Hello April:: Free Printables

April 1, 2018 admin

How is April tomorrow already?? The days are flying by and spring is in full swing. Easter is tomorrow and I really enjoyed using our Resurrection Eggs and reading Easter books yesterday with Lily and Henry. I also tried making these Resurrection Rolls for the first time yesterday with the kiddos. I used this recipe here. It was a hit. My kids enjoyed them and it’s a neat way to reinforce the fact that the tomb was empty that Easter morning.

He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!

Not only is tomorrow Easter it is also April 1st. Here are some cute printables I designed and want to share with you. Enjoy! Download here and here.

Happy Easter and Happy April!

What’s On Our Bookshelf:: Winter Edition

March 27, 2018March 27, 2018 admin

what's on our bookshelf winter

This posts contains affiliate links.

Isn’t winter the best time to cozy up with a good book? Our winter weather’s been a little cooky this season. February felt like spring burgeoning on summer. I was wearing flip flops and getting ready to break out my shorts. Thankfully things never went that far. (These legs are no where ready for shorts!)

The end of February and March got much colder and rainier and we’ve been spending more time curled up under blankets, reading on the couch, and listening to rain patter on the roof. So, even though spring is here, I feel like winter is just hanging on.

Here’s what we read this winter:

Jen’s Bookshelf:

Hello Mornings by Kat Lee

Three little habits everyday to transform your mornings? Yes please! This book was the perfect book to start off the New Year for me. It’s all about making small but consistent changes, forming small but powerful routines that will change your morning first, then change your whole day. Kat Lee’s writing feels like you are chatting on your couch with your girlfriend over coffee. It’s an easy read but there is so much goodness packed into this book. I highly, highly recommend reading this book.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

First of all, I love Golding’s style of writing. I enjoyed the book as a really good piece of literature. My husband really liked it. But the book is about a group of young boys, left to govern themselves alone on an island. It didn’t end well and most of the boys turned into little savages. I guess it just wasn’t enjoyable for me to read. Reading about small children acting in such horrible ways (though not all of them turned “savage”) was just disturbing for me. It was a book club book and it lent to really good discussion. Just not my favorite book.

The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan

This was our last book club book and one we all enjoyed.

Humble Roots by Hanna Anderson (still reading this one)

Like the Hello Mornings book, this book is changing me. I’m reading a little bit most mornings during my quiet time. This is a short book and an easy read; but it is powerful and deep.

Lily’s Bookshelf (10 years):

Harry Potter The Sorcerer’s Stone (Book 1) by J.K. Rowling

The girl is hooked! We’ve got a serious Harry Potter fan on our hands. She just devoured the first two books. I’m on book 4 myself, The Goblet of Fire. She can’t read beyond what I’ve read and feel comfortable with because I know the end of the series gets pretty dark.

Harry Potter The Chamber of Secrets (Book 2) by J.K. Rowling

I really enjoy the movies. Now that she’s finished book 2, we will watch the movie together. I may look up the recipe for Butter Beer and have that while we watch.

Grandma’s Attic Series by Arleta Richardson

These are great, godly, character building chapter books for young girls.

Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye and other books from The Geronimo Stilton Book Series

Henry’s Bookshelf (6 1/2 years):

Bob Books Set 1

I’ve got a beginning reader!!! (Insert Mama squeal here!!!) The Bob Books are just wonderful to teach reading with.

Scat Cat by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

I read this book aloud to Henry; but this is a good type of book for those beginning readers.

Octopuses Count to Ten by Ellen Jackson

Jesus Calling Storybook Bible by Sarah Young

Read Alouds

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary (We are currently reading this one.)

So, number one, I love Beverly Cleary. Number two, my Little H is the boy version of Ramona. The first time I read this I did not have kids. Now, that I have a little “Ramona” and actually a Beezus (that would be my daughter, Lily) this book just means so much more to me. When I read it aloud to my two kiddos during school, it’s like I’m reading about what has happened in our house this week. I just love it. It also helps me to appreciate the workings of the mind of a sweet but strong willed little kindergarten boy.

The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

This is one we are currently reading as well for our California History cirriculum this year.

Maps by Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinska

This might be my favorite book I’m sharing today. Not only do my kids love this book, I love this book. It doesn’t feature every country; but it features several countries, each country spread out over two oversized pages. There is so much fun details and interesting facts about each country. The illustrations are excellent. I can’t recommend this book enough.

Double Digits, Baby! And What I’ve Learned In 10 Years of Being A Parent

ImageMarch 20, 2018 admin

I’ve been a parent for 10 years. 10 years! Sometimes I can’t believe that The Hubs and I are actually raising another human being. (Two as a matter of fact.) Think about it. Lily started out as a sweet, helpless little baby who could do nothing for herself. We kept her alive!! We taught her […]

Hello March! Hello Spring!:: Two Free Printables

March 16, 2018 admin

I know we are already well into March; but I wanted to offer this free printable to welcome in the new month.

Our March came in windy and wet! How about yours? Before we know it spring will be here with it’s bunnies and pastel peeps.

This sign just makes me happy. Isn’t green a happy color? Whether you put in on your mantel or slip it in a frame, I hope you enjoy it. You can download the Hello March printable here.

I also have a Hello Spring version of the printable that you can download here.

Before I go, I wanted to say Thank You to my readers old and new who subscribed to my “old” blog in it’s “new” place. I appreciate it. Remember, if you subscribe you can download my free “Powerful Verses To Pray Over Your Children” printable.

More posts are coming your way so, stay tuned.

Hello March.jpg

The Accidental Domestic Gets a Facelift

February 1, 2018March 13, 2018 admin

Happy 2018! If you’ve followed my blog for any amount of time you may have thought I had quit blogging. It’s been quite some time since I last posted. My only reason for being MIA is…life. It’s been busy and blogging had to take a back seat for awhile. Priorities have to shift sometimes and things we really love to do have to sit on the back burner……..for awhile. I was still blogging in my brain. In fact, I wrote many stellar posts in my head. Trust me, they were amazing.

We had horrific fires here in my hometown. If you are a reader who doesn’t live in California, I’m sure you watched (or least heard about) the wildfires in Northern California last October. Many friends and even family lost their homes. Entire neighborhoods and historic landmarks burnt to the ground.

October was a hard month.

When your life gets turned upside down, it’s hard to get back into any kind of normal routine. We didn’t lose our home but our city has literally been through hell and it took all of us to rally around and help each other.

You may also notice that the blog looks different. I was really wanting to change things up. You may also notice (or maybe not) that parts of the new blog are not quite working. I switched to a different hosting platform and I haven’t brought all my old posts over yet. I’m working on it. But honestly, I’m really, really bad at technology in general. Please bear with me.

I’m still working on setting things up the way I want them. I kept waiting until I could get everything perfect to begin posting again. I realized if I waited for that I would never start blogging again and all these ideas in my head would remain just that- ideas. So I decided, with the constant prodding from my husband, to just go for it. Jump back in with both feet. And so, I’ve jumped.

I have posts lined up to publish. I have a million other ideas in my head just waiting for me to stop rewatching episodes of The Office, sit down and get to writing. I have a vision of where I want The Accidental Domestic to go and I hope you come along on the journey with me.

If you subscribed to The Accidental Domestic when I was on my previous platform, I would love it (really, love it) if you would subscribe to this blog. You can subscribe in the box right up there in the right hand corner. You won’t be getting any other notifications from that blog anymore as I will be posting here from now on. If this is your first time visiting me ever, I would love you to subscribe, too. You’ll get a notification in your email when a new post is published.

To say Thank You! for subscribing I have a free printable to download. They are verse cards of powerful verses to pray over our kids. These can be for your own kids, your grand kids or given to someone who you know needs them. (That would be every parent who has ever lived!)

It feels good to get that first blog post under my belt. Until the next post………

The Summer That Never Was, Turning Six and Too Much Squash

June 29, 2017January 22, 2018 admin

Every day Facebook pops up these reminders, “Six years ago today…….” Pictures and memories flood back. I see my kids with their tiny round faces or a memory with friends I hadn’t thought about well, since last year when Facebook reminded me.

Some of the things I’ve posted on Facebook (especially in the early years) were kind of dumb. “I’m eating chicken and green beans tonight.” “I went to Target. It was fun.” Who cares what I ate on April 12th, 2010 and duh, Target is always fun. Why did I post about it?

I’ve honed my Facebooking status craft since then.

Then I get some reminders, like the one I got last week:

June 20, 2011

Had a great visit w/ Lil last nite. She thinks were at a hotelLOL They took out all my IV ports and put in a pick line; but its giving me tachycardia. Had 2 xrays and ekg & they may try to move it a little. Not painful, just uncomfortable. But its all good cuz we get to see Lil soon:)

I get these memory reminders every June and July. It was our crazy summer from 6 years ago, when Henry was born. I sometimes call it The Summer That Never Was.

He was supposed to be born in September. He was born in June.

I was supposed to be in my home town hospital with my family waiting in the next room while Andy and I welcomed baby number 2 into the world. Instead I was 2 hours away confined to a hospital room and spending most of my time in bed. When I gave birth to Henry, none of my family was there, not even Andy.

I was supposed to hold him in my arms when he saw the world for the first time. Instead I was still asleep from the anesthesia when he was born and wouldn’t see him for hours. I would see him later that day but would only be able to touch him gently with my fingers through a hole in his isolet. I wouldn’t hold him for days.

It was like God hit pause on the movie of our life that June. Everything that was normal, routine or familiar just stopped. Everything changed in an instant.

Getting a pic-line put in (which was actually very scary for me) was the new normal. Going two floors down to the NICU each day to see my son and hold him while he was being fed through a tube was now the new normal.

In August, the pause button was pushed again and life resumed. We brought Henry home. The movie of our life began to play again. I left my home at the beginning of that summer not being able to possibly fathom or imagine what our family would go through and learn. At the end of the summer we came home; but now everything was different. I was different.

Now he’s turning six. How does this happen? How does time slip by so quickly?

This kid, he’s a force. He’s brought me before the Lord on my knees countless times. I don’t think he’s going to live a quiet or subdued life. He’s sweet and compassionate. He has an over abundance of energy. He’s awfully stubborn. He’s loud and can be overly sensitive. He’s smart and inquisitive. He’s the best cuddler. Did I mention he’s stubborn? I want to laugh and cry as I type this.

I love this little wisp of a boy so much. It literally hurts.

He’s gotten really good at telling jokes lately and he likes to tell us really long versions of his dreams. I’m sure he’s making most of it up. I don’t care, I just like to hear him talk in that sweet high voice of his. He knows every name of every sea creature that ever was. I’m not exaggerating about this.

He gives the best hugs. He still needs naps. He’s want to do EVERYTHING on his own. (I think I’ve already mentioned that he’s stubborn.)

He’s been stubborn since day one at 3 1/2 pounds.

He tells me I’m his best friend. My heart melts. He’s sentimental, like me.

He loves to go on errands with his dad. One of my favorite things he does is watch Andy through the window when he goes to work at night. He yells, “Bye, dad. I will miss you.” He says that when he grows up he wants to be a cop like his daddy. Heart melts again.

This summer my biggest concern has been that I planted my squash plants too close together and my garden is being overrun by beautiful yellow summer squash.

What a far cry from our summer six years ago. That summer seems like yesterday and forever ago all at the same time.

I’m thankful for that summer, though. I’m thankful for the way it changed our family. I’m thankful for the way it made me see my Heavenly Father. I see Him as such a good Father. So good and giving us good things. Not always easy things; but good things. I saw Him time and again bring good from bad. Bring blessings from hard places. Bring peace from the scariest of places. Bring joy from despair.

It changed my perspective greatly. It changed me deeply.

What’s your summer been like? Good, bad? Hard, amazing? Wherever you’re at, it’s where God wants you to be at this moment. Lean into Him for strength. Praise him for the blessings.

Oh, and Happy Birthday, H. We are so blessed to have you be a part of our family. This mama loves you more than you know.

24 Sweet Valentine Books For Kids

February 9, 2017 admin

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Here’s a list of some of my favorite books to read on this sweetest of holidays. I discovered some new books which I’m excited to introduced to my kiddos as well.

The Ballad of Valentine by Alison Jackson

I found this little gem while browsing through the library with my kiddos. It’s a clever rhyming book that will keep kid and adult amused.

Valentine’s Day Is……. by Gail Gibbons

Not only does this book illustrate all of the different things we do to celebrate this special day. It gives you a history lesson on the origins of Valentine’s Day. Great book!

The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting

This is one of my all-time favorite books for Valentine’s Day written by one of my favorite children book’s authors. Mr. and Mrs. Bear wake up mid-hibernation to give each other very special Valentine Day gifts. This is a must read.

Snowy Valentine by David Peterson

I put this at the top of my list because I just love this sweet book. Jasper Bunny wants to find his wife, Lilly, a very special Valentine’s Day gift. The ending is a sweet surprise.

The Kissing Hand by Audry Penn

I remember Lily’s teacher reading this book on her first day of Pre-K. I really love this book and am reading it for H’s Pre-K co-op coming up soon.

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

Who doesn’t love this book? This is a must for any library.

I’d Know You Anywhere My Love by Nancy Tillman

I found this book while browsing around Barnes and Nobles with The Hubs. It caught my eye because it is written by the same author who wrote On the Night You Were Born, one of my all-time favorite children’s books. I like this book just as much. It’s about the love we parents have for our kids. The book reminds me of Lulu and H who are always pretending to be someone or something else, just like the child in this book. I highly recommend this one. The Nancy Tillman also gives us the illustrations which are captivating as well.

Valentine Surprise by Corinne Demas

The main character, Lily, is trying to make the perfect Valentine for her mom. The end result is absolutely perfect to mom.

I Love You Night and Day by Smriti Prasadam Halls

This book reminds me a little bit of I’d Know You Anywhere My Love. It’s heartwarming and the illustrations are a bit more cartoonish. This is a great book for Valentine’s Day or before bed reading.

The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond

This is another gem I found while browsing at Barnes and Noble.

The Biggest Kiss by Joanna Walsh and Judi Abbot

I really enjoyed this book and the one below (by the same author).

The Perfect Hug by Joanna Walsh and Judi Abbot

Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Sweet and simple. My kids loved this one, too.

I enjoyed reading these next set of books. I know my kids will love them because of the characters and what I know will capture my kids’ (and most kids’) interests. Some of these books have familiar characters that I know my kids will be drawn to.

Big Hugs, Little Hugs by Felicia Bond

I actually read this book this week to L and H while they were eating breakfast. Perfect for little ones.

There’s No One I Love Like You by Jutta Langreuter

This a book with a lesson. Bunny doesn’t appreciate his family until he lives somewhere else. This book would make a great discussion starter for being grateful and having a good attitude.

There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Rose by Lucille Colandro

This one is just plain funny and very entertaining.

Fancy Nancy Heart to Heart by Jane O’Connor

We like all the Fancy Nancy books! This is right up Lulu’s alley.

Pete the Cat Valentine’s Day Is Cool by James Dean and Kimberly Dean

To be honest, I’d never read a Pete the Cat book. I’ve been missing out. Pete realizes that thinking of others and giving thoughtful valentines to his friends is super cool!!

Dinosaurs Love Underpants by Claire Freedman

Okay, this isn’t so much a Valentine’s book as it has the word LOVE in the title. I think every boy (and girl) would love this silly and creative book read to them on Valentine’s Day. Did you know that wearing underpants is why the dinosaurs went instinct??? Neither did I! This is a super fun book.

The Night Before Valentine’s Day by Natasha Wing