Joy to Spare

Raising Godly Tomatoes (L. Elizabeth Krueger) - VERY PRACTICAL This lady runs a tight ship. I have tried applying it all, word for word, and it doesn't work with our family dynamic. But the biblical principles behind the way she does things are solid, and many of her ideas and techniques are very helpful. The name comes from her principle of "tomato staking" - don't let your little tomatoes grow wild across the ground where they break and rot and get nibbled by pests. Stake them up where they can grow well, prune them, water and fertilize them regularly. Love your children - same principles as "How to Really Love Your Child" Have age-appropriate, but high expectations for your children. Keep your children within sight and/or earshot all of the time so you can nip wrong behavior/attitudes in the bud and they don't become habits. (I have tried this. It is exhausting, but effective.) Keep your children/family separate from the world so that they adopt your

Little Bro is learning to to put on undies all by himself. (Mommy: Baby, they're backwards, you gotta turn them around.) Little Bro turns himself around 180 degrees and tries again. :) Big Bro, to Little Bro while doing acrobatics on the bed: "Whoa, how'd you get those neat-looking skills?" A year ago, Big Bro: "Christmas is my favorite year of the month."