Flowers: We've Reached the Imagination Stage!

I'm grateful for good co-workers who say, "Don't you have your camera or phone handy?"
And I'm grateful my phone was in my pocket!

Today at recess Natalee took this 3 little pots and filled them with sand.  She's done this lots of times before and she lines them up on the bench.  Then she usually leaves them and hustles off to do something else.  

Today, however, she went and found 3 rocks and planted her "seeds" deep in her pots.  Then she stood still and looked and looked and looked the playground over with her eyes until she spotted a patch of dandelions.  She hustled off to pick some and came back and declared, "My flowers grew really fast!" 

And there you have her perfect little flower pots.  I'm so pleased that we've entered the imagination stage (FINALLY) and I'm excited to see these little developmental hills be climbed.  Now our weekend task is to find a way to let this girlie plant something real.  Time to dig out the pots, get some dirt and get our hands messy!  Weekend project!!

My Little Man

Sometimes I worry that in the sensory smart shuffle of life here at the Beeler house the little man gets lost in the ebb & flow.  The good news is he's too cute and too sweet for me to let that happen.  What I'm realizing is that the sensory smart/more natural lifestyle can be for everyone.  All of us.  And that includes Xavier. 
He is thriving from techniques I've picked up from school, from research, from friends...
We've started "cheering" at the table for brave eaters and Xavier has begun eating 'most' nights.  The other night he even ate all his broccoli. :)

He's doing well with herbal remedies for different little ailments too (cold, allergies, constipation, etc) and I think our diet changes were for the good of everyone so they'll be staying and more changes will be continual!

However...
I'm also realizing Xavier is his own person.  While Natalee (and I) like routine, structure, and repetition, Xavier doesn't mind flying by the seat of his pants.  He's happy to go along, excited when someone stops by, ready to try something new.  He is bashful and flirtatious--recently started "shying" away from people (which we are working on...I don't want him to be the child that hides behind his mother's skirts...if I wore a skirt that is).  He is also brave, ornery, and has wild ideas that Mike & I have never faced before.

So while we're trying to be sensory smart here at the Beeler house we're also giving due diligence to making sure we don't squash the spunky yet lovey little boy that Xavier's turning out to be.  We feed his sensory integration with messes, experiences, opportunities, and invitations...same as Natalee except completely different.  Ha...make sense of that.  It makes sense in my head!

We're so blessed...God knew Xavier was exactly the companion Natalee would need and vice versa.  He shows us how simple life can be sometimes.  He can leave the house, not knowing where we're going, with 1 little car in his pocket and be perfectly content.  The joy of not needing to plan ahead...
My son....

Just a Monday

Today was just a Monday.
Another average day.
Except...it wasn't.

Natalee had a fabulous day today.  Really fabulous.  These days like this are few and far between.
Today sensory processing disorder didn't exist.
Today the routine went flawlessly.
Today there were no meltdowns.
Today I said, "I'm so proud of you!" probably 20 or more times because of great behavior that most people take for granted.
Today we had great conversations.
Today she used her imagination.
Today she was a great example for her baby brother to whom she is an idol and his behavior was also exceptional.

What's the difference in today from yesterday or the day before?
I wish I could put my finger on it.

Because today, I wanted to hold her a little longer and say, "Don't leave me sweet girl.  I know this real you is in there everyday fighting to get out to me."

But I didn't.

Instead at bedtime I rocked her and told her I loved her.  We read stories.  And she said, "It's a really good day today, Mama."

So I said, "Yes, it is a super good day today Natalee...just remember that Mama loves you everyday no matter what.  But when you work hard to have self-control and remember to be kind and gentle then that makes it the best day."

I know she works hard.  Some days it shows more than others but I know everyday the things that other children do easily Natalee does with some increased degree of difficulty.  I pray that our super good days increase...that I can keep helping her find the right combination of herbals, behavior modification, diet, love and support to want to fight the hard fight instead of give in.  Because...well, she's worth it.

  

Homemade Scensty

The cheapskate me and my stand against having so many petroleum based products in my home led me to wanting a way to still use my Scentsy warmers without using the Scentsy brand petroleum bricks.  Thanks to Pinterest and a little trial of my own, I've got it.

1 Tablespoon grated beeswax
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
10 (or so) drops of your favorite essential oil or a combination of two
-can also use extracts (vanilla extract for example) and spices (cinnamon, ginger, etc).

I've got lemon essential oil burning right now...renewing!  Love it!  This concoction isn't as "powerful" as the scentsy bricks but it definitely works and when I had it burning the night I had Bunco at my house I had 2-3 of the 12 present comment & want to know which scent I was burning (peppermint oil & vanilla extract that night).

This is my small warmer in the downstairs bathroom.  For the large warmer I just double the beeswax and coconut oil.  If you'll remember, those 2 ingredients were also used in my homemade lotion that I bought when my friend and I went whole foods/organic shopping so I already had them on hand.  Score!

The New and Improved Butter Keeper

Love, support and encouragement comes in many forms. 

Introducing......

The best butter keeper!

Before I bought my first Butter Keeper my mom had ordered me one, unbeknownst to me.  She was going to surprise me...but of course I jumped the gun by finding one at the Dutchman.  However, after using them both, I've dubbed the one from mom the Best Butter Keeper.  I like it because it has the spot for the water underneath that I can refill every couple of days to keep the butter fresh but I don't have to cram the butter up into a small circle hole...it gets to remain in it's whole "stick" form.  Easier, less mess, tidier.  And every time I look at it, I'm reminded that, even though sometimes mom might think I'm a little extreme and nutso she supports me, and more importantly loves me enough to see a butter keeper and think of me. 

Becoming a Reality...the Logo

My sister over at the crafty cAve, has been instrumental in helping me make my dream a reality.  Technically, you don't have to have signs and cups and logos to have an in-home daycare/preschool, but it sure has made this all so much more 'REAL' to me...and enhanced my excitement that much more.  The name was mostly her creation, with the guidelines from me that I wanted it to go with a key memory verse for the children.  Last weekend, I took one of our old kitchen windows, painted it, she helped me sand it, and then we laid out my logo.  It's hanging right outside my front door for all the world to see!

I love it.  It's very eye catching.  If it weren't raining right now I'd hustle out and take a picture from my sidewalk so you could see how visible it is!  When I announced my decision to my Facebook friends, Andrea also surprised me with a new twirly straw tumbler.  I know my logo was a pain for her to put on the cup but she did it so well and so graciously. 

Thanks, crafty cAve for all your hard work!  You're helping me stay focused and sensory smart!

Coming soon I'll be posting on our home reorganization...how I got my husband to donate his prized DVD shelf for preschool supplies, cubbies, tables, and so much more!

It's Not a Box

This is one of my new favorite books...

Not a Box.  

It's great for talking with Natalee about the different things we can pretend a box to be.

Imagine my surprise when I sat down to read tonight and discovered my brand new book should be retitled

Not a Coloring Book!

 

My dear, sweet, responsible Natalee took our new book and wrote with her new Easter ink pens (thank you Grandma Num's goody bags) on almost every single page.  

 

Rather than recount the story I'll show you the inscription I wrote to her on the inside cover of the book tonight.

Natalee,

When I scolded you for writing in this book 2 big crocodile tears rolled down our cheeks and you said, "I was just writing you a message, Mama."

We had a long talk about where you should write messages (on paper!) and your punishment was to turn in your new pens and $4 of your Easter money to buy a new book.  

I didn't tell you this, but I am impressed with how you marked within the lines of the pictures. 

I love you and everyone makes mistakes, sweetheart.

Love,

Mama

April 10, 2012

From the first page...

to the last...

 She loved me enough to make herself sit down and painstakingly write me "messages" when:

A: writing is not her first love, nor is sitting still

B:  staying in the lines is a learned and difficult feat lately

and

C:  there were a lot of pages!

I'll put this book in her memory box and someday we'll laugh about it, and I'll remember the love of a child and hopefully she'll remember the sweet forgiveness and understanding of her mama.

Treasured Reflections!

Have I ever told you that behind every sensory smart mommy and sensory smart home is a sensory smart support group?  Mine includes our immediate and extended families and our circle of beloved friends and prayer warriors.  Treasured friends and family read our blogs and embrace our changes.  I notice because of little things - like butter on the table instead of only margarine, label reading for the benefit of my children, less sugary options for snacks and meals...so many things that make us feel loved.  I also notice for big things...like giant safety glass mirrors that have been hidden away for 20 years behind dressers. 
I have this idea that I want Mike to turn our train table into a conversion light table so that when we lift the train table boards there is a light table underneath.  Kind of like this...
and as part of that I wanted mirrors behind it so that the sensory experience was as heightened as it could possibly be.  I had made myself happy thinking that I'd eventually buy a few 8x10 sized mirrors and put them above the train table.  Until my in-laws brought over this....

A huge mirror the exact width of my train table.  How cool!?  My sister at the Crafty Cave made me a vinyl for it (Excuse the mess, our children are making memories.) and Micheal hung it up!  I LOVE it!  Not only did my in-laws have one giant mirror, they had two.  But one had quite a bit of water damage and the protective layer of sticky paper wouldn't come off.  It's actually the first one we tried to use and I was feeling discouraged until they said they had another. :)  So...they were getting ready to pitch the first one and I, in all my frugality, asked my father-in-law if he could cut the usable pieces up into 8x10 table top mirrors.  Sometimes I think he wants to sigh at me but he's a really good sport.  So he cut them up but the edges were still a little rough for me to comfortably give to children so instead of going to the work of sanding them down I edged them all in fun duck tape!  I am SO excited to use this in my little daycare/preschool for all kinds of fun things.  We can do play-doh on them, eat on them like place mats, write on them with window crayons/markers, etc.  The sensory experiences we will have with them!!!  Oh, my excitement!  It worked out perfectly because I'll have 6 little people and I have 7 tabletop mirrors.

Do you love them!?  I'd love to hear your ideas of how YOU would use these!

My Testimony

The sensory smart mommy has been absent from the world of blogger for a few weeks now.  I haven't abandoned you all (my few faithful followers).  I've been doing a lot of soul searching and praying over our new lifestyle and just how important it is to our family.  Let me back up...

A month ago our dear babysitter arrived home from a Nature's Sunshine conference in Hawaii and gave us her resignation.  It wasn't easy for her to give or for me to receive.  However, as I listened to her talk about the next phase in her life I felt a strange peace...the peace that only God can give.  I've long since prayed about staying home with my children.  I've been praying the same prayer since Natalee was 8 weeks old and I was preparing to go back to work: "Lord God, if it be your will for me to stay home with my children please lead me to that place.  Please let it be You and not me.  Please help me follow Your will and not mine.  But please be obvious because I'm sometimes thick-headed."  Well, the prayer has gone something like that over the last three years....maybe not those exact words but pretty close! 

When Lora Jean resigned she said, "what will you do?"  So, for some reason I spilled out my dream to her...to stay home with my children.  To resign from my "mission field" of teaching public school and do a little preschool/daycare in my home.  To work on growing my knowledge of herbals and natural living and to protect and teach my family as well as I can in the process. 
Mike wasn't with me and in fact worked late into the night after Lora Jean and I's discussion so after the children went to bed I settled down with my Bible and my thoughts and delved in.  Let me be clear...do I believe it's a sin to be a working mother?  Absolutely not.  I just feel like God has called me home at this point in my life.  But I also believe that everything that's led me to this point was part of His perfect and intricate plan: 

• Learning to be a teacher of special learners...being given a special learner for my own.
• Praying for and finding Lora Jean a mere week before school started in 2009...among other blessings, Lora Jean helping lead us to a more natural lifestyle.
• Working in the mission field of a public school for 4 years...deciding homeschooling might be a real option for our lifestyle.
• Having other family that also chooses natural foods and herbal remedies...not feeling like such an outcast and having other valuable resources to turn to.

So after an evening of praying and reading I went to bed pretty certain about what I was supposed to do.  Quit my job. *gulp*  How was I ever going to sell Mike?  Don't get me wrong...we've discussed this at length.  He's known my heart since I started praying this ^ prayer...he's prayed for me and our family in the same fashion.  But it's never been "time."  There are bills to pay and we've always had Lora Jean so the issue was never pressing.  But now....
So I texted a couple of my prayer warriors and asked them to pray specifically for Mike's response to finding out Lora Jean was resigning.  And when I told him in the van the next morning on the way to drop the children off he promptly said, "I guess this is the sign we've been waiting for that you should stay home with the kids."
Say what?  Again...the peace that passes understanding came right over me and I knew it was Him, not me.  So we committed to praying about it, and pray we did for 3 weeks.  We prayed hard when I got my contract and we realized I had to sign or resign by March 31st.  Mike had concerns...his biggest ones were Natalee's therapy services and how well I would get along without any adult interaction throughout the day.  I was flattered he was concerned about me.  Overall, the prayers of my heart prevailed though, and with great peace and excitement I resigned from my position as early childhood special education teacher. 

It's interesting to me how Christ can take all the uncertainty out of something that could be so scary, like walking away from my contracted job and does something wonderful.  Like this: 

 

Within days of my resignation He filled my 4 spots for my in home daycare and preschool.  He led me, the procrastinator, to complete an enrollment packet for my new clientele. He's piqued others interest in Nature's Sunshine products and is encouraging me to not sweep our herbal lifestyle under the rug but rather to speak boldly of it.  I know that Satan is on the prowl and ready to tromp on the joy that is happening in our home but we will certainly speak boldly AGAINST him and triumph the Lord through all that we do.  My excitement over our future is huge but I do see signs of Satan's presence.  My struggle to not buy every little thing I think I need right now (to start the preschool and to stock my herbal 'store'); the little uncertainty I've had over making the preschool fit well in our home....

but the Lord is prevailing through this all and sticking close to me so that I can work through this things.  So instead I'm making a yard sale list of things to keep my eyes out for this summer that I'd like for preschool...and Mike didn't flip out when I asked if we could put his treasured DVD collection in CD books and use the DVD shelf for preschool supplies (have I mentioned how awesome he's been about this?).  

So there you have my long and rambling testimony (did you expect anything but long and rambling?).  I'm excited to be back in the blogging world now that you all know my deep secret! :)  And excited to keep you up-to-date on how we make a sensory smart preschool/daycare work here in our little home full of love!