I took some time off from blogging during my pregnancy and after having my baby. I needed some time to get into a schedule between having a new baby in the house and my daughter, Emma, starting pre-school and ballet class. So I am finally ready to slowly start back.

I do want to start off by introducing my new son Jonathan James. He was born on August 11th, 2010. He weighted 9 lb 2 oz and was 22 inches long. We feel so blessed to have him join our family.

I will be cleaning up the blog today and updating my Savings & Earnings on the sidebar. Then I hope to be adding posts a few times a week. Thank you for your continued support and please let me know if there is anything specific you would like me to focus on.

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General Mills has announced their commitment to further reduce sugar in cereal advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per servings. The company has already been reducing sugar in cereals while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain.

Did you know that ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters? Cereals also deliver important vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, making cereal a top source of key nutrients in children’s diets.

Other cereal benefits:

* Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children’s diets.

* Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child’s diet today.

* More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.

Studies also demonstrate the benefits of eating breakfast. A 1998 study showed that children who eat breakfast tend to perform better at school. Compared to children who skip breakfast, children who eat breakfast score higher on tests, are less likely to miss class or be tardy, have fewer reported discipline problems, and make fewer trips to the office.

For more information about kids and cereals, please visit Cereal Health and Wellness.

Right now if you visit here you will find a $1 off coupon for one of four General Mills cereals.

* All information and free product has been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

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I want to thank Priscilla at MomStayHomeWithMe for sharing this amazing article on how she started Home Schooling her children and what it means to her. Priscilla inspired me with her passion. I just know that she will also inspire others who have the same desire to home school.

Before ever having children, I always thought I wanted to home school them.  The first comes along and soon after another and then another.  Then times flies and next thing you know – it is time to register your oldest for kindergarten.

The idea becomes more realistic, but is it what I really want to do.  SO – I register him, take him for orientation, sign the other two up for preschool AND get excited about having 3 hours a week ALL TO MYSELF.  THEN literally the week before his kindergarten screening, God starts talking to me BIG TIME!

Like many others, I start questioning myself.  Is this God?  Am I sure I can do this?  Am I making a mistake by not putting him in public schools?  God was making the signs real clear and I just had to follow.  I knew that where God guides, God provides.

I started getting excited about the idea.  Many unanswered questions were being answered.  God gave me the confidence I could do this and we would succeed!  So we were off to our first year of homeschooling.

The year has been great!  We actually school both my kindergartner and my 3 year old, who is 3 years away from starting because of her late birthday.  They do very well and have progressed extremely fast.  I have learned that nothing is set in stone and everything can be changed.

I had many fears before starting this adventure but quickly learned I am not alone.  Many mothers out there have felt the same way I did and many more will continue to feel the same way.  If you are thinking about homeschooling, do not let it pass till you have checked every option.  Think about it, you have already been their teacher from day one!

MUST SEE: http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/humor/076.htm

I found several book stores in our area that sell used curriculum, workbooks and readers and many websites that allow you to print worksheets for FREE.  I started my school year with only spending $50 and I have everything I need to get him through his first year of school.  I have taken Mega Blocks and Monster Trucks and turned them into many lessons.  You would be amazed at the items in your house that can be used to teach your children.

My husband and I got to talking today and I explained it to him this way:  My reasons for homeschooling now are not the same reason I thought of before I became a mom.  I LOVE being with my children!  I LOVE watching them learn something new.  I LOVE knowing what they are learning and NOT learning!  With Thanksgiving 1 day away, I am SO THANKFUL to be a stay at home mom who home schools her children!

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I am afraid to admit this, but Emma was a binky addict. I was reluctant when she started the habit, but it really seemed to sooth her. She never got attached to a blanket or certain doll. The binky was her security object. I guess that is why I let it go on for so long.

Originally I said that by the time she was two she had to give it up. Well that turned out to be two and a half. Fortunately, since she was a bit older it did make the transition much smoother.

We had talked about her leaving her binky for the Binky Fairy, who would take it to little babies that needed it more then her. At first she did not like this idea at all. Then one day she had asked if she could get a pink bike. I told her that bikes are for big girls and binkys were for babies, so she had to decide if she wanted to be a big girl with a bike or a baby with a binky. Fortunately she chose to be a big girl.

I helped her write a letter to the Binky Fairy and cried with her as she said bye bye to her binky and put it  into the envelope. I was just so proud of her that even though she was sad to do it she still did. This was definitely the biggest loss she had experienced in all her two and a half years.

We left the envelope on the front porch and went to ToysRUs for a new bike. While we were there we also picked up gifts from the binkie fairy. Daddy went a bit overboard. I cried with her and he just bought her everything in site! But that is what Daddies are for.

It has now been a month without the binky. She did ask where the binky was a few times, mostly when she was tired. If she got upset I would remind her that she was a big girl and did not need the binky anymore and that she had a new bike instead. That seemed to work.

I do not think that she should of had the binky that long but I also do not think that it really was that big of a deal either. If we did try to get rid of it earlier we would not of had the results we had. If was a bit easier to be able to talk and reason with her about it, instead of listening to her cry and scream all night for it.

The fact is that all kids are different. I really think that you have to do what is right for your child. And as parents we are the best judge of that.

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It is so important to be able to connect with other people that understand what you may be going through at any given time. I have found two great communities  to do just that.

I have been a member of CafeMom for over two years now. It is a great place to meet other Mommies. There are so many groups that I am sure you will be able to find one on any topic you are interested in. If not you can always start your own group. Just click on the banner below to join and make sure to add me as a frind. My profile name is Jenniferbilly.

Parentricity is a new site for me. It is open to Mommies and Daddies. What I really like about this site is their Rating and Review Program. You can sign up and do reviews on products you currently have in your house. Then they will send you products to use and review. This program make it a great resource to help you decide on a product before you buy.

You can go HERE to register for free. Then go HERE to add me as a friend.

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