Slumdog Millionaire

For Valentine's Day, Josh took me to see Slumdog Millionaire. I don't recommend many movies on this site, but I would recommend this one. It's a bit heavy and I wouldn't take children to see it, but the acting is amazing. The soundtrack is amazing. The cinematography is amazing. And, besides all that, it's just a great story. Seriously. . . you should go see it.

The basics of our Faith

When I was growing up, I had never heard of protestants going to catechism. As far as I knew, whatever it was, it was something Catholics did. Then when I was in junior high, my friend, Lisa, invited me to go with her to her catechism class at the Turlock Covenant Church. It sounded so mysterious that I couldn't wait to go with her to find out what it was. I was awfully surprised when it turned out to be totally normal. We played games and sang songs and then her pastor came in and taught us the answer to a question about Christianity. I couldn't figure out what the catechism part of "going to catechism" was.

I eventually learned that Catechism isn't just a Catholic thing and it isn't mysterious at all. It is a way of teaching the principal tenets of the Christian faith using questions and answers. And, kids are particularly good at learning this way. But, don't assume kids are the only ones who can learn this stuff. I'm learning right along with Caleb as we go through the Small Children's Catechism.



Someone is going to fill our kids' minds with something; why not let it be us, their parents, filling them with God's Word and easy to understand summaries of the things we believe are True. Obviously, memorizing the answers to the questions is just a start. It's our kids' hearts that matter. The ultimate goal is to lead our children to Christ!

If you aren't sure how to catechize, or you want to add some fun into it, I'd recommend Dana Dirksen's Questions with Answers series. They are songs taken from the Westminster Shorter Catechism. I have found that songs are one of the easiest ways for me to memorize, so I have really been enjoying the cd we downloaded from iTunes. Check her out and let me know what you think.

Parenting Book Recommendations

Jen recently asked me where I learned about the idea of Chair Time. I remember that I read about it in several books, but I was devouring those kind of books for a while and I really don't remember. To add to the fact that my brain now functions at half-speed thanks to the two little bundles of joy I call children, I also moved from CA to Singapore since reading those books and they are packed in a box somewhere. What I do remember is several conversations with mothers of large families (like Heather and Kendra) who recommended training Caleb to play quietly for extended periods of time. I'm very thankful to have wise friends and family that I can learn from.

While I don't remember which books introduced the idea of chair time/quiet play, I do remember a few of the books which stood out to me as particularly insightful or helpful:

Shepherding a Child's Heart by Ted Tripp
The Most Important Place on Earth by Robert Wolgemuth
Your Child's Profession of Faith by Dennis Gundersen (not what you're expecting)
Parenting in the Pew by Robbie Castleman
Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas
The Mother at Home by Rev. John S.C. Abbott

As with any book, I recommend that you read with discernment and judge everything by the standard of Scripture. And, keep in mind that not every great idea works in every family. Just because something worked well for so-and-so, doesn't mean you should feel guilty if your family looks completely different (I am reminding myself!) Even if you only implement one or two ideas out of a thousand, it's good to hear from others who are further down the path.

Now it's your turn. . . Aside from the Bible, the best source of wisdom, which books/blogs would you recommend for parenting wisdom?

Two Great Two-Player Games

I don't know if any of you have run into the same dilemma that Josh and I have: most of our favorite board games become absolute drudgery to play with only two players (which poses a significant problem for us since most of our friends live on another continent). Thankfully, Josh and I have discovered two great two-player games that have kept us entertained on many an evening when either the weather, our budget or our sleeping boy has kept us confined to the dining room table.


Solution 1: Lost Cities
This easy-to-learn-easy-to-play game has been a favorite of ours for 3 years now. On average, I would say we pull this game out at least 4-5 times a month. The great thing about this game is you can play as many rounds as you want so if 15-minutes is all you have, you can still play, but if you want to kill an two hours, you can get some good competition going. We like this game so much that two Christmases ago, we gave it to just about every game-loving couple we know (and based on their feedback, it is as popular with them as it is with us)

Solution 2: Catan Card Game
Despite the similar name, this game is completely different than Settlers of Catan (which is one of those favorite-group-games-turned-two-player-drudgery). Josh bought me Catan Card Game for my birthday a few weeks ago, so it is a recent discover but it's already a favorite. Unlike Lost Cities, this game requires at least 90 minutes. However, the time will fly by because this game is full of strategy, competition and good old fashioned sabotage.

So, here is the deal. . . for about 50 bucks you can take your date out on ONE fast food dinner & a mediocre movie date-- OR-- you can buy these two awesome games and have an UNLIMITED fun. =) For those math lovers out there, the answer is obvious: 1 < ∞

If you have any you have any other favorite two-player board/card games, let me know. I imagine we'll be spending even more evenings at home once Kid#2 arrives.

A Reader's Dozen

I am convinced that board books are one of the best inventions known to mothers of toddlers. In addition to all the wonderful benefits of reading together, Caleb can keep himself busy for hours (literally!)a day "reading" his board books. We keep a basket full of board books in the living room and the bottom two shelves of the book shelf are full of board books. He loves to run to the bookshelf, hunt for a favorite book and the bring it out to the carpet to "read". I love that I don't have to worry about whether or not he is destroying the books, since board books are virtually indestructible. (They are not, however, immune from being thrown away by well-meaning toddlers who are trying to "help". . . we recently lost a favorite, My Truck is Stuck!, this way.)

Here is a list of a dozen of the most popular board books in our house:

1. Barnyard Dance! by Sandra Boyton: This book is pure fun. I usually sing-song the words and Caleb dances. The only thing I hear at the end of this book is "MORE!"
2. Chugga Chugga Choo Choo by Kevin Lewis: This is a very rhythmic book that is perfect for reading aloud. Caleb loves saying the "whooo whooo" every time we get to that part. The pictures are great, too-- perfect for pointing out familiar items.
3. Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell: This lift-the-flap book is adorable. Caleb makes all the animal noises, my favorite being the spitting camel. This book is worth owning, if for no other reason than seeing your little one impersonate a camel!
4. Find the Puppy by Felicity Brooks: This book is part of a series called Usborne Find-Its. This is the only one we own, but I'm sure we'd love all of them. If you're looking for intense plot, this isn't the book for you. The words and drawings are simple, but Caleb loves pointing out the puppy on each page. The simplicity is what makes the book work.
5. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown: Okay, this book is famous and it's everyone's favorite, but there is a good reason. . . this book is the perfect quiet-down-get-sleepy book. I don't know what makes this book so magical, it just is. Take my word (and everyone else's) for it!
   
6. My Big Animal Book by Roger Priddy: It's not the words (take 'em or leave 'em. . . we usually leave 'em) that make this book a favorite; it is the big, colorful pictures. Caleb absolutely loves to sit with this book and stare at all the different animals. This book is one of the better ones for learning animal names and sounds because it uses real photographs. This is a great chair-time book.
   
7. My Little People Farm Book by Doris Tomaselli: This lift-the-flap book makes it onto the list because it's a perfect choice when you don't actually want to read. Caleb often crawls up into my lap to read when I'm trying to do something else (like read a "big-people" book or pay bills or check email). I don't like to turn him down, but it isn't always convenient or possible to drop what I'm doing. That's where this book comes in. Each page is loaded with tiny little flaps that keep those little hands enthralled. I can usually provide enough sound effects and object names to make him feel like I'm engaged, without having to completely drop what I'm doing.
8. One Bear, One Dog by Paul Stickland: We love this book. The pictures are great and the surprise ending (not so surprising to anyone who can rhyme worth beans) gets Caleb every time. The last character to make an appearance (warning: spoiler alert!!) is "ME!" (a little mirror on the last page). I don't know when or how it started, but Caleb loves to give himself a kiss in the mirror each time we get to the last page. This book has been Caleb's favorite since he was about 4 months old and he shows no sign of losing interest. Like all kids, I think he tends to be a bit narcissistic =)
   
9. Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt: I know we're not the first to list this book as a favorite, but it is still a favorite nonetheless. My two complaints with this book are that the traditional comb binding tends to fall apart and "Judy's Book" is way too easy for little boys (and girls, too, I'm sure) to tear out when their Mommy isn't looking. I did see that this is available in a board book, which I think I would prefer. But, despite the drawbacks, this simple activity/skill book is great. When we first started reading this book, I had to take Caleb's hand and help him with all the activities. It has been fun to watch his skills grow over the last 18-months. Now he does all the activities on his own, usually before I can even finish reading the page.
10. That's Not My Train by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells: This touchy-feely book is great for little fingers to explore. Caleb also enjoys finding the tiny mouse on each page. Whoever came up with this idea (Fiona and Rachel, presumably) hit on a winner. There is a whole series of these books and each of the ones I've seen are great.
11. That's Not My Truck by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells: Ditto the previous book's review
12. Who Says Quack? by Jerry Smith: This little book is the perfect size for throwing in the diaper bag and pulling out when needed (on the bus, in the doctor's waiting room, etc). Caleb loves the real pictures and his animal imitations crack me up, especially the donkey. I love the pictures, too, because the baby animals are very cute. . . almost as cute as the kid to whom I read =)

Of course, there are many, many other favorites around here, but I limited myself to 12. Whenever possible, I buy the board book binding. . . it's usually cheaper (believe it or not) and it allows Caleb to enjoy his books without his paranoid mother hovering nearby to make sure he doesn't rip the pages. We do read a lot of "regular" books, as well, and I am teaching him how treat books properly, but it'll be a long while before that skill is totally mastered. Until then, board books are a great way to encourage him to "read" on his own.

A blatant plug

I'm not even going to bother being subtle about this. . . this is an advertisement.

My long-time friend (we went to high school and college together) Sarah Stranske, sent me a surprise care-package about two weeks ago. Alongside the fresh corn tortillas, flour tortillas and Mexican spice mixes (all of which were a sight for sore eyes! I'll post pictures of the resulting meals on our other blog), she enclosed a book entitled A Stranger With You. What's so noteworthy about that, you ask. Well, Sarah wrote it! Yep, a full-blown, 350-page, legitimately published novel. And, not just any novel, a good one.

I am in awe that someone I know is a published author. It is so cool to go to Amazon.com and type in my friend's name. After reading her novel, I momentarily felt inspired to write a book, too! Then I realized that I don't have any idea what I'd write about, and even if I did, I wouldn't have time to write about whatever it is I would write about (As the more observant of you have already noted, my blogging, commenting, and even emailing have greatly declined in the last few months). So instead of writing a book, I decided to write a blog post. That will have to suffice for now.

Whether or not you know Sarah (but especially if you do), I would recommend you check this book out. Of course, I'm hoping my friend makes a decent profit off the sales of her book, but more than that, I think the novel is worth reading.

I'll make it easy for you. . . here is the link to Amazon =)

Recent Reads

There are a few perks to being in a foreign country, sans internet and telephone. One of the best is the time it affords one to read, read and read some more. Over the last two weeks (in addition to spending numerous hours on the bus exploring the City), I have managed to cross off 5 books on my To-Read list.

Yvette loaned me Without Reservations by Alice Steinbach just before we left the US. I figured that nothing could be more apropos for a long flight than a travel log. Alas, a certain wiggly (albeit, very cute) boy kept me from getting any reading done on the 20 hour flight. And, since the first 10 days after arriving in Singapore were hectic as Josh, Caleb and I raced all over the city to find basic items like sheets and milk, I put aside the thought of getting any reading done. Life demanded my attention; the book would have to wait.

On one of our many excursions during that first week, Josh and I located the only decent-sized bookstore on the island, Borders on Orchard Road. He perused the computer section whilst (I have decided to adopt this whimsical, British version of "while" since that is what the Singaporeans use) I admired their beautiful display of award-winning literature. Josh bought a textbook on teaching HTML, I bought The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, the first novel written in English by an Afghan. Since we have friends who will be moving their family to Afghanistan the end of this month, I was drawn to the book.

Now I had two books calling my name and no time to read either. Pure torture!

Thankfully, life quickly settled into a routine. Josh started new teacher orientation, Caleb started napping and I started reading.

I decided to start with the first book first and then move on to my most recent purchase. The only other travel log author I'd read was Bill Bryson, whose hilarious take on England in Notes from a Small Island had me in stitches, so I wasn't sure what to expect from this more serious-looking book about one woman's travels through Europe. What I found surprised me. Ms. Steinbach, so full of memories, insight and humor, was an excellent travel companion. I loved her vivid imagery and frequent allusions to literature and art. And, I loved the places she wrote about: Paris, Rome, Oxford. By the end of the book, I wasn't ready to be done with my vicarious travels, so I did two things. . . started reading about Afghanistan and planned another trek across Singapore to see if I could find Steinbach's second book, Educating Alice. By the time we made it to Borders a day later, I had already devoured (the only appropriate word for how I read this book) The Kite Runner and had expanded my shopping list to include Hosseini's second book, A Thousand Splendid Suns, as well.

The Kite Runner, Hosseini's first book, was gripping. He is an amazing storyteller. Actually, more than a storyteller. . . his historical and political documentation of Afghanistan's past 35 year turmoil was fascinating. I appreciated the skill with which Hosseini wove fact and fiction together to create a heart-wrenching story about two Afghan boys who, although fictional, were surrounded by concrete information about Afghan culture, Afghan politics, and Islam. Although I would highly recommend The Kite Runner for both it's literary merit and it's insight into Afghanistan, you should be aware that Hosseini deals with some very disturbing material. I felt that he handled it very tactfully, however war and the human heart are evil, and to read about evil is disturbing. There is simply no getting around it.

While I would highly recommend Hosseini's first book, I wasn't as sold on his second. Perhaps it was because I read it right on the heels of his first, or perhaps it was because it just wasn't as good. I think that a large part of my detached feeling toward this book was the shift in perspective. In The Kite Runner the story is told in first person, making the character come to life. In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Hosseini used the third person, with shifts of focus between two central characters. I didn't care for the style.

Where Hosseini's second book disappointed, Steinbach's book made up for it. I loved her first book. I absolutely adored her second. By the end of her second book, I was literally laughing out loud. Not because she is a comedian but because her commentary on the places she visits is so true! And because her commentary on herself is so honest! Read it and you'll find out what I mean. I am quite certain that nearly all of the people who read this blog would enjoy her wit and forthright style. Actually, as I have been reading this book, a certain dear friend of mine (Christianne!) kept coming to mind. Even if the rest of you ignore this recommendation, I do hope that my curly-haired friend in Florida will stop by the library to get a copy of each of her books.

In addition to the aforementioned, I also finished Bringing Up Boys by Dr. Dobson, but I think I've already said way too much in this post. Since a large part of this blog is devoted to Christian Mothering, I think I'll spare you a detailed review of this book and simply say this: The book was good.

My literary friend

My friend, Christianne, was recently published in a Christian Magazine. I thought her article was excellent and thought provoking. Check it out.

Shepherding a Child's Heart

A dear friend from high school and college, Sarah, sent us a gift several weeks before Caleb was born. In it were two very thoughtful gifts. . . a hand made quilt (which was quite a feat considering she's living in Germany right now and has limited access to fabric since quilting isn't popular over there) and a parenting book by Tedd Tripp entitled Shepherding a Child's Heart.

In the busyness of the first few months of motherhood, I forgot about the book. However, about 3 weeks ago, I discovered it in my nightstand and started reading it. I was tempted to gobble it up, as the content was so engaging, however, I forced myself to take it slowly, so that I could absorb its godly, biblical perspective.

Tripp does an excellent job of focusing on the main goal of Christian parenting, namely the goal of training up children to fulfill their God-given purpose in life which is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. It is more than just behavior modification, more than just bringing up well-mannered, moral, "good" kids. Christian parenting is about bringing our children to an understanding of their deep need for Christ. It is about helping them learn how to humble themselves before an awesome, almighty God and to embrace His grace and mercy in their lives, through training and example. It is about teaching them to love God and serve others with joyful hearts.

And, it is a task that cannot be accomplished without the intervening grace of God. There is no fool-proof formula. It is a matter of daily dependence upon Christ. It is about kneeling WITH our children at the foot of the cross and pleading for mercy.

Friendship is like Sushi

A good friend is like sushi. . . weird and yet somehow really cool.

Speaking of sushi and friends, my weird and yet super cool friend, Yvette, took me out for really delicious sushi last Friday. She took the day off work to hang out with me. We went for a walk, shopped for pants and then went out to lunch at a local sushi place. I've had sushi before but I will admit that this was far-and-away the best sushi I've ever eaten. Not only was the sushi delicious, but the atmosphere was awesome. It was Japanese chic (I made that up, but you can imagine what I mean. . . sleek, hip and Asian). Very cool.

Everything about the day was a treat. It was a treat to hang out with Yvette. It was a treat to find a pair of pants that fit. And, it was a treat to load up on wasabi.

If you're ever in town and looking for a good sushi restaurant, let me know. I know just where to send you!

Christmas Gift Idea

Caleb is a bit young for this, but for those of you with slightly older kids, I thought I'd post this cool piggy bank. I love the simplicity of this and the fact that their money is visible, especially for preschool-aged kids. What a fun way to teach good stewardship.

You can find them at the Money Savvy Generation site for only $20.

Gentle Birth Formula

I've had several of you ask me about the herbal supplement I took during the last 5-weeks of my pregnancy. Instead of emailing the same info over and over again, I thought I'd post the information on here.

Since Caleb is my first child, I don't have any way of knowing if the Gentle Birth Formula by Mountain Meadow Herbs is the reason my labor and delivery were so smooth. However, I have no reason to think that it is not, and for $30, it's worth the risk!

I'm not normally into the whole herbal, alternative medicine thing. Far from it. . . I tend to be a bit skeptical. However, this product came recommended by my friend, Kay Ann, and after talking with my doctor about it, I figured it was worth a try. There wasn't much to lose and a whole lot to gain. The herbs are herbs that midwives have been using for a long time and even though some of that folk medicine is bogus, some of it isn't.

If you decide to try it, please let me know what you think of it. I'm curious to hear from someone who can compare it to a previous, non-herbal-supplemented birth.

Now I can have my cake and eat it, too!

Recently I posted about the dilemma of not being able to accomplish everyday tasks because I have been spending my days holding and playing with Caleb. Well, thanks to a recommendation by Heather, I can now have my cake and eat it, too!

If you haven't heard of the Ergo, you are missing out. I tried a few other carriers, but this is by far the best one around. I have extremely weak shoulders and am usually unable to support any weight on them. I have been wearing the Ergo now for a total of about 5 hours today and I don't have even a hint of discomfort. Caleb LOVES being snuggled up next to me and I love getting things done around the house.

Must See DVD

Answers in Genesis has an amazing DVD lecture regarding the miraculous process of conception and birth: Fearfully & Wonderfully Made.

My mom gave us a copy a few months ago and said it was excellent, especially now that we are expecting our own miracle. But, we've read a lot of books and figured it was just another prenatal informational video. We shoved it to the back of the DVD rack and forgot about it. On Friday night we were bored and looking for some free entertainment; we ran across this DVD and popped it in. We sat there mesmerized for the entire lecture.

I have studied quite a bit about the conception and birthing process, but this DVD goes into scientific details that are so amazingly designed that only our wonderful, all-knowing, creative God could have come up with something this perfect. Even if you have a dozen children, I guarantee you'll learn things you never knew.

If you want to borrow our copy and you're here in town, let me know. I'd be happy to loan it to you. If you don't live in town, visit the link above and buy a copy. It'll be worth the investment.

Books

I removed the "Currently Reading" section on my side bar. I like Blogspot, but the sidebars are a little unwieldy to manage (unless you're a pro at writing code in HTML). So, I decided that I'll just post quick book reviews every now and then when I run across a good book.

Lately, I've rediscovered the joy of borrowing books from the library. That place is a goldmine and it's all free!! So, I've been reading voraciously and have finished several books in the last few weeks.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey: Even though this book is geared toward people in financial crisis (aka lots of debt), there is a lot of practical wisdom that anyone can use. A lot of things didn't apply to our situation, since, thankfully, we don't have any debt. But, even so, I did learn a lot about goal setting and planning for the future. It's a lot of stuff you've probably heard before, but it's a good reminder and it never hurts to examine your finances and make sure you're being a good steward. The book won't take long to read so if you're looking for a productive way to spend the weekend, set aside a few hours to read this one.

At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon: I was looking for some light, fun reading and this book hit the spot. This is the first book in the Mitford Series. I usually shy away from series books, especially "Christian" ones, as they tend to be sappy and poorly written. This book, however, was a pleasant surprise. It's delightful and well written and not at all trite. Check it out. . .

The Most Important Place on Earth by Robert Wolgemuth: I heard about this book on Focus on the Family. This was one book that I decided to purchase instead of borrow. I am so glad I did! It is excellent and full of challenging ideas for creating a home that exudes the love of Christ. It is geared toward the family setting, but honestly, I believe any Christian would benefit from reading this book. Even if marriage and children are years away, this book will challenge you and give you plenty to pray about. I will definitely be rereading this book several times as the years pass. There is so much "there there" that one read-through isn't enough.