"The
goal of all our undertakings should not be so much a task perfectly completed
as the accomplishment of the will of God ."
-----St.Therese
of Lisieux:
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Read Alouds
One of the biggest things that has been different this past homeschooling year compared to others is our read aloud time. Embarrassed to say, I just never found of tried to find time to read aloud to my kids-mostly the bigger ones. Yes, I knew how important it was, but my time was focused more on reading little books to the littles. Last summer, I was deeply convicted on the importance of reading aloud even to the older and middle children and that was my main goal (along with everything else!ha!).
After praying on how to make this happen, God helped me to see that reading aloud could happen, just not when I wanted it but when He did. I found that time and now I truly cherish it and miss it if we go without it.
At night, after I put my lil' Lady to sleep and my 5 yr old (b/c he loves his sleep so he is pretty easy to get down), and after our family night prayers, I begin and it is usually about 8pm. We all hop into my big bed and I lay in the middle while little heads and ears look on and listen. It really is the sweetest thing. I know they are listening and understanding b/c we talk about it and they ask questions and they giggle and their excitment peeks at just the right moment.
We have read a lot of really great classics that I never touched upon before....even ones that I did not even read when I was younger. How sad, huh? I was not the reading type of kido back then. I'd rather be outside riding my bike or playing dolls. But, now that we are reading them, I am so sad that I missed it and it was not a part of my childhood. I did not want this to happen to my own children.
We just finished...
While I am reading on my bed, my husband would read to my older boys in their room. They are in the middle of this book...
As you can imagine, this summer is not going by without read alouds! We have begun this book....
Happy Reading ALOUD!!! The kids will love it. You will love it. It is TIME spent in the most rewarding way.
God bless,
Mary
After praying on how to make this happen, God helped me to see that reading aloud could happen, just not when I wanted it but when He did. I found that time and now I truly cherish it and miss it if we go without it.
At night, after I put my lil' Lady to sleep and my 5 yr old (b/c he loves his sleep so he is pretty easy to get down), and after our family night prayers, I begin and it is usually about 8pm. We all hop into my big bed and I lay in the middle while little heads and ears look on and listen. It really is the sweetest thing. I know they are listening and understanding b/c we talk about it and they ask questions and they giggle and their excitment peeks at just the right moment.
We have read a lot of really great classics that I never touched upon before....even ones that I did not even read when I was younger. How sad, huh? I was not the reading type of kido back then. I'd rather be outside riding my bike or playing dolls. But, now that we are reading them, I am so sad that I missed it and it was not a part of my childhood. I did not want this to happen to my own children.
We just finished...
While I am reading on my bed, my husband would read to my older boys in their room. They are in the middle of this book...
As you can imagine, this summer is not going by without read alouds! We have begun this book....
Happy Reading ALOUD!!! The kids will love it. You will love it. It is TIME spent in the most rewarding way.
God bless,
Mary
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Books Lists for the Littles
I always enjoy learning and finding out what other families are their children are reading. It gives me fresh ideas about books I never heard of and also books I have forgotten about. So, I figured that I would share our reading lately.
Littles:
This ABC one is not the exact one that we are reading b/c ours has the "Can you find it?"/search and find along with it that my kids really enjoy:
This is just a partial list of what we have been focusing on with my littles. I do not have the time right now to post on the others...but check back b/c there are some good ones! :)
God bless your summer and happy reading, my friends!
God bless,
Mary
Littles:
This ABC one is not the exact one that we are reading b/c ours has the "Can you find it?"/search and find along with it that my kids really enjoy:
This is just a partial list of what we have been focusing on with my littles. I do not have the time right now to post on the others...but check back b/c there are some good ones! :)
God bless your summer and happy reading, my friends!
God bless,
Mary
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Zoo pics
We went to the zoo with our co-op for our field trip this year. It was a beautiful day full of memories. We have a great group of moms and kidos. It is a very pricey zoo to go to and we'd always wanted to go. But since the co-op payed for all my kids to go and we just had to pay for myself and hubby, then we HAD to go!!! :) It would have costed us close to $100 if we went but we only spent $24!!! :) Gotta love good deals. Best of all---Daddy was there to join us!!!
Here are some snapshots of our outing:
Aren't they cute??? We would love some of those goats!!!
God bless,
Mary
Here are some snapshots of our outing:
God bless,
Mary
Monday, June 4, 2012
Summer schedules and such
My posts will probably not be too regular during these summer months. Not that I was ever that regular of a blogger! haaa :)
Summer has begun and we are enjoying the not so high humidity for just a wee bit longer till it hits us hard, which is anytime now. I have to make up a new schedule for the family. Just as I imagined, life is a bit crazy when there are not limits and boundaries and set times for things. We all like to relax but with many little kids and the temperaments/personalities of them all, we do much better with some structure, even during the summertime. That being said, we also like down time and free time :) It is a fine balance that I am trying to figure out. At this point, I know a schedule will be helpful. It was last summer that we took the pluge for a real heavy duty schedule.
My hubby signed up for a marathon! I am so proud of him! Once again, he is going to train for one and we hope he will not get injured such as last time-3 weeks before the marathon! poor guy. His goal is to do one before he turns 4-0! He still has 2+ years so this will be great. It was a family decision for sure, with lots of prayer. It is a big family sacrifice for all of us.
That leads me to how I am trying to get back into the walking deal 3-4 times a week. I would like to turn that walk into a run possibly but not sure if I have it in me again! I have not run in over 12 years! It would be fun to sign up for some 5K's and get back into it b/c I did like it. I wonder if I would like it again? I am not very competitive but enjoy it to a certain degree-not to a marathon degree, though! haaa!!! :) You see, I have this gut. Not the pregnant kind of gut but that other gut! :P Running seems to do the trick to get that extra weight off for me. I have been asked multiple times by my children if I am pregnant and my hearts sinks. We would have been due with our baby just around this time (due early June) and my heart is just a little sad. Of course, we would love another baby and welcome one if God so chosen but for right now, we are not. This is the longest ever between children. My lil' lady is 16 1/2 months and is still such a love, but she sure does have a voice and wants to let her siblings know she wants to do things by herself! :) God knows that it is not good timing for His Will, that is for sure b/c we have some big decisions to make in the next 2 months.
Big as in ....buying a house. Where? Which one? When? The questions are endless. We have been praying so hard to figure out what is God's Will in this. Ultimately, we will ONLY be happy to do what HE wants, not what we want or think is best. So, we are yielding to His direction and praying hard. We are looking for His inspirations and guidance. There are many things that I do not like about this house (which I have posted about) and my greatest ultimate house would be a farm house on a big chunk of land filled with goats, chickens etc... Funny how life changes and interests change, huh? I NEVER would have wanted that years ago but here I am just dreaming about it. And that's all. Dreaming. Currently, we are in no way close to any farm land or much of any land at all, and in a town so full of cars and people. Trying hard to see God's hand in this comes hard at times. But then I think of all the good things I like about this house and there are some big ones such as a wooded back yard, cul-de-sac, good neighbors that home school too!
If you remember, please add this intention to your prayers that we are content and secure in God's will of where we should live no matter where it is. Thanks so much!
God bless,
Mary
Summer has begun and we are enjoying the not so high humidity for just a wee bit longer till it hits us hard, which is anytime now. I have to make up a new schedule for the family. Just as I imagined, life is a bit crazy when there are not limits and boundaries and set times for things. We all like to relax but with many little kids and the temperaments/personalities of them all, we do much better with some structure, even during the summertime. That being said, we also like down time and free time :) It is a fine balance that I am trying to figure out. At this point, I know a schedule will be helpful. It was last summer that we took the pluge for a real heavy duty schedule.
My hubby signed up for a marathon! I am so proud of him! Once again, he is going to train for one and we hope he will not get injured such as last time-3 weeks before the marathon! poor guy. His goal is to do one before he turns 4-0! He still has 2+ years so this will be great. It was a family decision for sure, with lots of prayer. It is a big family sacrifice for all of us.
That leads me to how I am trying to get back into the walking deal 3-4 times a week. I would like to turn that walk into a run possibly but not sure if I have it in me again! I have not run in over 12 years! It would be fun to sign up for some 5K's and get back into it b/c I did like it. I wonder if I would like it again? I am not very competitive but enjoy it to a certain degree-not to a marathon degree, though! haaa!!! :) You see, I have this gut. Not the pregnant kind of gut but that other gut! :P Running seems to do the trick to get that extra weight off for me. I have been asked multiple times by my children if I am pregnant and my hearts sinks. We would have been due with our baby just around this time (due early June) and my heart is just a little sad. Of course, we would love another baby and welcome one if God so chosen but for right now, we are not. This is the longest ever between children. My lil' lady is 16 1/2 months and is still such a love, but she sure does have a voice and wants to let her siblings know she wants to do things by herself! :) God knows that it is not good timing for His Will, that is for sure b/c we have some big decisions to make in the next 2 months.
Big as in ....buying a house. Where? Which one? When? The questions are endless. We have been praying so hard to figure out what is God's Will in this. Ultimately, we will ONLY be happy to do what HE wants, not what we want or think is best. So, we are yielding to His direction and praying hard. We are looking for His inspirations and guidance. There are many things that I do not like about this house (which I have posted about) and my greatest ultimate house would be a farm house on a big chunk of land filled with goats, chickens etc... Funny how life changes and interests change, huh? I NEVER would have wanted that years ago but here I am just dreaming about it. And that's all. Dreaming. Currently, we are in no way close to any farm land or much of any land at all, and in a town so full of cars and people. Trying hard to see God's hand in this comes hard at times. But then I think of all the good things I like about this house and there are some big ones such as a wooded back yard, cul-de-sac, good neighbors that home school too!
If you remember, please add this intention to your prayers that we are content and secure in God's will of where we should live no matter where it is. Thanks so much!
God bless,
Mary
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Let them sleep!
Everyone has a say in whether or not to let your children sleep in or wake them up to keep on schedule. For years, we have always woke them up to keep everyone together on schedule. Most days, most of them were already up anyway. But what we noticed is how much of a bad mood and cranky and whiny the kids were that we woke up. Not putting much into this, we just dealt with it.
Fast forward many years later, and we are letting them sleep.
Along with our switchover to all natural/organic foods (which by the way, we LOVE), this has made sleeping actually happen.
We have always had few good sleepers but I can say that sleep has always been a struggle for us. My heart would sink when I heard other moms tell me or overhear them say that they have good sleepers or that they have slept through the night ( a whole whopping 8 hours+!). Granted, there was usually a little baby around that would keep me up and that is not what I am talking about. I mean all the other kids ages 1+.
Our bedtime radically got later and later as the kids got second winds and my hubby and I were at our wits end. We never had time together to talk or read or just watch a little movie. It was at the moment the last kido fell asleep that our own bedroom light went off too. Then first thing in the morning, our early birds would be awake needing us. Where did we get to spend some 'we' time?
We implemented our family night prayer time by around 7:30ish and put our energy into getting them to sleep and in there beds by 8-8:15pm. All of them. That's it. They get to read till 8:30pm and then LIGHTS OUT for all kids. If they come out of their rooms or keep their bedroom buddy awake, the consequence is that they get cold yucky oatmeal. Seriously. Hey, I am feeding them at least!!! They decided it they want to eat it and if not, then go hungry. There is always snack time and lunch. And this also applies to waking up in the morning, if they wake up their siblings, they still get yucky cold oatmeal. We have stuck with this and so far, so good.
We decided that it was worth the sacrifices we'd make to put our marriage needs first. That's that.
With an earlier bedtime, they are sleeping in later. Weird concept, huh? My oldest still does not need a lot of sleep (never did!) and that is just his makeup. He is up early and has always done that, and no way can we change it. But now, we work with it.
I know it has been studied that kids under 12 need 12 hours of sleep at night. How many of our kids actually get it? Mine sure weren't and we were ALL paying the price.
Food and sleep are necessary to live and thrive and we wanted to live well, not just survive.
My oldest is 11 and I wish that I did this sooner, years sooner. My hope is that a young mom or a mom with youn ones will read this and see the hope :)
Kids need sleep. Did you hear me?--Kids need sleep! 12 hours is worth the sleep. Most have an average of only 9 hours of sleep. No wonder they were cranky and sassy. Oh my. I am not attributing all that crankiness to just sleeping but in my own experience, it has a lot to do with it. Of course, to everything-there is always exceptions but I would recommend always try to get the sleeping in order and then evaluate.
Hope you have a good nights sleep!
God bless,
Mary
Fast forward many years later, and we are letting them sleep.
Along with our switchover to all natural/organic foods (which by the way, we LOVE), this has made sleeping actually happen.
We have always had few good sleepers but I can say that sleep has always been a struggle for us. My heart would sink when I heard other moms tell me or overhear them say that they have good sleepers or that they have slept through the night ( a whole whopping 8 hours+!). Granted, there was usually a little baby around that would keep me up and that is not what I am talking about. I mean all the other kids ages 1+.
Our bedtime radically got later and later as the kids got second winds and my hubby and I were at our wits end. We never had time together to talk or read or just watch a little movie. It was at the moment the last kido fell asleep that our own bedroom light went off too. Then first thing in the morning, our early birds would be awake needing us. Where did we get to spend some 'we' time?
We implemented our family night prayer time by around 7:30ish and put our energy into getting them to sleep and in there beds by 8-8:15pm. All of them. That's it. They get to read till 8:30pm and then LIGHTS OUT for all kids. If they come out of their rooms or keep their bedroom buddy awake, the consequence is that they get cold yucky oatmeal. Seriously. Hey, I am feeding them at least!!! They decided it they want to eat it and if not, then go hungry. There is always snack time and lunch. And this also applies to waking up in the morning, if they wake up their siblings, they still get yucky cold oatmeal. We have stuck with this and so far, so good.
We decided that it was worth the sacrifices we'd make to put our marriage needs first. That's that.
With an earlier bedtime, they are sleeping in later. Weird concept, huh? My oldest still does not need a lot of sleep (never did!) and that is just his makeup. He is up early and has always done that, and no way can we change it. But now, we work with it.
I know it has been studied that kids under 12 need 12 hours of sleep at night. How many of our kids actually get it? Mine sure weren't and we were ALL paying the price.
Food and sleep are necessary to live and thrive and we wanted to live well, not just survive.
My oldest is 11 and I wish that I did this sooner, years sooner. My hope is that a young mom or a mom with youn ones will read this and see the hope :)
Kids need sleep. Did you hear me?--Kids need sleep! 12 hours is worth the sleep. Most have an average of only 9 hours of sleep. No wonder they were cranky and sassy. Oh my. I am not attributing all that crankiness to just sleeping but in my own experience, it has a lot to do with it. Of course, to everything-there is always exceptions but I would recommend always try to get the sleeping in order and then evaluate.
Hope you have a good nights sleep!
God bless,
Mary
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Quick Takes Memorial Wknd Edition
1. A bag full of cheesy old style non-Nerf guns for $1 goes a loooooooooooong way to make little people very giddy and happy!
2. Went for the 1st time to a Farmers Market and it was awesome! Why oh why have I not done this before? And I know our food will be depleted very soon....as in less than 3 or 4 days but oh well! This food is delicious- we can totally taste the difference.
3. My amazing hubby and boys are making some bird houses for me :) It was supposed to be more of a late mothers day gift and I am so thankful. So very blessed. Have I told you how much I love birds?
4. At that farmers market I bought my first tomato plant of the season. Should I have bought more? Not sure! :) So far, the kidos are liking it a lot and only pulled off ONE tomato. I told them HANDS OFF MY BOB!
5. Yes, I said Bob. I named my fellow plant, BOB. After Bob the Tomato from Veggie tales :)
6. Hand me down clothes are great. We waited a very very long time to get a few bags (as in almost over a year, I think) and in those bags was a Bob the Tomato red t-shirt for my 5 yr old teddy bear!!! He loves it and so do I. Reason why I named my plant Bob. Heee heee
7. I made eggplant Parmesan for dinner tonight and it smells soooooooooo good in here! My hubby came back from Home depot buying the wood and supplies needed for the bird houses and he was quite happy w/that smell too! I love to make my man happy with the food I make!!! A little joy for me b/c I love to cook and I made it and for him too b/c he gets to eat it!
8. Last year this time we were back in our old stomping grounds up North, spending time w/family and getting ready to run the 20 K for my hubby and my oldest ran the 4K while all my little kidos ran the kids run. They just don't have a lot of them down here. Bummmer.... In fact, my hubby was thinking of signing up for a marathon again (tried 3 yrs ago and was up to 22 miles in training w/3 weeks left and hurt both his knees ---poor guy). They were sold out! Can you imagine that?!?!? Only living down here with this population would a marathon sold out. gee wiz.
9. We finished those CAT TESTS!!!!! Yes! But I am such a mean mom...b/c I am still making them do school work. Low key school work and reading but still some to do! :) Lots of fun ways to learn-games, card games, board games, computer games- all w/ a style of learning and having gun while doing it. Lots of reading too. Lots of read alouds and I am going to make some type of a reading worm and have a little competition on who can read the most books in their age group!!! :)
10. Biggest goal of this summer: Learn how to SEW! Sewing machine SEW!!! I am pretty excited and pretty nervous! My dream would be to make a quilt with some clothes that my kids out grew that I am sentimental about. We'll see.
11. Not sure about joining the pool. So much immodesty there!!! But SO hot here!!! HUMID HOT!!! Praying on that one. Maybe I'll just buy a big ol TROUGH. Whatta think? ha! :) But I am pretty serious. Kinda. Yeah.
12. I gave my kids an end of the school year home school questionnaire and that was totally an inspiration from the Holy Spirit. It was SO cool!!! I thought that I knew what they would answer and I think for the most part, I was right on but it was awesome to find out some things that were so surprising! I loved this! I am so going to do this every year! :)
Best go now~!!!
God bless, Mary
2. Went for the 1st time to a Farmers Market and it was awesome! Why oh why have I not done this before? And I know our food will be depleted very soon....as in less than 3 or 4 days but oh well! This food is delicious- we can totally taste the difference.
3. My amazing hubby and boys are making some bird houses for me :) It was supposed to be more of a late mothers day gift and I am so thankful. So very blessed. Have I told you how much I love birds?
4. At that farmers market I bought my first tomato plant of the season. Should I have bought more? Not sure! :) So far, the kidos are liking it a lot and only pulled off ONE tomato. I told them HANDS OFF MY BOB!
5. Yes, I said Bob. I named my fellow plant, BOB. After Bob the Tomato from Veggie tales :)
6. Hand me down clothes are great. We waited a very very long time to get a few bags (as in almost over a year, I think) and in those bags was a Bob the Tomato red t-shirt for my 5 yr old teddy bear!!! He loves it and so do I. Reason why I named my plant Bob. Heee heee
7. I made eggplant Parmesan for dinner tonight and it smells soooooooooo good in here! My hubby came back from Home depot buying the wood and supplies needed for the bird houses and he was quite happy w/that smell too! I love to make my man happy with the food I make!!! A little joy for me b/c I love to cook and I made it and for him too b/c he gets to eat it!
8. Last year this time we were back in our old stomping grounds up North, spending time w/family and getting ready to run the 20 K for my hubby and my oldest ran the 4K while all my little kidos ran the kids run. They just don't have a lot of them down here. Bummmer.... In fact, my hubby was thinking of signing up for a marathon again (tried 3 yrs ago and was up to 22 miles in training w/3 weeks left and hurt both his knees ---poor guy). They were sold out! Can you imagine that?!?!? Only living down here with this population would a marathon sold out. gee wiz.
9. We finished those CAT TESTS!!!!! Yes! But I am such a mean mom...b/c I am still making them do school work. Low key school work and reading but still some to do! :) Lots of fun ways to learn-games, card games, board games, computer games- all w/ a style of learning and having gun while doing it. Lots of reading too. Lots of read alouds and I am going to make some type of a reading worm and have a little competition on who can read the most books in their age group!!! :)
10. Biggest goal of this summer: Learn how to SEW! Sewing machine SEW!!! I am pretty excited and pretty nervous! My dream would be to make a quilt with some clothes that my kids out grew that I am sentimental about. We'll see.
11. Not sure about joining the pool. So much immodesty there!!! But SO hot here!!! HUMID HOT!!! Praying on that one. Maybe I'll just buy a big ol TROUGH. Whatta think? ha! :) But I am pretty serious. Kinda. Yeah.
12. I gave my kids an end of the school year home school questionnaire and that was totally an inspiration from the Holy Spirit. It was SO cool!!! I thought that I knew what they would answer and I think for the most part, I was right on but it was awesome to find out some things that were so surprising! I loved this! I am so going to do this every year! :)
Best go now~!!!
God bless, Mary
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