Raising Godly Tomatoes now in print!

The first copies of this softcover book are now shipping. Click here to order OR  WIN A FREE COPY HERE!!!

 I ordered my book a while back and it is wonderful!!! I used to have a binder that I kept with all of Elizabeth's articles printed out. Now we can have all of this wonderful information, this wisdom on child rearing that Elisabeth has passed onto to us in one compact BOOK!

I can not tell you how excited I was when I found out she was finally making her book. If I could buy a thousand books I would give one to every parent I know, the wisdom she so graciously shares with us from her own experiences as a mother of 10 is invaluable!!!

Best of all it works!!! I always tell folks that buy my binder , the binder wont work for you unless you work the binder! In the same way you must teach/train consistently in order for it to work!

I truly believe in my heart that this is exactly the way the Lord intended for the family to work, to teach, train and raise our children... close to us and with us!

Elisabeth is donating a copy of her new book to one of you lovely mothers, all you have to do is spread the word!!! If you would like to be entered to win a copy of this wonderful book there are 3 things you must do!

1. Post about Elizabeth's new book, "Raising Godly Tomatoes"
2. Link folks back to this post so they too can read about her new book and enter to win! You may use the graphic below by "LEFT" clicking on it then saving it to your computer!
3. Leave a comment here on this post letting me know you posted about the new book!

Its that easy, as easy as 1, 2 ,3!

I will pick a winner on  January 8th! This book would be a fabulous way for any mother to start off the New Year!

To learn a bit more about RGT, please read below!

 

To think there was a time when I was actually afraid to tell family and friends that we were expecting yet again is just bizarre to me now. To think there were a handful of people that thought we were off our rockers and that the pregnancy was a mistake is so sad. I remember telling a friend I wanted lotsa babies when Micah was born (it took us 6 years of trying before Micah came) her response was “Ya just wait till you have another one, you wont feel the same way", or even now (as if I don’t struggle already) I have had folks say ”Just wait till they are older, this is the easy part!” I think its sad and I beleive they have missed the bigger picture. Who will I beleive, the lie or the truth? GOD says that if I raise them up in his ways they will be a blessing and not bring me to shame!

Proverbs 29:15, The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left [to himself] bringeth his mother to shame.

Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go and, when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Proverbs 29:17, Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.

Proverbs 17:21, He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.

They are all blessings, then, now and always!!! So here we are 6 years later with our 4^th blessing, our Little Prince!

The Lord is sooo good!! Look at the blessing he has bestowed upon us, we are so unworthy and forever grateful for this precious, beautiful baby boy that fills our hearts with such JOY!! My heart is soooo full with my 4 boys and this little baby is just the icing on the cake. You would think it was just yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital the way we all swarm him. The boys cant wait for him to wake in the morning so they can get some lovin and they call for him from their beds at night to get a good night hug and kiss as well. Its impossible to be down or in a “bad mood” with this little guy, his smiles are contagious and to see his little face light up when Mama walks in the room is more then I have ever wanted, hoped for or dreamed of! Noah reminds me (often) of my other 3 when they were this age and it brings such joy to my heart to see who they are now and the little people they are becoming. I look at Noah and try to make every single moment last, I put chores down must faster to spend time with this little one then I did the others for I have learned 3 times over just how quick this time with my baby will pass me by and my heart already hurts at the thought. I don’t know if Noah is my last and I pray that he is not, nonetheless I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I will miss this season in  my life, the time of nursing, mothering and cuddling with little ones  more then any other time! As hard as it can be, as frustrating as this time can get and as tired and sleep deprived as I am I love being a Mother of littles! I love watching my little arrows walking in a line holding hands; I watch them and thank the good Lord for making me their Mama!

Our Little Prince is now just over 4 mos old and learning and growing more everyday!

A homeschool day in the life of Noah! We always get asked "What do you do with the baby while homeschooling", well let me count the ways via pics!!! I must admit he is a very easy baby and content just as long as he can see us and we talk to him  During lessons with the boys he can be found at any of the below places (except the changing table)

He likes to sleep in the  sling too, like a little sausage.

This is where we spend lots of time,  changing diapers, singing songs, playing and kissing toes etc.. the changing table

I bath him every night at 8pm, nurse him and off to dreamland he goes.

 

I wont post much this weekend as it’s going to be a busy one with Mothers Day and all. Troy is taking us (My mother, his mother and I plus all the boys and Troy’s Dad) out to eat at one of my favorite restaurants "Ralph and Kakoos" with the BEST Seafood ! It should be fun.

I pray all of you mothers have a very blessed day with your hubbies and most of all your children!! May they lavish you with all the love, affection and time you so graciously give them everyday!

 I leave you with a quote and a poem...

 

"Daughters of God know that it is the nurturing nature of women that can bring everlasting blessings, and they live to cultivate this divine attribute." They understand what Elder Neal A. Maxwell meant when he said: "When the real history of mankind is fully disclosed, will it feature the echoes of gunfire or the shaping sound of lullabies? The great armistices made by military men or the peacemaking of women in homes and in neighborhoods? Will what happened in cradles and kitchens prove to be more controlling than what happened in congresses?"

 

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator,
and I wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you feed a stray cat,
and I thought it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you make my favorite cake for me,
and I knew that little things are special things.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I heard you say a prayer,
and I believed there is a God I could always talk to.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I felt you kiss me goodnight,
and I felt loved.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw tears come from your eyes,
and I learned that sometimes things hurt,
but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw that you cared,
and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I looked . . . and wanted to say thanks
for all the things I saw
When you thought I wasn't looking.

Author Unknown

 Hugs & Blessings,

Tiany

Chores, do your children do them? Do they do them with a smile on their face? Mine usually do and still I wish I had started them sooner, when they really wanted to help and thought it was more fun to do chores then to play, go outside or watch a show on TV. I only started my boys with chores last year and they are very good about there chores and do them daily. They pretty much know what’s expected of them at this point and do their chores with out question or complaining. We did have to go through the “Your a part of this family “ talk though. If you’re a part of this family then it is only fair that you help out and do what you can to make the home run smoothly and peacefully! Mama cant, wont, couldn’t and shouldn’t have to do it all! There are great lessons in giving children chores!  So though at times it may take longer, might not come out as clean or as pretty as if mama would have done it, these little boys are learning how to work around the house (with a smile on there face). About 10 years ago I dreamed of a house full of girls and boys, the boys would be thought to do Men’s work and the girls would be taught to do the ladies work but that flew out the window two babies ago! These boys are gonna be the best husbands any woman could ever hope or pray for, so all you ladies with little girls get in line and start praying!!!  My boys will easily be able to run the household without skipping a beat when their wives are pregnant have a new baby or are ill. They will be able to keep house, cook the food, take care of babies and “Bring home the bacon” when necessary!!

Here is a list of what the boys do now around the home on a regular basis … (Incase your wondering, they are very used to seeing Mama with a camera in hand)

Micah age 6

Micah folding clothes in his "Peter Pan" costume!

• Assists Mama with Brothers, Change wet diapers and help younger brothers get dressed (he looooooves to do this and actually asks if he can)
• Table chores (set table, clean area where he ate, put away plate, vacuum kitchen floor)
• Sort & Fold laundry
• Empty dishwasher
• Clean windows
• Vacuum house
• Dust
• Takes care of Kody (feeds, baths and walks her)
• Pick up, clean his toys and help Ashton to pick up also.
• Make bed
• Helps in yard, pulls weeds or waters

Dominick Age 4

• Assist Mama with Ashton
• Table chores (set table, clean area where he ate, put away plate, pull out chairs for Micah to vacuum)
• Sort & Fold laundry (Towels, Bibs and underwear)
• Empty dishwasher (children’s plastic plates, bowls and cups)
• Clean windows
• Collects bathroom/ rooms garbage
• Pick up, clean his toys and help Ashton to pick up also
• Make bed
• Helps in yard, pulls weeds or waters

Ashton Age 2

Ashton helping out Dominick

• Assist brothers in all chores when able
• Assist Mama with Noah
• Pick up toys
• Put his laundry away
• Get dressed
• Clean windows (with water, each boy has his own bottle with water or cleaner in it)
• Clean up spilled messes
• Put away his plate or give plate to mama
• Dust with socks on hands.

Those are the few I can remember off the top of my head.

We have a magnetic “Responsibility Chart” that incorporates our chores.

On our chart we have the following…

Get dressed (They must get dressed first thing in the morning before leaving bedroom)

Brush teeth (after breakfast they brush teeth and groom)

Lessons (try their best with a good attitude)

Chores (try their best with a good attitude)

Clean Up (if you take it out put it back)

No teasing (this is a problem around here with 3 boys)

No whining (also still a problem)

Bedtime routine (put on PJ’s, floss, brush teeth, mouthwash, potty, read 3 stories and off to bed!)

Some of the above is on our “House rules” posted on the fridge too J Lots of repetition so that they “get it” J

I am currently in the process of figuring out if I want to incorporate “Rewards & Consequences” to go along with our chores and house rules. I like what I saw HERE but I think I can come up with one on my own. Im not sure if we want to give allowance because we feel chores are just a part of being a part of the family, I do like the idea of rewarding good behavior or when they go the extra mile to help out on their own.

Im just not sure, I will keep tossing it around in my head.

So what works for you? Do you reward??? Do you use scripture like Door Posts “If Then Chart”?

P.S.  maybe they dont ALWAYS have a smile on thier face...

A not so happy Dominick when told to clean his room.

  

It is such a beautiful day here, the weather is amazing, too bad my allergies don’t let me enjoy it much L The boys are all out with “Papa” and “Papi” (Troy’s dad) trying to fix our very clogged kitchen sink! Its so cute to see the boys trying to help and act like little men. Even more special for Mama is watching these three boys help their father and there grandfather! What a blessing to have a Faithful grandfather who fervently prays for them and loves them with the love of Christ!

Troy’s Dad just glows every time he sees them and when we have a new baby in the house he comes around every chance he gets!  He has such patients with them and is a wonderful encourager for me as a mother. He agrees with everything we do for our boys and appreciates that I want to be home with them. A rarity these days! He also understand there are days when I feel like throwing in the towel because I will usually call him and he brings me back to reality and reminds me to keep the Lord close and have the mind of Christ! 

In the hustle and bustle of our days we so often forget what is most important and allow our "feelings" or lack of to dictate our actions. I often have to stop myself in my tracks and quickly remind myself of my mission as a mother. Have you read the book “The Mission Of Motherhood”? It is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it! (I have read it several times) I challenge us all to take our days one moment at a time, practice the good fruits and make them a habit! The feeling of fulfillment, accomplishment in a day that has gone well and was full of love, peace and patients is so much better then the feelings and thoughts of regret, shame, disappointment and sorrow when we choose to make the wrong decisions and go it alone. There are really only two paths to take each day. We either choose to walk hand in hand with our Heavenly Father or choose to go it alone. My prayer is that I will keep my Lord close throughout my day and that “We” can take on the challenges of the day together!