To School or Not to School Throughout the Summer?

When my children were younger, we schooled all year round.  Schooling year-round enabled us to be more flexible throughout the year, and I appreciated that!  When we did school in the summer, we mainly did core subjects, like math and English.  It was a lighter schedule, but it was still year-round, so we never really had the mental break from school.

As my children are growing, along with their workloads (and mine!), I see the blessing of having more of a summer break.  All of us feel the need for a break, and I need more time to recharge and regroup.

Our current school habits combine the best of both worlds – taking a good, long break for a while, but also doing some school throughout the summer to keep brains fresh.

When planning your school year and summer, consider the following:

Taking a longer break after finishing a year celebrates your accomplishments!  You and your family will feel a big relief and “hurray” and appreciate a longer break to rejuvenate.

Think about doing light school in the summer, with a certain amount of time totally off – not three months.  When people usually think of summer break, they think of “all or nothing”.  You don’t have to finish one year on June 16 and start the new one after Labor Day.  You can take June, July, and August mostly off with the month of July completely off, for instance.

Doing some school in the summer can help your days and your children.  A bit of schoolwork provides some discipline and structure, encouraging thinking skills and progress in curriculum.

Simplifying and/or eliminating school in the summer gives Mom and kids a much-needed break!  When the warmer days hit, after several months of grinding at the wheel, our motivation dwindles.  We are ready for some relaxation, enjoyment, and a change of pace.

One huge benefit to a summer break - Mom doesn’t have the pressure of school weighing over her head and can focus on other homemaking tasks and goals with her kids.

Want some ideas for occupying your summer days?
Stay tuned for my next post.

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal 7/2/11

In my life this week…

I was feeling quite overwhelmed with the routine of life and, as you may have read in my last post, decided to get myself out and take my kids to the park!  I am going to try to go to a different park each week with them for the rest of the summer.  I feel like the summer is escaping quickly, as it always does, and I want to make the best of it.

My husband has worked long, hard hours and also went on a golf trip for three days, so I am looking forward to having him home Sunday and Monday. 

I am working on taking better care of myself.  With the load I am carrying now, I realize that I have to focus on what God’s purpose and priorities are in my life and improve on those.  I have been burnt out and need to regroup and hone in on the right things.

In our homeschool this week…

The kids have not done any school work as we are still on our “declared” break.  However, after Monday I am planning to start up a few days a week and tie up some loose ends from our current curriculum so we can start the new year in August/September.  I’m hoping the “Day Off for the Park” incentive will help us be faithful the other days.  Again, I will not be doing a full load – just an hour or two, three or four days a week.

My favorite thing this week was…

Going to the park with my kids. 

Questions/thoughts I have…

I am still thinking about ways to organize my homeschool items and also how to order my day successfully, keeping on top of housework and schoolwork altogether once school starts fully in the fall.  If you have any ideas, let me know!

Things I’m working on…

I am working on incorporating the kids more in chores again.  My home has been a whirlwind since we went on vacation and had the garage sale. With their help, I have been able to get the house to a decent level of order again – phew! It is my philosophy, anyway, that the children should learn to work hard and to help take care of the house they live in. It teaches them good responsibility and how to be a part of a family – something that is very important to me! 

I am focusing on taking better care of myself, getting more order in my home and my spirit, and gaining more patience and flexibility as I juggle the many facets of our lives.

I’m reading…

I am mainly reading the classic book, Heidi.  Believe it or not, even with a Bachelor’s of Arts in English, I have not read many of the classics.  It is my goal to start reading some of them.  I am enjoying Heidi so far.  Have you read it?

I’m cooking…

I am getting back into the cooking “groove”.  After being on vacation and feeling pressed with the garage sale, I was not in the mode of cooking much.  It’s back to meal planning and cooking!  I am trying to use the oven less with more stovetop meals and use the grill as well (once it is fixed).

I’m grateful for…

My Lord who never gives up on me and faithfully guides me!

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Guess who turned one year old last week?

She is the sweetness of life.

Tips for a Better Homeschool Day

We’re all looking for ways to make our homeschool days function more smoothly; aren’t we? Every year will be different, and sometimes even the days look different! However, there are certain tips I find helpful in trying to keep a more stable homeschool life.

Focus on school
When doing school, stay focused on school. It is easy to lose focus and get pulled in many directions throughout the day – thinking about housework, other responsibilities besides homeschooling, hobbies, social media, etc. Keep your focus on the school day and its needs.

Be available for your kids
During school hours, we need to make ourselves available to our children. They are our priority.

Schedule chore times
Since you are in your house all day, it is easy to see piles, messes, and dirt and want to run off to fix these things. Try to establish chore times that work for you. Separate them into various time slots or days, lump them together into one time slot for each day, or do all of your chores on one day, like Saturday. If you can, complete a chore in the morning, before school, so you feel like you did something before your school day started.

Maximize your mornings and evenings
What we do with our mornings and evenings greatly affects the course of our days. We can accomplish things in the morning that make us feel good as we start our school days, and we can prepare well in the evenings for the next day so we don’t feel so swamped starting a new day.

Keep up with checking and grading
If you allow schoolwork to pile up and not be graded or recorded for a long time, you will feel overwhelmed. Establish good habits and routines for staying on top of checking and grading work.

Simplify breakfasts & lunches and/or prep food at night
Meal preparation and clean-up can take good chunks of time out of our day. If we can simplify food options for breakfast and lunch, especially, we will save ourselves time. If you are making more time-consuming meals, make provision for that in your schedule and try to prep as much food as you can in advance. If your children are old enough, train and allow them to make some of the meals.

Try to keep a positive attitude
When our homeschool days go awry, it can be difficult to maintain a positive attitude. Negativity and discouragement, however, will rob us of precious energy and moments in our days. Do whatever you can to remain positive.

Have a great homeschool day!

Linking up with Teach Me Tuesday at “Growing Home” and Thrive at Home Thursday.

Inspiration for the New Year: Guest Post–God Is Our Provider

Today’s post is from

Sarah Beth of His Loving Presence

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God Is Our Provider!

Happy New Year!

Would love to share with you what the Lord has been teaching me on debt and to inspire you with a wonderful idea for the New Year!

Have you read George Muller’s biography? The book is his journal. He was a preacher in England who felt led by the Lord to not take a fixed income, simply put a box out for those who felt they wanted to give. He then opened a school and Christian orphanage. The Lord taught him to NOT rely on man, government or the church to provide for the orphanages needs: food, clothing, coal, medical and furniture. This man relied on the Lord alone for all their needs.. daily you learn how God provides! It’s amazing! George wanted to show people that you do not have to be in debt, the Lord wants to completely, 100% provide for His children.

I highly recommend this book; your faith will be strengthened!

I got to thinking after this book, how many times do I myself rush to the store to buy something we need instead pray for the Lord to provide? Even worse, how many times do we buy something that is on loan, creating debt?

The Average household debt in the United States has now reached a level of 136% of average household income. That is jaw dropping!

But what does the Bible say about debt?

"Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8

God wants us to come to Him for the things we need and trust in Him!

I remember credit card offers kept coming in the mail, once I picked them up and thought, why not..I have some upcoming expenses. But then the Lord whispered to me, I will provide.. those mean you don’t trust in me!

Oh Lord I do trust in You! in the trash the offers went! ...and he did abundantly provide for us.

My goal, that I want to inspire you

with, is to create a:

Journal of Prayers & Blessings

When you or your family have a need…clothes, coat, shoes, car, books, something repaired, etc. anything! Write it down and pray about it.

"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." Matthew 6:33

The Lord is so good and provides for us more then I even know, here are just a few things the Lord has provided me with:

I prayed for winter boots... just days after a family member gave me a brand new pair that she didn’t like.

I prayed for food to be provided for a family gathering during the holidays..A neighbor came by with oranges and a big ham.

I prayed for a new bed for my daughter..we had seen children’s beds for around $400.00. We found her a brand new, beautiful wood day bed with lil hearts carved and a un~used mattress, all for $30.00.

Found homeschooling books from my favorite publisher for $2.99

This journal will encourage you on those days you need it!

It is my goal to not rush to the store for things we need but to pray and give all the glory to the Lord.

I am not just talking about credit cards but also auto and home loans. In my mind I always thought that if our car acted up, we would just keep buying as new as possible, on loan. God has really opened my eyes on this type of thinking. God gave us the idea to make a payment into another account, save and use that money when the time comes and we need a new car. For now, my car isn’t brand new but it’s perfect for us!

There are so many ways to save, ask the Lord to fill you with creative ideas!

“All believers are called upon, in the simple confidence of faith, to cast all their burdens on God and to trust Him for everything." George Muller

"Prove the faithfulness of God by carrying your every want to Him." George Muller

"The borrower is SLAVE to the lender, Proverbs 22:7. So who named that "MasterCard" Anyway?" Dave Ramsey

For more information on being debt free, click here: http://iblp.org/iblp/discipleship/financialfreedom

I hope that you are blessed by this idea and that it inspires you greatly! If you have anything to share, maybe what God has taught you or provided for you and your family, please share!

Sarah Beth blogs at His Loving Presence where she loves to encourage women in the Lord.  She has been a helpmeet to her husband Jon for 7 years.  They have three beautiful children. She is a full-time mother and has been homeschooling for three years~loving it!  She loves to cook and make homemade everything from buttermilk ranch to laundry soap… She loves herbal teas, herbal medicine, and reading. She and her family have been living in Nevada for over 3 years but will be moving back to her home state of Michigan this spring.

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal

In my life this week…

Another busy week!  Mother’s Day was nice.  My family treated me very nicely with gifts, breakfast from Einstein Bagels, Chinese food with my mother-in-law, and a surprise gift from my hubby – a night to plan at a bed and breakfast! 

My baby’s tooth has finally emerged, so things have been a bit better.  She actually slept a seven hour stretch for a few nights in a row – something that has not happened regularly since she was a few months old!! 

I’m continually evaluating, paring down, and trying to bring more focus and order to my life…. day by day…

In our homeschool this week…

I took some time to “survey the land”.  I actually created a survey and asked the kids to fill it out.  I wanted to figure out, in their minds, what was going well and not so well.  Then I could adjust accordingly.  Their answers actually surprised me a bit, and it was helpful to see how they are thinking.

We also had a discussion about how we want the summer to go.  We school all year round with summers being lighter and less with more time off.  That gives me freedom throughout the year to be more flexible and also keeps my kids’ brains fresh throughout the summer.  I don’t really think my children need nearly three months of “lazy” days every day, so school and other planned activities provide some general structure for us.  The kids expressed how they would like to have some free time, of course, and also some time to do some fun projects and crafts.  I am hoping we can set some goals for ourselves!  I know I have some projects I would love to do!

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

We went rollerskating on Friday with our church’s school.  The kids enjoyed that.  Yesterday we celebrated Mother’s Day with my mom and sister and the rest of the crew.  Today we had our last core group (potluck) at church.  My oldest son was supposed to have a soccer game today but it got canceled due to the pouring rain and drenched fields.

My favorite thing this week was…

I went out with a friend to Starbucks Friday night, and that was very enjoyable.  We hadn’t had a good talk in months.  It was refreshing, relaxing, and encouraging.  I hesitated to go out with my friend because of my busyness, but my husband prodded me to go.  He reminded me that I need to protect my time with friends since it doesn’t always come so easily.  He was right!

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…

This week I am going to simplify and focus as much as possible for the kids by reviewing their curriculum and see what I really want them to learn over the next couple weeks before we, hopefully, take a chunk of a break.  All of us need it!  In schools everywhere, they are winding down and having fun a bit – field trips, watching movies, and not finishing every ounce of the curriculum.  I am trying to do similarly without feeling so pressured to be perfect.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Blueberry smoothies make great detective mustaches! 

 

An Appetite for Books

Training your children to read and enjoy reading is an important part of life.  After all, God Himself thought it was important for us to read – He established His Word, the Bible, for us to read in order to gain wisdom and insight for our lives.

How can we train our children to enjoy books?  We start from the time they are very young.  When they are just babies we look through picture books with them and as they grow older the repertoire expands according to their level.  Reading books aloud to your children engages their imagination and attention in a way movies can not.  Children are forced to imagine what the situation looks like and live it in their minds.  Sure, they may have some pictures to help them, but their minds have to fill in the gaps.  As your children listen to you read, they are also able to build their vocabulary and learn about conversation and intonation. 

When children read on their own, they learn many skills.  In my homeschooling, I did not focus on spelling as a school subject until my oldest was in third grade.  Before that, he was learning to spell wonderfully… how?  In his reading.  I wanted him to be a good reader first – before worrying about him being a good speller.  By seeing words repeatedly in books, it helped reinforce his visualization of a word.

Reading also teaches children to investigate and be interested in stories and facts.  It teaches them to think for themselves and pursue education.  It helps them be independent learners.  Books are great resources for learning all sorts of things!

Maybe your children aren’t so young any more and you would like for them to have a better appetite for books.  Why not start reading to them and see if it sparks an interest?  Pick a good read-aloud book and schedule some time as a family to read it.  Even if you can’t do it every day, do it when you can.  We oftentimes read to our children before bed or at least have them look at books on their own.  We have had children come to our home who are not normally book-lovers who will engage in a book while they are here.  Why?  We say, “Okay, it’s book time.”  Everyone is required to get out some sort of book.  The children follow suit, and it is amazing to see how these children will delve into books too.

Make it a goal to plunge into a book soon, whether it be for your own benefit or for the good of someone else.

Fight Discouragement!

During a rough time this week, I actually made my son tape a smile  to his face to remind him to be happy while he was doing his school work.  Yes, it could have been a lot prettier, but you get the point!

Do you feel discouraged?  I am fighting discouragement a lot these days.  I think “FIGHTING” is the key word.  It can be easy to feel down and out and not so easy to get out of it.  We have to put energy into getting out of the slump.

First of all, evaluate how the discouragement is coming.

• What are you READING? 
• What are you LISTENING TO or HEARING?
• What are you WATCHING?
• What are you SAYING?
• What are you DOING (bad habits, sinful actions, etc…) that is discouraging you?

When you figure out the answers to these questions, get rid of, or at least limit, those sources.  Maybe you need to stop listening to the news or spending time with a certain person.  Maybe you need to limit the time you spend doing certain leisure activities or ax certain activities altogether.  Ask God to help you determine what is weighing you down and how you can avoid it.

THEN, pour in the positive.

• Of course, we need to spend time with God.  We need to PRAY, SING TO HIM, READ HIS WORD, and experience HIM as often as we can.  His presence is refreshing, and He can lift us up.  We need to fix our eyes on GOD and the things above.  It can seem impossible to find necessary time with God sometimes, but fit in nuggets of time – whenever you can.
• Get some time to yourself.  Send the kids outside.  Get a babysitter.  Wake up a tad earlier if you can.  Take some time to think and read.  Accomplish something – a project or a hobby.
• Do something fun.  Laugh.  I was having a horrible day recently.  I took some time out to play a game with the kids, and before you know it, we were laughing.  It was therapeutic… so therapeutic that my husband thought I was doing “just fine” when I was actually falling apart.  ~smile~
• Spend time with people who have pure hearts and who are encouraging.
• Listen to uplifting music or sermons or better yet, SING on your own to God.  There have been times when I have literally FORCED a praise song out of my being, and it has brought healing.
• Try one of “The Cozy Nook”’s recipes.  <wink>  There should be some new ones soon!

I wish you an ENCOURAGING week.  May God do a work in our lives!

Homeschool Personalities

Each homeschool has its own personality.  That’s because each family has its own personality.

Some are morning people.

Some like rigid schedule.

Some are involved with sports.

Some are part of a co-op.

Some pick and choose their curriculum.

Some have a Dad who works afternoon or evening shifts.

ETC…

It is up to each family to decide what is best for their homeschool, according to what works for them. 

I remember years ago, reading The Managers of Their Homes (which is really an excellent book by the way).  When I got to the sample schedule section, I practically felt like a failure.  Almost all of the families rose in the morning a couple hours before we did and seemed to have all of life scheduled to a T.  We are not early birds, although we are getting better.  Our children sometimes go to bed later, and I will let them sleep in a little extra the next day if needed.  I like routine, but I have to somewhat flexible, lest I become discouraged quickly.  There are some things in my own homeschool that are working well right now and some things that need improvement – but isn’t that the essence of life?  Things are always fluctuating, especially in a fluid family, where children are growing and people are changing. 

I would LOVE to do school four days a week – something I did a couple years ago – but I can’t seem to make it work right now.  I feel that extra day to focus on my home and its needs would be extremely profitable.  I have tried to squeak in extra hours another way.  Recently, Monday through Wednesday we have full school days and sometimes try to do extra.  On Thursday we do no math and do all other subjects.  On Friday we do double math and any make-up work.  This allows Thursday and Friday to be a bit lighter.  Math is a long, somewhat tedious subject so it is nice to have a day without it.  On Fridays – double math day – I try to combine some of their work if it is repetitive at all, so it isn’t quite so cumbersome. 

Of course, you may have read that for the past couple weeks my children have been getting their school work done nearly every day before lunch!  This has been tremendously helpful and makes the need for my change on Thursdays and Fridays not so needy. 

Find what works for you.  Glean from others – yes! – but do not feel guilty for living differently than others.  Be confident in your choices.  If you waver, ask yourself questions like:

Is my husband happy with the way things are going?

Are my children learning and growing?

Am I challenging my children?

Is my home fairly orderly and content?

If so, then rest…. rest in our God who is ordering your steps and creating your own homeschool personality.  He is a God of variety, and His specific will is different for everyone.

Change of Pace

Life comes with is pressures and expectations, even Christmas came with its own bundle!  This week many of us are blessed to have a vacation, but with the word, “vacation,” comes its own pressures and expectations.  You’ve got to recover from Christmas, plan for the New Year, tackle the project list … Oh, and don’t forget to relax – after all, isn’t that what vacation is all about?!

If you’re like me, you start to formulate what your week will look like, and before long, you realize your week isn’t really going to be like that.  No, I’m not going to get full nights’ sleep.  I have a six month old baby who has been waking up multiple times a night for a couple months now and as of today, appears to be teething or fighting something.  She’s got a crusty nose, a mild fever, and doesn’t want to eat much solid food.  No, I’m not going to sit around playing games, watching movies, and dating my husband ALL WEEK.  YES, I am going to schedule SOME of that, but I still have a family to care for, mouths to feed, and a house that needs order.  With all of this, I realize I need a perspective change.  Instead of thinking this is a “vacation” where I will have loads of rest and be secluded on some faraway, exotic island, I am going to think of it as a

“Change of Pace”. 

I will still have plenty to do.  However, as I mentioned, I am going to make the best of the week and schedule some fun events in the mix (and have already!).  Sure, I might have to put Christmas gifts away STILL or plan for school next week, but I can do my best to regroup and refocus this week.  I can work hard to have a good perspective, enjoying each day to the best of my ability.

No matter what you are doing this week, I hope you are able to have a “Change of Pace”.  May your time during the holiday season be one of refreshing and not be burdensome to you.

Blessings to you!

A Peculiar Situation

A week and a half ago, I went to a subdivision garage sale with my mother.  We stopped at a sale, and I ran into these...

My soul definitely had goosebumps at the time.  You see, I have been looking for chairs to go with my dining room set for about three years now.  I had purchased a beautiful dining table off of Craigslist and found four antique, Jacobean chairs for a great deal from another Craigslist dealer.  At the time, we only had five bodies in our home (one still in a highchair), and I figured I would find some more chairs that would coordinate decently well pretty easily... right?  Wrong!  I kept my eye open at stores and watched on Craigslist to no avail.

With two more bodies in our home over the past few years, I knew I needed more chairs as soon as possible.  When I found the chairs at this garage sale, I couldn't believe it.  Surely, they would look well with my set at home...  Surely Brian would approve... Surely I would not have to hunt for dining room chairs any longer.  The garage sale was about to end for the day so I had to move quickly.  I ran home to Brian and showed him a photo.  He approved.  Yay!  We hopped in the car and reviewed the furniture in person.  Brian stayed with the gentlemen while I retrieved our cash from the bank.

When I returned from the bank, I found out that the man's family was in a difficult position.  He had just lost his job and was losing his home too.  They are renters, and the owner is selling the place.  He and his wife had made a difficult decision to sell this set of table and chairs - a set that they had bought from someone else years ago and had to refinish with a lot of manpower - a set where they had dined for many, many meals.  I told him how thankful we were for the chairs and how I had been looking for something to coordinate with mine for so long.  He remarked that he was appreciative that the furniture would be going to a home where it was loved.

Yesterday, a knock came at the door.  Brian answered it and stepped out onto the porch.  I saw the man from the garage sale.  Wow!  Imagine that... he found us!  We told him we lived in the subdivision across the street, but didn't tell him our last names or our address.  How did he find us?  It turns out that he has been looking for us since shortly after the sale.  He had come to our house to ask humbly and politely if we would sell the table and chairs back to them.  They felt they rushed into the decision about selling the items, and his wife has been heartbroken since the day of the sale.  Sigh... This news brought sorrow to my own heart.  After fulfilling my own hopes and dreams of finding chairs that work well with my set, I would now have to relinquish them.  I really didn't even think about keeping them once I heard the request.  The depths of my heart knew immediately how to answer.  I had quickly asked myself things like:

 

What would Jesus do?

How will I feel if I don't return the furniture?

How will I feel each time I look at or use the furniture?

What would I want someone to do for me?

Even though it would be difficult, I knew I had to surrender and trust that God will grant His grace to me because of it.

Brian and I both knew in our hearts that we would have to sell that furniture back to the man.  Brian called him this morning and discovered that the man and his family attend a local Baptist church and school where we have other acquaintances.  What a small world! 

Yes, we are not only returning this special furniture to a family who obviously needs it, but to a family who loves Jesus.  Somehow I know God is in this... for some particular purpose.

My trust is in the Lord and His goodness.

A Refreshing Day

The past couple months have been absolutely exhausting.  As the school year started, I felt pretty good about it.  However, people would say, “How are you feeling about homeschooling with a baby in the house?”  Well, I’ve done it before, and honestly, I was thinking about next year, how it would be harder when my baby is a walking toddler – gulp!  As I got into the swing of things – homeschooling my three older children, school life with my teenaged niece (for whom we are guardians), a completely insane work schedule for my husband, soccer season, piano lessons, Baby starting to wake up every few hours for feedings, sickness in the house, etc., I began to feel like I was living on fumes… and still do! 

My niece left for a trip to the Creation Museum last Thursday.  I decided to do something fun with the rest of the crew.  We took the day off school.  My mom came over, and we went bowling.  Then we went to the cider mill to pick up some cider and doughnuts.  We were laid back the rest of the day and played some games.  It is the first time, in a LONG TIME, that I have actually felt like I had a day devoted to relaxation.  I was so thankful my mom came over.  If she had not come, I probably would have tried to do something fun with the kids, only to keep thinking about how many things I was leaving undone!

If you haven’t had a refreshing day in a while, one where you can stop thinking about all you have to do and just enjoy life, I encourage you to plan one.  It is my goal to make this happen more often and also to make Sunday a more restful day. 

Some tips that might help you keep focus off your “To Do” List:

• Invite someone to come along or include your spouse in the action!
• Make a basic plan for the day and also plan for at least one of the events to be out of the house.
• Do some food prep. the day before!  Wednesday night I made granola for Thursday’s breakfast and prepped some of the items for Thursday’s dinner as well. 

Whatever you do, take a deep breath and refresh yourself!  Life is too short!  We must take some time to enjoy it!

Restaurant Life at Home

A couple weeks ago, I walked around my sons’ bedroom after dark and felt so proud of my sleeping children.  They had been doing well in school, treating each other with kindness, and sacrificing their beds to one another to help us try to get the baby to sleep through the night better.  I felt warm mommy feelings and purposed in my heart to bless my children. 

The next day I told them, “We are taking the day off school today and are going to order out for lunch!”

They were so excited!  I was excited too, seeing how happy they felt.  However, as I reviewed my bills and financial status that morning, I realized that it wasn’t the day for splurging.  I needed to pinch pennies until the next paycheck.  What would I do now?!

I told the kids we wouldn’t be able to order out, and they were completely bummed.  I went from being the President of the “Good Mom Club” to being the CEO of the “Bad Mom Club”.  I felt disappointed but was also struggling as I dealt with their poor attitudes as well.  I sat down and prayed.  That’s it!  I’ll do a restaurant at home.

Quickly I sprung into action.  I hopped onto the computer and made some menu checklists for them.  When I was finished, I gathered my children into the dining room and welcomed them to

“The Cozy Nook Restaurant”.

The children filled out their menus, choosing main entrees, side dishes, and drinks.  From that moment on, I spoke to them as the owner and waitress of the restaurant.  I informed them that the restaurant served lunch around 12:00 or 12:30 p.m.

Around noon I began bustling around the kitchen.  I realized it wasn’t so easy to serve lunch restaurant-style with a nine month old baby under foot!

Besides preparing the food, I wanted to create a good restaurant ambiance.  I made sure to get out the nicer glassware and dishes and set the table with a tablecloth and faux flower arrangement. 

I served out the meals.  “Who ordered the grilled cheese sandwich?  Oh, and you must be the one who ordered the chicken nuggets.”

Throughout the meal, we dialogued as if they were my customers, not my children.  The kids especially loved that!  There were moments of laughter when the kids tried to get into the kitchen refrigerator, and I would respond (as I was chasing the child away), “Oh, sir, I’m sorry… The customers are not allowed in the refrigerator.”

As the children dined, I played a piano CD in the background and checked on them from time to time to see if they needed anything else.

I wanted to end the meal with a mint of some sort.  All I had in the house were some thin mint cookies so – voila!

A good time was had by all!

Being Proactive with Our Children

Due to various dynamics of life and being at the end of my pregnancy, I have struggled with putting my children first.  It is easy to become overwhelmed with all of the work that is on my plate – feeling like the housework is never done… feeling the CRUNCH of trying to finish the school year well… feeling energy continually zapped from my body and soul as I deal with my children’s character issues repeatedly.  Juggling the many hats in life is never easy.  However, recent issues in my home have caused God to tug at my heart again and cause me to see the needs of my children. 

Children need a lot of affection, proactive affection from their parents.  It is easy to get into reactive mode – where we react to our children’s needs and behavior with love or discipline.  The demands of life overtake us, and we push our children aside, giving them the minimal amount of attention.  Oftentimes we don’t really see how much we are pushing our children aside until behavioral issues come up.  “Why is ______ acting this way"?  Although there are oftentimes multiple factors, one of them is usually a simple desire for love and attention.

Children really need us to be proactive.  They need us to be a step ahead of them.  They need us to be the leaders of good character.  They need us to be pouring into their love tanks and strengthening them.  When we are able to be the initiators, rather than just reactors, it seems that children are happier.  They sense purpose.  They feel loved.  They know someone is watching over them, caring about their desires.  They don’t feel pushed aside, but instead feel a sense of belonging.  Behavioral issues don’t disappear completely but many are remedied, softened by the power of love and grace.

I am working on this with my daughter, in particular, right now.  She has been dealing with various attitudes and manifesting them in unpleasant ways.  Yes, we are still training her through those attitudes, but I am trying to get a step ahead of her.  I am trying to think of ways to spend time with her.  “What does she like to do and how can I fit that into my day?”  I am trying to think of ways to encourage her.  “How is she struggling and what could she afford to hear that would make her feel more secure?”  I want to be reassured in my heart that I am making her feel loved and appreciated, that there is no lack on my part.  It is not an easy task, but bit by bit, by God’s grace, I am trying to improve. 

Even with my sons, I see a need for more affection.  I notice myself  thinking “stop hanging on me” when they are doting on me at times.  Recently I have stopped to think, “How often am I doting on them?  How often am I being proactive with my love towards them?” 

May the busyness of life not choke out what is truly good, profitable, and necessary – giving our lives to our children proactively and unreservedly.

This is a great post on children’s need for attention and how some have a greater need than others.  http://www.feminagirls.com/2010/05/24/love-metabolism/

Letting Go of Perfection - A Lifelong Lesson

"What is a weakness you have?"

I can still remember being asked this question during job interviews.

Of course, when you are in a job interview, you don't REALLY want the other person to know you have weaknesses, right? BUT we, all, have weaknesses -- alas, the question must be answered.

I would always tell the other person that my weakness was that I was a perfectionist. I figured I could get away with this one well. I could tell the weak side of this but also a good side.

After all, it is a noble and good thing to strive for perfection, to strive for excellence in all that we do and not settle for mediocrity.

However, striving for perfection means that
we could lose sight of some of the beauty that lies around us.

It may be hard to settle for less.
It may be difficult to start or finish projects.
It may be easy to get impatient or aggravated.
It may be easy to compare situations.
... and more.

Even as I write this post, I am struggling to be satisfied with "imperfection". My loving husband took my oldest two children snowboarding this evening, one of the last possibly good days to go since we haven't had much snow and cold weather this winter. Tomorrow my kids have their high school classes with our homeschool group, and I know that they will be home late, around 11:00 p.m. with some work to finish up for their classes.

My insides would like to worry and fret and get all tied up inside, but somehow, I have to accept this reality and know that life will continue to go on, as less-than-ideal as this seems to me.

I can get worried over something I have no control over, because it doesn't meet the image and standard I create
or I can accept the reality that it is and live with grace.

Once I get a picture in my head of how something should be, it is hard for me to break away from that, and this applies to my entire life - my marriage, my child rearing, my teaching, my relationships, and yes, even my blogging - every part of my life.

And step by step, I am learning, continually...

To let go of perfection.

To still strive for excellence but to accept reality,
with peace and graciousness.

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal

In my life this week…

I continue to learn from the Lord as life seems to pummel me each day.  I am trying to grow in grace, strength, and faith!

In our homeschool this week…

For the most part, we homeschool year-round.  Last week I was trying to tie things up so we could take a break and realized that I am just too burnt out to keep going.  I have declared a vacation!  We will take off the next few weeks, which will be great since we have a vacation and a garage sale planned for this month.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

My boys are going camping with their father and the other boys and men of the church this weekend.  They LOVE this annual campout.  They always come back on Sunday needing a three or four hour nap. 

My daughter and I are going to a tea house tomorrow with some of the mothers and daughters who are left behind from the boys’ campout.  It should be fun!  Beforehand I am getting a much-needed haircut!  I have not had a”real” haircut in a year, so I am looking forward to this treat!

My parents are coming over tonight to spend time with us, girls, and to help watch the baby tomorrow while I am out at the tea.  I am looking forward to a fairly laidback weekend!

My favorite thing this week was…

I received a beautiful, heartfelt card with a Spode blue and white trivet from a precious friend as a token of appreciation.  It’s been a tough week, so this gesture of friendship meant a lot to me.

Questions/thoughts I have…

Does anyone have any good thoughts about organizing your school items or keeping good records?  I will be evaluating these aspects of my school over the summer and hoping to improve.

Books I’m reading…
I am reading America’s Cheapest Family.  I hope to share some of the tidbits I am gleaning here on my blog.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

My son celebrated his 6th birthday this week!  He’s a sweetheart!

There Will Be Fruit

I really, probably, shouldn’t be blogging right at this moment.  I’ve got to leave for piano lessons in an hour and a half, if Brian can’t make it home by then, which is looking like it will be the truth!  I also have plenty other things I could do:  work on some laundry, make dinner, make food for the baby, make sure Ava isn’t eating anything mysterious on the floor, finish some school subjects, and whatever else comes along!  However, as I have said before, “blogging is therapy” and sometimes, you just feel better after you have blogged and emptied your noggin a bit.  Therefore, here I am!

I have been evaluating and trying to improve my life constantly.  Within the past few years, my life has become exponentially more demanding.  Through it all God is teaching me to take life “day by day”.  There are times when I feel pretty discouraged and worn out, but there are also times when I feel strengthened to plunge ahead and keep going!

Something happened within the past couple days that encouraged my heart, and I thought I would share it with you.  My nine year old son started writing a story, on his own initiative, and he is excited about it.

This is a huge deal because my son does not like to write. Whenever he has to do a writing assignment, it is torture for him to get through the process usually.  Once he is done, he does see and feel the reward, but it takes him a long time to get there.  Even to sit down and write a few sentences about something he reads can be grueling.  However, I did not give up!  I continued to give him assignments and work with him, knowing that some day – hopefully – this would get easier.

Seeing him excited to write his story has blessed my heart tremendously.  I was reminded of how things can be so difficult, but in the end, you will see fruit!  A farmer must do a lot of work to see a crop succeed!  There is soil preparation, planting, tender care of the young plants, watering, weeding, and waiting involved!  The farmer could get very discouraged waiting to see the fruit that will yield on his plants and decide to tear them all down or worse yet, never even start the process.  May we not be that way.  May we be encouraged to press on… persevere… endure… keep refining… simplify… and pour into our home and families so we may see FRUIT some day!

May God’s blessing be with you this week as you press on in His will for your life!

Establishing Disciplines in Your Life

It is not always easy to establish certain disciplines in our lives.  Some may come easy for us because they fit well with our personality tendencies or loved habits.  On the other hand, some do not come as easy, even when you realize the discipline would be so helpful and would make your life so much easier!

For ages I have been trying to get to bed at a decent time – before midnight would be nice.  My body’s clock is so used to getting to bed late at night that is hard to steer away from that not-so-good habit.  Through bearing children and trials, I have told myself nearly daily that I should go to bed earlier and wake up earlier!  This week, with a new school year at hand, I have been more mindful of striving towards the goal.  I have gotten to bed a smidge earlier the past couple days and have woken up earlier due to the demands of my household.  I am trying to order my nights and mornings better so I can have more energy and joy, produce better fruit in my home, and help things to run more smoothly. 

For now these are the nighttime disciplines I am trying to solidify.

Nighttime Disciplines

Make lunches for my husband and my niece.

Make sure kitchen table, sink, and counter are clean.

Think ahead to the next day’s schedule and meals, preparing at least my mind and other necessities in advance.

Limit computer time.

Get to bed around 10:30 so I can be asleep at 11:00.

What disciplines are you trying to establish

in your life right now?

Glimpses of His Goodness: Strength for Our Days

The month of May has been a whirlwind. For us, May is one of the busiest months of the year. Soccer practices and games. Violin, piano, and flute recitals. Ballet classes, rehearsals, and recitals. Mother’s Day, birthdays, our anniversary. The calendar is definitely packed.

Although I have been trying hard to live in the present moment and take one day at a time, I admit, life has felt more difficult.

In the midst of all of our busyness, we are still finishing school of course, and my mind is already gearing up for next year regarding curriculum, classes, and activities.

As you can also see, I have hardly been able to get to my blog lately. Life has got me going full speed, and the extra time I do have is usually spent regrouping or with my family or friends.

In the midst of the frenzy, sometimes life feels very difficult – juggling so many balls while also maintaining my home, training my children, keeping my marriage a priority, etc. The list goes on; doesn’t it?

A few days ago I was in bed, fighting illness. I had an interesting episode where I got really hot, my ears turned red, and I felt woozy. Then came the terrible headache! I spent a couple hours in bed. As I was trying to regain my health, my four year old daughter was very busy making me a craft. She drew a heart design on each paper, rolled it up and taped it. All of those beauties were for me. A sincere gift.

In the midst of my suffering a work was being done in my little girl’s heart, a work that reminded me that God is good and remembers us.

Fast forward to a couple days later when it was my wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, my husband was out of town that day, and I had to spend the day alone. I tried hard to be a good wife, to support him, and not to think about spending my anniversary alone. However, it proved to be difficult. I felt lonely and sad at times. Combine that with the struggles in my home that day, and I felt depleted. Nonetheless, there were bright spots in the day.

My four year old daughter again was busy at work and she made me these hearts.

At the end of the night when I was feeling quite drained and defeated, my eleven year old daughter made a special trip downstairs, after we had already said our “Good night”, to give me a hug and said, “Good night, Mom. Happy Anniversary.”

That moment hit me. I felt loved. I felt remembered. I felt grace and strength.

Every day provides glimpses for us, glimpses of God’s goodness that help give our hearts the encouragement we need and help carry us through our days.

Our days may be long and hard. Discouragement may wait for us on every side. Pressures may mount up. But in the midst of it all, the goodness of God remains.

Today and tomorrow and the next day… as you are living your life, watch for the goodness of God to reveal itself in small ways. Remember the blessings of the little things in life and let them strengthen your heart!

Comparing Apples with Pears

I have been in various schools lately. I notice myself comparing what is there to what I have at home… “Am I giving my children enough? Look at all of these activities and crafts they are doing. Have we ever done that project?” Last night, I was in one of these situations and shortly after a thought dawned on me. Why do I compare what I am doing at home to what a school is doing? A school teacher would not come into my home and say, “Wow! We don’t have what you have at our school. Their siblings are missing in action. Mom is not around all day. We can not provide continual individualized instruction, etc…” Schools and homes are set up very differently. Of course our homes will not look like schools. Each institution serves different purposes and things are done differently, and that is OKAY!

If you are homeschooling and comparing yourself to what the schools are doing, ask yourself these questions:

*Am I doing what God wants OUR family to do?

*Are my children learning and excelling?

*Do we spend our time on worthwhile activities?

*Are my children learning how to get along with and serve their siblings?

*Am I tending to my children’s character each day?

Be encouraged! Don’t look at what the schools are doing or even what the homeschooler next to you is doing. Look at your own homeschool, your own family life, and discern what GOD wants for YOUR family.

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal

In our homeschool this week…

I finally ordered the rest of the bulk of our curriculum!  Yay!  I had big plans to do it earlier, but life happened. 

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

We are actually getting ready to go on vacation soon, so I am looking forward to a break.  I am hoping, most of all, to get some rest for my soul and sleep for my body!  I need to come home refreshed so I can plunge into the last minute “to do’s” before school starts.

Questions/thoughts I have…

I have been thinking about devoting a day of my week to cleaning and projects this year.  A friend of mine does that and I have heard of others doing it as well.  It seems like it would help me keep my focus on school, mainly, the other days and not feel so burdened about the house.  I can then look forward to that specific day that I know I have set apart for more household tasks.  After all, isn’t that one of the main struggles for homeschool moms – juggling it all? 

How do you fit in your cleaning, organizing, and other household projects?

Things I’m working on…

Goals… learning to go with the flow… relaxing about life…

I’m grateful for…
My husband who is a huge mainstay in my life.  He grounds me, reassures me, and helps me so much! 

I’m praying for…

I am praying the Lord will do a great work in my life so I may learn to be victorious each day.  I find myself getting discouraged and overwhelmed often.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will direct your paths.

Proverbs 3, 5-6