It is New Year's Eve and I am home with my husband, and 4 kids, one of whom is sick. The fifth one is at a friend's house, beating her at Mancala. We have no plans as usual. Generally we just stay home, eat pizza, watch TV, and play games. Last year we went to an English Country Dance party, and that was fun. But we are low key this time.
As is the custom, I suppose I will make my list of goals for 2014...here goes...wait, my cake is done. Be right back!
Ok, had to make a glaze, too.
So here is my list.
1.Try to jog 3 days a week, and walk with kids 3 days a week, and have PE at the park 3 days a week.
2. Do a better job keeping up with grading and correcting kids schoolwork.
3. Make sure we focus ourselves each morning with the devo's we have done for years.
4. Keep the family eating mainly real food and as little processed and restaurant food as possible.
5. Focus more on my husband and our relationship.
6. Maintain a well rounded life, that reflects that I am a christian woman, wife, and also a mother.
7. Think on the Word daily, and post it more often on social media, and keep up my prayer life.
As of right now, that is about it. Simple and focused. This is a year to be content in the current season of life, and make the most of opportunities and relationships, while not losing sight of who I am.
So without any fanfare we will ring in the new year, probably watching Psych or laying in bed. And we will live life for God's glory to the best of our ability, trying to share the truth and His love. Here's wishing your family a wonderful New Year.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Thursday, December 26, 2013
It's Been Such a Long Time.....
Had to start with a tribute to Boston (one of my all time favorite musical groups).
Well....it seems I am way behind on blogging since the last post was October 8th. But hey, Facebook is just too quick and convenient for posting about life, and let's face it, that is where almost all my family and friends are located. Internet is a great way to share life through pictures and posts.
So here is the lowdown on what life has held for us. October was the starting point for the busy activity season with the kids. Our homeschool co-op was in full swing and I was teaching a machine sewing class and working on the costuming for our dance studio production of Nutcracker. Needless to say, i did a ton of sewing this fall. Also, I had 4 kids in dance classes and all five in co-op classes and two in a radio drama. And the youngest boy had four birthday parties to attend and we had Nutcracker to prepare for. It was a wonderful season of activity that we all got involved in.
Schooling was going pretty well, but we are tweaking it over the holidays to be ready for spring. That always seems to happen. It is a good time to re-evaluate and see what needs to change. Speaking of which, we have got to get more PE in the mix each week, and we need to mix in more grading by me and more writing skill for everyone---including writing in math. We talked about signing some up for soccer, but they have changed their minds, so a step up in PE it will be. That is fine. I can easily manage to fit park time in, but precise weekly practice schedules?? Not so easy. And Sonlight for high school....it is a fabulous program, but super heavy on reading which its burning out my kids on reading for pleasure. Not a side effect I enjoy, so I think I am going to do some serious modifications (more than I already did). I am not the biggest fan of core 200 anyway. And especially when my NLD kid arrives in 9th grade, it will HAVE to be severely modified.
In other news, Christmas was yesterday. We had a small Christmas this year in terms of gifts, and it was great. We have the kids draw a sibling name and buy something for them for $15, then we get each kid something from us parents for about $30, and they each get a stocking of food and other small dollar store items and a couple of small gifts from Santa. Jacob got a camera lens coffee mug, a t-shirt, a Teavana insulated mug and 3 flavors of tea, a computer game (Half-Life) and a keychain that is a movie camera with house keys on it. Emily got a backpack, a t-shirt, a portal keychain with house keys, an antique teacup with fruit tea, a Teavana infuser mug and peach tea, and a daily bible. Elizabeth got a peacock pillow, peacock fetather lamp, a -t-shirt, a bible with cover and highlighter, and bath and body items. Jordan got a Halo game, a lava lamp, skateboard, and airsoft pistol and hot wheels pack. Kimberly got a 12 set of my little Pony figures, a stuffed my Little Pony- Cadence, earrings, ceramic tea set, and makeup set from Claire's. We were definitely blessed and had a Christmas Eve prayer before bedtime.
Today I am ready to get rid of all Christmas sweets, go for a run, finish the laundry, and take the kids shopping with the money from Grandma. I think they all got around $40 cash to spend--give or take.
So maybe next year I will have time or take time to post more....or maybe not. We'll see how it plays out. Hope your fall and winter were wonderful.
I will probably do a New year's Eve post next week to wrap it up :)
Well....it seems I am way behind on blogging since the last post was October 8th. But hey, Facebook is just too quick and convenient for posting about life, and let's face it, that is where almost all my family and friends are located. Internet is a great way to share life through pictures and posts.
So here is the lowdown on what life has held for us. October was the starting point for the busy activity season with the kids. Our homeschool co-op was in full swing and I was teaching a machine sewing class and working on the costuming for our dance studio production of Nutcracker. Needless to say, i did a ton of sewing this fall. Also, I had 4 kids in dance classes and all five in co-op classes and two in a radio drama. And the youngest boy had four birthday parties to attend and we had Nutcracker to prepare for. It was a wonderful season of activity that we all got involved in.
Schooling was going pretty well, but we are tweaking it over the holidays to be ready for spring. That always seems to happen. It is a good time to re-evaluate and see what needs to change. Speaking of which, we have got to get more PE in the mix each week, and we need to mix in more grading by me and more writing skill for everyone---including writing in math. We talked about signing some up for soccer, but they have changed their minds, so a step up in PE it will be. That is fine. I can easily manage to fit park time in, but precise weekly practice schedules?? Not so easy. And Sonlight for high school....it is a fabulous program, but super heavy on reading which its burning out my kids on reading for pleasure. Not a side effect I enjoy, so I think I am going to do some serious modifications (more than I already did). I am not the biggest fan of core 200 anyway. And especially when my NLD kid arrives in 9th grade, it will HAVE to be severely modified.
In other news, Christmas was yesterday. We had a small Christmas this year in terms of gifts, and it was great. We have the kids draw a sibling name and buy something for them for $15, then we get each kid something from us parents for about $30, and they each get a stocking of food and other small dollar store items and a couple of small gifts from Santa. Jacob got a camera lens coffee mug, a t-shirt, a Teavana insulated mug and 3 flavors of tea, a computer game (Half-Life) and a keychain that is a movie camera with house keys on it. Emily got a backpack, a t-shirt, a portal keychain with house keys, an antique teacup with fruit tea, a Teavana infuser mug and peach tea, and a daily bible. Elizabeth got a peacock pillow, peacock fetather lamp, a -t-shirt, a bible with cover and highlighter, and bath and body items. Jordan got a Halo game, a lava lamp, skateboard, and airsoft pistol and hot wheels pack. Kimberly got a 12 set of my little Pony figures, a stuffed my Little Pony- Cadence, earrings, ceramic tea set, and makeup set from Claire's. We were definitely blessed and had a Christmas Eve prayer before bedtime.
Today I am ready to get rid of all Christmas sweets, go for a run, finish the laundry, and take the kids shopping with the money from Grandma. I think they all got around $40 cash to spend--give or take.
So maybe next year I will have time or take time to post more....or maybe not. We'll see how it plays out. Hope your fall and winter were wonderful.
I will probably do a New year's Eve post next week to wrap it up :)
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Day by Day with JOY!
Lately the house has been falling apart. It has been one thing after another, but thankfully it is all getting fixed. Dryer repair, oven repair, water leaks, flooring repair, braces, back pain, toilet leakage and breakage, drywall repair...we had all that this month. But it is ok. I probably seem to complain about it, because it can be frustrating, but I really am not complaining. It is an expected part of home ownership.
Kind of like encountering issues raising kids. Trouble comes. Not all humans are the same personality nor do they respond the same to discipline and correction. One thing I had to learn is that you can read the bible, all the best books, get the advice from older moms, and try everything, and your kids still will be who they are. Mine are not yours. Our family dynamic and goals are not yours. What I choose for my kids is not what you choose. And it is ok. Comparing us to others and constantly feeling the need to justify choices is exhausting, and a thief of daily joy. The times I find myself defending to myself why I choose certain things through no questioning from others, are times I find I am not so happy with the choices I made. There will always be someone more conservative, more liberal, more "green", more diet conscious, more family oriented, more strict, more relaxed, more media oriented, less media oriented, more judgmental, farm loving, city loving, louder, quieter, more involved, less involved, more supervisory, less supervisory, more introverted, more extroverted, whatever. You name it.
Our family is fine and we are daily doing our best. I bet the same is true for you. I would also bet we are going about our life choices quite differently. I could not, and would not want us to be much different than we are. I think we are a pretty fun loving bunch. I bet you like your family the way they are, too. If we don't, we are probably working on it. I know I am.
Our family is louder, rowdier, not always as conservative, or as disciplined, very active in outside activity as they get older, selective about certain things, lovers of media, socially out and about, creative, suburbanites. We have our individual struggles and we get lots of things wrong, but we try to do what is best for our family, for our kids, and we try very hard to center around God first. I think we are pretty family oriented, and as the kids grow, they get to be socially around lots of people. I love that they are as comfortable with peers as they are with adults...well, most of them are. We all have our socially awkward aspects I suppose. Even me. We all have our personality quirks. But daily we all try to live as lights.
My friends come from all walks and all religious groups and all kinds of differing choices. Some I am closer to than others. Naturally. We tend toward those who are most like us, behaviorally, goal wise, and with kids the same age. And that all changes through different stages of life. My close friends now are not the same ones I had 10 or 20 years ago, and I bet it looks much different 10 and 20 years down the road. I know it will, because my life will be different.
So I am enjoying daily life with the kids while they are young (not all are so young anymore). They grow quickly and start to become independent people ready to go into the world and make their mark. I want them to be ready for that, and I need grace and prayer to be ready for that, too. It is bittersweet to watch them grow up. But seeing them go out there, independent of us, thriving, making an impact on their own, well, that is a true JOY! It really is!
Kind of like encountering issues raising kids. Trouble comes. Not all humans are the same personality nor do they respond the same to discipline and correction. One thing I had to learn is that you can read the bible, all the best books, get the advice from older moms, and try everything, and your kids still will be who they are. Mine are not yours. Our family dynamic and goals are not yours. What I choose for my kids is not what you choose. And it is ok. Comparing us to others and constantly feeling the need to justify choices is exhausting, and a thief of daily joy. The times I find myself defending to myself why I choose certain things through no questioning from others, are times I find I am not so happy with the choices I made. There will always be someone more conservative, more liberal, more "green", more diet conscious, more family oriented, more strict, more relaxed, more media oriented, less media oriented, more judgmental, farm loving, city loving, louder, quieter, more involved, less involved, more supervisory, less supervisory, more introverted, more extroverted, whatever. You name it.
Our family is fine and we are daily doing our best. I bet the same is true for you. I would also bet we are going about our life choices quite differently. I could not, and would not want us to be much different than we are. I think we are a pretty fun loving bunch. I bet you like your family the way they are, too. If we don't, we are probably working on it. I know I am.
Our family is louder, rowdier, not always as conservative, or as disciplined, very active in outside activity as they get older, selective about certain things, lovers of media, socially out and about, creative, suburbanites. We have our individual struggles and we get lots of things wrong, but we try to do what is best for our family, for our kids, and we try very hard to center around God first. I think we are pretty family oriented, and as the kids grow, they get to be socially around lots of people. I love that they are as comfortable with peers as they are with adults...well, most of them are. We all have our socially awkward aspects I suppose. Even me. We all have our personality quirks. But daily we all try to live as lights.
My friends come from all walks and all religious groups and all kinds of differing choices. Some I am closer to than others. Naturally. We tend toward those who are most like us, behaviorally, goal wise, and with kids the same age. And that all changes through different stages of life. My close friends now are not the same ones I had 10 or 20 years ago, and I bet it looks much different 10 and 20 years down the road. I know it will, because my life will be different.
So I am enjoying daily life with the kids while they are young (not all are so young anymore). They grow quickly and start to become independent people ready to go into the world and make their mark. I want them to be ready for that, and I need grace and prayer to be ready for that, too. It is bittersweet to watch them grow up. But seeing them go out there, independent of us, thriving, making an impact on their own, well, that is a true JOY! It really is!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Fifth Week of School --Autumn 2013
Here i sit, eating my lunch of chips and salsa, deciding what to tell you.....Lots of things happen here everyday. We generally get up, take care of pets, and drink coffee. Breakfast is sometimes served before devo time, sometimes it is left on the table and grazed upon all morning. The oldest two start school and I work with the three youngest. I sometimes jog before devo, sometimes not. Around lunch we break for some tv and food, do some exercises, and do some cleaning up. Then the afternoon begins. Rotation skills for the younger three, the older ones do homework for co-op classes, and we prep for supper. Our afternoons also consist of various outside activities. Mondays we have ballet 3 and teen ballet, and an occasional cooking night for the youth group at evangelism. On Tuesday we have ballet 1. Wednesdays we have piano, voice (that may be short lived), sometimes regroup with the youth, and bible class. Thursdays we have tap 3 and tap 1 (though the tap 1 kid is thinking of dropping), and high school bible study. After that we load the van for Friday co-op classes...lots of chemistry stuff, sewing machines, fabric, irons, etc. Fridays we go to co-op at 8:30 and get home around 12:40 if we don't have extra radio drama practice. Then there is theater 2 class after supper. The weekends we spend with family, catching up on shopping, working on projects, visiting friends. We still haven't started driver's ed, partly because I forgot to enclose the check to the DMV. Maybe that will arrive soon and we can get the ball rolling. Still, with the cost of insurance, I doubt he will get to test for a license until he is employed next year. I hear it can run $100 per teen driver, per month. OUCH! You can drive when you can cover your insurance cost. I'd rather pay for your cell phone! We have some new favorite shows that we watch this year...Once Upon a time, Agents of SHIELD, and Sherlock is coming soon!
But alas, that is all I can write at this time. I have laundry to finish and some sewing to attend to, while Jacob works with our preacher to get Life Chain commercials finalized, before we swing into the afternoon activity rush.
But alas, that is all I can write at this time. I have laundry to finish and some sewing to attend to, while Jacob works with our preacher to get Life Chain commercials finalized, before we swing into the afternoon activity rush.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Best of LateSummer 2013---Photos
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
One Down, 35 to go...
First week of school is complete. It went very well. It is amazing how much can get done by independent workers, and how much each one has grown over the summer. They are reading and writing better, working on math well, and getting along far better than normal.
Right before we began school, we had a sit down discussion of what was expected from them in their character traits. I think it has made a HUGE difference in the family dynamic. Kids are working together on radio drama and crochet projects and even helping out each other with schoolwork. We started doing some family evening walks a few nights each week. Sometimes it is just Clay and me, but last night we all went, and even ran races together for 2 miles. It was lots of fun. We have been ending our evenings with Once Upon a Time or Warehouse 13. Friday School co-op is planned and is going to be awesome! Dance classes are in full swing. Youth group activities are going strong.
But we have had our glitches....The wood laminate flooring did not get completely installed, so we are still waiting on 2 transition strips, and have yet to completely set up the main computer desk, though the computer is up and running. Everything we need is on a nearby shelf so that has not been an issue, really. One of the bookshelves is precarious due to missing an anchor bolt---it's broken and we need a new shelf soon. One of the laptops overheated and basically died. It has about 6 months of family pictures on it, 5th grade math, and my other email access. I have to get that info off the computer and ready to store elsewhere in the next 7 days. What I really need is a usable third laptop. One of the other laptops is missing the spacebar key...that's fun to work with. My oven is not working well. If the internal temp gets above 370F the whole thing locks us out. Cooking is quite the adventure when you cook, let the oven cool, cook, and repeat until done. Takes much longer, but hopefully that will be repaired by Friday.
But as far as actual schooling, we are in the middle of week 2, everyone is getting their work completed nicely, and choosing fun activities in the spare time. I suppose chemistry is going well. i am leaving that one to co-op this year. Elementary physics math seems to be going well for Em. Kim is reading nicely, and Jordan and Elizabeth are coming along on their writing. I like to see the dancing, lego building, crocheting, video editing, and bike riding going on.
So, that is just a quick recap. I would post pictures, but the laptop with photos is dead, as I said before, and the desktop won't support my HDSD card, so I have a month of photos still on the camera that I can't unload until the laptop issue is resolved. Maybe soon....if cash allows.
Happy Homeschooling!
Right before we began school, we had a sit down discussion of what was expected from them in their character traits. I think it has made a HUGE difference in the family dynamic. Kids are working together on radio drama and crochet projects and even helping out each other with schoolwork. We started doing some family evening walks a few nights each week. Sometimes it is just Clay and me, but last night we all went, and even ran races together for 2 miles. It was lots of fun. We have been ending our evenings with Once Upon a Time or Warehouse 13. Friday School co-op is planned and is going to be awesome! Dance classes are in full swing. Youth group activities are going strong.
But we have had our glitches....The wood laminate flooring did not get completely installed, so we are still waiting on 2 transition strips, and have yet to completely set up the main computer desk, though the computer is up and running. Everything we need is on a nearby shelf so that has not been an issue, really. One of the bookshelves is precarious due to missing an anchor bolt---it's broken and we need a new shelf soon. One of the laptops overheated and basically died. It has about 6 months of family pictures on it, 5th grade math, and my other email access. I have to get that info off the computer and ready to store elsewhere in the next 7 days. What I really need is a usable third laptop. One of the other laptops is missing the spacebar key...that's fun to work with. My oven is not working well. If the internal temp gets above 370F the whole thing locks us out. Cooking is quite the adventure when you cook, let the oven cool, cook, and repeat until done. Takes much longer, but hopefully that will be repaired by Friday.
But as far as actual schooling, we are in the middle of week 2, everyone is getting their work completed nicely, and choosing fun activities in the spare time. I suppose chemistry is going well. i am leaving that one to co-op this year. Elementary physics math seems to be going well for Em. Kim is reading nicely, and Jordan and Elizabeth are coming along on their writing. I like to see the dancing, lego building, crocheting, video editing, and bike riding going on.
So, that is just a quick recap. I would post pictures, but the laptop with photos is dead, as I said before, and the desktop won't support my HDSD card, so I have a month of photos still on the camera that I can't unload until the laptop issue is resolved. Maybe soon....if cash allows.
Happy Homeschooling!
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
School Countdown....
And so it begins....today is Wednesday, August 21 and just yesterday the last of the new flooring (from the April water leak) was installed. We bought a plush rug off the discount rug table at Home depot, rearranged the furniture and got the school bokks all ready. Then I made my final to-do list. AAAARRRGHHHHH!!! How could I forget so much!!!!
So in short, I have to go apply for the parent taught driver's ed pack at the DMV, time out all the history of the church books for my oldest (because I didn't want to use the Sonlight choices), time out the math, driver's ed and Spanish for him, make lesson plans for the other children--all 4 of them, solidify our schedule of extra activities--no easy task, and probably some other things I fogot.
This year we have lots of extras, in addition to driver's ed. Mondays we have 2 ballet classes and a once a month physical science lab group, Tuesdays we have a ballet class, Wednesdays we have weekly voice lessons, piano twice a month, and regroup once a month, and bible classes. Thursdays we have two tap classes and high school bible study, and Fridays we have 10 weeks of morning co-op plus extra radio drama practices, theater class, and an occasional English country dance. So we will have Nutcracker through the dance studio, a community live radio drama performance and a piano voice recital. In spring we can add LTC work, too. Haircolor will be as essential as coffee this year, especially with the oldest boy learning to drive and becoming our chauffeur.
But today I am going to hang my new clothesline, water the yard, make some laundry soap, yogurt and bread, do a little planning and laundry folding, and some minor sewing, and go have a friend visit before making supper and heading off to teach bible class.
I think I'll have just one more cup of coffee first, though.
Have a blessed day!
Pictures to come later...I've been storing them up!
So in short, I have to go apply for the parent taught driver's ed pack at the DMV, time out all the history of the church books for my oldest (because I didn't want to use the Sonlight choices), time out the math, driver's ed and Spanish for him, make lesson plans for the other children--all 4 of them, solidify our schedule of extra activities--no easy task, and probably some other things I fogot.
This year we have lots of extras, in addition to driver's ed. Mondays we have 2 ballet classes and a once a month physical science lab group, Tuesdays we have a ballet class, Wednesdays we have weekly voice lessons, piano twice a month, and regroup once a month, and bible classes. Thursdays we have two tap classes and high school bible study, and Fridays we have 10 weeks of morning co-op plus extra radio drama practices, theater class, and an occasional English country dance. So we will have Nutcracker through the dance studio, a community live radio drama performance and a piano voice recital. In spring we can add LTC work, too. Haircolor will be as essential as coffee this year, especially with the oldest boy learning to drive and becoming our chauffeur.
But today I am going to hang my new clothesline, water the yard, make some laundry soap, yogurt and bread, do a little planning and laundry folding, and some minor sewing, and go have a friend visit before making supper and heading off to teach bible class.
I think I'll have just one more cup of coffee first, though.
Have a blessed day!
Pictures to come later...I've been storing them up!
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