things my grandma taught me

my Grandma Faye and Baby Zach (notice the red lipstick and tissue in her L hand:)

no matter how far out the branch you are on the family tree, you will always look like grandma's brother or sister.

it's wasteful to throw away a perfectly good bread tie. and you should keep them in a bouillon cube jar in your silverware drawer.

a baby Bayer aspirin can cure anything. and so can red methylate.

it's ok to hoard cash, store it in your bra, and give it to your children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren as you see fit.

red carpet is a home interior statement. not a home interior mistake.

it's possible to shop in a mall for 4 hours, shop only the clearance racks, emerge with only one formal pants suit (that may be a size too small, or a size too big) for the formal dinner (you may one day attend), and claim shopping victory.

in nursing school, you will learn that you do NOT put lotion between your toes. *and, it does not matter that you only attended nursing school for 3 months then quit to get married. you still went to nursing school.

a good place to store a package of 3 Musketeers is in the bread drawer. because ... who?! would think to look there. or in the extra bedroom closet. or the laundry room shelf.

it's not unsanitary to place tissues (used or not) in your couch cushions, in your pockets, and in your handbag. *and, if you don't have a pocket, no worries. you can just place them in your waistline.

plates of Butternut bread and bowl of Mott's applesauce should be placed on the table at EVERY dinner.

a bad hair day doesn't matter as long as you have a tube of red lipstick.

you will never be able to cook chicken and dumplings, swiss steak, or vegetable soup right.

singing is important. nursery rhymes are important. folk songs are important. *you can make any fussy baby happy by bouncing them on your knee and chanting 'Going Down Sailor' ... which you will learn in your mid-thirties ... is actually 'Going Down Cellar.' **you can also make any toddler giggle by playing 'This Little Piggie' with their toes. an extremely exaggerated 'Wee wee wee' only makes it better. ***all of this will also guarantee you will have beautifully talented singers as children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren

a rust colored, fluffy, paisley blanket makes little children feel cozy.

chunks of raw potatoes never hurt anyone. neither did chocolate cake for breakfast.

pink dove soap will get even a gruff, garage-scented grandpa clean.

... ... ...

there's more. believe it or not. but i must get back to my children, and say more prayers for my sweet grandma.

thinking of you today, Grandma Faye, and all the wonderful things you showed me, and fed me, and sang to me, and taught me. i love you.

mothering is a battlefield

The big kids were all doing math, Benjamin was napping, so I took three of my rowdy, little boys outside to blow bubbles, including the 2.75 year old. To some, three rowdy, little boys would be a battle. To me, it was like swimming in a lake of still waters. 

We tried to blow bubbles in the baby's face. "No, don't blow bubbles in the baby's face. The soap could burn his eyes!" ... "It's not soap Mom, it's bubbles!" (silly momma)

We got the hang of blowing gently, which created a thousand bubbles at once

 

We kept losing our bubble stick in the bubble bottle.

We puffed our cheeks big.

Then I decided we should put the bubbles up. They were half Benjamin's bubbles after all, and we should save some for him.

The 2.75 year old decided this was not such a good idea. And we battled over the blue bubble bottle. 

And the 2.75 year old won. 

And Benjamin's bubbles got dumped out on the driveway. 

And I stood there defeated. 

And realized that even with only 1/3 of my children ... if that 1/3 includes the 2.75 year old ... there is no such thing as still waters. Only a battlefield.

These wise (accessible) words for moms are on the way. My new battle plan.

"I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious." - Vince Lombardi    

daybook, july 16th

Outside my Window ... mild, but storm-ready. Which makes me happy.

I am thinking ... how glad I am that we have absolutely NO plans today whatsoever. We need a good day of school work and chores.

I am thankful for ... a break from Seminary. Brian and I have been talking about life, watching our shows, and reading good books.

From the school room ... Brian put the kids back on track with Math just before he left for work this morning, Kylie is working through Analytical Grammar at a fast pace, Korinne is almost finished with Spelling 5, we have hopes that Connor will reach the end of English 2 by the move, and TJ is reading aloud each Mr Putter and Tabby this summer.

From the kitchen ... Coffee with caramel machiato creamer, *Daddy's chocolate milk (because he evidently makes it better), waffles. The blueberry kind.

I am wearing ... my faded, lilac housecoat over my yellow, butterfly nightgown.

I am reading ... finishing up The Mission of Motherhood and For The Children's Sake. Both excellent, every summer reads. Brian and I started Shepherding Your Child's Heart again. And he just finished What He Must Be yesterday, and asked me to read it too. I'm also still working on the Newberry Challenge. Slowly. Bridge To Terabithia.

I am hoping and praying ... my grandma is feeling relief from her pain today. And that my grandpa can get her surgery moved up.

 

I am creating ... an organized, move-ready home. I have 2 more big projects to tackle before our packers come August 9th. The attic, and all the kids' out-of-season clothing. We've decided to purchase each child a Rubbermaid Roughneck storage box ... hoping those will withstand the moving truck and many years of switching out.

I am going ... nowhere. But tomorrow we have spaghetti dinner plans with our friends, the Hutchesons.

I am hearing ... the dramatic music and anxious voices of the shark wranglers. We LOVE History Channel's new show.

Around the house ... packing, taking wall art down, spackling ... I'm also on a mission to teach some of the youger kids how to do some chores that the big kids have been doing for a few years. The girls are wanting to do more cooking and baking, and need some time freed up to do so.

 Some of my favorite things ...

Benjamin's new ABC and 123 Star Wars books. So simple. So big and sturdy. He loves them to0. Free Chick-fil-A. Such an all-around great place.

And Pastor Rogers on Sunday nights with my family.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ... school work, chore training, packing ...

 

reminder to my (homeschool momma) self:

I would like to share just a few pieces of homeschooling advice with you. A few things that I wish someone would have shared with me back in the summer of 2007 when we started our homeschooling journey.

First bit of advice: just start the journey.

...if you have the tiniest inkling of a thought that you want to homeschool or the slightest tug at your heart that you want to homeschool. Do it.

Know it will be hard. Know it will be different. Know it will cause family friction. Know, even four and a half years into your journey, that there will be some days that you look at the big yellow bus with envy.

Do it anyway.

Having a relationship with your children, spending time with your children, and accomplishing with your children is worth the hard days. Worth being different. Worth the family friction (which goes away once your family sees the fruit). And as quick as the thought of putting your kids on the bus comes...it goes.

Second bit of advice: do not label your homeschool.

...do not claim a method. Do not claim a learning style. Do not claim a curriculum. Because as soon as you do, things will change.

Method does not matter. What matters is that you're spending time with your child, teaching them, and they are learning.

Learning style does matter (a little, not as much as they say)...but, from what I can see, learning styles fluctuate with subject material. Know how your child learns, and do your best to use your materials accordingly.

Curriculum does not matter. I repeat, curriculum does not matter. You can tweak ANY curriculum to suit ANY method/learning style (which you are not claiming anyway). ***this statement alone is my BIG reminder, as I flip out about History for next year!***

*If you are a large family I do recommend you buy non-consumable materials to save money.*

 

Third bit of advice: do not feel you must join a support/co-op group. or attend a convention/fair. or read all the books on homeschooling that have ever been published.

...I actually did this from the beginning.

We've never, in four years, been a part of a group. Thankfully. The compare game would have probably gotten the best of me. "Our curriculum is top notch." "Our Little Suzy is only six, but in 5th grade." (we do, however, know and enjoy the company of a few other homeschooling families)

I have also never been to a homeschool convention/curriculum fair. There is already an overwhelming amount of info on homeschooling to be had online and through snail mail. I would have outright heart failure and homeschool mom sensory overload upon walking in to such a fair.

I've read a handful of homeschooling books, a few gems, but most just push their own curriculum or homeschool style. There is no perfect curriculum, and thinking that your homeschool can look exactly like some other family's homeschool is just absurd.

We've spent the first few years of our homeschooling journey paving our own homeschool road. It looks like no other family's we know. But it's us. It works. Everyone is thriving.

Now that we see OUR ROAD clearly...we are thinking of joining an area homeschool group for fun (not academics)...I'm still on the fence about a convention (probably not)...and I've tried a few homeschool books (borrowed) in the last month, and can't get past the first few chapters, because I just know that the author is not talking about us.

 

Fourth bit of advice: live life first. homeschool second. keep plugging away at academics.

...take days/weeks/months off when you need to. Sometimes school just won't get done when there are doctor appointments or grocery trips. Sometimes everyone just needs a vacation (to nowhere). Sometimes a new baby comes along.

School year round. All day. Don't try to fit it into nine months. Or 180 days. Or 4.5 hours.

Enjoy your children, while you mark out your path. 

why we are raising homemakers

We are prayerfully raising our daughters to be homemakers. I'm making sure to teach them how to manage their homes and families. The Art of Homemaking.

Does this mean they won't go to college? We don't know. But, we won't be paying for it (nor for the boys). If our girls do go to college, we hope they will attend one near home, more preferably attend at home like their Dad does now. And if they do go to college, we hope that it will be for a skill that will be useful to them as Homemakers. Like Teaching or Nursing.
 
Does this mean they will never work outside the home? We hope so. Their Dad will provide for them until their husband does. I've been on both sides of this fence friends. I know plenty of working mothers, and I've heard MOST of them say, "I wish I could be home with my kids."

Does this mean we think they are "door mats"? No, absolutely not. It means Brian and I believe what the Bible says,

"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. " - Titus 2:3-5

*I have found freedom in this verse. But only recently. We hope and pray our daughters never have to fight for the freedom to be homemakers. It is right here in the Bible, and we are training them in it's ways.

I have also learned, from my own experience, that maternal instinct is strong. Leaving our little ones in the care of others while we go to work, can make you ill. I am much happier and healthier here at home.

But by far, the biggest lesson I have learned in gaining the freedom to be a homemaker, is that it takes skills and knowledge (that I didn't even know existed) to run a home. It is constant, strenuous, heartbreaking work. I've had to research and try and work and cry my way through it. And it's hard. But a million times more rewarding than any job I've ever had outside our home.

 

top ten {tuesday}: favorite read alouds

This Tuesday's Top Ten is about our favorite school subject, Read Aloud. I still read aloud to all my kids. Together. At one time. From our History spine, or Science text, our Bible Storybook, a Poetry book I love. It's not easy. There's a lot of, "Settle down." And, "Let's choose a quiet toy." And, "Pay attention." But it amazes me how much of my interrupted reading aloud the kids retain.

But this list is of those books that we actually refer to as 'Read Alouds.' Fun books. The books that are saved for just after lunch and afternoon chores, while the little ones are falling asleep for their naps, and the big kids are hanging out on their beds drawing, or knitting, or staring out their window at all the entertaining folks and their dogs walking down the sidewalk. ... while I, the Read Aloud-er, sit criss cross applesauce on the floor in the hallway (sometimes nursing a baby).


Top Ten Favorite Read Alouds (in random order):

1.  Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo     *an excellent movie

2. Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder

3. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (in December, of course. EVERY December.)

4. Boy by Roald Dahl

5. Madeleine Takes Command by Ethel C. Brill

6. Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

7. Jotham's Journey:  A Story Book for Advent by Arnold Ytreeide

8. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (or Sign of The Beaver or The Bronze Bow and I'm sure Calico Captive too, but we've not read that one aloud. Yet.)

9. The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill

and

10. Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John     *also an excellent movie

the first of may { may's book basket }

may day. lei day. may first.

...whatever you wish to call it, it's time to flip the calendar. Time for new poetry, celebrating fourteen years together, a new folk song, being four, the sea shore, and warmer - sunnier - outside days (we do the least amount of school work in spring, when the weather is most bearable here in lovely Arkansas).

I don't really have a May Book Basket to share, I tend to focus mostly on Easter in the spring, and then skip right to summer. But here are just a few titles off our own shelves that will do the trick:

Growing up in Cincinnati, May is Zoo Baby month. (I used to have the coolest Cincinnati Zoo Baby poster ... I wonder what happened to that?) So here are a few baby animal selections:

 Baby Farm Animals, illustrated by Garth Williams ... This classic–full of piglets, kittens, calves, and bunnies–is one of his best. Simple, humorous text identifies each fuzzy, furry, or feathery farm animal capering about the farm.

 Baby Animals by Margaret Wise Brown ... A classic bedtime story--out of print for over 40 years--returns, newly illustrated by Caldecott Honor Book winner Susan Jeffers (we love here Nutcracker).

May is the perfect time to get back into Nature Study:

 Wonders of Nature by Jane Werner Watson ... a rare nonfiction book that’s also a simple, beautiful poem. In this gorgeous Little Golden Book from 1957, Eloise Wilkin’s stunning and realistic artwork is accompanied by gentle text that brings an awe of nature to the youngest readers.

We all know that our birds come back, ready to raise their babies:

 Birds by Kevin Henkes ... Birds come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Birds are magic. Birds are everywhere. If you listen very carefully you will hear them, no matter where you live. And if you look very closely you will see them, no matter where you are. And if you can't go outside right this minute, you can always read this book!

 Birds, Nests, and Eggs (Take Along Guides) by Mel Boring ... A fun, informative take-along guide that will help children identify 15 birds. Kid will also learn how and where birds build their homes and all about their young.Invites young naturalists to spot wildlife. (I mentioned the Take Along Guides to someone recently. My kids LOVE them. We own almost the entire series.)

And even though those April Showers are over ... the occasional thunderstorm still pops up:

Thundercake by Patricia Polacco ... Grandma consoles her frightened granddaughter by telling her that the dark clouds of the impending storm are nothing more than the ingredients for a Thunder Cake. (I LOVE THIS BOOK. LOVE IT)

Tasha Tudor's 1 is One has very May-ish verse/illustrations ... "There will, of course, always be children who must learn to count. Teach them also to enjoy the process and to count those things that are most important to them. Eighteen stars twinkling in the sky and twelve baby birds learning how to sing are an excellent start." - Tasha Tudor

Since Wilbur is a spring pig ... why not start Charlotte's Web in May?

It looks like I have a May Book Basket after all. What other springtime stories would you include?

:  happy may reading! ::

storytime: ten seeds

Ten Seeds by Ruth Brown

A simple, preschool-ish (Earth Day) story about subtraction and plants. Ten seeds starts out with just that, 10 seeds. All snugly planted in rich, black soil. An ant lifts out the first seed, a pigeon picks up the second just as it's beginning to grow roots, and a mouse digs the next as it grows even longer roots. A slimy slug eats one of the seven remaining seedlings, a mole burrows under one of the six shoots, and a cat claws up the next one. Four tiny, little plants are then destroyed by one ball, one rowdy puppy, and too many greenflies. Then, one lonely sunflower blooms, producing 10 new seeds.

An added bonus to the story is it's true-to-life, two-page watercolor (my favorite!) illustrations.

A perfect and beautiful introductory math book for preschoolers.

All 5 of my older, Rowdy Boys sat, listened, and interacted as Miss V read this story. And then could recall (narrate for all you CMers) the entire story back to me during lunch. Now, that's a story book worth checking out with your Library Card.

daybook, march 19th

Outside my Window ... birds swirling, loudly, trees budding, pollen laying

I am thinking ... I should've prepared better for the week. I'm pretending I did ... we'll see how far that gets me today. Mondays are NOT my thing

I am thankful for ... a husband who leads Bible Study at 6AM in the morning. He could rush out the door for work, and not think twice about the hearts of his family. But he doesn't

From the school room ... Week 2 of Ambleside Online Years 1 and 6. I did ALL the reading for both week 1s. I'm hoping to do the same this week for both week 2s. I also hope to find the time to purchase SCM's Module 1 History Guidebook today. BUT! ... we will not rush through these next 11 weeks to go to it

From the kitchen ...coffee, chocolate milk, rice krispies

I am wearing ... jammies. If you're a nursing momma, you have to get to WalMart and get yourself a few of these nightgowns. They have 6 buttons down the front ... perfect for nursing (and a lot cheaper than Motherhood Maternity!)

I am reading ... the only book I'm reading besides our AO lists is Calico Captive. I have J. R. Miller's Homemaking in my bag, but I haven't started it yet

I am hoping ... for a good week. I do love that each Monday is a fresh, new start. I just don't love Monday for itself

I am creating ... a Pinterest Board ... loving it! Now, if I can just find some time to carry a few of the projects out. First on my list:  our Calvary Hill/Resurrection Garden, which we did two Easters ago, but didn't get around to it last year

I am going ... to get out tonight to get the fun stuff for the kids' Spring Baskets! The first day sort of crept up on me

I am hearing ... Martha Speaks (the kids' favorite) and my grunting baby. Brian said he's going to start calling him Switchblade, he's that grunty (edited:  Brian texted me to let me know it's Swing Blade NOT Switchblade. And the grunter in the movie is named Karl. We saw it a long time ago. Sorry. ...He also texted me a pic of what I thought was a crack in the highway, and asked me what it was from, to which I responded, "earthquake," to which he responded, "It's a stick caught in the wiper blades." to which I responded, "Oh." ... "The boys then." ... he's getting a good laugh out of me this morning. Boo.)

Around the house ... so much to do. Spring Cleaning with the constant thought that my Mother-in-Law will be here Saturday. She'd say, "Don't worry about your house." Like she made sure to tell me, "Don't worry about dinner." But! I'm going to worry nonetheless, and scrub my little house til it sparkles! I like a Spring Cleaned, Sparkly Home anyway

 One of my favorite things ... my homeschool binder with all my articles, booklists, and scope & sequences in it. Even though I don't Lesson Plan, having my binder always with me makes it seem like I do

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ... Spring Cleaning, catching up on grading English papers, enjoying the last week of free nights without Baseball, and planning Wesley's 5th Birthday Party (camo ... not barbie)

daybook, march 1st

:: outside my window ... a warm evening

:: listening to ... David Crowder Band, and folk songs on YouTube. Really. Thinking of giving this a try...because this makes a lot of sense. (and not just because it starts out talking about Baseball:)

:: giving thanks for ... twelve days of baby bliss

:: living the educational life ... finishing up Zoology notebooks through Lesson 6, studying the Passion Week, reading aloud The Bronze Bow (again) ...we've been lite schooling with Baby Zach, and Daddy being home so much

:: wearing ... a blue nightgown from WalMart ... perfect for nursing and tucking baby into at night

:: preparing in the kitchen ... I made a quick Spaghetti Dinner tonight, we finished off a pan of brownies the girls made yesterday, lunch meat samiches and leftover mashed potatoes for lunch

:: creating by hand ... I have lamps that need spray painted, and our St. Patrick's Day flowers need some TLC (or replaced)

:: following these links ... Why Would We Observe Lent?, Destruction-proofing your family  or ALL of LMLD's Reading posts, or ALL of Cheryl's 31 Days to Make a House a Home (so good)

 :: turning pages ... Shepherding a Child's Heart (again), Calico Captive, and the AO website

:: finding rhythm ... not quite yet

:: keeping house ... I super cleaned our bathroom tonight for the first time in two weeks (Kylie had been doing it for me). Felt good. Smells good. I like clean.

:: finding joy in ... my life. It's not too hard.

:: praying ... for an easy weekend.

:: planning the week ahead ... we're back to school full-force Monday. I'm so glad we're year round schoolers. Makes life easier.

in 10 days

In 10 days, I will add another photo to this collection. A family of 10 ... in 10 days.

In 10 days, I will wake up (if I sleep at all) with one thought on my mind, "Please, please God be with me today."

In 10 days, I will be cleaning an already clean house in the wee hours of the morning. I will probably be starting a load of laundry while the sun is rising. I will be reminding everyone that, "There is this to eat. And that to eat. And extra milk in the storage fridge."

In 10 days, I will forget all about the terrible morning sickness (if Baby weighs just 6 pounds, I will weigh less than I did the day I got pregnant with him). I will have permanent pregnancy battle scars, motherhood in the trenches with beautiful spider veins. I will no longer have a love affair with Tums.

In 10 days, I will leave my home, and it's making, in the hands of my two daughters. They will care for it, and their brothers, in much the same way I would...because Nana will not load the dishwasher, or do the laundry, or know the flow of our routine like they do.

In 10 days, I will kiss my seven oldest children good bye for a few days. And I will cry. And I will have to make myself walk out the door.

In 10 days, I will be reminded how steady, caring, and responsible my husband is. As he goes back and forth from hospital to home, looking after me, a new baby, and making sure our children and home are in order.

In 10 days, I will give birth to our eighth child, our eighth blessing from Heaven above...our sixth boy in a row. Zacharias Eugene Bailey.

In 10 days.

daybook, december 12th

:: outside my window ...dark and cold, each morning there is frost, and I find myself straining to see out the sun porch door. Is it snow? (it has been. twice already.)

:: listening to ...Christmas music. Oh For Joy and Christmas are our new favorites this year.

:: giving thanks for ...the mildness of Benjamin's little mishap with the piano yesterday. An emergency, true. But a small one.

:: living the educational life ...we're staying pretty on track with language arts and math. I suppose you could call this month Christmas School. Christmas read alouds, Christmas poetry, Christmas copywork, Christmas scripture memorization. More Christmas read alouds.

:: wearing ...plain long sleeve tees, comfy sweats, my beloved gray sweater jacket, Christmas socks, slippers. All day. Every day.

:: preparing in the kitchen ...a french toast breakfast, with extra vanilla and! powdered sugar. Sandwiches and chips and! leftover Christmas sprinkle cake for lunch. A spaghetti dinner (with meat sauce, requested by Connor), made by Kylie.

:: creating by hand ...I've made my little Christmas Craft List. And we're happily creating our way through. This week:  Cinnamon Christmas Tree Ornaments, Yarn Angels, and Paper Snowflakes.

:: following these links ...mostly Christmas crafts. And I'll share those as we go on Fridays. I'll admit, I find myself with less to say when I do more blog reading. Although I realize everyone probably wonders where I am... I'm here. Capturing my family, our moments. Which I was doing less and less of before. But this feels right for now. And good.

I did, however, start using a new comment thingy. In order to be more personal in this space. I think it's working from my side. But I have noticed less comments, which doesn't bother me so much...but I wonder if it's hard to use(?)

:: turning pages ...Simplicity Parenting. A very slow start. I'm so tired right now (30 weeks)...I blog a little, read less, and sleep more.

:: finding rhythm ...in less structure. Which is hard for me.

:: keeping house ...we're taking a more relaxed approach in this area too. Everything is still clean, it's just not perfect. It's comfortable. "A place for everything, and everything in it's place." is not a motto I want to carry around with me anymore. An atmosphere of love, and creativity, and safety is more what I'm after right now. ...I don't have a quote for that.

:: finding joy in ...my camera again. Capturing the normal, everyday, little moments. It's a gift.

:: praying ...for an old friend who is in the hospital, while her husband is at home with their children. For my brother-in-law. For JP, who seems to be always sick...I wish we had more day to day details about our little compassion child.

:: planning the week ahead ...Storytime with Santa on Wednesday at our little library. Knitting Club is on hold for the holidays...but wait! there is another one on Thursday nights, do we want to go? My friend (and her entire family) are performing in A Christmas Carol this weekend, and I hope the girls and I get to go.

monday.

Mondays are hard for me. Always. Every Monday. I don't know what it is, but it never changes. This Monday I woke up in a fine mood. Well rested. Yes, you just read that. I slept through the night. I mean, ALL my children slept through the night. Which means so did I. I was determined to not rush, not watch the clock, not hurry the morning. And things went pretty well, flowing along very smoothly. We did chores. We did school.

TJ finished his second book in the Pathway Readers series, and will start the third book Wednesday. It was one of those I did it! moments. But he grumbled his way through Copywork. Which is a lovely Christmas poem by Henry W. Longfellow. I think it's that it repeats the last line of the stanza so much. ...I thought it would be a nice break from his Copybook, now I'm not so sure. He's also doing What Child Is This? and Isaiah 9:2-7 this month. Maybe. Connor and the girls all kind of sailed through their school work this morning. I wasn't even really needed. Good for a Monday.

We had lunch, then I read the first few chapters of The Bird's Christmas Carol. Then is when the day started to turn into a real Monday. Babies not getting naps out, math was blah, then, since The Flood was still going on...my Rowdy Boys were stuck inside. No good. I can't wait to give them their new boots for Christmas. I'm going to send them out in all kinds of weather.

As it was, they played 'Restaurant' while I started dinner. The Happy Henry Restaurant. Where everybody gets a free hat on Monday (see Ben is donning the free hat/Christmas Stocking). BUT...who will be the Chef? Who will be the Waiter? Does steak cost $30 or $15? Was it a 5 Star Restaurant with a Walkie-Talkie Drive Thru Window? (and YES! these were all real arguments I overheard from the kitchen).

Once I managed to tune out the restaurant drama...I got into a fight with the can opener. The brand new can opener. The $10 can opener. Grrr! Does anyone else have can opener issues? Or is it just our family? Well, I informed Brian there would be no more dinner, unless we got an old-fashioned plug in the wall, stand up on the counter, zoomer-can opener like my Grandma Faye had. He informed me we would just stop buying canned goods. I finally got the green beans open, added them to what was supposed to be Vegetable Soup, but was more like Kinda Vegetable Stew. Judah got about half way up into his chair, glared into his bowl, then scowled at me. Really.

After Dinner, Brian went over Math with the kids. Mostly Kylie. Algebra really gets her some days. It really got her this Monday. She doesn't like Monday either. Her excuse for anything that goes wrong on Monday is, "It's Monday." Hmmm...maybe I should express my dislike for Mondays a little less.

The boys, who had been cooped up all day, cleared the family room floor, and had Hot Wheel races. A lot of them. Little metal cars were zooming everywhere. And my furniture kept being moved in order to find the little metal cars that were zooming everywhere. While they raced, I snapped a few pictures of my Christmas Mantle. And still, after two years with this camera, I cannot take a good picture indoors. Especially at night. But at least my mom can see what my mantle looks like this month. (that's my Elf Church on the far Left. do you like it?)

So now I am tired. And the house is cold. All that rain brought the cold again. I don't mind cold, but I do mind all that rain. I wish it had all been Snow. That would have made my Monday better. The title of this post could have been Snowy Monday. Not just Monday. The house is also quiet. Which makes me wonder...what was I so worked up about? It was just a day. And now it's done.

A Goat and Two Chickens, Please! (a guest post by our daughter, Korinne)

As I look through the World Vision gift catalog, my heart breaks, and I get tears in my eyes. There are children with no food, or shelter, or clothes, or drinking water, and many other things. Hundreds of kids die every day from not having these things.

 

As I look through the catalog my parents encourage me to raise money to get something. I decided on a goat and 2 chickens.

 

Goat milk has protein which helps a child grow. They can sell extra milk,
yogurt and cheese for other things like medicine or clothes.


Two chickens provide eggs. Extra eggs can be sold for other needs. And soon
more chickens will hatch which means more eggs!

Please help me raise $100. I already have $3.72, so I only need to raise $96.28 more by December 17.

 

Thank you.

Love, Korinne

"for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave
Me drink..." - Matthew 25:3

continuing to pour

It has been one of those mornings. One where I find myself living out the verse of this place,

"...At the beginning of the watches; pour out your heart like
water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of
your young children..." - Lamentations 2:19

 

I speak here often of how my life is beautiful. Of how my husband and children are tremendous blessings. Of how we strive to be deliberate. Consistent. In the moment. And it is all real, it's truly who we are. But this morning has been a reminder, to my slightly too comfortable soul, that living fully, consistently, and deliberately is not easy.

I had nothing left to do, but lift my hands toward Him. With lifted hands, and an overwhelmed heart, a heart full of the tasks He had laid before me, I poured.

When it takes the nine year old over an hour of precious time to do a simple copywork assignment. When the toddler rips through the pages of yet another overdue library book. When there are tiresome and tedious disciplinary issues that need constant, immediate attention. When children seem weary (didn't we just wake up?).

I may feel hopeless. But I'm not hopeless. Praise God.

When the chaos of the morning was finally fading, when the book work at the kitchen table was finished, once hungry tummies were full of peanutbutter and jelly, and we were dropping the oldest off at a sweet friend's house to help out... I smiled, for probably the first time in hours, at my daughter and said, "Enjoy your opportunity to serve." She smiled back, knowing everything was okay, and answered, "I will."

I'm grateful to know that I don't have to walk through these hectic mornings alone. I'm grateful that I can repent and be forgiven of negative feelings, harsh talk, and terrible mothering.

I'm so grateful that all I have to do is lift my hands, and He sees, and takes them.

my thoughts on picture study

As the weather gets cooler, and we're spending more time indoors, it's a little easier for this homeschooling momma to fit in some "extra" studies.

For the past few weeks, we have been enjoying the art of Grandma Moses. In October, we studied and narrated Halloween. As the month changed, we moved on to Joy Ride, for the second part of November, we are fittingly using Catching The Thanksgiving Turkey. Then, for the short month of December, we'll be enjoying Christmas At Home or So Long Til Next Year. ... Grandma has so many that I love, it's hard for me to choose. We may just stick with her work until March!

 

We are pretty simple in our approach (as with all our school subjects anymore). We google for a short, easy-to-read biography on the artist, and I read it aloud to the kids. We then look at the picture together, on the computer. The kids then narrate (tell me) what they see in the picture. I don't correct at all. I use our current picture as my desktop background, so they see it everyday. I've also been thinking of buying a few frames from the Dollar Store, to hang our artist's works in on the dining room wall, as we enjoy and study them for a few months.

We don't "copy" like we have in the past anymore. There is just too much creative, original, priceless-to-me artwork being made by little hands in our home everyday, that I don't feel assigning "Art" is necessary.

My goal is exposure. Appreciation. Of good art, that instills good feelings. That's all. (if the picture is sad, or inappropriate...we don't look. there is enough of that going on in real life. no thank you.)

 

We do own a few "Art" books here in our home, that have been well-used and loved. We've never 'scheduled' them into lesson plans, they are just on our shelves. My little artists pull them off when they're feeling creative:

The Usborne Book of ART ideas

(a current favorite of both Korinne and TJ)

Usborne Playtime I Can Draw People

Usborne Playtime I Can Draw Animals

Wesley's Bible coloring page is from our Gospel Light's Really Big Book of Bible Story Coloring Pages(I love this, because it's non-consumable...we've owned it for 4 years now. And because the drawing are very simple for little ones.)

Katie Meets The Impressionists

(part of a series of Picture Books that introduces young children to great artists and their works. I hope to be able to purchase more in the series soon)

***More thoughts on Picture Study***

daybook, november 1st

living seasonally…

I don't know how, but it seems our little corner of the world knew it was November today. The sun was beautifully shining, but there was a very cool breeze in the air, and I had to wear my beloved purple sweater outside this afternoon. The boys played baseball and dirt guns, while the girls read Shakespeare on blankets, and I sat in my chair watching the pecan tree leaves twirl to the ground. I really do love November.

giving thanks…

My mom spent the last 24 hours in the hospital. She is home now, and I'm grateful for her diagnosis, although I know it won't be easy. But my little prayer warrior, Wesley, prayed for her (and her exercise routine) this evening during family worship.

 

thinking deeply…

 

It's so hard when emergencies come up, being military ... far away from loved ones in need, and being able to lend a hand. Living where God has placed me is hard sometimes. But right all the time.

turning pages…

 

1 Peter ... our entire family is using The GOAL Study, and working our way through together.

Passionate Housewives ... I do believe that Carissa is joining me in re-reading this favorite. Scripture really does portray homemaking as beautiful, and I need to be reminded.

one thousand gifts ... (maybe) I've read the first three chapters last spring, and they were too much for me. But I keep being drawn to it.

 

establishing rhythm…

 

We are struggling to find a balance for school right now. So many ages and stages and books to teach and choose. Everything has felt stale and generic. We're making so many changes in focus, curriculum, routine ... but it's slow changes.

I do, however, love to see TJ enjoying and learning Math and hearing him read to me out of his Pathway Reader. He laughs. Out loud. At dressed up kitty-dolls. And he frowns. Out loud. When big brother is mean to little sister. (this part is not stale homeschooling, it is my heart, homeschooling)

cultivating simplicity…

As I googled for simple Christmas (my Christmas Wish this winter), I stumbled upon this little post, ...

"I was just reading about the Ingalls family Christmas celebration. Each child got a peppermint stick and a new pair of mittens and a very large, special supper. That was all. The simplicity of their Christmas celebration was in stark contrast to the pile of goodies under our tree and the onslaught of decadent food that starts in November and lasts all the way till January when we vow to abstain for ever after!"

 

creating beauty…

Korinne is finishing her first knitted scarf as I type. She's used every last bit of yarn that Miss Victoria (the knitting librarian that is going to Paris in spring) gave her. She sits on the couch some evenings, perfectly content, and knitting. It makes me smile.

I reminded myself this afternoon, that it's time to put away the pumpkin moonshine jars, tart warmer, and tea light holder ... and get out my little pilgrims and turkeys. We will be decorating for Christmas in just a few weeks too. Early. The weekend before Thanksgiving. Because we are, indeed, going Over The River and Through The Woods this year.

nurturing hearts…

 

As much as I'm trying to place the proper meaning in the kids of Christmas, I feel like Thanksgiving easily gets overlooked. The focus still tends to be visiting, food, and turkeys here. When I need to be filling little hearts full of real, true, grateful thanksgiving. We have so much. And too often, it goes unnoticed.

"They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, And shall sing of Your righteousness. " - Psalm 145:7 NKJV

nurturing minds…

A hard decision to make ... but we have shelved our English books. Complicated no longer works in our simple home. I was ready to do a cheer for Brian after watching this. We will take a long break first though. We have holidays to celebrate, and a new baby to welcome to the world. Then ... we will worry about Grammar.

nurturing senses…

We made s'mores Saturday evening. Over a smoking fire. Outside. In fall. It was delicious. They were delicious. ... My dad enjoyed one for the first time with us. Wesley and Benjamin thoroughly enjoyed theirs too!

nurturing hands…

Lotion makes it's return in our routine. After washing dishes, after bathing babies. Judah actually sighed as I massaged his chubby legs.

nurturing bodies…

I realize I'm so tired, just about the time to start dinner every night. I prepared the kitchen, but sat in the kitchen chair, as Brian prepared the meal. Cheeseburger skillet. With all the fixin's. Oh, and French Fries. Really. Good. French Fries.

tending the earth...

If we keep a few of our pumpkin seeds ... how do we store them until spring? Buying pumpkins for eight children is expensive!

thanksgiving book basket

 From Honey for a Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt: "Increasingly the Thanksgiving holiday is becoming the time when the extended family gathers. More than a day of remembrance, it calls for a spirit of thankfulness to be nurtured. Thanksgiving was not, as is sometimes said in schools, the pilgrims thanking the Indians; it was a thanksgiving to God. Our celebration should be more than "turkey day," a day for overeating, with little conversation about the truth of it's history or significance in family life." (Mrs. Hunt lists of 14 books, 3 of which I include here in my list)

The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh - an accurate Thanksgiving picture book that tells the story of a family's first year in Plymouth Colony which ends with the Thanksgiving feast.

In November by Cynthia Rylant - we LOVE this book, LOVE it! You can read my review here.

Thanksgiving on Thursday (Magic Tree House) by Mary Pope Osborne - this was a fun, easy read. We enjoy Jack and Annie and their adventures here. I'd like to take a peak at the Pilgrims Research Guide to go along with this.

Thanksgiving Mice by Bethany Roberts - just for fun, more for the Littles. We read this a few years back, when we still lived in Cincinnati, and I'm hoping to get my hands on it again, to spark some interest in putting on a little play of our own (like that needs a spark)!

*I've already added An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving, Molly's Pilgrim, and Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember.

:: Happy Almost November, Everyone! ::

why simply charlotte mason?

I received an email the other day, I know not from whom, but it simply asked, "Why did you switch from My Father's World to Simply Charlotte Mason?"

First, let me say, we have not been die-hard, faithful MFW users for the entire four years we have been homeschooling. We've used it, and not used it. And used a few other things...Veritas Press, Ambleside Online, Truth Quest, and Simply Charlotte Mason. (I'm speaking mostly of the History parts of these curriculums in this post)

I've tried very hard to stick with MFW and love it. But, for a few reasons, I've just not been able to do it.

...I think it has mostly to do with the fact that MFW has you read bits and pieces of a lot of resources. I prefer to choose A GOOD RESOURCE, and read it to my children. While some folks really appreciate the fact that MFW has done some pre-screening for the teacher-parents, I found it to be very annoying and almost generic feeling.

During Creation to the Greeks (which we all *LOVED*), I learned to overlook this bits and pieces reading...but as the years progressed, it seemed to get a little more tedious.

...I also feel that the further along we got into the chronological history study, the less Charlotte Mason the curriculum became. We did not even do Exploration to 1850, and instead chose to use Adventures, which I felt was still very CM. (I beefed this up for my girls with SCM's Living History Books List and Veritas Press' Yr 5 History Cards).

We did, however, order 1850 to Modern Times, and even used it for the first four or so weeks...but, we soon found ourselves feeling the same way about it.

...And another BIG reason that MFW no longer works for us, is the fact that we feel very strongly, in our large family, that we need to study as much as we can, together. With MFW, you can only use Years 1-5 for your 3rd through 8th graders. I did not have the time, nor did we have the money, to continue to buy two or three programs per year. (and my younger and older children didn't want to be separated from the rest of the family)

So...

Simply Charlotte Mason is working for us right now. We chose our own spines, since SCM hasn't actually completed Lesson Plans for Module 6 yet (Streams of Civilization II for Kylie, and SOTW 4 for Korinne...neither of which we are super pleased with, but you try and find a better Modern Times World History spine...there aren't any out there!), and we are slowly working our way through the Living Books Selections for grades 1-9.

*We are all learning about the same time period, with a Charlotte Mason whole, Living Books approach, and the cost is extremely low. And we like it.

daybook, october 18th

 

Outside my Window... rainy, chilly...October!

What We're Learning... Kylie's at the Library, learning how to Volunteer, both Korinne and Connor had English "tests" today, Korinne's was over the 8 parts of speech, Connor's was over Nouns and Verbs, TJ is learning the difference between to, too and two (s-l-o-w-l-y), we went over 1 Peter 1 this morning, and our History (SOTW 4) is becoming so dry and boring...I'm not sure how we're going to spend 5 more months with this book! If anyone knows of a well-loved Modern Times History-ish book, please share it with me! Please!

I am thankful for... Tylenol 3

From the kitchen... cereal for breakfast, PB&J for lunch, chicken tacos (made by the girls) for dinner

I am wearing... navy yoga pants, Army long-sleeve tee, navy socks, ponytail

 

I am reading... the new Vision Forum catalog came in the mail yesterday, does that count

I am praying... for Judah. He's 4.5 days into his antibiotic, and has started running a fever again. The nurse wants me to bring him back to the office.

 

I am creating... we're going to go buy orange yarn and green and brown pipe cleaners to make Yarn Pumpkins (like over on Elise's pretty, Autumn table)

 

I am hearing... Judah fuss, Rinny trying to make him happy, the rain dripping from the gutters, and The Incredibles on TV (we take it easy when Kylie goes to work, so she doesn't miss much 'school')

 

I am remembering... that I need to be better about keeping my own appointments, doctor and dentist..

On my mind... fever. for 4 weeks now. I'm exhausted

 

Noticing that... once you start creating, you want to keep creating

 

One of my favorite things... seeing my children do well on English "tests"

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... Judah back to pediatrician tonight, knitting class for Korinne tomorrow, I think we'll finally make it to the grocery tomorrow too, Thursday morning I'm having 2 teeth extracted and a bone graft at my dentist, Brian will be taking the day off to help (YAY!), Friday we have no plans except Family Movie Night, Saturday we're hoping to paint the Dining Room (Golden Honey), and Sunday we hope to get out to Church.

how a mom takes a nice, hot bath

In the following few paragraphs, I'm going to give you (A Mom) instructions on how to take a nice, hot bath:

. The first step is to have dinner prepared & cleaned up early. (it helps if your hubby brings home pizza after work...YES! Brian worked today. YES! We know it's Sunday. It's the Army that tends to forget.) I did not plan this step, it just happened. YAY! for early dinners.

. Step #2, have dessert enjoyed & cleaned up early. (NO! we do not have dessert every night, but Korinne made a special treat for everyone. She actually served it, and cleaned it up...which helped with my 'early' theme.)

. Next, OK your plans to take a nice, hot bath with hubby. YES! He will most likely say, "GO! Enjoy your bath." But you want to be sure he knows that he's looking after the kids for a while. Otherwise, he will think you've certainly got it handled...even if you are NOWHERE! in sight.

The fourth step is to lock the door to the bathroom. This is tricky for me. The door leading to our master bath locks from the outside. YES! You can unlock it from the inside as well, but it allows Little Ones to be able to unlock it from the outside too! BUT! It does give hubby an extra ten seconds to catch the Little One who is trying to enter the bathroom where Mommy is trying to take her nice, hot bath. And he will stop the culprit before they can emerge victorious. Hopefully.

. Step #5 is to turn the exhaust fan ON! NO! You are not taking a steaming shower. You are taking a nice, hot bath. BUT! The exhaust fan will drowned out any small-ish noise that may alarm you (A Mom) and cause you to cut your nice, hot bath short.

. The next step is to clean the bathtub of tubby toys and dirt. YES! Every mom of Littles has tubby toys. No big deal. NO! Not every mom has to clean dirt out of her bathtub to take a bath. And I really can't believe I'm telling the world that I do! BUT! It's true. I have FIVE Rowdy Boys, and they get dirty. Like, actually DIRTY everyday. Like, there's dirt in the bathtub each night after they've had their bath. (I will NEVER understand how a mom of boys could ever not have to give them a bath every. single. day. *And, in the hot, summer months...I have to give my boys TWO. One when we come in for lunch and naps, and one we come in for dinner and our night time routine.)

. The seventh step is to fill the tub up with hot water and a little bath oil. YES! The water should be almost too hot. BUT! You take a 5 minute, lukewarm shower most other days of your life, so this one too-hot shower will not ruin your skin. And YES! The leftover Skin So Soft that you had on to combat the attack of the Arkansas Mosquitoes counts as a little bath oil (not that that's what I did, ahem.).

. Step #8 is to put a hot washrag over your face and soak. Continue with this until you hear the sound of little, running feet OVER the exhaust fan (Step #5), then the sound of one of your toddlers wailing in distress (which will take about 3 minutes).

. The next step is to stop soaking and bathe already. If you planned on shaving, go ahead, BUT! only from the knees down. That way, if you wear capri pants or a skirt tomorrow, no one will know the better. And you can explain to poor hubby, that you had full intentions of REALLY shaving your legs...until you heard the wailing toddler. He will then understand.

. The tenth step is to get out of your nice, hot bath and moisturize. UNLESS! A Little Person has broken past the locked door leading to the bathroom (Step #4), and is standing there hollering, "CAN I COME IN?!" Then you will have to forget the body lotion (until you see your knees in the morning).

. Step #11 is to put on clean jammies and smile. Because you are clean. Which you (A Mom) cannot say all the time.

:: Happy Nice, Hot Bathing! ::

daybook, october 10th

Outside my Window... warm darkness

What We're Learning... I'm not sure yet. We took the day 'off' learning, since Brian was home, and I haven't taken a peek at our book readings for the week

I am thankful for... the Army giving days like Columbus Day to their Soldiers, to spend time at home with their families

From the kitchen... the girls made banana bread, chocolate chip cookies, and goulash this afternoon for dinner, we had lunch meat sandwiches and cheese & crackers for lunch, and I made yummy cinnamon toast for breakfast

I am wearing... gray yoga pants, and my Old Navy flag tee from this summer's Independence Day

I am reading... Halls of Fame (Volume 12) and In Your Hands: A Parent's Guide Book (Index) that go with our new-to-us 1951 Edition of My Book House, the Autumn sections of A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections On The Gentle Art of Learning and Lessons at Blackberry Inn, Jim Trelease's The Read ~ Aloud Handbook, and Loving The Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches (for the THIRD! time)

I am praying...

that ALL my boys' health returns soon. We've been s-l-o-w-l-y moving through a stuffy, coughing, feverish, runny nose, sickly eyes virus. Exactly THREE! weeks of it, tomorrow!

I am creating... a home that says Welcome Autumn. We have fall leaves, pumpkins, scarecrows, apple & caramel candles, Autumn Book Basket, pumpkin moon shines, and plans for a few neat, little fall crafts (Autumn Wreath, Jar Pumpkin Moon Shines, Caramel Apple Cupcakes ...). The girls and I also picked out paint colors for every room in the house this past weekend. Now, to just get Mrs. Landlord's approval

I am hearing... Brian's pen clicking in the dining room, the water running upstairs, and night sounds coming in through the sun porch door

I am remembering... the fun we had on our Family Nature Walk this morning. The treasure bags full of nature's goodness, the duck feeding, the flower picking, the 'baby' fish, the 2 year old with his walking stick, Brian stopping to show everyone a spider... Amanda was right, we needed to get outdoors

On my mind... the fevers. I hate, hate, hate when the children have fevers. It consumes me. Worry. So many meds. Worry. Little eyes that beg me to make them feel better. Worry.

Noticing that... I'm not as tired in the evenings as I was a few weeks ago. Energy. Just in time for the Holidays

One of my favorite things... Mimi, our kitty. I really do love her. She hangs out on the window sills of our sun porch and looks so homely and kitty-ish. She also loves us, which is, in my opinion, a unique quality in a kitty

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... Brian goes back to work tomorrow, we go back to learning and routine. Korinne has knitting class Wednesday. Kylie volunteers at the Library on Thursday morning. The girls and I have Irish Dance Class Thursday afternoon. Friday is grocery day, pizza night, and Family Movie Night, Brian has Drill this weekend, I hope to do some more decorating Saturday (outside with mums and pumpkins), and Sunday, we will REST

the quarterback wristband

What is a Quarterback Wristband, you ask? Well, I asked the same thing of my husband a few weeks ago...

"What's that on Connor's wrist? His Army wallet?" Brian answered, smiling...

"That's their Quarterback Wristband. You know...it has all their plays written on it."

(duh.)

(huh?)

...The Quarterback Wristband is a thick band with a clear plastic sleeve to slide the play card into. I have never, ever noticed this...but you can't get anything past my football-loving boys.

Here is their homemade (3rd/1st Grade) version, it says:

1.1 YarD Past fD.
2.Long Pass.
3.handoff.
4.fleefiker.
5.all the way to Endzone.
6.Plane Pass.
7.center
8.sack.
9.Get Ball carer.
10.inercepshon.

And yes, it actually was his Army wallet that it was taped to, then Velcro-fastened around his wrist. They sell real Quarterback Wristbands for $12.95...I've started Christmas shopping.

daybook, september 20th

Outside my Window... cloudy and chilly...but I don't mind

What We're Learning... we're in the midst of the Civil War and the Early Church

I am thankful for... a napping 4 year old (who seems to be coming down with something...not to mention his little brother, Benjamin, gave him a nice shiner!)

From the kitchen... pot roast, carrots, and mashed potatoes for dinner. We had turkey sandwiches for lunch (topped with lettuce and cut in half...which was a nice, little touch

I am wearing... gray sweat pants, yellow top

 

I am reading... Peter Pan to the kids and some background stuff on the Civil War

I am praying... that Wesley isn't coming down with anything, that my dad feels 100% soon, and that our little sponsor child is well

I am creating... a family calendar...I think we're about to become a little busier

 

I am hearing... silence, it's been a nice change

 

I am remembering... that silence doesn't always mean sleep...maybe I should go check on everyone!

 

On my mind... Christmas. We are simplifying Big Time this year

Noticing that... the kids probably won't care about any STUFF! we actually cut out of the Christmas Celebration...they always care more about the special things we do, than the 'cool' things they could get

 

One of my favorite things... fall. I'm elated it's finally here. Chili, pumpkins, hot tea, apple candles, scarecrows, mums ... ...

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... Korinne wants to go to Knitting class tomorrow, we're going to Church tomorrow evening, the boys have a Lego-thingy at the library Thursday, the girls and I have been invited to a Baby Shower Thursday evening, Friday is the first day of fall...we'll be decorating, making chili and pumpkin pie and maybe watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" for Family Movie Night, Saturday Brian will be home All. Day. (yay!), Sunday we'll go back to church. ...And all of that, makes me smile :)