22 Potty Training Tips

22 Potty Training Tips For Modern Moms
by Tiffany Bird of Simply Modern Mom

22 Potty Training Tips

If you have read all the ready signs of potty training, looked into it a bit and decided to give it a go, here are a few tips that might help you in this arduous task. Remember that each child is different. What worked with your friend’s child may not work with yours. What worked with your first child may not work with the second or third. So read up and do what will work best for your child.

1. Toilet Training in Less Than A Day. This was the book that answered all my questions. It told me exactly how my child was going to react to potty training and the different tactics they will use when faced with this situation. Then it had all the answers and responses as to what I needed to do as a parent. It’s a short and fast read. Well worth it.

2. Wait it out. I have friends who waited until their child told them they were ready. And when they did, it was much easier to have the child be the one who initiated it.

3. Be prepared to devote at least 1 whole day without distractions to it. Clear your calendar. Forget about your emails. Ask someone to watch your older kids, if necessary. Devote an entire day or two to this and really get serious about it. Potty training is one of those moments where you need to give your child uninterrupted attention. Once they get the hang of it and know what is going on, then get back into regular routine.

 

4. Be consistent. At this age, they are testing you. They want to know if you are in on this. Because if you are totally into this, and you convince them you are, then they’ll get with the program. And to do that, you have to be consistent. Show them that this is not just something temporary. Or something that you will give up if it doesn’t work the first few days or even weeks. If you give up, they will too.

 

5. Involve them. Take them to the store to pick out their new underwear. Have them pick out a potty seat. Ask them what treats or reward they would like. Have them set a goal to work toward.

 

6. Potties vs. training seats. We had both. Potties are nice because they are kid size. They don’t need a step to get on it. The down side is you have to clean it. Sure it is suggested that you have the child take the poop/pee container and dump it in the toilet. But they don’t actually clean it afterwards. Training seats are nice because they get your child used to going to the toilet in the first place. Although it can be tricky for your child to get on a step, pull down pants and turn around to sit on the potty alone without falling. It will take some getting used to.

7. The second day will be the hardest. The first day, they are excited to get with the program. The second day, they have accidents on purpose. The second day will make or break you. Though not all moms will experience this, lucky you if you don’t.

8. Balance reminders with trust. In the beginning, you will remind them constantly to go potty, and sometimes taking them to the potty even if they don’t need to go. Then as they start to get a hang out it, back off the reminders. Make them less frequent. That was hard for me because by that time, I was tired of dealing with accidents. But I noticed, the more I backed off on reminders, the more willing she would go on her own. I would only ask her if she needed to go potty when I could tell she was holding it.

9. Throw a party. Get them excited about it. I did it on the first day to introduce Kaye to potty training. Since she was into princesses at that time, it was a pink princess potty party. I decorated the living room with little underwear and had lots of pink drinks around (juice, strawberry PediaSure or strawberry milk). I made a special pink breakfast. Her grandma bought her a potty doll. We had a collection of children potty books. Potty Train Your Child in Just One Day is a book with themes, ideas and activities for potty parties. This book is different from the one mentioned above.

10. Don’t yell. This will be a hard one, especially when you are dealing the 5th or 6th accident of the day and you are at wit’s end. But if you yell, they will resist or feel being punished.

 

11. Make them accountable. When they have an accident, have them clean it up. Have them undress themselves and put away the dirty clothes. Have them put on new clothes with some assistance if necessary. The cleaning part. They won’t get it as clean as you. But have them clean what they can and you do the deep scrubbing of the carpet. If they are accountable for their mess each time they make one, they will learn that they don’t want to make messes anymore.

 

12. Be prepared to sit there with them for a long time. They will sit on the toilet and tell you they don’t need to go. But as soon as you let them off, they hide in a corner and let it go. So next time you see them holding it, put them on the potty and sit there with them. I sat on the floor while Kaye was on the potty. We sang songs, I told her stories, we read books, she flipped through children magazines or catalogs. Whatever it took for her to sit there until she went.

 

13. Find their motivator. What motivates your child? Positive attitude, support and encouragement? Or nagging, threats and punishments? Motivation can come from outside sources, too. Perhaps they love cars, princesses or dinosaurs. Maybe they have always wanted to go to Built-A-Bear and make a doll.

 

14. Make it come alive. When Kaye reverted after the new baby was born, we purchased a set of little Disney Princess figurines. If she went a few days without an accident, a princess will show up on her pillow before bedtime with a personal note. The note encouraged her and praised her for her success. And once in a while brought up some pointers for things she needed to work on. It was better coming from a “princess” than mom.

 

15. Rewards can come in many forms. There are instant rewards and long-term rewards. Make the instant rewards small. Candy, stickers, a small toy and lots of praise. I wasn’t too keen of candy rewards because I, personally, don’t give my children lots of sugar. That’s just me. So I went all out on the stickers. Make the long-term reward a little more meaningful. A trip to the museum, a sleepover at grandma’s house, a bigger toy they have been eyeing or something else they really want or would like.

 

16. Celebrate with others. When they are successful, make them feel proud of their success. Call dad at work. Call grandma in another state. Have them tell of their achievements. It provides positive encouragements.

 

17. Potty Power. I admit. It was a cheesy movie. But kids love it. I used this as a reward sometimes because Kaye enjoyed the movie so much. She wanted to watch it all the time.

 

18. They are smarter than you think. Haven’t we heard this before? But really. Unless you are potty training at 1 years old or your child has special circumstances or disabilities, they should be able to grasp the concept. I know I thought to myself many times, Does she really understand what I am doing here? Does she know that it is embarrassing to pee on yourself?

 

19. Don’t travel. If you are traveling or moving shortly before or during potty training, you are sabotaging yourself and your child. Stay at home and potty train.

 

20. Drop everything and go. That will be one of the hardest concepts for the child to comprehend. They are used to going while playing. Now they have to stop what they are doing to go? No way! Teaching them this concept takes time and patience. Show them that the quicker they go, the sooner they can get back to playing. Pause the movie if you have to.

 

21. Public bathrooms may frighten them. Be patient. Kaye was frightened by public bathrooms. She didn’t like all the noise, the size of everything, the loud flushing and the fans and hand dryers. I would bring her into a stall, allowed her to get acquainted to this new environment and waited until she was ready. There were times she would try to convince me she didn’t need to go. So I had special rewards or treats in the diaper bag for such occasions.

22. Put extra clothes in the car. You will most likely have a set of extra clothing and underwear in the diaper bag or your purse. But also keep an extra set in the car. You never know how long you will be out and about. Sometimes they might go through both sets in one trip. Or you might forget that you used the set in the diaper bag last time and forgot to refill it.

» Tell me… What are your potty training tips? Share your secrets with us! 

Beautiful! - Inside & Out

From a mom, "I have always heard that you should match your lipstick with blush- True or False?"

False, color should compliment your overall look. If you wear a soft coral blush and want to wear a pinkish lipstick, wear the pink lipstick but apply a neutral gloss to tone it down a bit. You can always swipe a sheer neutral lip gloss/lipstick over the top of any color to tone it down a note.

Tiffany Harger
http://www.tiffanyharger.myarbonne.com/

Famous Mom Sayings...

Have you heard yourself saying any of these things? Ever get any of them said to you as a child?Check out the rest of the list here.

Don't ask me WHY. The answer is NO.
Don't cross your eyes or they'll freeze that way.
Don't EVER let me catch you doing that again!

What did I say the FIRST time?

You just ate an hour ago!

You will ALWAYS be my baby.
You're going to put your eye out with that thing!

You're the oldest. You should know better.

You kids are trying to drive me crazy!

Who taught you THAT?

It's no use crying over spilt milk.
I've had it up to here with you.
Leave your sister (brother) alone!

I don't care who started it, I said stop!

How do you know you don't like it if you haven't tasted it?

I hope someday you have children just like you.

What would you say?

~Fine and Fit~

Eating Well in a Nutshell

When people ask questions related to health and wellness, most often the subject has to do with food. It makes sense; not everyone exercises, but everyone does eat. And diet is 80% of weight loss and management. We really are what we eat.

Here are a few basic and general tips on eating well.

1. Surround yourself with nutrient-dense foods. Don’t buy the junk. We are a society that thrives on convenience. If what’s convenient, meaning right there in your fridge, is healthy, that’s what you’ll most often eat. And there’s nothing easier than grabbing an apple from the fridge.


2. Stop making excuses. You can find a reason every day to “make an exception” and eat junk. It’s someone’s birthday (cake), it’s the Fourth of July (hot dogs and chips), it’s the last day of school (ice cream), it’s my vacation (free for all), the kids have a game/dance/karate/piano (Pizza Hut delivery), Girls’ Night Out (chips & salsa and margaritas), etc. All of those exceptions add up to a diet full of junk…and weight gain.


3. Eat mindfully. I’m not saying our diets must be perfect all the time. But I do suggest really thinking through the cheats. Is it worth it to you…really? Is the food you’re about to eat truly delicious? How much do you need to satisfy the craving? Are you eating more than that? If the answer to the first two questions is yes, then go for it. But pay attention to the second two questions as well.


4. Portion control is really important, but when you’re eating truly nutritious food, you can eat a lot! There is practically no limit to how many fresh, raw veggies you can eat, so go for it!


5. Drink water! Thirst gives many of the same signals as hunger, so if you’re well hydrated, you won’t feel as hungry. Additionally, water is what our bodies need above everything else. Being well-hydrated will increase function in many areas.


6. Eat small meals throughout the day. You must fuel the metabolic fires! This will also help you avoid the super hungry/super full cycle. Feeling generally satisfied throughout the day feels good.


7. Avoid sugar. We are conditioned to believe fat is the culprit, but in fact our bodies need healthy fats. We don’t need sugar. As my former trainer bluntly put it, “Sugar makes you fat.”

This is barely skimming the surface; there will be more details to come!

Best in health & happiness!


Jacque Butler is the owner of JB Fitness in Glenwood, Iowa. http://www.jbfitnessiowa.com/ For tips on fitness & nutrition, you can follow JB Fitness on Facebook.

100 Ways To Get Organized! (As seen in Women's Day)

The meals, the kids, the housework, the job…the only way to stay sane is to get organized. Fat chance, you say? Remember, the goal of organizing isn’t to make your house pristine; it’s to make your life more functional. So don’t straighten for neatness sake—create an organized foundation for all the roles you play.

The Housekeeper 1. Assign specific living quarters to everything you own.

2. Put things where they work for you: vitamins by the juice glasses, coat hooks in the garage next to the car.

3. A small, open basket on the coffee table keeps remote controls from slipping between sofa cushions, says professional organizer Kathy Waddill, author of The Organizing Sourcebook: Nine Strategies for Simplifying Your Life.

4. Move all your CDs to a storage wallet. Say bye-bye to jewel boxes and CD stands!

5. Put wastebaskets in every room, suggests Waddill.

6. Whenever you run across anything empty, ripped, the wrong size or never used, immediately toss it in the trash or a charity box.

7. To stay on track, jot your cleaning routine on index cards and post them, says Debbie Williams, founder of organizedtimes.com .

8. Use a plastic caddy, not valuable shelf space, to store cleaning supplies for surfaces and floors. Keep it on the broom and mop closet floor (locked, if you have small children) and tote it from room to room.

9. Store sheet sets in the same room as the bed, between the mattress and box spring or tucked into an under-bed box.

10. Keep a cedar chest (or a light-weight wicker basket if you have young children to avoid accidents) at the foot of your bed to hide blankets and extra pillows.

11. Tuck a whisk broom and dustpan in each bathroom for a daily dust-up.

12. Put a different color toilet paper than usual behind your stash of regular rolls. When a colored roll ends up on the spool, it’s time to buy more.

13. Keep real cleaning cloths next to your cleaning products, and ditch the box of ripped underwear you keep in the basement.

14. Just accept it: Place a tall, narrow basket for his magazines next to the toilet.

The Mom 15. Give kids their own alarm clocks and post morning checklists for them. (It’ll be less for you to organize.)

16. Move kids’ cereal boxes, bowls and cups to an “I can reach it!” lower cabinet. Also, put juice boxes, milk and other snacks in an accessible place in the refrigerator.

17. Leave a shoe basket by the front door (or the kids’ bedroom doors) to avoid those excruciatingly long searches through the house.

18. Have a two-compartment hamper in the kids’ rooms so they can sort lights from darks as they undress.

19. When switching kids’ summer/winter clothes, mark boxes with the date and sizes so you don’t have to paw through them to know if they’ll fit.

20. No room for a dresser? One or two sets of plastic or canvas hanging shelves in the closet make choosing clothes easier.

21. Leave a weatherproof, bench-style storage box outside for the kids’ outdoor toys.

22. Gather all balls into a large, mesh drawstring bag.

23. Keep some toys undercover in the living room with decorative, lidded baskets.

24. Stand kids’ paperback books in rectangular plastic or wicker baskets so they’re easy to sift through.

25. Photograph your child’s 3-D creations and save the pictures instead, says momcentral.com founder Stacy DeBroff, author of The Mom Book.

The Chef
26. Post several weekly dinner menus on the fridge and alternate among them for easier grocery shopping and meal planning.

27. Don’t keep space-hogging cookbooks. Photocopy favorite recipes and slip them into plastic sheet protectors inside a binder.

28. Tape an envelope for pizza and other takeout food coupons inside the cabinet door nearest the phone.

29. Use a mini flowerpot with drip tray near the sink to stash sponges, steel wool and food scrapers.

30. A crock with a wide mouth keeps favorite stove-side utensils from tangling.

31. Put countertop flour and sugar canisters on a lower slide-out cabinet shelf. Or use a sturdy baking sheet or plastic tray as a slide-out.

32. Double cabinet space with two-tiered turntables.

33. Trade round storage containers for more efficient square and rectangular ones, says DeBroff.

34. To free up kitchen space borrow, don’t buy, things you rarely use such as juicers, waffle irons, melon ballers and rolling pins. Already have them? Sell them.

35. A second freezer makes you walk farther for the ice cream.

The Personal Assistant
36. Use a morning checklist; kids aren’t the only ones who forget things when they’re in a rush.

37. Create other essential checklists: what goes in your gym bag, what joint-custody kids need to take back and forth between houses, what to pack for trips, information for babysitters, etc. Keep them on your computer for updating and put copies in a folder near the kitchen phone.

38. Set your computer calendar’s alarm for the week before dates you need to remember, from an anniversary to the day you change the furnace filter. That will give you enough time to buy what you need.

39. Organize future events with a monthly accordion file. Put birthday cards, directions to a baby shower, a note to check on furniture deliveries, even vacation brochures in the appropriate months.

40. Put a clock in every single bathroom.

41. Always have backups: a spare set of car/house keys, a second deodorant, another way to get kids to school.

42. Make a standing monthly hair appointment.

43. Designate every Friday or Saturday as date night with your husband, and book a sitter for several weekends at a time.

44. Don’t assume he’ll keep those Honey-Do projects in his head. Post them on the bathroom mirror.

45. Keep a wish list of intriguing activities on hand so you don’t waste precious weekend time figuring out what to do.

46. File copies of important documents (birth certificates, car title, passports, proof of immunizations, insurance information, etc.) in a three-ring binder with zippered plastic pockets. If disaster strikes, you can grab it and go.

47. Add address book pages sorted by category: kids’ friends, gourmet food club, tennis friends, etc., DeBroff suggests.

48. Avoid a last-minute scramble to find rental videos by leaving unwatched and just-watched movies in a bag by your door.

49. Stock your nightstand drawer with pencils, notepads, a phone book and a flashlight.

50. Corral an unwieldy bedroom reading pile with a small bookshelf next to your nightstand.

The Fashion Designer 51. Allow only one outfit—tomorrow’s—on the hook outside your closet door.

52. Buy a closet organizer instead of just dreaming about it.

53. Start each season by arranging clothes hangers so the hooks face out, toward the room, says Kim Cosentino, owner of the De-Clutter Box, Inc. in Westmont, Illinois. When you wear something, turn the hanger in. At the end of the season, get rid of anything that hasn’t been turned.

54. Vacuum-sealed storage bags. Enough said.

55. Free up drawer space by stacking jeans, sweaters and gym clothes on closet shelves. Slip-on shelf dividers keep them from falling over.

56. Keep a stepstool in or next to your closet.

57. To free up your dresser, put plastic stacking bins with drawers inside your closet for socks, underpants and bras.

58. Bring order to scarves and belts with an “accessory ladder,” a chain of shower curtain rings—one for each item—trailing down from the top of a hanger, says Donna Smallin, author of Organizing Plain and Simple. Clip purses to a second ladder.

59. Keep ponytail holders on shower curtain rings, too.

60. Hang a flat jewelry organizer with transparent pockets inside your closet door.

61. Pare down your cosmetics to fit in one portable bag.

62. Make a Just for Me pampering kit so lotions, scented candles, nail polish, etc., aren’t scattered in three different rooms.

The Chauffeur 63. End key confusion with new, decorative keys: Use stars-and-stripes for the house, flowers for the garden shed, psychedelic for your office at work.

64. Removable key rings let you leave work keys at home on weekends, the car key with the valet and the house key with your pet sitter.

65. Line car-door map compartments with shallow, narrow organizing pockets to keep pens, notepads, hand lotion and lip/eye pencil from sliding around.

66. Use a clothespin to clip to your purse strap those “Can’t Forget” notes: Get allergy shot. Pick up kids early. Tell mechanic about squeaking brakes.

67. To avoid “senior moments” with the dry cleaning, library books, videos or packages to mail, put outgoing items on the passenger seat, not on the kitchen counter.

68. Slide a local phone book under the front seat.

69. Pens with fuzzy animal heads are easier to find in the car.

70. Get a key chain–size Swiss Army knife with pullout pen.

71. Free up glove compartment space: Stow owner’s manuals in the passenger seat’s back pocket.

72. Stock glove compartment with takeout menus, napkins, nail file, car registration, tire gauge, first-aid kit and a roll of quarters.

73. Create a “just in case” box for the car trunk: umbrella, cheap rain ponchos, scissors, big black marker, tape, paper towels, plastic bags, extra kids’ socks and a one-size-fits-all T-shirt, sweatshirt and pair of sweatpants for adults, another for kids.

74. Keep the charity box in your trunk, not your closet. When it’s full, drop it off.

The Employee 75. Keep an extra pair of glasses or contact lenses, pantyhose and other emergency gear in your desk.

76. Sort your day by activity, not project. Check the stack of phone messages only twice a day.
Tackle the correspondence pile right after lunch, and head to the copy machine just once.

77. Use your datebook to keep projects on track. Block out times to tackle each bite-size segment.

78. If you don’t need it every day, get it off your desk.

79. Don’t just shift remaining papers around your desk. Flip the stack—oldest papers now on top—for a fresh perspective and quicker action, DeBroff suggests.

80. Tame the file frenzy with broader file names, such as one for “Employees” rather than two for “Personnel” and “Evaluations,” Waddill recommends.

81. Use desktop or wall-mounted vertical file racks for an instant cleanup of your tornado-zone desk, Smallin says.

82. When you have a project with a lot of paperwork, stay organized by using a three-ring binder instead of flimsy file folders. List everyone involved and their contact information on the first page.

83. For smaller projects, write contact details on the front of the file folder.

84. Move finished project folders from your office into storage.

The Accountant 85. One credit card per grownup. Period.

86. Create a Receipt Depot: a folder near the door that everyone drops receipts into as they come home.

87. Bite the bullet: Computerize your finances.

88. Stick to a budget. Then you’ll never have trouble covering those unexpected expenses.

89. Slip incoming bills, a pen and a thin calculator into a three-ring binder’s inside pockets. Make a list of all your usual bills and expenses, and print out a fresh copy each month for your binder. Then mark the bills off monthly as you pay them. If a creditor isn’t crossed off, call for a duplicate statement to avoid late fees.

90. Make sure your list includes automatic withdrawals for utilities and bills you pay online so you don’t pay a bill twice or lose track of your checking account balance.

91. Ask creditors to shift your due dates to lump them all together or to split them between the two pay periods of each month.

The Handywoman
92. Keep a Phillips and flathead screwdriver in a kitchen drawer to avoid a trek to the toolbox.

93. Affix baby food jar lids to the bottom of your workroom shelf. Sort nails, screws and bolts into the jars, and twist them onto the lids.

94. When you adjust your clocks each spring and fall, also weed out expired medicine, sunscreen, food, coupons and smoke detector batteries.

95. Hang a spray-painted Peg-Board for tools, coats, baseball caps; use wall hooks for blow dryers.

96. Store all car wash products in a bucket in the garage.

97. Keep a large, sturdy garbage can on wheels next to your car to toss candy wrappers or other trash, says Waddill.

98. Aim for easy access, not neat storage, for lawn equipment. Shift your tools the way you
shift your clothes: In the winter, put the snow shovel in front and the rake in the back.

99. Save space on rarely used equipment by coordinating a borrowing system: You’ll have the fertilizer spreader, one neighbor will have the extension ladder, another will have a chainsaw, etc.

100. Install a hook above the kitchen sink where just-watered hanging plants can drip.

How to be a Good Mom - Instructions

How to be a Good MomDifficulty: Challenging

Things You'll Need:
Love
Patience
Respect
Responsibility
Goals
Traditions
Influence
Kindness

Instructions:
 

1. Love your children no matter what they do. They show to others what they are given, and love is the most important gift you can give them! Hugs and kisses are mandatory. Hug them no matter how "old" they may think they are. Everyone needs hugs to survive.

2. Be patient when they spill the milk and get cookie crumbs on your brand new carpet. Count to ten and breathe. It's often hard not to yell. All mothers yell at some point and if you don't, you shouldn't be reading this! Train yourself to count. It might not save tears, but it will save pain.

3. Respect your children and they will respect you. Appreciate the things they do for you, and they will do them more often. Rewards and praises for jobs and tasks well done will teach them that working hard, being a good person, and doing it all unconditionally is key to sustaining a great life.

4. Show your children you are a responsible person by working, providing for them and caring for their needs. This will teach them to do the same for their families in the future. Building a loving home for a child is the ultimate responsibility. Cherish the moments of family and show your children how much you are willing to do for them.

5. Have goals for your children, your family and yourself. Involve your family in your goals, teach them to make goals of their own and challenge them to achieve them. For example, if they want a new toy and it's not close to Christmas or a birthday, have them do a few extra chores around the house they don't normally do to earn the toy. If your son or daughter is great at a sport or school encourage them to go the distance and beyond. Support the team, reward excellence and participate in their achievements.

6. Pass on traditions to your children. Some families have holiday traditions, others have daily traditions. Teach your children about your family history. Cook old family recipes together, try a family craft project or plan a party together. Keeping family traditions alive keeps the family close.

7. Influence your children to be the best they can be. Talk to them, learn what they want out of life and answer their questions. Children would much rather hear about life from people they love and trust than from complete strangers or friends. Your children will love and respect you more for talking with them, not to them.

8. Be kind to your children. They are born innocent. Keep them that way as long as possible. Treat your children with dignity, respect and love and they will treat you with the same!

By Jami Mack, eHow Contributor

Sticks and Stones Snack Mix

Hello, MOPS moms! Today I am sharing a quick and easy recipe for a snack mix that I “discovered” recently. This recipe is from the September 2009 issue of Family Fun magazine. This recipe is fun and easy!  Not only is it tasty, this alternative could help you avoid pre-packaged snacks, which could save you money and help the environment.  This yummy snack is pretty good, from a nutritional standpoint, too.  AND your kids can help you make it!  Here is the recipe:

Sticks and Stones

Ingredients:
4 T. butter
¼ cup frozen orange or apple juice concentrate
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups Quaker Oatmeal Squares
2 cups pretzel sticks
1 ½ c. whole almonds
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place the butter, juice concentrate, and sugar in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 45 seconds to melt the butter. Stir in the cinnamon.

Place the oatmeal squares, pretzels, and almonds in a large bowl. Pour the melted-butter mixture over it and stir to coat.

Bake, stirring every 10 minutes, until the mixture is dry to the touch, about 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven and stir in the dried fruit. Let mix cool completely before storing it in airtight container. Makes about 7 cups.

Cooking notes of interest:
"Obviously you can substitute ingredients in or out depending on your family’s preferences."
"The first time I made this all the Craisins were left in the bottom, so I omitted those in my second batch."
"When I made it I didn’t have juice concentrate and I also didn’t even have any juice in the house! I just added some water to the butter/brown sugar mixture and it worked fine."
"Other cereals could easily be substituted for the Quaker Oatmeal Squares."

Beautiful! - Inside & Out

Here is a step-to-step guide on achieving a flawless application:

Cover the entire lid with makeup primer before applying eye shadow. This will assure your colors won’t fade or crease. I always recommend applying eye shadows with professional brushes for precise application and ease of blending. Remember the smaller the brush, the more intense the color.

1. Choose a light neutral color (linen) to brush lightly and evenly from the lash line to your brow, covering the entire lid. This will be your base color.

2. Use a darker shade (sand) than your base color, and apply it to the crease line.

3. Use a shade lighter (snow/matte white) than your base color to highlight under the eyebrow.

4. Use a shade darker (chocolate) than your crease color to accent the outer corner of your eye. Take a full brush and blend all together. If the colors are too intense, fill your brush with the light neutral color you used in step one and blend all together.

5. Top off with a black eye liner or matte black shadow with a slant brush along top lash line.

Using an color on your bottom lash line is optional. If you decide not to line the bottom, then no need for mascara on bottom lashes. If you like color on your bottom lash line use a shadow – not a harsh eye liner – then apply mascara.

This is a good everyday look.

Tiffany Harger
www.tiffanyharger.myarbonne.com

Enjoy!

Mommy and Me - ABC's!

 Looking for something to do this summer...indoors?  Are your young ones learning their ABCs?  Check out this website for a terrific strategy that you can do with your kids!  It's a perfect summertime activity!

Each lesson starts with a book that you read with your child.  Then you do a fun and simple activity which goes with each book and emphasizes a letter of the alphabet. As you go through each letter, your child will assemble a keepsake letter book that they have made with you!  Each lesson is designed specifically for young children and, even better, is free! 

CLICK HERE for the link. This post will show you how to make the letter folders and to set it all up. It will also have links to all the posts written for individual letters.

A phone call....

A lot of people don't realize the work that goes into being a mother. Only a mother knows what a mother really does, and only a mother can tell the story. Here's a little tidbit that will hopefully give the rest of the world just a tiny bit of insight on just how hard us mothers actually work!

THE INTERVIEW

The phone rings...

MOTHER: Hello?

INTERVIEWER: Hello, Ma'am. I'm a reporter and we're choosing women at random to give brief accounts of their job descriptions to run in next week's issue of our career paper. Do you have a minute?

MOTHER: Not now, I'm busy!

INTERVIEWER: OK Ma'am, I won't take anymore of your time.

MOTHER: Oh, I'm sorry, I was talking to my two-year old. She's trying to get me to pour her some milk.

INTERVIEWER: Oh, I see. So you're a mother?

MOTHER: I can't just yet, I'll do it in a minute!

INTERVIEWER: Excuse me, what was that?

MOTHER: Oh, my apologies. I was talking to my 4 year old, he needs help wiping his bottom.

INTERVIEWER: Oh, well I'll be brief. First of all, do you work?

MOTHER: Of course I do.

INTERVIEWER: Great! What is your occupation?

MOTHER: I'm a mother.

INTERVIEWER: Oh. But you don't work for pay, right?

MOTHER: I have the highest paying job I know!

INTERVIEWER: But I thought you were a mother. Do you have another occupation?

MOTHER: Isn't that enough?

INTERVIEWER: I suppose. (pause) Well, I'll let you get back to your children Ma'am. I have some interviews to collect.

MOTHER: Wait! Don't you want to hear my job description?

INTERVIEWER: Uhhh.... (Thinking about a potential lawsuit if he should say no) ..... OK, go for it.

MOTHER: Could you hold on just a minute? Let me take care of my son in the bathroom. This should just take a second.

INTERVIEWER: (sighs) OK. I'll wait.

About 5 minutes pass...

MOTHER: I'm back. Whew, that one was above and beyond the call of duty!

INTERVIEWER: I think I'll leave that out of my article.

MOTHER: Good idea.

INTERVIEWER: Well let's hear the job description. (He mutters under his breath), This shouldn't take too long.

MOTHER: I hope you have lots of paper...hmmm. Well, here it goes...

I have the world's most important job. I'm a Manager of Miracles (or MOM for short). I train people for life. I teach them morals and right from wrong. I make sure that they get the proper education that will help them to one day have the ability to rule the world if necessary. I also teach them the small things that go along with good civilization such as good hygiene and manners.

The training process takes a lot of patience and requires me to hold a number of different job titles. I'll share just a few with you for time's sake.

For one thing, I'm a nurse. There are times when my little "trainees" (hereafter referred to as my children or kids), will get scraped knees and little tears will stream down little faces. It is my place to put a colorful bandage on it and kiss it. This has an amazing healing effect. Usually, the child will then wipe their eyes, smile and run back and do the same thing that made them get the scraped knee in the first place. However, there are more difficult times like when my kids have the flu. It is then my place to be on call at any given moment to come and check temperatures, administer medicine, or even hold a barf bag. If I don't get there quickly enough, it may require cleaning messes out of the carpet. I often give up my own sleep to make sure that my child is comfortable.

Also, I'm a referee. Believe it or not, there are times when my little "angels" grow horns. Fights break out between siblings and it's my place to break up the fights and restore the peace.

Sometimes as a MOM, I must be a psychologist. I have to delve into the problems of my children and find the root causes for their behavior and help them change it.

I'm a teacher 24/7. My children are constantly learning from me whether I'm trying to teach them or not. This requires me to be very careful about everything that I do and say, for they learn the bad as well as the good.

Another one of my jobs, and one that I'm really good at is that of an attorney. There are times when the judge, (dad), lays down the law. Although I agree with Judge Dad that punishment must be received for wrongdoings, I look into what caused the child to behave the way they did. I've been know to get "sentences" reduced if the child can present good reasons for why they did what they did. (Judge Dad don't seem to think that this is an attorney role, he thinks it's a soft Mommy's heart).

I'm a chauffeur, a maid, a cook, and....did you say something sir?

INTERVIEWER: ZZZZZzzzzzzzz

MOTHER: Well, I guess he got tired just listening to all I have to do. 'click'

Let's go get your milk now sweetie

New Car Seat Regulations

Click here to read The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's new recommendations on car seat safety for toddlers.

The biggest change is that toddlers are now recommended to ride in rear-facing car seats until age two. This is a year longer than the previous one year regulation. They are also saying that children should be in a booster until age 12 in the backseat.

Click the link above to read the full article.

Muffin Tin Lunch

Do you have a picky eater? If not, please stop now and thank God for giving you such a unique blessing. Then quickly disregard this post or pass it along to a friend with a picky eater. If you DO have a picky eater, here is a great idea for motivating your finicky little one into eating a wider and more healthy variety of food. Make them a muffin tin lunch. This little presentation technique has worked wonders with my youngest son. He eats much more in both variety and quantity when fed this way. It's a really easy concept. Just grab a muffin tin (or even a bunch of those silicone baking cups if you have a fancier variety of kitchen gadgets than me) and fill each space with a separate food. Done! In the tin below my son had (from top left): ranch dressing, baby carrots (yes, they were old and dry), cheese cubes, (bottom row) pretzels, graham crackers and sliced strawberries. I introduced this idea to a friend's son when he was over at our house for lunch one day. He is a pretty picky eater and after trying this at our house he was begging his mom to let him have muffin tin lunch at his house! It is a real hit, so give it a try! (Maybe you'll want to make one for yourself!!)





*Found on another MOPS blog*

Beautiful! - Inside & Out

Q: "How do you keep eyeliner from smearing throughout the day?"

A: It is a must to "set" the liner with a shadow of the same color. Use a fine tipped brush or Q-tip to cover the liner then a swipe of liquid eyeliner will top it all off! I only use a pencil liner above the lid & shadow under the eye for emphasis!

Tiffany Harger
www.tiffanyharger.myarbonne.com

Father's Day Crafts

Kids can make plaques, oversize cards, or posters with cute pasta shapes, paint, and glue.

Father's Day, a special day to honor the men in our lives, is quickly approaching!  I found some really cute ideas on the Family Fun site. Most of them are fun, creative, and definitely do-able for our little ones.  Here are just a few ways that you and your toddlers can celebrate dads on Sunday!

 Wallet Photo Collage

Dad can keep this card in his wallet and take it with him wherever he goes -- a reminder of who loves him best of all.

 

Materials

• Markers, photographs and stickers
• Glue

• Con-Tact paper

 Instructions

1. Cut a credit-card-sized rectangle out of poster board.
   
2. Decorate both sides with messages, stickers, drawings and glued-on photographs.
   
3. To make the card sturdier, cover it on both sides with clear Con-Tact paper, or run it through the laminator at your local copy shop (around two dollars).
   

Father's Day Throne

Transform a lawn chair into a throne that literally puts within his reach everything he needs to be king for a day.

Materials

• Lawn chair
• Clamps, tape, or string
• Wire

• Scissors
• Various chair accessories

  Instructions

1. Use tape, clamps, or string to attach appropriate accessories, from a shade umbrella to a back scratcher to a cold drink holder.
   
2. Fashion a halo made of wire to hold Dad's favorite hat or crown and attach it to the back of the chair.
   
3. Include a bell for Dad to ring for service.
   

Variations:

Add items like: clip-on fan, back scratcher, plastic snap-on cup holders, newpaper, foot soaking tub, travel pillow, beaded driver's seat cover, mini pool table or basketball hoop, red carpet (towel), or slippers.

How Dad Measures Up

Our faux tape measure extends the perfect Father's Day message to a dad who's skillful at building and repairing. Have him pull out the ruler tape to read, "You rule, Dad!," "I love you thiiiiiiis much!" or "Dad, you really go the distance!"

Materials

• Rectangular box (we used a macaroni-and-cheese box)
• Scissors
• Tape
• Yellow card stock

• Aluminum foil
• Marker
• Black paper

Instructions

 

1. Cut the box in half across the middle. Cut off half of the bottom section at a diagonal, as shown. Tape one end of a 1- by 12-inch strip of yellow card stock to the edge of the top half of the box, using tape on both sides of the strip.


2. Slide the bottom of the box into the top of the box.







3. Fold a 2-1/2- by 6-inch piece of aluminum foil into thirds lengthwise, then fold it into a flat tab about 1/2 inch long. Tape it to the strip. Write a message on the strip and add ruler markings, then push it inside the box. Wrap the box with black paper, leaving a space for the tape opening. Cut off two corners of a 2-1/2-inch yellow card stock square, write "tape measure" on it, and adhere it to the box.

Tower Theaters Treehouse

Summer Movies for the kids!!!

During the summer, Tower Theaters runs a program designed just for families!  Each week, the theater shows 2 movies, usually one appropriate for younger children and one for older kids.  The schedule is below, but if you'd rather be directed to their website, please click here. The movies are shown Monday-Friday at 10am.  All children 10 and under are FREE!!!!!!  Everyone else will pay $2 for their tickets....super cheap for the movies!  If your children love to snack while they are watching the shows, a "Kids Pack" is available for $4.  A "Kid's Pack" comes with a small popcorn, candy, and a drink.  It's a great chance to catch a show and beat the heat for a few hours!  Enjoy!

For more information, visit http://www.mytowertheatres.com/
(520) 579-0500
5755 N Arizona Pavillions
Tucson, AZ 85743

6/13 - 6/17 -     Marmaduke (PG)
                         Gulliver's Travels (PG)
6/20 - 6/24 -     How to Train Your Dragon (PG)
6/27 - 7/1 -       The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (PG)   
                         Shrek Forever After (PG)
7/4 - 7/8 -         Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (PG)
                         Alice in Wonderland (PG)
7/11 - 7/15 -     Megamind (PG)
                         Ramona and Beezus (G)
7/18 - 7/22 -     Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (PG)
                         Despicable Me (PG)
7/25 - 7/29 -     Yogi Bear (PG)
                         Nanny McPhee Returns (PG)
8/1 - 8/5 -         Veggie Tales: The Pirates Who Won't Do Anything (G)
                         Second movie TBA

Book Club is Coming!

If you love to read, or just want an excuse to steal a few minutes for yourself, then try joining our book club!

Each month, members will take turns choosing books and then will choose a date and time to meet.  Meeting times can be during the day, playgroup style, or can be a night on the town!  It is all up to the group!

As our first meeting nears, more information will be determined and added to this page.  So, please check back!

If you are interested in joining, please contact Nicole

For all of our moms......

Upcoming Events!

MOPS might be out for the summer, but we have some exciting events planned!

June 29th - Playdate at Brandi Fenton Park (10 am -1 pm)
Don't forget your sunscreen and towels and join us for this wet 'n' wild playdate. Bring a picnic lunch if you want!

July 20th - Mom's Night Out
Leave the kids at home and enjoy some much needed Mom time and join us for a night of fun!! More details will be announced soon.

August 28th - Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser
Join us at Lord of Grace Church for this yummy fundraiser!!

August 29th - Playdate at Reid Park Zoo
Lions and Tigers and (Polar) Bears will join us on this playdate!! School is out, so bring the older ones, too!

We hope you can join us for these exciting events and don't forget to mark you calendars for the first meeting of the new year on September 7th!!