Strider Giveaway!

Check out this balance bike giveaway!  Dangit I want to win!

http://everythingsabuzz.com/2013/04/13/strider-st-4-balance-bike-review-giveaway/

Weebles Giveaway!

Guys, you should go check out THIS SITE and get in on the new giveaway!  They're giving away a Weebles Turn and Tumble set for FUHREE!  Wouldn't it just look lovely under your Christmas tree?!

PULL AND PRAY!

Pull and Pray  also known as the withdrawal method, coitus interruptus, and no fun.

I mean, I hate hormonal contraceptives (for me.. not as a general rule).  And rubbers stink.  All I can think about while I'm trying to get jiggy with it is "Boy, condoms sure do smell awful".  That'll get you on the fast track to happy orgasm land, lemme tell ya.  *sarcasm ends here*  So back to what I was saying:  I hate hormonal birth control and, well, most forms of birth control.

Natural Family Planning has worked really well for us and it's free, hormone free, easy, and effective.

But I'm curious about this Pull Out method.  I admit that we've used it but it seems to take the fun out of sex..  It changes up the dynamic quite a bit and you can't ever completely let yourself enjoy the experience.  


New studies show that the withdrawal method rivals condoms for birth control (PLEASE don't think that this method prevents STDs and STIs or you're going to end up with HERPAGONACYPHICLAP WARTS) and that with PERFECT use in a monogamous relationship it has a failure rate of only 4% (condoms have a 2% failure rate with PERFECT use).  This study claims that with typical use (meaning that every once in a while the hubby might make a small deposit of baby making juice into the 'ol vagina by accident) there is a failure rate of up to 18%.

I'm EXTREMELY curious about what other people think about this method of birth control.  Tell me about your experiences with this method and share with your friends and have them comment.  I want a variety of opinions on this and I want to know other peoples' thoughts.

I mean, I'm not too keen on jumping of the roller coaster in the middle of the ride, but I'd love to hear what y'all think!

PENIS!

I promise to keep my mouth shut about controversial subjects in this blog post.  I also promise not to use the word penis.

Just kidding.

It's one of those things people really don't talk about.  Like peeing in the shower or the fact that when you brush your teeth it isn't all clean looking like it is on the toothpaste commercials.  It's just not discussed.  And that's why I didn't bring my whole son home from the hospital.

Circumcision.

(did I just say circumcision?  yeah... I did.)

We circumcised our son.  Daddy Stump didn't want to.  But I insisted because of the general consensus and misinformation "out there" about uncircumcised penises.  The fact is that only about one fifth of males worldwide are circumcised.  And guess what?  It's absolutely, 100% unnecessary.  

I sincerely hope that one day my son doesn't ask me why I paid a doctor $150.00 to cut off part of his weenie.  

Some people say they do it for religious reasons.  Circumcision originated as a covenant between God and Abraham.  Afterward, in Romans, the Bible says:  

But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. 

Romans 2:29

So religious reasons for circumcision are pretty much zero unless you feel a personal conviction about having your baby's foreskin removed.  

Some people claim that having a circumcised penis reduces the risk of transmitting AIDS, other STDs, and reduces the chances of a male having a urinary tract infection.  There is no scientific proof that these claims are true.  None.  And ask yourself:  Would you allow a female circumcision to be performed on your daughter to avoid a urinary tract infection?  No.  Why?  Because it's cruel and unnecessary?  Oh..

I also think that instead of removing a baby's foreskin so that they will have a lower chance of transmitting AIDS and STDs is bogus (if it was a fact that there was a higher risk of these things with an uncircumcised male.. which it isn't).  Wouldn't you agree that instilling morals, values, and principles in your child would be more important.  Instead of having them go through a painful, unnecessary procedure at birth, why not teach them to respect themselves and the women they're dating.  How about teaching them to avoid casual sex... or at the very least to use protection.  Teach them that a sexual relationship is something intimate and personal and should be between a husband and wife who love each other.  I think THAT would reduce the risk of them getting AIDS and STDs more than having them circumcised.  

Early Americans actually began circumcising babies because they wanted to deter them from masturbation..... ERRRRRRRR... IT DIDN'T WORK.  It doesn't matter whether a male is circumcised or uncircumcised, I'm sure they play with themselves.  

Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, a Fundamentalist Christian advocacy organization, has written:

"It is my opinion that masturbation is not much of an issue with God. It is a normal part of adolescence which involves no one else. It does not cause disease. It does not produce babies, and Jesus did not mention it in the Bible. I'm not telling you to masturbate, and I hope you won't feel the need for it. But if you do, it is my opinion that you should not struggle with guilt over it. Why do I tell you this? Because I deal with so many Christian young people who are torn apart with guilt over masturbation; they want to stop and just can't. I would like to help you avoid that agony."

So, I think we have established that circumcision doesn't keep males from playing with their genitals.  It's just something they do.


Another reason that people say they are going to circumcise their boys is "It's easier to take care of".  This is ABSOLUTELY false.  You DO NOT EVER retract the foreskin while changing or cleaning a baby.   "When intact, don't retract."  "Only clean what it seen."  You clean an uncircumcised penis like you would clean a finger--just wipe it off.  Don't retract the foreskin.  The penis is like the vagina.. It's gonna take care of itself.

The one that takes the cake for me is "I want my son to look like his Daddy (or, in our case, brother)".  So, since your husband is going to walk around naked and compare penises with your son, are you going to go buy some pubic hair and glue it on your child as well?  You know, so they can match..  Sound ridiculous?  Because it is.

I understand not wanting your child to be "different".  It's actually the reason I went against my husband and had our son circumcised.  I didn't want him to be the one with the penis that looks like an anteater.  But, really, does it really matter?  Who is going to see your child's penis?  He's not going to flop it out and post a pic on your Facebook with a caption "HEY!  My penis is NORMAL because I'm CIRCUMCISED!".  His penis isn't going to be a public thing.

Some people may ask: "Why do you care what I do with my son's penis?".  Well, I'm just trying to spread the word.  I wish that someone who was educated and knowledgable about circumcision origins and the cold hard facts would have told me something.  Because I just didn't know.  I did it because it was normal.  It was what everyone else did.

Here are some facts about circumcision if you'd like to know more.

I'm not bashing circumcision.  I just want people to EDUCATE themselves about it.  It's important to know the facts.  Look at both sides and weigh your options.  After reading and researching, my husband and I have decided that we will absolutely not circumcise any future sons.  We have come to the conclusion that it's just not necessary or worth the risks.  If any of our uncircumcised children choose to be circumcised on their own later in life, that's fine.  It's their penis, their choice.  I'm not in a position to take that choice from them.  After a lot of reading, I've begun to believe that it's similar to giving your child a tattoo at birth.  Something that they may not want.  I just want people to make educated decisions and understand that it's not medically necessary.  Weigh the risks and benefits and come to your own conclusion.  And make sure you come to a mutual decision with your spouse.  That way you'll have no regrets when you bring your baby home.

Anyway, enough penis talk.  Just do your research folks.

You're Selfish If You...

Attention moms:  You may not know it but once you become a mother you have to absolutely forfeit most parts of yourself and become a mass of mother and nothing more   put your children before yourself.  What?  Didn't you know that?  Seriously.  Read on.

You're selfish if you:

• pee alone.
• shower alone.
• eat your food without sharing it with one of your children.
• don't wash the Superman shirt EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. so your kid can wear it EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
• spend a little money on yourself.
• get a bath.
• buy yourself some new jeans.
• even THINK about a new purse or makeup.
• poop alone.
• brush your teeth alone.
• turn the TV away from Nick Jr.
• take the time to dry your hair.
• poop without holding someone.
• tell your children/spouse "I just need a minute".
• get a sitter to go on a date.
• wouldn't even think about girls' night.
• don't let your children consume every waking thought.  And the sleeping ones.

Guys, I love being a mother.  I've been extremely blessed.  My kids are fabulous and being a mother is what I do best.  But YOU DON'T GET DISQUALIFIED FOR THE MOTHER OF THE YEAR AWARD for making some time for yourself!  

I homeschool, so both of the Stumplings are around me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  They probably get tired of me too!  It's okay to call the grandparents and take them up on their offers to spoil your children rotten babysit.  It's okay to go get a pedicure.  If you find a bit of makeup, GET IT (especially if it's on sale...).  If you and your spouse need a date, go on one!  If you just want to take a cotton pickin' crap without someone on your lap, guess what?  That's okay, too.  (and if you're a mom and say that you've never been to the toilet without one of your offspring on your lap I'd wager you aren't telling the truth)  Go get that sassy haircut you've been wanting.  Go to Mom's Morning Out or Mom's Night Out.  Tell the hubby to watch the kids for an hour so you can soak in the tub with a good book (I highly recommend the trilogy by Liz Curtis Higgs, by the way!).  I like to stay up a little later and get up a little earlier than my children so I can have a little time with myself and my Bible before the day begins and after it ends.  It's okay to tell your adorable dumplings that you want them to eat off their plate instead of yours.  They'll also survive if the Superman shirt isn't clean every. single. day.  

Now, I'm not saying to do all of these things at once.  And I'm not saying that it's okay to put yourself ahead of the other members of your family.  I'm just saying that there's still a YOU behind the Mom.

These are all things I struggled with.  I thought that if I didn't have my children with me every waking second of every single day I was failing them as a mother.  I thought that if I didn't do everything perfectly and guide them on every step they took I wasn't doing my job.  And have mercy on me, you can forget letting them climb a ladder to a slide without me hovering like disaster was going to strike.

Then I realized that it's okay to take a few minutes to myself.

Guess how....

My kids told me they were tired of me.

Really.. Well it went more along the lines of "Mama, can't we hang out with someone else?  We have to be with you all the time.". 

Um.. Okay.  So, it wasn't just me that needed a little break here and there.  MY KIDS DID, TOO!  They were actually sick of me!  Although I don't know how because I'm jam packed full of awesome.

THEY needed a break.  THEY needed to go to visit the grandparents for a few hours.  THEY wanted me to get out of THEIR hair for a little while. 

And guess what?  As a result of my mini breaks, I'm a better mother.  I'm a better wife.  I'm a better me.  Because I can acknowledge that there is still a me.  I'm still mostly mom.  And I LOVE every second. (Well, mostly every second.  The finger painting with poop and eating beetles seconds aren't too much fun, although they are funny in hindsight.)  My kids are happier without HELICOPTER MOM breathing down their necks every minute.  My kids have gotten the chance to develop absolutely amazing relationships with their grandparents.  My kids learn new things because they can hang out with the Mom's Morning Out crew.  My kids are actually happy to see me and don't have the *sarcasm* "Oh yay, another awesome day with Mama" look on their faces every minute.  

So, all you superhero moms out there, it's okay to take just a sec for you.  All you moms who are struggling with guilt because you feel badly taking a minute for yourself, it's okay to remember that you're still insert your name here.  For all of you wives who feel like you're slipping away from your spouse, it's okay to find a sitter for your kids so you can go on a date and rekindle your romance.  For all you Christian mothers, it's okay to lock yourself in a room and have some time for you and God.  

Try it.  I'm telling you.  Your whole family will be happier.  

Fantastic New Homeschooling Resource!

First things first.  Logan is doing exceptionally well with homeschooling.  I know that pulling him out of public school was absolutely what he needed.  But I was at my breaking point.  I thought that I wanted to throw out every homeschool book that had ever been created and toss him back into the public school system next year stop homeschooling.  I was feeling like, if he was behind, it was my fault and the burden of my child's education rested solely on me.  And I tend to overanalyze and overreact so it was constantly over my head.

So I enlisted the help of my trusty 'ol Google and came upon a website:  www.time4learning.com
Let me just tell you.  It's amazing.  I feel like an enormous weight has been lifted off me.  Given, this was our first day using it but it was absolutely fantastic.  Logan actually wanted to do more school.  Now, that's definitely something he's never asked for before.  He's excited about tomorrow.


Here are some of my favorite perks:

• It's very inexpensive.  They're having a special now where it's $4 for the first month and $19 and some change for every month after.
• You can deactivate your child's account for summer or vacation and pay a reduced fee without losing any of their running academic records.
• They give you a running record of their grades on all completed activities.
• It's FUN for the kids!
• You can cancel at any time.
• It's very parent friendly.  Parents set the amount of time the child has to do schoolwork and when the time is up the child is permitted to play approved online games.
• Extremely easy to navigate.
• They provide the ENTIRE homeschool curriculum and lesson plan.  It's all in order.  It's completely organized and easy to use.
• The graphics are great.  They aren't cheesy, poorly photoshopped, clip art crap.  They're good, bright, colorful graphics that are fun to look at and keep my kid (and this is a challenge) engaged.

Now, this doesn't only have to be for homeschooling parents/children.  This would be something wonderful for a summer refresher for kids or even a supplement to another form of education (public/private school, etc..).  It's fun enough that the kids won't think they're doing work.

Anyway, just wanted to share my awesome find of the day.  Hopefully some of you (especially parents who are struggling just a bit with homeschooling their children) will be able to utilize it.

PARTY TIME!

Today my little boy turns six.  SIX.  I swear it feels like he should still be a baby.  The time just goes by too quickly.  He's growing up.  And what a fine fellow he's going to be.


So, in honor of his birthday I would like to share a few of the things that make my beautiful boy so special:

• He loves everyone.  He thinks everyone is beautiful in some way.  EVERYONE.  I have never once heard him make fun of someone or make someone feel less than awesome.
• He is the sweetest soul I have ever known.  He is so kind and empathetic.  If someone's feelings are hurt, so are his.  When a person cringes in emotional or physical pain, he cringes right along with them.  I've never met a kinder human being.
• He CARES about other people.  Like, when he says "How are you today?"  he really wants to know.  He isn't asking because it's socially expected.
• He doesn't like to get dirty.  Never has.
• He works below grade level but he works so incredibly hard.  It touches my heart to see how much of himself he pours into trying new things.
• He has a TON of energy.  He could make one of those English serious soldiers laugh any day.  I'm certain of it.  
• He thinks farts are hilarious.  As long as he's the one doing the farting.  Otherwise, they're atrocious.
• He is the best big brother a sibling could ever ask for.  If how he deals with big brotherhood is any indication of the kind of father he'll someday be, then I have to say he's going to have the most blessed kids on the planet.
• He's thoughtful.  He doesn't do something without thinking of someone else.  EX: When he was in public school the children got to go to the "Treasure Box".  He could have gotten one toy or two pieces of candy.  He REALLY wanted the toy but he got the candy so his sister could have some too.  
• I love to hear him pray.
• He rarely gets angry but when Laney ripped the story of Adam and Eve out of his children's Bible he screamed "NOW HOW ARE WE GOING TO KNOW HOW THE WORLD BEGAN?!?!?"
• He chooses his battles.
• He doesn't complain.
• He knows exactly what he wants and he sets and attains his goals.

He's a very special little guy, there's no doubt about it.  Happy Birthday Sweet Boy.