The Arizona American Mothers is having a:
Garage Sale
May 23/24, 2014
Peggy Glass's home
555 N. Date, Mesa 85201
7am-12 noon
Friday, May 2, 2014
Spring House Cleaning?
If you're Spring House cleaning, or more likely, Summer House cleaning, please remember
Proceeds will help with our service projects for the year. Please donate good usable items now and until May 20. Drop them off at Peggy's home or call and we will pick them up (Susan Ray 480-773-1447).
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Interview with our 2014 Mother of the Year
Here's a interview with Lila Shoemaker, our 2014 Mother of the Year:
1) What did you do with your children when they were younger that you think has impacted their lives today?
Church, scouting and music. We lived in Fullerton, CA when we got married and our first three sons were born there. I’d read to them, Dr. Seuss to learn their ABCs and Bible Stories to learn about God. Daniel had earned his Eagle Scout rank as a young man and became Scoutmaster. For a few years and we had the troop meet at our house each week. My job was to see to get a fire permit so the boys could practice fire building and campfire cooking. Our sons loved scouting. All four of them earned their Eagle rank.
I taught all six of my children how to sing. When the 3 boys were little, I’d make up songs to sing to them so they would get ready for bed or do things I needed them to do. I taught them to sing “I Want A Girl Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad”. My husband was a pretty good musician, too. The four of them sang on stage at a church variety show all dressed up like a barbershop quartet. All of us play a musical instrument as well as sing. Music was probably the best thing I ever taught them. We love camping, riding horses, swimming and playing games; all kinds of games, but we love music the most.
2) Share some experiences you’ve had with your family and/or others because of your involvement with music.
I grew up singing with my twin sister and in the church and school choirs so it was natural for me to encourage my children to sing. I performed in the school musicals. My oldest son auditioned and won the role of King Arthur in “Camelot” his Sr. year of High School. He, the next two boys, played band instruments and marched in the school band like their father before them. Our daughters performed in their high school musicals. They loved to sing and performed for school talent shows and sang in the choirs. We paid for private lessons. We made a very nice mixed ensemble, all 8 of us. I’ve directed a church choir for many years and for the past 9 years I’ve been teaching violin and guitar classes after school at Burke Basic. It’s wonderful to see the joy on their faces when they learn how to play. Music makes life worth living.
3) What advice would you give young mothers?
Have fun! From the first moments try to make them smile. Play finger/toes games with them. Read nursery rhymes sing silly songs. The sillier the better. Dr. James Dobson said that the “dizzy blonde” moms were even better than the “draft sergeant” moms.
Routine is a good thing. Have a morning routine, afternoon routine and bedtime routine. Make it fun. Learning can be fun. If they enjoy learning (and a variety of games can teach just about anything) they will be good students all their lives. Ask me about my list of homemade games that teach things. The Weekly Reader was something my mother used with her kindergarten kids. That was a fun teaching tool. Numbers can be fun too, not just numerals but quantity. Counting things will help them learn to sequence, addition and subtraction. You’d be surprised how much fun counting can be. Colors, drawing, painting, clay molding, etc. etc. It’s fun.
4) When life gets difficult, what do you do to get things back into perspective?
I sit at the piano and play my favorite songs, hymns or classical pieces and sing. Or I go into my room and read a good book (the scriptures are always good). Mostly, I kneel by my bed or take a walk outside and pray for my family. Christ is my anchor and prayer is my solace. I couldn’t have made it without prayer. Many ideas and solutions have come through prayer.
1) What did you do with your children when they were younger that you think has impacted their lives today?
Church, scouting and music. We lived in Fullerton, CA when we got married and our first three sons were born there. I’d read to them, Dr. Seuss to learn their ABCs and Bible Stories to learn about God. Daniel had earned his Eagle Scout rank as a young man and became Scoutmaster. For a few years and we had the troop meet at our house each week. My job was to see to get a fire permit so the boys could practice fire building and campfire cooking. Our sons loved scouting. All four of them earned their Eagle rank.
I taught all six of my children how to sing. When the 3 boys were little, I’d make up songs to sing to them so they would get ready for bed or do things I needed them to do. I taught them to sing “I Want A Girl Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad”. My husband was a pretty good musician, too. The four of them sang on stage at a church variety show all dressed up like a barbershop quartet. All of us play a musical instrument as well as sing. Music was probably the best thing I ever taught them. We love camping, riding horses, swimming and playing games; all kinds of games, but we love music the most.
2) Share some experiences you’ve had with your family and/or others because of your involvement with music.
I grew up singing with my twin sister and in the church and school choirs so it was natural for me to encourage my children to sing. I performed in the school musicals. My oldest son auditioned and won the role of King Arthur in “Camelot” his Sr. year of High School. He, the next two boys, played band instruments and marched in the school band like their father before them. Our daughters performed in their high school musicals. They loved to sing and performed for school talent shows and sang in the choirs. We paid for private lessons. We made a very nice mixed ensemble, all 8 of us. I’ve directed a church choir for many years and for the past 9 years I’ve been teaching violin and guitar classes after school at Burke Basic. It’s wonderful to see the joy on their faces when they learn how to play. Music makes life worth living.
3) What advice would you give young mothers?
Have fun! From the first moments try to make them smile. Play finger/toes games with them. Read nursery rhymes sing silly songs. The sillier the better. Dr. James Dobson said that the “dizzy blonde” moms were even better than the “draft sergeant” moms.
Routine is a good thing. Have a morning routine, afternoon routine and bedtime routine. Make it fun. Learning can be fun. If they enjoy learning (and a variety of games can teach just about anything) they will be good students all their lives. Ask me about my list of homemade games that teach things. The Weekly Reader was something my mother used with her kindergarten kids. That was a fun teaching tool. Numbers can be fun too, not just numerals but quantity. Counting things will help them learn to sequence, addition and subtraction. You’d be surprised how much fun counting can be. Colors, drawing, painting, clay molding, etc. etc. It’s fun.
4) When life gets difficult, what do you do to get things back into perspective?
I sit at the piano and play my favorite songs, hymns or classical pieces and sing. Or I go into my room and read a good book (the scriptures are always good). Mostly, I kneel by my bed or take a walk outside and pray for my family. Christ is my anchor and prayer is my solace. I couldn’t have made it without prayer. Many ideas and solutions have come through prayer.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
This year is FREE MEMBERSHIP to join AMI
This
year, 2014, is the 100th year of the celebration of Mother's Day. (Remember
AMI is the official sponsor of Mother's Day). Therefore, for a Mother's
gift in honor of the 100th celebration, you may receive free
membership with American Mothers!!
Click here to be taken to the website.
Please everyone...Go in and join
along with your sisters, mothers, friends, neighbors and anyone one else
you can think of... Let's grow this wonderful organization where:
values
are not only taught, and encouraged, but lived.
If you feel you can upgrade
your membership or make a donation, please do so!
Click here to be taken to the website.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
New National Mother and Young Mother of the Year announced!
The National American Mothers Convention was this last Thurs, Friday and today. The new National Mother of the year is Gerre Schwert from Tennessee and the new National Young Mother of the year is Heidi Lin Kim from Hawaii.
Arizona was represented at the convention by our state president, Susan Ray, as well as AZ Mother of the Year, Lila Shoemaker, and Young Mother of the Year, Jill Geigle. We'll be hearing about their adventures in forthcoming posts.
Arizona was represented at the convention by our state president, Susan Ray, as well as AZ Mother of the Year, Lila Shoemaker, and Young Mother of the Year, Jill Geigle. We'll be hearing about their adventures in forthcoming posts.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
2nd Annual Care Packages for Care Givers
Join with me and AZ American Mothers by giving care packages to
a special group of moms during our
2nd Annual
Care Packages for Care Givers
Mother's Day 2014
Right now there are hundreds of children who are in our
Phoenix area hospitals for extended stays due to illness or
procedures--some for lengthy efforts to be diagnosed,
others to receive treatments, and some hoping their life will be preserved.
And next to that baby or child in the hospital bed, most often,
is a courageous (and worried and tired) mom.
She is usually the first to advocate for her child, but maybe the last
to ask for anything for herself. If it sounds like I'm speaking
from experience, some of you may know I spent some time
in the hospital with our first child. I blogged about this
(and included before and after transplant photos) last year.
You can read about it here.
Phoenix area hospitals for extended stays due to illness or
procedures--some for lengthy efforts to be diagnosed,
others to receive treatments, and some hoping their life will be preserved.
And next to that baby or child in the hospital bed, most often,
is a courageous (and worried and tired) mom.
She is usually the first to advocate for her child, but maybe the last
to ask for anything for herself. If it sounds like I'm speaking
from experience, some of you may know I spent some time
in the hospital with our first child. I blogged about this
(and included before and after transplant photos) last year.
You can read about it here.
Mother's day helps us celebrate and honor the women
in our lives that have loved and cared for us, watched and waited for us,
and sacrificed so much. Help us reach out and make a difference
in the lives of mothers who are facing difficult days with their child.
in our lives that have loved and cared for us, watched and waited for us,
and sacrificed so much. Help us reach out and make a difference
in the lives of mothers who are facing difficult days with their child.
Last year the generous contributions of so many allowed us
to deliver forty (I still can’t believe it!) care packages.
Twenty gift bags went to mothers in the NICU at Phoenix Children’s
and twenty more went to the antepartum unit at Cardon’s in Mesa.
(You can see pictures of how we did it here.)
to deliver forty (I still can’t believe it!) care packages.
Twenty gift bags went to mothers in the NICU at Phoenix Children’s
and twenty more went to the antepartum unit at Cardon’s in Mesa.
(You can see pictures of how we did it here.)
This year our goal is fifty. Fifty care packages for mothers
caring for children with special needs.
caring for children with special needs.
Will you help us meet that goal? Can you help us exceed it?
Also new this year, if you would like to make a donation in
honor of a mother or sister or friend, we will send a Mother's Day card
to her with the donation details. See the details below.
honor of a mother or sister or friend, we will send a Mother's Day card
to her with the donation details. See the details below.
For monetary donations
Use PayPal and email address:
ArizonaAMI@gmail.com
Put "care packages" in the comments
To donate items, or to contribute by check or cash,
please send and email to
For gift donations to honor a mother or friend
Please include the woman's full name and address in
the body of the email.
(Deadline for cards to be sent in time for Mother's Day is May 1st)
Needed Items:
Gift Bags (any color; no birthday theme)
Blank note Cards
Candy Bars –no nuts
Gas Cards ($10)
Restaurant Cards ($10)
Grocery Cards ($10)
Hand sanitizer
Lotion - white, non perfumed
Mints, gum
Small journals
100 % of donations used for care packages.
Arizona American Mothers, Inc. is a non-profit organization. Receipts of cash donations furnished upon request.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
American Mother's Pledge - Monthly Thought
Many
families start and/or end their day with a devotional or reading from the
scriptures. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we fortified our children by arming
them with the words of God before they left home each day? They could “put on
the whole armor of God” (Eph. 4) and be prepared for any obstacle or opposition
they may face and have the strength and confidence to defend their faith.
Wouldn’t
it be wonderful if the last thing a child heard every night is that his parents
love him/her and so does God? A story from the scriptures as they lay their
heads on their pillows, would give them something peaceful and calm to think
about and dream of as they rest through the night knowing God is loving and
merciful to those who love Him.
Knowing
that God lives, that He loves us and that His word is recorded in the
scriptures really makes a difference in the lives of our children. They have
courage and confidence in themselves as they learn what God expects of us and
they behave better and strive harder. Trials in life may seem impossible, but
with God all things are possible.
Lila P.Shoemaker
Legislature Visit
We had a wonderful visit at the Legislature on March 27. We were able to visit with Senator Biggs and Representative Pierce, be introduced at the Senate and visit with Ken Bennett, Secretary of State.
Those who came were Lila Shoemaker, MOY, Jill Geigle, YMOY and Lori Roberts, MOA who also had her husband, son and daughter in law. Susan Ray and Cathy Shepherd also went on the visit.
Pictures will be coming soon!
Those who came were Lila Shoemaker, MOY, Jill Geigle, YMOY and Lori Roberts, MOA who also had her husband, son and daughter in law. Susan Ray and Cathy Shepherd also went on the visit.
Pictures will be coming soon!
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