Parenting | The Purposed Heart

Memory Books: Preserving Your Children’s School Memories

May 7, 2012 By Mindy 3 Comments

The following is a guest post from Becky, Purposeful Homemaking

Memory Books were something I made back when I was teaching in a classroom, and it’s something I keep thinking I need to do for our own children now that we’re homeschooling.

I probably won’t be able to assemble one until this summer, but I thought I’d at least present the idea to you now in case you wanted to get started on one, yourself! I think School Memory Books are something you can do whether you homeschool or not, because it’s a nice way to save the extra special projects your child does during the school year.

When I taught in the classroom, I did one book per year. However, I think what I might with our children as they are homeschooled is continue to add to one large book with possibly a divider between the school years.

How to Make a School Memory Book

School Memory Books are easy to make! As you can see from the first picture, I make a cover page for my large 3 ring binder. I then use sheet protectors throughout the book because it keeps everything nice and neat, and you can utilize both sides of the sheet protector. Plus, they’re great for containing things that might have little pieces to it or that need to be folded up due to size like this story below.

When I was a teacher, I typed up a little synopsis of what we learned in particular units. But, if you’re doing this as a parent using what your child has brought home from school, then you can just pick your favorite things to add.

I would also include some of my favorite stories that my students would tell, and I would also type up what some of our favorite days were from the year (e.g. Camping Day, Cowboy Day, etc.)

I loved including pictures of my students enjoying Theme Days as well. It has been nice to show this Memory Book to former students. They love seeing the pictures of when they were little.

I plan to put this on my Summer To-Do List because I know our own children will love looking back on their Memory Book some day.

What are some inexpensive things you do to preserve memories?

Becky Zale is a simple girl who is passionate about making a home for her family. She realizes that having a husband and children are a blessing, and she wants to be purposeful in making life beautiful for them. You can find her blogging at Purposeful Homemaking where she shares recipes, homeschooling tips, money-saving tips, and healthy living inspiration.

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Filed Under: Family, Motherhood Tagged With: home management, homeschool, parenting, school

Finding Fulfillment in Everyday Tasks: The Most Important Little Things

November 17, 2011 By Mindy 6 Comments

Sometimes, I get very discouraged with how my days are spent. I spend the majority of my time each day changing diapers, cleaning up spills and messes, playing peek-a-boo, cooking, and cleaning. I’m sure you know the drill.

All of these “non-important” jobs often seem tedious and almost meaningless to me. Mundane tasks have a way of wearing on me, and to be honest there are days that I have a hard time getting through my everyday chores.

I would rather be out changing the world, than wiping little handprints off the coffee table.

I want to make a difference in this world. I want to help others. I want God to use my life!

I desire these things so strongly, that I am sometimes left feeling unfulfilled by my current role as wife/mother/homemaker. Do you ever feel this way?

The Truth About “The Little Things”

This type of thinking that I am prone to – that what I do as a stay-at-home mom doesn’t matter – is quite dangerous and couldn’t actually be farther from the truth!

The truth is that I am making a difference in this world. I am helping others. And God is using my life!

I must realize that when I spend my days doing the dishes, cooking for my family, and cuddling with my son, that I really am doing the important things. These little things do matter. These little things are for God’s glory, and they actually matter a lot. Especially to the little life that God has trusted to my hands.

The following is one of my favorite quotes. It brings tears to my eyes and really helps me to put things into perspective and have a better attitude.

"To the whole world you’re only someone,
but to someone you’re the whole world."

Wow. I need to be reminded of this daily. My child’s world is much smaller than my world. The impact that my life has on his is real. To have such a great influence over another life is exciting, humbling and overwhelming all at once.

The little things that I do everyday are huge to this young child. I am his only mother. I can choose to resent that role or I can choose to embrace it. The choice is up to me.

I want to share this song by Steven Curtis Chapman that has been so encouraging to me when I feel like what I do doesn’t matter.

I continually pray that God will keep my perspective right in this matter. I certainly need His grace as I spend my days doing the little things that really, truly do amount up to big things!

*Note: If you are reading this in an email or feed reader, you may need to click over to the site to view the video.

Do you sometimes feel like your everyday tasks don’t matter? Isn’t it great to know that they really do!

This post has been shared with Simple Lives Thursday.

Filed Under: Faith, Family, Home Management, Motherhood Tagged With: encouragement, Faith, feeling discouraged, home management, motherhood, parenting

10 Reasons I Love My Cloth Diapers

March 1, 2011 By Mindy 7 Comments

We have been cloth diapering our son for just about six months now. I will admit that at first I was very intimidated by the idea of using cloth, but I shouldn’t have been! There really is nothing more to it than using disposables, besides the fact that you have to do an extra load of laundry. I can handle that! Especially considering all the benefits that cloth diapers offer. Today, I would like to share with you the top ten reasons I LOVE my cloth diapers!

1. Cloth diapers are so much cuter than disposables.

Just look at that diaper! Could it possibly be more adorable? Cloth diapers are available in tons of darling colors and styles – I love them!

2. They go on and off with the ease of a disposable.

When I was first considering cloth diapers, I imagined having to wrap a piece of cloth around my baby until it fit like a diaper and then fastening it in place with safety pins! Not something I wanted to have to deal with! But in reality the cloth diapers on the market today go on as easily as a disposable. Very nice!

3. They grow with my baby.

There are different styles of cloth diapers, but we chose the bumGenius 4.0 One-Size diapers. They adjust in size to fit small, medium and large sizes (approximately 7-35+ pounds). We chose this option so that we would just have to make one investment for the entire time our son is in diapers. Which leads me to point number 4…

4. Cloth diapers save us a LOT of money!

On average, parents will spend between $3,000 and $4,000 per child for disposable diapers. We spent just over $400 for 24 cloth diapers. These diapers get washed twice a week. It costs approximately $1.25 to wash each load of cloth diapers (this includes detergent, water, and energy.) So, we will end up spending between $260 and $325 on washing the diapers for a grand total of $725 (at the most) to get our child through diapers. I don’t know about you, but if I have a chance to save over $2,000 I’m going to jump on that opportunity!

5. They are healthier for baby’s bum!

Disposable diapers are filled with chemicals and gels to absorb odor and moisture. Tolune, xylene, ethylbenzene, styrene, and isopropylbenzene are all chemicals that outgas from disposable diapers. Some babies have allergic reactions and diaper rashes from these substances. Disposable diapers have also been linked to asthma and male infertility. Another issue is dioxin exposure. Dioxin (which in various forms has been shown to cause cancer, birth defects, liver damage, and skin diseases) is a by-product of the bleaching process used in disposable diaper manufacturing, and trace amounts may exist in the diapers themselves.

6. You will encounter fewer diaper rashes, if any, with cloth diapers.

Cloth diapers keep your baby drier than disposables and allow more air flow, which results in less diaper rash.

7. The are more comfortable for baby’s bum!

Think about it! What would you rather wear? Soft, comfortable, cotton underwear or crinkly, chemically laden, plastic underwear?

8. Leaking diapers are less of a problem with cloth diapers.

I’ve used both cloth and disposable diapers before and trust me...cloth diapers leak and have blowouts FAR less than disposables.

9. They don’t fill up landfills.

On average, one baby in disposable diapers will contribute over 1 ton of waste to your local landfill. These diapers may take up to 500 years to decompose - long after you, your children, and your grandchildren are gone, these diapers will still be sitting in a landfill. Another concern with diapers in landfills is the fecal matter. If you read the package of the disposable diapers carefully, the instructions say to flush the poop before throwing away the diaper. Most people do not practice this, however, which leads to fecal matter sitting in landfills, polluting the water and the air…a major concern.

10. There is less pollution and waste with cloth.

Disposable diapers generate sixty time more waste and use twenty times more raw materials, like crude oil. Cloth diapers use fewer resources overall in their manufacture, distribution, use, and disposal.

These are 10 of the reasons that we have chosen and love cloth diapers. If you have or are going to have a baby, I challenge you to consider cloth! The benefits far outweigh any disadvantage that you may think you will have. I know the thought can be overwhelming and intimidating, but give it a try. I think you may be surprised at how much you love your adorable cloth diapers!

Join us at Heavenly Homemakers for the little Green Project!

This post has been shared with Monday Mania and Top Ten Tuesday.