Annoyance

As parents, we often get annoyed with our children! They disturb our ideals. We teach them the same lessons over and over again. They selfishly expect us to jump to their every beck-n-call. They keep making messes.

How often do you think our children get annoyed with us? We disturb their play for bed time. We try to teach the same lessons with no creativity and expect results. We selfishly expect them to transition smoothly from one activity to another at our beck-n-call or selfishly leave them in their beds fussing rather than moving with love to their beck-n-call. We run around cleaning up messes instead of enjoying the fun of creating them with our children. Annoyed, frustrated, confused with our inconsistency.

How often do you think GOD gets annoyed with us, His children? ...that's right, He's the perfect parent. The perfect example. He is always on His toes with creative nurturing, transitions with ease, jumps at our beck-n-call with joy, and extend grace every moment of our lives.

Be encouraged today. Have some perspective, add some joy to your step, and give a little grace.

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“That’s the plan, Remember!?!”

"I do the talking. You do the thing with the {piano}. And God does the rest! That's the plan...Remember!?!"

Do you know where your kids are getting what they are pretending? I'm excited to say that I love knowing these above conversation came from a Veggie Tale, Moe and the big exit. Maggie told Izzie this in an attempt to get her to play the piano. LOVE IT!

People have always suggested that you not let the TV babysit your children. I thought, well duh. Why would I do that? Hahaha, but now, after having 3 who I'm taking turns feeding, napping, changing, playing with, I totally understand how putting a movie on in the afternoon gives you 30+ minutes to get a lot of chores completed with ease or to just sit. BUT it is still important that you not fall into this trap. Parenting is about building relationships with your children and using every teachable moment. Laughing over cartoons and discussing what they are learing (yes, they learn from everything) from what they are watching. This also gives you the opportunity to decide if what they are learning is really helping or hurting your efforts in raising Christ-followers!

What is your favorite movie to watch with your children?

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I’m Worn Out

After 45 minutes, 11 times putting my toddler back in her bed, 3 spankings for each my toddler and preschooler, and almost falling asleep while leaning against the bedroom door frame because I'm Worn Out but THEY ARE ASLEEP in the same room (for now)!

I'd like to share with you a journey of consistent parenthood that my husband and I are on. someday we are the ideal, prime, text-book example of how to be Christian (Christ-like) parents in disciplining and other days we'd be so ashamed to know anyone saw the way we treated our children in handling a frustrating situation.

I'd like to encourage you to go one this journey with us.

Our goal is: consistent Parenthood which requires continually deciding if how we are doing it is right so in our constantly we aren't continually doing it wrong. hahaha A major thing we require of our children is what some may call "immediate obedience", we call listening the "1st time" in our house. Being consistent is exhausting when you require that! It means you can't be lazy. It means you have to make tough decisions (constantly). I means you need to have regular 'pow wows' with your significant other to make sure not only are you on the same page but preferably on the same line or exact same word of that page. This will definatly wear you out but it's worth it!

Here are a couple of examples of exhausting things we have our children do consistently, why, and what that requires of us:

1. Stay in bed (preferably sleeping) until 7.
Keeps everyone in a routine.
Taking our children back to their bed(s) when they get up before then (5am) and or helping them go back to sleep

2. Eat (portioned accordingly) (must at least try 1 bite for something new)
Health, thankfulness, and manners/character/attitude
Having regular meal routine. Eat together. Try new foods.

3. Pick up toys before bed (both naps and night-time)
Helps keep their things from getting lost (pieces included) or broken
We have to train the how to do this correctly (another post to come on our definition of train), help when necessary, and make them do it.

4. Sleep
Health, sanity, manners/demeanor/character/attitude
Have constant nap routine. Have adequate sleeping for each child. Make them; even when that requires standing in the hall for 45 minutes
some days (as described above).

Why do you do this to your family and yourself?

"We see the first lesson Christ taught his disciples and a lesson that He continued to teach throughout His time with them was obedience."
-Sadie Dodson of WellTrainedFamily.com

What are some of the exhausting but effort worthy things you are constant about with your children?

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As a family we are always trying to line everything we do up against The Standard, the Word of God and the Son of God- the Bible and the perfect life of Jesus. Writing this post made me go back and make sure the things we are requiring of our children is Biblical.

If you're a Christian, are you continually laying your life along side God's Word to seeing if your life really is "Christ-like"?

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Where ya been?

Sorry I've been MIA for a while now. This month has been crazy and is continuing down that same path.

The end of last month was single mom week while Matt was away at camp only to return for our crazy 4th of July weekend which included:
*a fun Zoo trip
*3rd birthday party with 14+ family members in attendance or visiting that weekend

The weeks to follow were full with:
*3 Well Baby visits and immunizations for all
*family doc and cardiologist appointments for me
*regularly schedule youth services
*summer youth events, lunch hang out times, and "after hours"

This week contains:
*dentist apt for Matt tomorrow
*packing our 5 person family to head out in 3 different directions for a week
-Mission Trip to Quad Cities IL for Matt, me, and our Relentless Students
-Nanna and Papaw's for Mags and Iz
-Ms Lynn for Jamin

August will bring:
*Yard Sale (1st weekend)
*Starting Preschool with Mags (explain more later)
*couple more youth things for the summer/back to school
*Big Duck Duck Goose Consignment Sale (consigning/volunteering last weekend Aug/1st weekend in Sept)

~~~

Milestones:
Maggie is now 3! She got butterflies for her birthday, is getting closer and closer to being potty trained, has the speech of a 10-year-old, and will be starting preschool in August!Izzie is 18 months old! She struts around the house playing big girl games with her big sis and trying to help take care of her baby bro. She is talking more and more every day- not new words but Phrases.

 

Jamin is 6 months old! He is rolling over, smiling and giggling none stop. He's now sleeping unswaddled on his tummy and is transitioning to formal and baby food.

Ugg, I hope they learn Nothing while I'm gone. I don't wanna miss a minute of it.

~~~

Your prayers would be much appreciates during all this...we are exhausted in this busy blessing.
Please bear with me over the next few weeks as I focus on my family. I'll try to post a few update pics. Thanks!!!!

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$1.00 Zoo Day

My sweet Maggie has been asking to go to the Zoo for almost a year now. We read tons of books about animals and the Zoo. More recently she has watched "Little Bill" who gets to go to the Zoo as well as get a pet {Which she has already quoted from as well, "Mom...can I have a Pet?!?} We have been looking for a time to take our entire family and trying to decide which Zoo to go to. Matt and I met at the Memphis TN Zoo and then later got engaged there so that would have been cool to take our kids there...well, some day. The final kicker was when my friend let me know about the "$1.oo day" at the Little Rock AR Zoo! That is only ~45 minutes aways rather than hours AND I'd never checked into how much it cost for normal admission. $10.oo for adults and $8.00 for kids over a year. CRAZY! After going through Dave Ramsay's Financial Peace University we are even more aware of how big a budget item that is, especially with 4 we would have to pay for. Needless to say, the Rothacher clan will be heading to dollar day with the thousands of other families every time they have it!

Bonus: grandparents and cousins were already headed down to see us for Maggie's belated 3rd birthday party are were able to meet us there for this cool adventure!

~~~

Here are a few (hehehe) highlight pics:

The Line...yep, this is part of the wait. It went fast though. Just enough time to put on sunscreen, shades and make some new friends

This one reminds me of when I was a kid and my mom would dress me and my brother's in the same color
so if we got lost/separated she could find up easier. (note: this was not planned ;o)

My dad pushed the double stroller the entire day. THANKS!

LOVE stroll'n with my big girl!Lil Pinguins...they should've had a monkey one for our clan

Speaking of..."MONKEYS!!!!"

How cute! Dad showing Jamin the moneys.Alligators- my FL hubby was surprised to read the sign saying we have some in ARPenguins- smart lil guys- in the water the entire time, where we should have been
Anna got them to follow her finger in circles

Daddy and his Princess Magdalene. So sweet!Tiger
One of my FAVS!!!!Iz, rid'n daddyElephants...way back in thereCloser to the ElephantsGiraphas...hiding inside (animals are Smart!)


Rhinos

Lions

J did sooo good in the heat the entire day!Bear
(sorry, can't see it but they were too cute)Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?Sweaty, snuggly Izzie...and mammaMan, it was HOT!

Apes
"If doesn't have a tail it's not a monkey, even if it has a monkey kinda shape"Favorite Exhibit! We were allowed to go IN with the birds!
Anna was teaching Mags how to hold out your finger to get the birds to land on them, hehe

You were allowed to feed them nectar out of tiny cupShortly after this the bird snatched the entire cup out of her hand :O)I felt like a monkey in a cage, this was my parents with Iz outside the cage

We had a BLAST! All this kids did fabulous during the couple hour heat tour of amazing animal goodness!Thank you for taking our tour of the Little Rock Zoo with us!
The Rothacher's will DEfinately be back for next year's Dollar Day (there will be one right!?!)!!!

~~~

Thanks to Leann Gabriel for letting me know about Dollar Day!!!

Have any deal days to share or links to your blog about family adventures?

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