bob gets a mouse a day. Each morning I hear, "Time to take the mouse out back." I haven't suggested that it's probably the same mouse, who's unquestionably getting an enormous kick out of all this. I bet that after Bob frees him, that mouse does a quick spin and comes right back in, laughing.

Our old cat Josie, had a prognosis of 2 years, maximum, to live with treatment. On frigid winter days, Bob made the 2 hour drives to a specialist vet at Tufts, a large animal hospital in Massachusetts. This past November, she's outlived all expectations and is happily jumping around like a kitten – now over 3 years since her dire prognosis.

When Bob took her to our superb local vet, he was so joyous upon seeing her – with all her fur grown back and her nutty personality so fully re-blossomed, that he rushed out of the exam room with Josie in his arms, needing to show her off to everyone. Even the vet at Tufts was shocked, "That cat's still alive?"

I believe Josie's wellbeing is not just from treatment, but equally from Bob's love.

And then...there's me.

Five years ago, I became disabled, leaving Bob as my full-time caregiver and keeper of the house.

Each morning, when he wakes me, he is smiling throughout the routine. After putting slippers on my cold feet, he makes the room cheerful – opens the blinds, sticks a cat in my arms, calls one of the dogs to jump on the bed, puts coffee on my computer table – helps me (and whichever cat) into my chair – oh, and of course I get long loving sloppy kisses – from the dog, and then from Bob.

So – all of Bob's needy creatures, great and small, live in heaven on earth. But in reality, Bob thinks he's the one who has it better. No matter the time or place; how busy he is; how far from home he may be, he feels blessed to come rescue one of us – even if my, "Please come home," call for rescue is just to have him hold a very frightened trembling hand . . . or a paw.

I think God made a good plan.


Award-winning columnist/novelist Saralee Perel can be reached at sperel@saraleeperel.com or via her website http://www.saraleeperel.com

She will have two stories you might enjoy, in February's book release of "Chicken Soup for The Soul: Love Stories." And her novel, "Raw Nerves," is available at Amazon: Raw Nerves: A Cape Cod Comedic Thriller

Copyright 2007 Saralee Perel. Used with permission

Wonderful Brown Soap

I want to share something that works for me and I know will work for you also.

Today there are many soaps on the market, but the old tried and true ones are now considered outdated. In fact some are downright hard to find! We have all kinds of medicines, salves, laundry soaps etc out there, each for it's own purpose. All of them make us feel we need to spend more money.

For many of us, we try to live frugally, try to live simple, yet we often feel there is nothing else to do but buy what is out there. I have some things I do that work and save money. I actually could not decide if I should put this on the works for me Wednesday or on the frugal Friday!

First, many of us make our own laundry soap. For some the ingredients are a bit hard to find, but I found a good source for them which I will share at the end. One of the ingredients in my recipe is Fels Naptha soap or Octagon soap. These are both a bar soap that is great for laundry and stains. I have some other uses too and want to share them with you now.

1. Grate a small amount and let it set in a little water to make it soft. Knead with your fingers until it is "mushy" and pliable. Add sugar. Yes, sugar, plain white sugar. Make a paste out of it and knead till the sugar is softened. Put it on a boil, splinter or other infection and cover with a band aid. It will draw out any infection quickly. As a kid we used this on many infections and splinters and saved many a trip to the dr.!
2. If you find you got into poison ivy or oak wash good in this soap. It will dry up the pimples. If you catch it right away, as soon as you see you got into it, wash in the soap and you will not get the poison ivy or it will not be very bad.
3. Rub into clothing as soon as you see something that would stain. It will usually prevent a stain from setting in.
4. Wash scrapes on kids (or yourself) when they slide on the pavement, fall off a bike etc. It will clear any germs that could cause an infection.

I know there are more uses, but these are the ones most used by me. When my kids were young I was never without this soap in the house. Now it is hard to find in some places. I have to drive over an hour to find a store that sells it, but did find a place I can order it from, Soaps Gone Buy has all kinds of soaps for laundry as well as other older soaps no longer found in the stores.

Give it a try! It Works for Me!

Abortion: Today's Holocaust

Rather than to repeat my post I would like to ask you to go to Ain't No Place To Put a Sticker for today.

My heart is just breaking from a lesson and reminder that Caden has brought into my thoughts and I wanted to share it with all my readers.

Presenting: Caden

I would like to present to you

Caden Beau Loden

Caden was born about 12:15 PM Saturday, two months early. He weighs 3 lbs 9 ozs. and is 16 inches long. He is doing well and is adorable.

For all that has gone on during Misty's pregnancy you can read about it here and here and here. They have been through a lot and now they have this precious little one. A miracle and blessing from God.

Caden joins sister Carlie


We are proud grandparents of 18 grandchildren now!

To meet others, check out Beth's Meet and Greet Monday. Why not join in if you have a blog?

How Young is Young Enough?

We see that little baby born and think he/she is so innocent. How could anybody that tiny and cute ever do wrong? It does not take long before we begin to see that sin nature come out. We wake one morning and our darling is now throwing temper tantrums, slapping, biting etc.

I realize that babies bite when they cut teeth or that they can't express things and it is frustrating, but I am talking about the rebellious times. You say no and they do it and scream at you. For some parents the terrible twos start at 6-8 months old!

What are we to do? How much do babies understand?

I am always amazed when parents, or many grandparents, think a baby can't understand or know, and then wonder why they turn into such a hard to manage child. Babies understand more than we give them credit for much of the time. I have some suggestions to help you understand your child and for you to know when your child understands what is being said.

• From the beginning, talk to your baby. I do not mean "baby talk" I mean really talk. Tell them what you are doing as you are doing it. ( I am making dinner, this is a tomato and I need to cut it) etc. I talked about everything like they were understanding. As long as they were awake in the food store I talked over the shopping, showing them things. I had my granddaughter in the food store when she was about 3 months old and was telling her everything as I walked up and down the isles. One woman was watching me and finally said something to me about how much fun I made shopping for my granddaughter. She had not seen anyone do that before and saw how intent Scout was as I shopped. She is now 13 months old and we shop the same way, but now she knows what I buy and will point to it.
• Do not talk "baby talk". They will not learn to express themselves right it we talk wrong.
• If they get hurt, tell them what happened. "You tripped on the dog" as you are hugging them. If it was something they were not supposed to do, tell them. "We never touch the oven door, it is hot".
• Tell them "no" when they do something wrong and be persistent. Remove their hand and say "no" as you are doing it.
  
• Say "yes" and "no" to them. It takes little time for them to know the difference, usually a baby will know about the time they begin getting into things! You say "no" remove the offending item and replace it with a "yes" item and they catch on.
• If you talk to them they will understand words like "shoe", "head", "hurt" etc and will be able to in some way express things. They other day my 13 month old granddaughter climbed on the couch (something that is allowed) and then hit her head on the wood between the windows. I did not see this, but she cried loudly as she hit and I ran to her. I hugged her and asked her what had happened. She took her head and put it against the wood between the window and bumped it. I then said "Oh, you klunked your head" and she shook it yes. I then held her and talked to her about the hurt. At13 months she also told me her shoes hurt her. I put on her sneakers and she put her hand on her toes and said "ahhhh soose" The "ah" was a hurt "ahhh". I took them off and thought her sock must be folded or something, fixed the socks and then put the back on. She complained some more and finally I looked inside and saw her toes were rubbing on the top of the shoe!
  
• Pay attention to them. So often we get to talking to our spouse or another child that talks and we do not hear that they are telling us something. It may be good, may be bad and may be a rebellious "no".

What do you do when they persist in the "No no's" or in tantrums?

Tantrums are to be ignored. Much of the time, if right from the beginning, you ignore it they will not last long. Sometimes you get a persistent one that when you leave the room they follow and throw it in the room you are in. Yeah, I had two like that! You just move to another room and continue to ignore it.

Two of my daughters would sit on the floor and spread their legs out and bang their head on the floor between their legs. I wanted to laugh at first! It was so funny, but they were persistent and followed us room to room as we ignored them. It stopped and all we did was not give them the attention they were trying to get.

The deliberate disobedience of doing something you are telling them "no" about is something different. To handle that it means being firm and being consistent. This is hard if you are like me, sometimes they are so cute or so funny, but it is important that you nip it as a baby.

How:

1. Tell them firmly
2. Remove their hand or the object
3. If they go back to it, repeat the procedure
   
4. What? They are still doing it? Believe it or not, they will! A tap on the butt with a very firm "no" is usually enough if it is started early enough. Remember, they have diapers on and you are not hitting hard, just the startling of the tap will usually stop it IF YOU START THEM YOUNG ENOUGH! (from experience, do not hit their hand. They will learn if you do not like what they are doing they can hit your hand!)
   

How young is young enough? When you can see that they are disobeying they are young enough for discipline.

God expects us to raise our children to be obedient and well behaved. Sin shows up young, very young, yet parents wait too late to start trying to deal with it. Nip it in the bud and it will not flower.