Amy Scott's Thoughts

Sharing the thoughts that bounce around in my brain!

Girls Night at My Place May 31, 2014

Filed under: Children's Ministry — Amy Scott @ 11:46 am

CroquetEvery year I invite my class of 5th/6th grade girls over to my house for a fun night. One of things I try to be intentional about as a teacher is inviting my girls into my home. I don’t want them to think that my interest in them only last for an hour and a half on Wednesday nights. I want them to feel invested in beyond the classroom.

Hot dog timeThe weather was perfect yesterday! It was beautifully sunny so we started the night outside with a round of croquet. For some of the girls this is their first time playing the game, so it’s always fun to see the reactions. Most girls really love the idea of hitting balls with mallets. It can get a little dangerous! Thankfully there were no injuries or accidents. My sister took 1st place, Ysabel took 2nd and I took 3rd. I usually land in the top 3 each year. I was happy to see my skills hadn’t worn off (since I only play once a year)! After croquet, we went over to the fire pit to roast hot dogs for dinner. It was a little too warm to be by the fire, but the girls seemed to enjoy roasting their meal and munching on chips.

Movie time!At this point in the evening, we moved things inside. It was time for the feature film – Frozen! These girls are obsessed with this movie and I really like it too. You haven’t really experienced Frozen until you’ve watched it in a room of preteen girls singing along at the top of their lungs. There were moments where April and I had to hide our laughter. It was pretty incredible. We might be getting a noise compliant from our homeowner’s association.

FondueThe highlight of evening for many was our dessert. I promised the girls chocolate fondue and they were so excited for it. Fondue is one of those things I do about once a year and while I’m enjoying it, I always wonder why I don’t do it more. Large group events like this are perfect. I used melting chocolate that was formatted for fondue pots. This means I don’t need a recipe or any added ingredients. Just melt and enjoy! We had an assortment of goodies that included marshmallows, rice krispie treats, twinkies, brownies, strawberries, bananas, and oreos. All were excellent! I had one of each! Yum!

The evening came to a close with a game of Mafia. This game is always fun to play with 5th graders because they don’t always have the strategy down. Jeremy figured out I was in the mafia one game and tried to have me killed, but my loyal class wouldn’t believe him. Since he was the doctor, he kept saving himself. The only way I could have killed off was by having the townspeople vote to kill him. Again, my loyal class followed me and I got Jeremy in the end! *Insert evil laugh here*  The girls were sad when our time ran out and we had to pack up and leave.

It was so much fun to have my class take over my house and just enjoy being silly girls. There was lots of  good food and laughter which is a perfect combination in my book. It was a great way to spend a Friday evening! I love these girls a lot! They are amazing! And a special thanks to April and Jeremy for helping me keep them an eye on them! I seriously couldn’t have done it without them!

1st.2nd.3rd

1st.2nd.3rd

The fondue station

The fondue station

The group!

The group!

 

 

Easter Weekend April 21, 2014

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time,Parenthood — Amy Scott @ 1:50 pm
Happy Easter

Happy Easter

Easter weekend has come and gone and we survived! Hurray! Easter weekend is always a massive endeavor and you add a baby to the mix and things get a little nutty. Owen decided to be anti-nap this weekend which led to him having a sparkling personality most of the time.  There were moments where I was on the brink of insanity. I had joked about checking myself into the locked psych ward at the hospital to get some rest. Thankfully that wasn’t necessary, but I was close. Thursday and Friday were big prep days for Easter Eggstravaganza. On Friday, I had to put an SOS call out to my mom. I was working on filling prize eggs at home and Owen didn’t like the fact that I was multitasking. Thankfully my mom came to the rescue and alternated between filling eggs with me and keeping Owen occupied. Saturday was the big egg hunt day. The weather was not very nice. There was much rain and wind. However, we live in Washington and no one seemed phased by the wild weather. We had record attendance which was quite mind blowing. Owen and I made it to the first egg hunt. He ended up sleeping through his egg hunt. Since it was pouring down rain, I didn’t really plan on setting him in his field just to sit in a puddle. Next year he will be mobile and able to participate. This year Easter Eggstravaganza was a spectators sport for Owen. My family worked at the hot dog booth so Owen and I crowded under their pop-up canopy to take in the sights from a somewhat dry location. After the first hunt, we found Jeremy to say hi and greet the volunteers. After that it was off to home for a supposed nap that never happened. Saturday night was our evening Easter gathering at church. Sunday morning were two more Easter gatherings and two family gatherings. That about sums up the weekend. Busy, busy. We loved seeing our families and spending some time catching up with them.

Today, we are grateful for a day off around the house! I have been sorting baby clothes and boxing things up. Owen is now transitioning to 9 month clothes and the next box of diapers I buy will be size 3! Crazy! Owen has enjoyed two solid food meals already today as I start the routine of breakfast, lunch and dinner with him. Jeremy has been in the kitchen baking and cooking. I’ve been keeping the washer and dryer busy and working on updating my pictures. I’ve also had some  time to tidy the house and Jeremy has gone outside for a bit. We took a family walk and this is all before 2:00pm! It’s amazing what you can get done with two parents and a day around the house! Owen is also back to a more regular nap schedule today and I am thankful. Despite the craziness of Easter weekend, I’ve been reflecting a lot on what the true meaning of the weekend is all about. I am beyond grateful for a Savior who loved me enough to die for me. I am amazed and humbled at the power of the cross and the fact that death couldn’t hold Jesus down. I serve a RISEN Savior who is alive and active in my life. In some of the zaniest moments of this weekend, I called out to him and knew that I never alone. He is risen! He is risen, indeed!

Owen enjoying Eggstravaganza!

Owen enjoying Eggstravaganza!

Ducky

Ducky

This doesn't taste good!

This doesn’t taste good!

Reading his new book

Reading his new book

 

Places to Go, Things to Do, People to See! February 22, 2014

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time,Parenthood — Amy Scott @ 5:13 pm
Movie Date!

Movie Date!

It seems like my blogs might turn into weekly recaps since I just don’t get to my laptop as often as I once did. It’s been a better week than the week before (Praise Jesus). The office was closed on Monday for Presidents Day, so Jeremy and I went our first date without Owen. We had movie tickets from Christmas that we still hadn’t used yet. Since we love most Disney movies, we finally made it to see Frozen. I’m glad that one of our local theaters keeps playing movies long after they come out. I would have never thought we would have gotten to see Frozen in the theaters since it came out Thanksgiving weekend. Jeremy and I really enjoyed the movie and we have now been singing the songs and quoting it all week. A big shout out to Jeremy’s parents for watching Owen while we were gone. I know Owen appreciated having some time with Nana and Papa!

Tuesday morning was MOPS and because I was lazy I ended up bringing a dozen doughnuts as my offering for snack. I had a strong hankering for a maple bar that would not be denied. After MOPS, my mom came over to watch Owen for the afternoon. I am happy to report that I got a full afternoon in the office without having to come home or having Owen visit me. Thank you solid foods! So far Owen seems to like carrots that best. My mom got to feed him sweet potatoes for the first time and she said he was shocked when he realized that they weren’t carrots!

Play Date!

Play Date!

Wednesday, I had the pleasure of hosting a play date at my house for Owen and his cousin, Nolan. It’s so much fun to have cousins so close in age. Nolan is definitely more mobile than Owen so Owen got to watch in awe as his younger cousin rolled around. Owen did show off a little bit by lifting his head while doing tummy time. Most of the time Owen’s head keeps him pinned to the ground, so I was impressed.  It was great to chat with my sister-in-law and have a day around the house.

Jeremy entertaining Owen at the Girls Night Out!

Jeremy entertaining Owen at the Girls Night Out!

Thursday was big day at work. We got the facility all ready for our upcoming Girls Night Out and went supply shopping. I came home that afternoon and made dozens of cupcakes for the big event. Friday night was our first ever Girls Night Out. This event was in place of our annual sleepover. Honestly, all we cut out of the sleepover was sleeping on concrete and eating a muffin the morning. The older girls reminded me that they won’t get to watch a full length movie at the sleepover this year (the thing all girls look forward to when they are in 5th grade) so I told them we can watch a full length movie in our regular class on Wednesday. The Girls Night Out went very well. It was a Winter Olympic theme where the girls got to design their own flag, play an Olympic sport relay and decorate their own cupcake. The great thing about this year was the participation of moms. We’ve been trying to make our events more family oriented. This was a big win that department.

This morning Jeremy and I venture out with Owen to spend some time with my parents and sister and brother-in-law. We chatted a bit about our upcoming vacation plans and had Chinese food for lunch. Now we’re enjoying a quiet afternoon at home. I’ve been cleaning, Owen has been napping and Jeremy has been playing video games. Tomorrow will be a big day as my two youngest nephews will be dedicated at church and then there will be a big family brunch afterwards. This will be the first time the whole crew has been together since Christmas. Also my good friend, Kaly, will be in town with her boys, so Owen and I plan on popping over to say hi to her.

The days are filled with places to go, things to do and people to see!

 

Mother’s Room Remake February 7, 2014

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Parenthood,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 11:03 am

Our church has been doing some construction and expanding our cafe area. This expansion took over the space where our mother’s room once was. As a result the mother’s room has bounced around the church. The first location was too far away from the sanctuary. I had a conversation with some concerned moms. They thought that if someone had a screaming baby coming out of service the walk would be too long. Another mom mentioned the walk might be too far for mom’s recovering from a c-section. I voiced these concerns to Jeremy, who in turn shared them with our staff. And that is how the mother’s room landed on my plate. I’m a mom now and had a mom perspective, so why not redo the room myself? In the past, our mother’s room has been an assortment of mismatched furniture pieces and art work that never really hung up on the walls and “girly” accessories that really had no place in a mother’s room and only made it feel cluttered. Tealight candle holders are nice, but no one is lighting a candle in there for ambiance while they nurse. Plus there was no candle in the holder and nothing to light a candle with even if there was one. Classy, I know. Somehow placing a lighter in the mother’s room doesn’t seem smart. Anyway, after the mother’s room relocated again it became apparent the room needed attention. Whoever set it up originally placed the couch right in front of the door so when you opened the door you would get a full view of whoever is nursing. Not a great set-up if someone who wasn’t a mom happened to walk by the hallway at the same time the door was opening. My biggest vision for the room was clear out the mismatched picture frames, clutter and couches then configure the room into a better flow. Jeremy helped me since most of this project involved moving furniture and hanging things on the wall. I couldn’t do it alone. I’m grateful he shared his valuable time at work to help me out. We moved the wall mounted television to the opposite side of the room. We added a Bible verse vinyl decal above the changing table. A little inspiration for our moms. For the changing table, we bought new storage bins that now house diapers sizes 1-4 and changing table liners so they can use a clean surface every time they change their baby’s diaper. Wipes are also included. The table is now stocked with everything a mom will need. We also added a diaper genie to the room to contain those stinky diapers. Up until now, diapers have just been thrown a way in an open trash can. I figured the room would be a nicer environment if it didn’t smell like a poopy diaper. We bought two matching couches and configured the couches along with the rockers so they could see the TV, but be out of sight when the door is opened. The one thing we kept from the wall art before was a giant mirror. I figured moms might want to do a quick check in the mirror before leaving the room. I know I usually do. There was an old jumper in the room that looked well worn from use (aka gross), so we replaced it with a new jumper and added a bouncer as well. The jumper is good if you want to put your older baby down for a minute and the bouncer will be good for younger babies. The only items that really don’t match now in the room are the rocking chairs, but this remodel was on a budget, so the rocking chairs will be just fine. Plus, my preference would be to use the couches anyway.  Below are a few pictures of the final product! I’m so glad to have this room completed and I’m so thankful for all the help Jeremy gave me!

The television will allow moms to watch the service while they take care of their little ones.

The view to the right of the door

View of the whole room

The well stocked changing table

 

Legoland February 6, 2014

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Getting Creative,Parenthood — Amy Scott @ 1:05 am

It’s been a crazy 24 hours. I’m pretty sure Owen has some kind of bug. Yesterday had it’s rough moments especially when it came to putting Owen down for bed. Every time we laid him down he would start screaming. The only option for a while seemed like letting him sleep on my lap or in my arms… Or turn off the monitor and let him cry it out. After about 3 hours of attempting the bedtime process, Owen finally stayed down sometime after midnight. Yipee. Of course, I was thrilled when my alarm went off early this morning. Time to get up and ready for work. We had already decided to let Owen tag along with us today since he has been refusing bottles lately and today we planned to a lot of errands and Owen is a great traveler. I’m not thrilled with the decision to take my baby to work with me, but it is what it is. Anyway, after the crazy night, Jeremy and I decided to  let Owen sleep until he woke up on his own. So now I am home. Listening to the monitor and wondering why I showered at 6:45am. I should be sleeping too. Oh well. It would figure on the day that we have plans to take Owen with us, the kid would decide to sleep past 9:00am. I’m learning that going back to work with a breastfed baby is tricky. Really tricky. Anyway…

My rant on parenthood is now over. Since I’m currently enjoying some free time, I thought I would share a few Lego pictures I took last night of Jeremy’s office. The move is now officially done and the new theme is very much in place. Our office has become Legoland. A small WA state version, but Legoland nonetheless. I’m positive my hubby is very happy as he now works surrounded by his new toys. Who says you have to grow up? Become a children’s pastor and you can surround yourself with Legos too!

Legoland

Legoland

Gotta love Disney!

Gotta love Disney!

 

Legos & The Super Bowl February 5, 2014

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time,Getting Creative,Parenthood — Amy Scott @ 2:18 pm

It was an interesting weekend for us Scotts. After the big office move, my husband decided that his Mr. Potato Head collection was so 2008 and he needed a new theme for a new office. This led to Jeremy selling his potato heads and a shopping trip to Portland. The new theme of choice was Legos. This is a clear winner for Jeremy who at almost 33 still loves Legos. He is a Children’s Pastor, so of course, the theme fits his profession. Friday we drove around looking for various Lego items – storage bricks, giant Lego heads, a cup holder, a calender… etc. Jeremy felt since we share this office that I needed to be represented as well. He purchased Disney Princess Legos in my honor. The office now holds a Lego wall clock that Jeremy made himself and a paper tray he made himself. He purchased Toy Story sets of Buzz Lightyear and Zurg – father and son. He also got a Woody Lego clock. To represent the Northwest we have a Mountain Hut with a Lego with a bread and an ATV. Oh yeah, we’re cool. To represent “me”, we have Ariel and Prince Eric, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider and now we’re soon to add Cinderella.  I don’t any pictures yet of the finished office, but I hope to post some soon. Saturday was spent putting the Legos together. This was a first for me. I’ve never assembled Legos from a kit before. My sister had an assorted box of Duplos growing up, but nothing that gave step by step instructions to build anything. At the beginning of my building experience, I got a bit of a headache from trying to find the right pieces and the right angles, but I quickly got the hang of things and soon learned that I find putting Legos together a most enjoyable pastime. It was a bit of a twilight zone moment for me. Jeremy’s logic is that in a few years when the Lego theme gets old, he can give the Legos to Owen. What a legacy we have started.

Sunday was the Super Bowl. Being from Washington state meant that there was a lot hype about the big game. Our Seahawks were playing in the Super Bowl and the whole state was in an uproar. 12th man flags were everywhere. Everyone was wearing navy and neon green. Signs on local businesses read “Go Hawks”. I told Jeremy no matter what happened WA would need to take Monday off. If the Seahawks lost there was going to be some major recovery necessary and if they won then the whole state would need to a declare it a holiday. I am not into football. I still really don’t understand it. However, I will admit that it’s hard not to get excited when your local team ends up at the Super Bowl. Plus, with everyone being so jazzed, it’s hard for that not to bleed over. Our little family joined my parent’s life group to watch the game at my parent’s house. My dad smoked enough meat to feed 60 people and we all enjoyed yummy pulled-pork sandwiches for dinner. Owen wore his one Seahawk’s outfit to church on Sunday morning. However, he managed to spit up all over that and he got me really as well. I had spit up all down one pant leg and my boot. I noticed that my leg didn’t feel like it was drying and that was because there was also spit up IN my boot. I eventually felt the need to go home and change. I was too moist for comfort. Once I got home, I rewashed the Seahawks onesie and it was ready for Owen to re-wear it by game time. Talk about dedication. For the most part, everyone really enjoyed watching the game and chatting. Owen fought nap time pretty hard but eventually ended up taking a nap on my parent’s bed (no, he can’t roll over yet, so he was safe). The highlight of game for me was the Budweiser puppy commercial. I know, I know. It was  my favorite commercial and pretty much the rest of America’s. Yay for being one of the masses. Oh well. It was a good day and there was much celebration over the Seahawks win. I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for the Broncos. They looked so sad. I know someone has to lose in order for someone to win, but still, I felt for them. My heart was probably all soft and tender after that puppy commercial.

Anyway, things are certainly exciting these days. Owen will be 4 months on Saturday and I plan on writing a 4 month update here soon with all the happenings with our little guy. I will also post some photos of Jeremy’s new office, complete with our Lego creations. Plus, I hope to soon give an update on some recent reads. Can’t wait to share! Good times!

The results of Friday's Lego shopping!

The results of Friday’s Lego shopping!

The first Lego creation I've ever built

The first Lego creation I’ve ever built

Owen and Grandpa are ready for the big game

Owen and Grandpa are ready for the big game

 

New Perspective January 26, 2014

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Parenthood,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 11:19 am
My little nut

My little nut

A few years ago I read a book called You Lost Me and it was all about why 18-30 years aren’t in church. I could understand and relate to the reasons listed, but now I have a new perspective. Maybe 18-30 year olds aren’t coming to church because these are they years that they have infants in their life. As a new mom, I have had my eyes opened to just how tricky it can be to get your family to church. My situation is different than the average attending family, but if they go through even a little bit of what I go through then I get it.

Let’s dissect my morning. On Sundays I am up at 6:00am so I can get showered and ready before Owen wakes up and while Jeremy is still home. Service starts at 9:00am, so that is a good three hours before I have to be anywhere. Jeremy, who is a pastor, has to be to church by 7:30am, so I have his help until 7:15am.  Some mornings Owen is up at 6:45am and others he sleeps until I have to wake him up. This morning was one where I had to wake up him up at 8:15am in order to get him fed and dressed and out the door by 8:45am. I usually get to church right on time and have just a minute or two to say hellos before the service starts. If Owen stays asleep, I can make it through service. This isn’t usually the case. Today Owen was awake during service and wanted to shriek during worship. This wasn’t an unhappy noise, but it was noisy. I took him out into the foyer until he started to get fussy there. Then it was back to Jeremy’s office for a diaper change. That didn’t help his mood. So I fed him. That didn’t help his mood either. I knew he was probably tired and fighting sleep. After a couple of attempts to try to get him to sleep, I left (with him screaming by the way, apparently he didn’t want to be strapped down in his car seat). Of course, he was sleep in just a matter of minutes once the car was on. I got home and I am proud to say that I was able to transfer him from the car seat to his bed. Now he is settled in for the nap he wouldn’t take at church.

A lot of my time is spent at church. I grew up regularly attending church as a kid. In high school, I got involved in serving and I’ve been active ever since. However, Owen has certainly thrown a loop into this. I no longer feel dependable because I never know what mood my kid will be in. Some days are good. Some days we just head home. I have a hard time leaving because I am used to serving alongside my husband and I’m committed to the kids that I serve. I guess the average family has both mom and dad working together to make a Sunday morning happen. At church I am a single mom. This isn’t a poor reflection on my husband at all. I take care of Owen so he can do his job. I understand that Jeremy can’t drop everything for a poopy diaper. While breastfeeding has it’s advantages, the one disadvantage is it makes me the sole provider of Owen’s meals. When he is hungry, I have to stop and feed him. There is no passing him off. Owen does get a pumped bottle daily, but yet again, Jeremy can’t drop his job to feed the baby. It’s on me. I think that is what is so tiring. It’s all on me. The weight of it all. If Owen is a nut it is up to me to fix the problem. If the problem can’t be fixed then it’s me who has to leave with the crazy baby.

I just dedicated my son last week in front of our church congregation and this week like many other weeks, I wonder if church is worth the hassle. Why get up at 6:00am on Sunday when I might only make it an hour at church before needing to head home. Not every week is this way, but the effort is enough to make me wonder if it’s worth it. If I’m doubting my church attendance and I’m a pastor’s wife, I wonder what the average family with young children thinks. It’s not about how wonderful the people are or the classes that are offered. It’s not about great the mother’s room is. It’s about the effort. Are you even getting anything out of the experience? I haven’t been able to sit through service in a couple of weeks. I talk with a few people in the hallways as I’m rushing my unhappy baby to a quiet place for diaper changes and feedings. I am dedicated to raising Owen to know the Lord and I do believe in the local church. My attendance just might be spotty for a few years and I’m a paid staff member. Insert guilt here. But… There is not much I can do about this fact. Now that I’m a parent, church is a totally different.

 

Being an Adventurer! December 5, 2013

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Parenthood — Amy Scott @ 3:53 pm
Owen visits the mall!

Owen visits the mall!

I’ve never been much of an adventurer. That daring, bold spirit has never resided in me. I’m cautious and calculated. I like to know what I’m getting into and I want guarantees that things are going to work out. Since Owen has entered my life I’ve gotten in touch with my adventurous side. I honestly thought that once Jeremy went back to work I would sit at home with the baby all day long. I was scared. Doing things alone meant all eyes were on me if something wasn’t going right. It was a lot of pressure. But I’m learning that getting out and about isn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be. Yes, it takes extra time, but it’s totally doable.

On Monday, Owen and I drove up to Tukwila to have to lunch with my friend, Maggie. He was a trouper for the hour and a half car ride up. He survived 3 diapers and feedings in the car. The second of those diaper changes involved a poopy diaper that went up this back and got all over his clothes and the changing pad. It was glorious. It’s always a little nerve wracking taking Owen into a restaurant, especially without Jeremy, but Owen went to sleep pretty quickly and I was grateful. After our meal, Owen, Maggie and I walked around the mall together. It was fun because this was my first time being in a mall for the holidays. I love all the decorations and the hub bub of the Christmas season. As I was getting ready to pack up, Maggie pointed out that the stroller wasn’t folding up well because the diaper bag was still in it! Oops! Gotta love having an audience for moments like those.

Back in the classroom! Gingerbread House Competition!

Back in the classroom! Gingerbread House Competition!

Last night was my first night returning to teaching my Wednesday night class. I had planned to keep Owen with me so all the girls could see him. Once they had a preview and a lot of gushing, I decided to drop Owen off at the nursery for the first time. It did a feel a little weird having someone watch him when I was so close by, but lucky for me, my class kept me pretty distracted. I was able focus in on them. I had the urge to check on Owen occasionally, but I knew he was okay. I had a pager that they would use if he really needed me, so I pushed the urge to check on him away. It was so sweet to pick him up after church. It was good to have a little time away from him and to do something that I love, but I was glad to have him back with me once it was all over. Getting out of church was a little harder because the Wednesday night crowd hadn’t seen him yet. Jeremy is a proud dad and took Owen around to show him off while I got gas in my car. First time in the nursery was something I was a little nervous about so I’m glad that it went well and that milestone is now behind us.

Today I loaded up the car and drove down to Longview to hang out with my sister-in-law and nephew. I took the stroller into Target so that way I wouldn’t have a cart and therefore wouldn’t buy anything. That idea failed me and I ended up buying raccoon pajamas for Owen. They were just too cute to pass up. I knew I shouldn’t have gone into the baby aisle. Jeremy loves raccoons and these jammies have the zipper front that Jeremy likes for diaper changes. It seemed like fate. The morning was well spent walking and talking. Time with other moms is fun because they understand where I am and I got to see my super cute nephew. It was a definite win for me!

As I was wandering around the stores and traveling this morning, I realized that I’m not as intimidated as I once was about being out with Owen. I’m starting to get my groove and mommyhood is clicking a bit more. I find the more I’m out and about the more human I feel. Yes, it can be tiring to be on the go, but I’m learning that it’s tiring to both me and Owen. The more out of the house we are, the better Owen sleeps at night. All the stimulation really gets to him. We’ve been having great nights of 5+ hours of sleep on a regular basis.  Last night after the evening at church, Owen slept 7.5 hours. Going out with him has it’s pay offs that is for sure!

So, I have decided that I am an adventurer. Instead of looking at these experiences with fear and worry, I have decided to view them as adventures. An adventure is a win when I get out and do it. It doesn’t matter if Owen is fussy or if he makes noise in a store. The true success is just getting out doing stuff. I will not let fear keep me inside and away from life. Now I’m not saying that home days are bad. They are great. I love home. I’m just learning that I’m not scared to get out. I’m grateful for these opportunities. I am growing and stretching. I can see changes in myself through these opportunities and I am embracing my inner adventurer!

 

O Christmas Tree! December 1, 2013

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time,Parenthood — Amy Scott @ 9:42 pm
Special Ornaments!

Special Ornaments!

Today was Christmas Tree day in the Scott household. I think everything this time of year means more now that we have Owen. Picking out the tree was a little tricky because it was super rainy. I was a little concerned about Owen getting wet, so I stood under a covered awning while Jeremy looked for the best tree. I looked it over quickly, but really I just trusted Jeremy’s judgement. He did well! We got the tree home and it needed to dry out a bit. It was hard to wait, but I filled the time watching a Hallmark Christmas movie. Go figure! Once the tree was inside, we got down to business. Owen was fascinated by the Christmas lights. It was fun to watch him as he watched Jeremy put the lights on the tree. At one point, I left the room and came back to find Jeremy explaining each special ornament to Owen. There was the Snowman ornament he gave me when we first started dating, the ornament we purchased on our honeymoon, the ornament we purchased in Leavenworth before Owen was born to celebrate our family of three and Owen’s first Christmas ornament. It’s been a fun progression. Our tree tells a story. It’s not one of those theme trees. Our ornaments are a mismatch from our years together and some of them we brought to the marriage. It represents “us” in so many ways. I love it!

Today was a big day in other ways as well. Owen and I went to children’s church for the first time today. I haven’t been in the classroom since the end of September since I was put on bed rest at the beginning of October. It was good to be back, but kind of weird. It was a little hard on my brain focusing on the kids and focusing on Owen. There were questions about if they could hold Owen and I explained that since everyone couldn’t hold Owen no one was going to. The kids accepted that well. Some of them really wanted to touch him and the pacifier. I’m not too concerned about germs, but at the same time I didn’t want him coming away from church with a cold or something. Once he is a little older he’ll head to the nursery, but the nursery staff suggested we wait until he three months to put him in on a Sunday. I don’t mind having him near me this month. He did well and lasted almost 2 hours before needing his poopy diaper changed and the next meal. Once again, another big milestone has been reached and both Owen and I survived.

It was good day all around! We are so blessed and these are fun times! The love this season and the milestones!

Holiday Helper!

Holiday Helper!

DSC08841

Daddy and Owen

Daddy and Owen

The Scott Family

 

Joining MOPS, Fall Baking & Maternity Leave September 17, 2013

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Cooking Experiments,Parenthood,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 4:55 pm
Fall Baking

Fall Baking

I’m a big fan of pre-baby maternity leave! Originally, my logic was that I wanted to tie up all my loose ends at work. I didn’t want to be in the office one day and out the next having a baby. I knew I would be less stressed if I took care off the details in advance. It certainly made for a busy summer at work because I took care of the fall season at the same time. I feel good about how I left things in the office.  The plan seemed to work. However, I started to think about how I would fill my time once I was maternity leave. If you’ve been following my blog for any length time, you know that I don’t sit around watching TV and eating bonbons.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I’m using this free time to connect with a lot of people before the baby comes. I’m having my “Social September” and I’m enjoying time with loved ones.

It’s only been two days of “leave” and I’ve managed to do a lot around the house. I have done three major baking projects. The first was a favorite for Jeremy called Hello Dollies. He loves these and I always make them in the fall – usually around the holidays. I wasn’t sure what my holiday season would look like with a new little one, so I made these goodies in advance. He is enjoying some now, but we froze most of them so he can pull them out at will over the next few months. The second project was out of this month’s Food Network Magazine. I had the ingredients for Butterscotch Pecan Blondies and I needed to bring a snack for MOPS this morning. It seemed like a good opportunity to try a new recipe. They were a hit! I think they are slightly addicting so I’m glad I could share them with the MOPS moms and our staff at work. The final project was for my Wednesday night class tomorrow night.  I have fall cookie cutters that I try to use once a season and this was the time. I spent my afternoon making cookies, frosting them and covering them with autumn colored sugar crystals.

Snuggling with the puppy and a good book!

Snuggling with the puppy and a good book!

Other highlights apart from baking, I’ve had plenty of time to clean and tidy my house. My regular cleaning day for the longest time was Wednesday, but the last few weeks it’s been Mondays. I’ve also had time to read and relax with my puppy. I think that Toby is enjoying my new schedule since he gets to be out of the crate more. Yesterday I took an afternoon nap! I try to get those in as often as I can since sleeping at night has become harder.

Today was my first MOPS meeting. I’ve never been involved with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) because I’ve never been one. I still don’t really feel like I’m a part of the club. Maybe because my baby has yet to be born so the motherhood phase really hasn’t started. MOPS has always been a bit scary for me in the past. Moms intimated me. I’ve been told “Oh, just you wait…” so many times that I feel like they don’t validate my experience working with children. Anyway, this is a new opportunity for me and one that I’m hoping to grow from. Today was a good start, but I’m still unsure how the year will look. I felt like a kid on the first day of school. I really hope the other kids like me… We even had to take pictures for the directory so it felt a lot like back to school. I’m praying this new season of life will open up ministry doors that have been previously closed to me. By actually being a mom in the near future, I pray that I’ll be able connect and relate to this group of women in a new way.

In a lot of ways this season is about slowing down and just enjoying each day as it comes. I know that things will be different once the baby arrives, but for right now I’m just making the most of this pre-baby time. Doing things like baking and having quiet moments around the house really fill me up and give me what I need. In turn, I’m able to be social and add commitments to my calendar that I wouldn’t normally.  Even though I’m “out of the office”, I’m still serving at Bethel and it feels good to keep investing in relationships as we begin a new school year. Things are good. I’m enjoying this time.