Soča Valley Family Photos

Photographer: Happy Moments

Outfits:
Women's Dress: Mango
Men's Shirt: Banana Republic
Boy's Shirt: Petit Bateau
Boy's Shoes: Target (Honestly, I'd buy this shoe in every size.)
Girl's Dress and shoes: Zara

Letter Board Chore Chart For 5-Year-Old

I did it!! You probably thought that hipsters had exhausted all the ways you can use letter boards - but no! I found a new use for them! You're welcome!

We've been reaching some new "big kid" milestones with our oldest.  I feel like it can be easy to forget how much he's capable of with a new baby around, but he really is ready and able to do so much!  There are many studies that show that kids who grow up doing chores end up being more successful and responsible.

We've always had him do things around the house, so this isn't a brand new concept.  However, I realized recently that he might enjoy earning some money, and that of course there were many chores that he could do!

You can search "chores by age", and find lots of great ideas for what kinds of jobs kids can do at certain stages.  Aidan already does a lot of them just out of habit, but I wanted to make some chores more consistent.  Also, we have a unique situation, where Aidan "works" all day at school - he is busy learning a new language.  When he comes home, he's usually exhausted.  So, I didn't want it to be way too much.  Anyway, here's what you'll need:

12x16 inch letter board, like this one

Exacto knife

Piggy bank (we went with a 12x12 shadow box one, similar to this.  I like it, because you can see the money accumulating!)

Desired skills:

- fostering good work ethic

- learning to tithe

- valuing money

- learning to save

Directions:

1. Use the exacto knife to get a clean cut when you're cutting out the enclosed letters.

2. Title your board if you like (kids love seeing their names).

3. Write out the (abbreviated version of the) days of the week on the left, leaving two lines between each word.

4. At the top, list the chores.

5. I added the chores that are only weekly at the bottom.

Another layout option for more chores would be to have just the first letter of each day at the top, and then the chores down the side.  Your choice! :)

We're using all the little symbols that came in the pack to "check" off the days.

And there you go!

What we've achieved so far:

- all week, Aidan has come out of his room with his bed made! Now, I'm not delusional, I know the excitement of it will wear off, but for now I'm loving it!

- he loves "checking things off" his list, and is enjoying the sense of responsibility. Yay!

Hooray for big kids, and new milestones!

An Attitude of Thankfulness

Decorating our Christmas tree always makes me thankful.

We have "filler" ornaments, sure, but the majority of our ornaments hold special meaning for us.  When we travel, we often buy an ornament to commemorate it.  Additionally, in our now nearly 8 years of marriage, we have been through quite a few milestones - not to mention the ones from before that.  Many of which are immortalized in the form of ornaments.

Every year, as we search through the crumpled paper towel sheets we use to protect this precious cargo, I am reminded of so many - good, but also sometimes hard - things that the Lord has brought us through.  We, as missionaries literally live off of the generosity of others - and thankfulness is the overarching emotion I feel.  Especially this time of year.  These ornament are tangible reminders of that.

Here are some of the ornaments that hold special meaning.

1. Baby's First Christmas Ornaments 

There will never be a day that I won't get teary pulling these out! Those teeny-tiny fingers and toes... I can't even stand it!  I even made sure that when we made these, I made an extra, so that if/when the kiddos ever want one for their trees when they're adults... I can still have mine.  #momwin

These ornaments make me so thankful for the little lives God has entrusted to us!  

2. Felt Cupcake

This ornament.  This was the year that finances were so tight, that these handmade felt cupcake ornaments were the only gifts we could afford to give.  I'm thankful for this year.  This was our first year as a married couple.  This was the year of Arby's chocolate turnover dates, Ramen noodles, no health insurance, not being sure if we had enough gas in the car to run errands, getting signed up to bring food to an event - and then not having enough to make dinner for us... It taught us to economize, to appreciate what we have, and enjoy the REAL spirit of Christmas.

3. Travel Ornaments  

I am so thankful for the ability to travel, and see new places.  These ornaments remind me of all the fun family memories we've shared.

4. White House Ornaments

My dad's dad, my Gramps used to buy my mom these ornaments that the White House Society puts out every year - and then when I got married, he did for us too.  In 2016, I lost three of my grandparents - one of them being my Gramps.  Dan's grandma also passed away that year.  Aidan, our 2 year-old (at the time) attended 3 funerals that year - and was an absolute dream.  I was a pall-bearer in my Gran's funeral.  When Gran passed away, we put together pictures for the reception afterwards, and numbered them for the slideshow.

3 months later, we were putting together a slideshow for Gramps' funeral.  The next number in the slideshow would've been 12, but I was looking at a picture that was already numbered 13, and was wondering where I went wrong with the numbering, when I realized - I hadn't gotten it wrong, it was just still numbered from Gran's funeral.  

After they passed, my mom continued the tradition.  Every year, when I take them out, I am thankful for my extended family, and the time we had together.

5. The Coolest Ornament

One year, I sent my mom a random picture of an ornament that I LOVED.  Somehow she found it, and I got it for Christmas that year! It's an urchin and a spindle - it's amazingly fragile and beautiful, and somehow made it across the ocean.

I'm so thankful for a mama who knows my heart.

6. Coffee

Coffee.  I'm not even kidding.  I'm thankful for coffee.  

7. My Oldest Home

Hungary.  

8. My Last Home

USA - Jacksonville.

9. My Current, and Beloved Home

Slovenia.  I love it here so much!  It has felt like home since the moment we got here.  I am so thankful that we get to live and thrive in Slovenia.

This is from when we went hiking a couple months after we moved here. <3

10.  The Person With Whom I Will Be Home No Matter What

I am so thankful for Dan.  So many of the wonderful things in my life are because of who I get to spend that life with.  

So, this holiday season, I encourage you to take the time to reminisce over the moments that your ornaments represent.  When you think about those memories, take the time to thank God for the good... and also the hard things He's brought you through.  Often times we wouldn't get to the happy memories, if it weren't for the tough ones.