Harms Family News

I have two questions for moms. The first is for those who work from home only, and the second is for anyone: 1) When do you work? How old are your children? Do your children still nap? How do you work if they do not nap? 2) Do you have "quiet time"? How do you enforce this quiet time? How do you make it be, actually, "quiet?" Do you have one child who naps and one who doesn't, and how do you get the non-napper to be quiet?

I started a new workout plan. It's called T- Tapp . A friend pointed me to it when I was looking for a strengthening program I could use on non-running days that worked well but took minimal time. The program claims to work and create inch loss in just 15 minutes a day. Skeptical. Yep. I researched for about five months and found no one who said they followed the program and it didn't work. I even found someone who went from a size 22 to a size 8! So I started the program with a Bootcamp this week. Five days of the same workout in a row - you can do up to 14 in a row, but my body could only handle five before I got exhausted, which everyone in the forum said is normal (to get exhausted when your body is "done.") So, today was measuring day after the first week of workout. Keep in mind th at while I did try to eat a little better this week, I had way too much pop and did no no way diet. My results after 7 days and 5 15-20 minute workouts: 6 3/4 inches lost! Now, ...

Ok, I see how this goes. First you take a card. . . Then you chew on your game piece. This is Fun! Wait, I have to wait for my sister to take a turn? I'm not so sure I like this anymore! I am posting this in participating with Project 52. I missed last week but here's this week! To see more great posts, visit the link below:

I knew something was wrong. It started the day before, when a friend mentioned needing to “clear her head” on facebook. But she also shared something later that was family related, so I brushed it off. Then Sunday morning when the pastor’s wife posted “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.” Something is wrong my gut said. We went to church. “Open to Romans 12.” Then he went into what he felt his duties as a pastor are and how he has fulfilled them to the best of our ability. No!!!! my gut screamed Then he asked, “Are you willing to trust God even if it is hard, and even if it is scary?” No, not this, not now . Before he said it, I knew. Before he said it, the tears were falling. Our pastor is headed to the mission field. It is the right thing for them. I know this. I have seen it first hand in his love for missions. It is the right thing for our church too. In my heart I know this. But you see, I’m not ready. I am so not ready. Ready for what? ...

Will the cuteness not stop this evening? Daddy came home from work very (very) late. The children had already been fed, but I waited to eat with Tim. We were sitting down to eat and the girls were having a small snack since they ate their dinners well and were still up. Here is the conversation: Miss M: Mommy eating? Mommy: Yes, mommy is eating. Miss M: Why? Mommy: Mommy waited to eat her dinner with daddy. Miss M: Why? (Before I could answer the 'Lightbulb' look came over her face). Miss M: Mommy (points to me) LOVE Daddy (points to Tim)! Then she proceeded to kiss us both on the arm. Yeppers, that is why I waited to eat dinner with my husband. I loved this moment!

Miss N: Mommy, what's a tack? Mommy: A tack? Its a sharp little pin that you can use to stick things in the wall. Miss N: No, mommy, a taaackkk . Mommy: (clearer) A tack? (Miss N nods) It's a sharp pin that sticks into the wood of the wall to stick things t o the wall. (this goes on for about five minutes, with increasing frustration because I don't understand it. It also included a discussion of retainers for some reason) Miss N: (frustrated) No. Not that. Mommy, what's a double? Double dare? Mommy: Well someone might say double dare if they are trying to get you to do something. Miss N: (singing quietly) and if the double doesn't like it he can sit on a tack. Mommy: (finally getting it) Actually, it's "if the DEVIL doesn't like it he can sit on a tack" and a tack is a sharp thing to put things in the wall, so if someone sat on it it would hurt. Miss N: So is the devil a mean person? Mommy: No, that is another word for Satan . Miss N: OH! I get it...

Mommy is learning, slowly, but she is learning. What is she learning? That leaving her two cherubs alone with their toys means they fight far less than staying in the room with them. Yesterday I sent them downstairs armed with new furniture for their dollhouse. I stayed with them for a while, then went about my motherly tasks. Here is what I overheard: Miss M: (screaming in frustration at doll who will not stay on chair), Daddy ON CHAIR! Miss N: Here you go sweetie, let me show you. Can I help you? That's it sweetie. There. Now he's on the chair. It's OK sweetie. This repeated itself many times. Of course, play did end when they could no longer negotiate to share a particular toy, but it was a huge victory in that they played together for probably 40 minutes. And I was particularly thrilled with the sweet words coming from my almost five-year-old. I am linking to Simply Modern Mom's Project 52. Check out great stories and photography from other moms through the link.

My girls have the best daddy, and here are some answers that prove it! These are from Miss N who is going to be 5 in a month. 1. What is something daddy always says to you? Natters Schmatters 2. What makes daddy happy? You and me and Megan 3. What makes daddy sad? When we don’t obey 4. How does Daddy make you laugh? Doing funny things like flipping us 5. What was your daddyy like as a child? I don’t know. A little boy 6. How old is your daddy? 10 1/2 7. How tall is your daddy? 10 feet 8. What is his favorite thing to do? Make us laugh. He likes to hear it when we laugh, Mommy, that means that we are happy. 9. What does your daddy do when you're not around? Work and watch trains. I know it! 10. If your daddy becomes famous, what will it be for? For his work 11. What is your daddy really good at? Working and taking pictures of trains 12. What is your daddy not very good at? He can’t go on the treadmill 13. What does your daddy do for job? Fix my van 14. What is your d...

I want my girls to grow up to be best friends. When we found out Miss M was a girl, the part of me that longs for a son was a bit disappointed (you know, the whole family business needs an heir and all), but another part of me rejoiced. With just over two years difference in age, there is no reason they could not be great friends. Never having a sister, I've always envied friends who had one and had that close relationship. I know not all sisters do, so I am praying for wisdom on how to cultivate that relationship regularly. Today started out with a lot of selfish, unfriendly behavior on the part of both children. Being snowed in with the great Blizzard of 2011 meant no distractions. They HAD to learn to play nice. And you know what, by the end of the day they had. And this picture says it all: Natalie waited all day to draw this picture for her sister. You can see the labels - one is Natalie (obviously) and the other is Miss M. We have yet to master the letter "G," Thus ...