One month later

We've been in Neoga for a month now. The boxes are emptied, pictures are hanging on walls, paint colors are being discussed, landscaping is trimmed.  We're back to sharing meals around the table.  The house is becoming a home.

The girls are adjusting well. If you follow me on Facebook, you know that Harper's sleep patterns were seriously disrupted in the move, so I've been worn a bit thin trying to get things done with a very grumpy, teething baby (and on very little sleep myself). But I've found support with the other mamas at church. 

I am struggling with my next career move, though. Teaching jobs are in very short supply here.  I've checked into teaching in the elementary education programs at the local community college and Eastern Illinois University, but enrollment is down and vacancies are few.  So it looks like I'll be home again full time this year.  But with Maddie and Ava in school full time and only Harper at home, I'll be able to get more involved in church and the girls' schools. That is, if I can get Harper to separate from me for more than 15 minutes at a time.  

The big girls are making friends.  Maddie went to a 5 day sleep-away camp with the girls from church a week after we arrived in town. Despite my worries that she'd struggle while away from her mama, she more than exceeded my expectations and came home fired up and ready to go.  She's been able to keep up with one of her friends back in Princeton through FaceTime, which has been a blessing when she's feeling lonely or left out.   

We're gearing up for the girls' return to school August 18.  They've both met children from church their ages that they'll likely see in class.  And both the elementary and middle school principals are members of our church. It does this mama's heart good to know that there will be extra sets of loving eyes on my girls during the school day.

We're settling in to our new church, too.  The welcome we've received is amazing. Meals, gift cards, play date invitations, listening ears, warm smiles--it's times like this that we feel affirmed and encouraged in our ministry.  We're just getting started!

Thank you, dear readers, for your prayers and support during our transition.  I'll be back next week with a new book review and my very first giveaway!  Stay tuned!  

For the Last Time, till the Next Time

(To the tune of "For the First Time in Forever")

The boxes are stacked up on the floor

I don't want to pack stuff anymore

Who knew we owned so much worthless stuff?

For days I've walked these empty halls

Sad without pictures on the walls

Finally, we're packing up the truck!

There'll be actual real life movers

It will be totally great!

Now I think we're ready for this change

For the last time, till the next time

There'll be tension, there'll be fights 

For the last time, till the next time

We'll be working through the night

Don't know if we're more nervous or happy

But we're somewhere in that zone

Cause for the last time, till the next time

We're making a new home

Another year in ministry

Remember last year's recap?  

Well, if you can believe it, another year has flown by. Here are this year's highlights:

Here it is as a collage:

But wait!  There's one more:

We are in the process of packing.  My parents are (bravely) bringing the big girls home to Michigan for the next two weeks so Todd and I can focus on the move with only Harper to entertain.  The movers come next weekend and we'll drive down to Neoga Monday, June 30. So the blog will likely be silent for a bit as we transition. 

Thank you in advance for your prayers and patience!  We are excited, nervous, a bit sad and maybe apprehensive.  But we know God is in all of it.  See you in a few weeks!

Surviving Summer Vacation

I usually greet summer vacation with much anticipation, planning, and energy.  It lasts about a week and a half.  But this year I SWEAR I will be consistent.  This is mostly out of necessity, because two of my little people will need to entertain themselves for some amount of time while I pack boxes for the big move. 

I have 4 main goals for summer: 

1. Keep the girls sharp for school.

2. Get the girls to entertain themselves with little intervention/preparation from me.

3. Make and keep reasonable limitations on TV/device time.

4. Get the girls to pitch in with chores.

I saw this free eBook advertised in my newsfeed on Facebook the other day and downloaded it.  It was a quick read full of practical advice for surviving summer.  Check it out!  

Surviving Summer Vacation (Ebook Shorts): Plans and Prayers for a Mom's Sanity

http://amzn.com/B00JGWLJ58

As in years past, I created a summer contract for Maddie.  This year, I'm making one for Ava, too, as I try to prepare her for Kindergarten in the fall.  In addition to making our own learning goals, I added a section to remind the girls about their daily responsibilities.  There is also a weekly checklist for keeping track of schoolwork that's been completed.  I'll probably laminate the sheets so I don't have to print a new one each week. I plan on taking the girls to to pick out a brand new spiral notebook to use to complete their work.  The girls share my (geeky) love of school supplies, so this by itself will help get them excited for summer.

Here are the links to their summer contracts:

Ava: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2o09aqqsllrrbm7/Summer%20contract%20AMK.pdf

Madeline: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8gxuroly21piwms/Summer%20contract%20MGK.pdf

What are you and your family doing to prepare for summer?

How we celebrate Earth Day everyday

Happy Earth Day!

It ain't easy being green, but the Krost family sure tries.  

Here are three ways we try to shrink our footprint on the planet:

1. Cloth diapers

This one's a biggie.  It takes a lot of commitment, but once you find a system that works for you, your baby, and your washing machine, it's no big deal.  These are the three types of diapers we use in heavy rotation:

gDiapers (http://www.gdiapers.com)

We like these because they can be used with flushable/compostable/disposable liners or cloth inserts.

Fuzzibuns (http://fuzzibunz.com)

We use the one-size pocket diapers with snaps.  These diapers will work from birth until potty training!

Thirsties (http://www.thirstiesbaby.com/products/cloth-diapers/duo-wrap/)

We use the size 2 duo covers with aplix with cloth inserts or prefolds.

Honestly, if I can handle this, you can handle this. If you are interested in cloth diapering, contact me! I am happy to share our testimonial.  And honestly, is there anything cuter than a cloth diapered bottom?

2. Safe, non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning and personal products

We use a lot of detergent because of the cloth diapers.  Have you looked at the ingredient list of your detergents, cleaning, and personal care supplies lately?  Yuck!  Scary!

We use a vinegar and water (with a little tea tree oil and lavender) solution for everyday cleaning.  We use washable microfiber cloths as well.  

To clean our diapers and the rest of our laundry we use Charlie's Soap (http://www.charliesoap.com) and Biokleen Bac Out (http://biokleenhome.com/products/household/General). 

We try to use Acure (http://www.acureorganics.com), Ava Anderson (http://www.avaandersonnontoxic.com), and natural homemade alternatives on our hair and skin.  We avoid products with anything on this list:

Very little in my cleaning closet, laundry room, or bathroom would hurt my kids or pet if it was ingested. Most of it is inexpensive or comparably priced to what you might find in your local grocery store. And none of these products has hormone disrupters or toxic/carcinogenic chemicals which could cause long-term harm to the people I love, or the plants and animals that come into contact with our waste water. 

3. Reusable lunch wraps and grocery bags

I purchased two sets of these Earth Swag sandwich wraps and snack baggies (http://ptpa.com/product/earth-swag-sandwich-wrapplacemat-and-snack-bag/) a few years ago and they're still going strong!  Use them, shake out the crumbs, and toss them in the wash.  The sandwich wraps double as a placemat, which helps contain messes (and germs!).  

I have a stash of reusable grocery bags in my trunk at all times, and they're great for many, many reasons.  I use them on my weekly grocery shopping runs.  I've even started using small reusable sacks for produce, so I don't have to use the store's plastic bags for each item.  Just don't forget to throw them in the wash occasionally.  

Every little bit helps! What does your family do to help save the planet?