We Need To Care: A Week Dedicated To Adoption Awareness

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This whole month is National Adoption Awareness Month. Adoption has been close to my heart for many years.  There are over 143 million orphans in the world.  Doesn’t that number just grip your heart and make it ache?  We can and must do something to change those numbers! I have even been wondering lately if I am too comfortable with my excuse that I have a large family already. A child in need of a family doesn’t care that my resources are slim.  They would be so much better off in a loving family than without a family at all.

I do believe that adoption is a calling and not something to be guilted in to or taken lightly.  Even if you are not called to adopt there are many ways that you can care for orphans or families who are adopting.  You can financially support a family who wants to adopt but needs additional funds to complete the process.  You can come alongside an adoptive family and support them by making them meals, cleaning, running errands, or watching their kids to give them a break.  You can also support them with prayer and encouragement. 

All this week I am dedicating my site to adoption. I will be sharing adoption information and resources.  I have some great adoption themed announcements, art, jewelry, clothing, and more to share with you.  I also have some giveaways of these things.  I am really excited about it and I hope you will follow along with me this week!  Let’s make a difference, raise awareness and help support those adopting.

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I just got FREE diapers at Amazon!

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I wanted to share how I just got a whole months worth of diapers FREE from Amazon.com. First read below about how to get up to 50% off the price of diapers from Amazon Mom.  Then start using Swagbucks (details below) to earn gift cards to Amazon to pay for the diapers. Can’t beat free diapers!! Read all the details below:

 If you haven’t joined Amazon Mom yet I highly recommend it!  It is Free to sign up.  With  Amazon Mom you get 30% off Diapers, wipes and formula (15% discount plus an additional 15% off when you “Subscribe & Save” which you can cancel or change at any time).  I think the best part though is a FREE Amazon Prime membership for 3 months!  Amazon Prime is free 2 day shipping on anything sold by Amazon that has the prime symbol.  There is no minimum purchase with Amazon Prime to get the free 2 day shipping.  With Christmas coming up it will be great to use with all of the toy sales Amazon typically has. You won’t have to add things to your cart and try to fill it up to $25 worth of stuff to get free super saver shipping (and risk missing out on a deal that goes fast).  You can just buy it right then. Amazon Prime is also great for those last minute items you don’t want to run to the store for.  I have been enjoying getting diapers from Amazon.  Not only have I gotten them cheaper than I normally would (even with coupons) but I don’t have to run out and get them when I’m about to run out because I know they’ll arrive in just 2 days.

To sweeten the 30% off you get with Amazon Mom even more check your Parents Magazine for a 20% off Amazon diapers code.  These codes have been stackable on top of the 30% off!!

Then, as if that wasn’t enough, sign up for Swagbucks to get free gift cards for Amazon.com. When you search the Internet using Swagbucks.com you can win Swagbucks.  Once you have 450 Swagbucks you can redeem them for a $5 Amazon gift card.  The gift cards are stackable at Amazon and you can spend them right away or save them up. I usually get a couple gift cards a month just by doing searches with the toolbar (on things I am already searching on) and referring friends.  If you want to spend more time getting codes there are other ways to win swagbucks like watching videos and following their blog clues for hidden codes.  If you haven’t joined swagbucks go here and sign up. You earn swagbucks when you do online searches like you normally would using Google.  You can even download their toolbar like I have for more chances to win.  Swagbucks are great to use to combine with the diaper deal above or for getting gifts or even just treating yourself to something special!
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My Smart Hands: Fun Signing App for Babies and Kids

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Do you teach your kids to sign?  I have started with each of my children at about 9 months and taught them simple signs like eat, please, thank you, more, drink, no, and yes.  I really enjoy that they can communicate with me before they can even talk.  I find my children tend to be less fussy because they can let me know what they want and I can meet that need instead of trying to guess when they are upset.  I recently had the opportunity to review 2 of the My Smart Hands apps for iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. While trying them out my 5 year old son would learn a sign and then turn around to his 2 year old sister and show her the sign and try to teach it to her. I thought it was so sweet.  They both enjoyed playing with the apps.

We got to try the Alphabet Signs and Everyday Signs.  My son played with both of the apps on my iPhone.  He would go through the ABC’s on the Alphabet signs app and learn each sign and then tap the screen to see a word that starts with that letter and the sign for it.  He could even tap the “watch” button to see a short video of the sign being done by a child. After you learn the signs you can take a quiz to see which ones you have mastered. My son spent about 1/2 hour just going through the signs and then he repeatedly asked me to play the”signing games” again on my phone over the next several days. I think it is safe to say that it was a hit with him.

The Everyday Signs Flash Cards app has words that you would use in everyday conversations.  You can also watch these signs on a short video and take a quiz on these.  With this one you learn words like cookie, daddy, milk, and I love you. 

My Smart Hands also has a Baby Sign Language Dictionary App which looks like a great tool for when you are wanting to teach your baby to sign and need to learn them yourself.  There are over 300 words in this app and you can also watch videos and quiz yourself on your mastery. You can watch a video here on the features of this app. It sells for $4.99 on iTunes and I feel that it is well worth that price.  You have so many more options with the app than you would with a book or a video.

If you sign with your kids I would love to hear about it.  In what situations do you find it helpful?  My older daughters still sign “I love you” to me when they are leaving to go somewhere.  I am so glad that I taught them how to sign.

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Winner of the Sparklehearts Bodywash Giveaway

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We have a winner for the Sparklehearts Body wash Giveaway

Comment #8
Sophie said:
Unus Sed Leona is following your blog on FB

Congratulations Sophie!!



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Mommy’s Needs Are Important Too!

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I recently got into trouble.  Well, maybe not real trouble but I still got a good lecture.  You see my husband went into my closet looking for some clothes that I had asked him to bring me and he realized that everyone else in our house has way more clothes than I do (including him).  He proceeded to tell me that I must buy myself more clothes.  Sounds great right?!  Sounds like a lesson to me.  I am constantly aware of my childrens and my husbands needs for new clothes, shoes, belts, tights, you name it, but when the budget allows for it I will purchase those things convincing myself that my shoes that are falling apart can wait another month.  The problem is that there is always something to buy for them and the cycle never ends.  Now this doesn’t mean that I don’t ever buy myself new clothes.  I rather enjoy shopping and love to get new and stylish clothing.  I guess I just keep putting myself on the back burner.  There are so many other needs and wants.  I can wait…right?

I see this almost as a trend with moms.  We tend to make time for everyone but ourselves.  Whether that means our wardrobe suffers or taking time just for us, we give and give until we have nothing left and then we give some more.  The order from my husband came with a bit of a lecture on how I must consider my needs just as important as everyone else’s.  If I think of it that way then I can squeeze in a few more purchases for myself along the way.  It is true with how I live my life as well.  I have been learning that it is necessary for me to take time for myself.  It is a good thing for me to pursue things that I enjoy.  Yes, I may have interruptions from six little people all “needing” something the moment I shut my door to get some “me time” but if I don’t take care of me I won’t have anything left for them. 

Here are a few of the ways I am learning to take care of me:

1. Going to bed earlier and get up earlier (before the kids are up) for quiet time and pursuing the things I enjoy.

2. Taking a class that I have always wanted to take (the kids take lots of classes right?!)

3. Having the kids stay home with dad and heading out with a friend for a fun evening (if your husband has a problem with this then just tell him to talk to my husband.  My husband learned pretty quick that it was good for him and everyone else too if I got this time away)

4. Having the kids stay home with dad and heading out for a fun evening alone.

5. Exercise in the morning even if it is just 20 minutes of yoga.  I always feel better and if the kids don’t like you doing it you can just make them join you ;o)

6. Being okay with the kids having time by themselves in their rooms or in a playpen while I get a few things done. This helps them learn to play independently and is very valuable to a mom who needs to get some things done without a clingy child.

Now I just need to add more time shopping for myself to the list and I’ll be good.  Anyone want to come with me?

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