Back in the Saddle Again!

It feels like forever since I have written on my blog, and I have to say, I really really miss it.  For me blogging is almost like a support group where I can go and get my thoughts and feelings out on paper and then for some very strange reason post them here for all the world to read.  Strange but it is comfort to me to have a place where I can just write and be myself.

So I wanted to send this update on the Fam since I haven't written in a long time...

We have moved to OK...  it was interesting to move her, but I am really liking the area we moved to and we all have been settling in with new friends and groups.

KJ is in 2nd grade this year and yes we are still homeschooling!!  I feel so blessed to be continuing this journey with her and her education.  We actually bought curriculum this year and whoa what a difference it has made in my stress level!  I am LOVING it!

ET is now 19 months old and babbles just as much as his sister did at this age... he is going to be a talker!  He is picking up new words everyday and eats like there is no tomorrow... he must get that from Mr. D.

As for me and Mr. D.... well we are one year older and doing what we need to do to make our family function ;)  I have been forcing pinterest ideas on him since we bought our first house, and have so far painted almost every wall since moving in just a few months ago.  I have been continuing my photography business and also work as a teacher for a local dance studio.  Life is good and we are settling into our new routine of our lives here in OK.

So I hope to be writing more often than I have this past year... and get back to posting new recipes, sewing projects, homeschool resources and such!  Stay tuned!!!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T... what does it mean to you?

So this has been an article that I have been wanting to write for several months now, but I now finally have the time to write it!  The topic of respect seems like a common sense issue, like manners or being kind to one another... but as I look at the world around me I'm just floored by how LITTLE respect I am seeing.

A few months ago I was shopping at Target and as I was waiting in the check out lane, there was a family of 5 in front of me.  The husband and wife were having a disagreement of some kind and were getting kinda loud.  Their three kids were running amuck and being unruly, which I'm sure was adding to the parent's stress and aggression to each other.  Then the mom said something to her husband, that I was shocked came out of her mouth.

"Make your self useful and just go sit in the car... get out of my face so I don't have to deal with you."

YIKES!!!!  First I couldn't believe the disrespect that was just directed toward her husband and on top of that it was in front of all three kids!  As I left and was making my way to my car, I passed by the family again and they were still flinging insults at each other.

Now this was an isolated incident, but as I observe people more and more, the more I feel our society's level of human respect for each other has fallen.  Where are the ladies and gentlemen of yesteryears?  By being emotionally impulsive we are teaching the next generation how to disrespect other people and that this behavior is okay.

One thing I first loved about Mr. D was when we were dating he NEVER let me open the car door myself.  It was second nature for him to always come to my side first and let me in the car.  Now that we have two children we are both getting the kids in the car, but it was that first impression of being a total gentleman that was really attractive to me.  I think we as a society need to get back to the roots of 'Treat others how you want to be treated.'  We teach kids this important life lesson, but then turn around and show them how we don't respect other adults and even our family!  Actions always speak louder than words especially when it comes to kids.

So my challenge for all of you and including myself, is to constantly remind yourself of the golden rule.  Every hour of everyday before you speak or act ask yourself if you are being respectful.  This will make you a happier person and you WILL see changes in your children and family.  And just maybe we can bring back a more respectful society :)

Cloth Diapers.... A Year Later

You all know we did something new with baby ET and invested in cloth diapers instead of disposables.  Here is the blog I wrote about a year ago.... Click Here for Article.

So how are we liking them one year later?  Would we do it all over again?  YES!!!!  I have to say I was a little nervous in the beginning writing about the pros and cons of cloth diapers for the world to see, and then using them for the first time.  But I am very happy to report that we still love our cloth diapers and you couldn't pay me to go back to using disposables.

Horrible pic... but I don't have many of just him in his diapers... and yes it is purple :)

Now that we have it down to a science, let me explain our life with cloth diapers.  First we invested in 24 of the Bum Genius 4.0 snap diapers, two packs of flannel cloth wipes, a toilet poo sprayer, and a plastic garbage bin.  All of this ran us about $450 and that has been all I have spent on his diapers this entire year!  We love the savings of not having to buy disposables and wipes and more than that I love that all of those diapers are staying out of the landfills.  My favorite part of using cloth is how much ET loves them.  He has never had diaper rash with the cloth diapers and we only use water on the flannel cloth wipes so there are NO Chemicals touching his skin.

People always ask me about the work of cloth diapers, and to be honest it isn't much more work.  We wash the diapers ourselves in our washing machine about every three days.  I just think of it as one more load of laundry, and the benefits far out way that one extra load of laundry.  

If you or someone you know is thinking about cloth diapers and you have questions please feel free to contact me via email or my facebook page!  I love talking about our experience and supporting others in choosing cloth.  It can be overwhelming and scary at first, but you will love it in the end!

Hello Again.... We are back!

HELLO AGAIN!!!!!

I feel like I have been raised from the dead or something!  I have missed blogging this past year more than you know, but I am happy to tell you I am starting anew again and will hopefully find some time each day to get back to my blogging.

So what has been happening this past year?!?!

Well,  our little E.T. just turned 1 this past week and is an amazing little walking man.  He says mama, dada, ut oh, and a whole slew of baby gibberish.  He also signs milk, more, please, food, and water.  We are very proud of him.

We have also relocated.... and are now living in Oklahoma City.  It has been a big change for all of us, but we love being closer to our family and friends.

Mr. D jumping for joy in a nearby OKC park :)

We are still homeschooling Miss KJ in first grade and going strong.  

And we are currently looking for a house so I can unleash all of my pinterest ideas on it!  So that is what we have been doing.  I hope you missed me as much as I missed all of you and writing these blogs..... but rest assured.... I'm BACK!

Vote for ET!!!

Vote for E.T. in a baby contest!!!!!!!!!!

click here to vote

What's for Dinner Wednesdays!! - The Best Corn on the Cob EVER!

So maybe I'm the only one in the world who had no idea how to make amazing corn on the cob, and I'm ashamed to admit it, but I seriously had no clue you could make corn this way.

My mother always boiled corn on the cobs and they were good, but then we would go to a fair or carnival and they always had this amazing corn!!!!  Well, I now know how to make it and it is easier than boiling it!

First buy corn that is still in the stalks, it is usually cheaper and saves on plastic packaging :)

Put the corn on a cookie sheet and pop in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 mins..... THAT's IT!!!!!!!!

You can also grill it, but we don't have a grill :(

When you take it out of the oven cut the bottoms off and the stalk and all the silk threads come right off with no hassles.  Seriously super easy, I was shocked.

Now for the fun fair corn......

This is the list of things to put on your corn to make it exactly like the fair:

Butter

Mayo

Salt

Parmesan cheese

Paprika or chili powder (I use paprika since I don't like spicy)

Back in Session!!!! First day of 1st Grade

Today the Nguyen Nguyen Academy is back in session starting with KJ's first day of 1st grade.  After a full month of traveling we have lots to write about in the coming months but today is all about our first day back at school.

KJ at our front door with an empty backpack on :)

We started today with cinnamon rolls for a special back to school breakfast.

After our pledges, prayer, and the weather report (we do these everyday), we got started on our Bible studies.  This month we are working on memorizing the Lord's Prayer.  

KJ looking up Matthew in her Bible.

We moved on to a worksheet helping KJ memorize our address and phone numbers.  I was proud that she already knew my cell phone number by heart.

Our Town worksheet

 This week we are focusing a lot on Kindergarten review.  Today working on writing our letters and sounds, and in math we worked on counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s.  Then we did an even and odd number activity on the board.

Reviewing our ABC's

Last we started our Biology study on the Human Body.  This week we are working on how to keep our bodies healthy and what every human body needs to be healthy.  Here KJ came up with three ways she kept her body healthy today.

Our Healthy Bodies workbook

We ended our school day with a journal entry about our first day of school.  KJ was asked to write one sentence about her day and then draw a picture.  She wrote "I love school" and drew a picture of her sitting at her desk learning.

So in all it was a great first day for the both of us.  This year we are doing a few things differently.  One thing that I really think will benefit us the use of a timer.  KJ is used to taking her sweet ol' time to do anything, and if I let her she would take two hours to write a sentence.  So I found a free online timer click here for online timer

and we now use it for each worksheet so she has enough time to do it, but it doesn't drag on for hours!  Also if she doesn't finish it, it is her responsibility to finish it later after school, and make sure it gets back in her folder before bedtime.  I felt she could be a little more responsible for her work and her time.  We have also started 'grading' her worksheets this year.  Last year she was only graded on assessments, but we found she really liked getting the grades as motivation to do really well on her work.  So, today she turned in her work and I graded it and gave out stickers for good work.

Homeschooling is always a work in progress and I'm sure more things will continue to change every month and every year.  That is the fun of tailoring education to your child!!!

Happy start of school for everyone out there, we hope your first day is as Blessed as ours was.