Pee-Pee in the Potty!

One word... Skittles. Don't judge me, it worked. My sister says Lieli potty training in a week is my blessing for nursing for so long and I agree! We have been potty training for 6 days now and accident free for almost 3.

She had been taking off her diapers as soon as she tinkled and saying a form of "barrrat, brrrart, baaarrraat" when she poops. This word can stand in for anything gross though, bugs, mud, poop, trash. If she thinks it is gross she says barrrat. Now when we want her to stay away from something we tell her it is barrrat lol. One day, we were getting pretty low on diapers and I asked Chilo to pick up Pull-Ups for her if he made it to the store. The day got away from him, so I ended up running in after church on Saturday night. We cloth diapered for the first 18 months and after that Chilo has usually bought the diapers and wipes, so I was in shock when I saw the prices of the Pull-Ups! I decided to just go all the way and I bought a pack of like 25 Pull-Ups, a pack of 10 panties and a few plastic covers. That combo was basically the same price as 50 Pull-Ups. When I got in the car, I made a big deal about her big girl panties! She loved them. When we got home I went straight to the washer and threw in a load of clothes with the new undies because I knew tomorrow would be the big day!

The first day was tough, accident after accident right after sitting her down on the potty. I'm not going to lie, I thought about giving up and waiting a while (she's not even 2 yet). By the first night she did not want the plastic pants anymore, only her "manie" as she calls them. She sat on the potty and had her first success and it was awesome!!! I rewarded her with a song and dance (no, I do not plan on recording it for anyone else to see). I realized by her excitement for my awesome dance moves that a reward system was necessary.

I asked Chilo to pick up a bag of Skittles on his way home and we have been pretty much accident free since then. Every time she tinkles she gets one skittle and if it is a poop she gets five. She has actually gotten up from a nap, asked to go potty, used the restroom and went back to her nap. SUCCESS! I have potty trained many kiddos as a nanny and a momma, so I am not naive to the fact that we will have accidents in the future. However, I am looking forward to no more barrrat diapers!

Motivation & Accountability

Almost every Sunday Chilo takes charge of the house and kiddos and I have a day to do whatever I want. I have been taking advantage of it by sleeping in, watching the folks I like on YouTube, prepping for the upcoming school week, and a ton of reading and writing. It has been such a blessing to be able to recharge and get ready for the week. He actually brings me coffee in bed and makes breakfast, lunch and dinner... and lately cleaning up too. Thanks hubby, I am a blessed girl!

All of that being said, I feel like I have to get busy! I think I needed that time for recharging and appreciate it so much but lately I feel like I have been wasting this opportunity. I have so many ideas that I want to explore and things that I want to create and share. We are settled into our home, homeschooling is on track, I have my body back from breast feeding and my hormones have stopped attacking me. I am feeling like myself again. So if you know me at all, you know that means I am on to my next challenge. I have so many plans and I am motivated to start doing them!

I spoke with one of my good friends this week and we decided to get back to being accountability partners. I encourage you to pick one of your close friends to partner with. Then choose a day that works for both of you to send a detailed list of things that you have been wanting to accomplish (I think it is best to start with just a few things and work your way up from there), that you haven't been motivated to accomplish on your own. Then the next week go over your lists together, cross off what is completed and add new goals. When you have to report back what you have accomplished, it is definitely motivation to complete that list! This is my list for the week:

• Drink 3 of my water bottles daily (72oz)
• Research ASL certification and decide the route I want to take
• Organize my writing projects
• Bullet Journal at least twice this week
• Work on Logo
• Workout 3 times this week

This week I am choosing things that I slack a bit on (working out and water), things that I just need off of my list (logo, ASL, writing organized) and keeping up with the work that I have already done to get organized (bullet journal). By the way if you do not have a bullet journal it is worth looking into creating one. ANY notebook will do, which is the best part! I use a large, hard cover, squared, white Moleskine notebook and I love it.

I would love if you would share one thing you would like to accomplish this week in the comments below... cause I'm nosey! 

My YouTube Top 5

As an adult I have had times where I did not own a television. I think it can be a trap and it can keep us from the stuff we really want to do in life. We still limit our TV watching now, and I only have a couple shows that I really care to keep up with. Our kids don't watch TV Monday-Friday unless it is a 30 minute video teaching American Sign Language or Spanish to unwind before bed. Chilo and I are usually on YouTube when we have down time and want to watch something.

I thought I would share some of the YouTube channels that inspire me. *Cough, I rarely miss a video, ahem.*  They are in no particular order:

• At Home With Nikki
• Passion For Truth Ministries
• House of Aqua
• How Jen Does It
• A Farmhouse Full

Each of these channels inspire me for different reasons. Some for motivation, home decor and organization, some for my relationship with God and some for homeschooling and parenting. I usually watch videos on my phone at night while loading the dishwasher. Basically, if it's either the mundane task of dishes or laundry I am usually watching or listening to a video. 

That being said, I do try to be present when my family is around, so I finish what I am doing quickly and put my phone down. Though, they usually know better than to come hang out with me while I am washing dishes or folding clothes because they know I will put them to work! 

I hope you check out these channels and that they inspire you as they have inspired me!

Animal Charmer

So this week the Animal Charmer, also known as my husband, decided on Friday he was going to bring home 10 chicks. I was not surprised when I saw the familiar bird box with fluffy yellow birds on the side because he frequently does this to me. I was just surprised that he chose right before sundown to do it! We keep Sabbath, so working isn't really an option and he had about 20 minutes to get the little guys settled.

I have learned over the last 10 years this is just part of who he is. His big heart gets the best of him and he "impulse buys" animals. That reads the wrong way. We actually talk about the animals that we would like to have, research them and agree that we will EVENTUALLY get said animal. Then he randomly sees the animal and I get to meet the fur/feather/mucus ball after he's already fallen in love and it is in our home. I can expand on that another time, but I can honestly say there has only been ONE animal in our home that I have met before he has brought them to live with us. For all of you asking (in their mind and maybe even aloud), yes, at times this part of him pisses me off lol. But, I have to say, the fur members of our family fit us perfectly. I have come to understand when it is right, its just right and you figure it out later!

As a kid living in a small town in southern Oregon, Chilo spent most of his time outside catching and releasing animals. He hasn't changed much in 30 years. He has brought home pretty much everything from stray dogs (until they could be reunited with their owners), to tree frogs and snakes so that the girls can get a closer look before they are released again. Today he came knocking on our bedroom door with a new surprise. I can honestly say I never expected him to show up with one of these little guys!

"She" hung out for a while in the barn. Chilo put out some wild bird seeds which drew in a few more of the birds. Eventually when the food was gone, they all flew off to live their lives. I need to learn more about the native animals here. I think she is a Marsh Wren. I believe she may live in the pond on our property. Maybe we will see her again!