I guess this is going to be a continuing subject for me, since this morning JW raised the bar on picky eating.
A week or two ago, I made pancakes for the first time. Ronnie has made them for the kids before, but I had never made them myself. Actually, pancakes belong to that group of foods that I didn't really like as a kid, but am learning to eat as an adult, but that isn't really the point. The point is this: I made the pancakes and everyone ate them, including JW, who even asked for seconds. Wow, this is the definition of a good meal in our house ~ everyone eating and enjoying the same thing.
So, I thought I would be safe making pancakes for breakfast. It seemed like a good idea until JW gets up and says "I don't like pancakes anymore." WHAT??? Why?
Well, suffice it to say, he did eat pancakes for breakfast ... I don't think he enjoyed them ~ he told me he didn't like the brown ones. What does that mean? I am not sure, but I think the only way to avoid brown, is to serve them raw.
Isn't life fun?
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Simple Woman's Daybook
For Today, Monday, March 30, 2009
Outside my window... Clouds beginning to move back in, but it is still pretty warm and the sun is still peaking through quite a bit. Looking for more rain tomorrow, so I guess our backyard swamp will be hanging around for a while longer.
I am thinking... about making my grocery list.
I am thankful for... the beautiful day yesterday. We had a great morning at church, followed by a great 5th Sunday fellowship and great weather to go along with it all ... perfect since we had family portraits made outside in the afternoon.
From the learning rooms... winding down our co-op classes, so more time to spend on "regular" work. A lot of reading and math to do this week.
From the kitchen... chicken quesadillas ~ early supper before ball practice tonight
I am wearing... jeans and a black and white shirt (can you tell that I am doing this later than normal today? no gray sweats and t-shirt!!)
I am creating... new school schedules and plans for next year.
I am going... to the grocery store while Ronnie takes JW to ball practice.
I am reading... Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis - or at least I am trying to read it. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
I am hoping... that the pictures we had made yesterday turn out good. It is hard to get all 21 of us together at one time!
I am hearing... not much ... the house is quiet since the kids are in the yard playing. The music playing on my computer is about it.
Around the house... lots to be done, as usual.
One of my favorite things... a good book and a quiet place to enjoy it.
A few plans for the rest of the week: just normal stuff ... ball practice, dance, school, housework. Our final Book-It! for this school year is Wednesday and the kids are looking forward to that.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing...
Aren't little brothers fun!
Don't forget to visit Peggy to read more daybooks.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Another reason to apologize to my mother ...
When I titled my blog "paying for my raising" I knew that I would want to occasionally write about the things happening with my kids that could have come directly from my childhood. Today will be another installment along those lines.
Growing up, I was something of a picky eater. I never really liked breakfast foods. I did not like eggs, grits (I am a southern girl, but YUCK), oatmeal or cereal with milk. I wasn't as bad about lunch or dinner, but I still did not like certain things like turnip greens, brussel sprouts, bell pepper, onions and probably a few more that I have forgotten. In a family with four kids (3 boys and me) my mom did not have time to cook separate meals for one picky child. And, my dad was determined that he could convince me to eat anything. Mama was a little more easy going ... she let me eat tuna sandwiches for breakfast. I know, that is weird and I don't really have an explanation for it. Mama also thought about me when cooking evening meals; if she was cooking something that she knew I didn't like, she would always include at least one veggie that she knew I did like and then it wasn't a big deal if I chose not to eat turnips. I have grown up a bit and am much more willing to try foods that I once wouldn't have even considered eating.
Fast forward 15 years and I am now cooking for a family of my own. I have one son (JW) who cries when he sees anything with tomatoes cooking. I have another who won't eat anything with barbecue sauce on it. This pretty much wipes out four of my favorite meals to cook: veggie soup, spaghetti, chili, and barbecue baked chicken with rice. Little D also won't eat sandwiches. I've never heard of a kid who didn't like spaghetti or sandwiches but I have both. LB is pretty laid back and will eat most anything except onions and bell peppers.
I am now experiencing the grief I gave my parents, times 2. Oh, the joys of parenting.
I am sorry, Mama, I never really understood how much trouble picky eaters can be.
But I still don't like turnip greens or brussel sprouts.
Growing up, I was something of a picky eater. I never really liked breakfast foods. I did not like eggs, grits (I am a southern girl, but YUCK), oatmeal or cereal with milk. I wasn't as bad about lunch or dinner, but I still did not like certain things like turnip greens, brussel sprouts, bell pepper, onions and probably a few more that I have forgotten. In a family with four kids (3 boys and me) my mom did not have time to cook separate meals for one picky child. And, my dad was determined that he could convince me to eat anything. Mama was a little more easy going ... she let me eat tuna sandwiches for breakfast. I know, that is weird and I don't really have an explanation for it. Mama also thought about me when cooking evening meals; if she was cooking something that she knew I didn't like, she would always include at least one veggie that she knew I did like and then it wasn't a big deal if I chose not to eat turnips. I have grown up a bit and am much more willing to try foods that I once wouldn't have even considered eating.
Fast forward 15 years and I am now cooking for a family of my own. I have one son (JW) who cries when he sees anything with tomatoes cooking. I have another who won't eat anything with barbecue sauce on it. This pretty much wipes out four of my favorite meals to cook: veggie soup, spaghetti, chili, and barbecue baked chicken with rice. Little D also won't eat sandwiches. I've never heard of a kid who didn't like spaghetti or sandwiches but I have both. LB is pretty laid back and will eat most anything except onions and bell peppers.
I am now experiencing the grief I gave my parents, times 2. Oh, the joys of parenting.
I am sorry, Mama, I never really understood how much trouble picky eaters can be.
But I still don't like turnip greens or brussel sprouts.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Book Review ~ Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire
First ... I want to congratulate Kingdom Mama on the birth of her healthy baby boy. What a great blessing.
Second ... I need to add a disclaimer before reviewing this book. I do not feel qualified to review any book, much less this particular book. I don't figure I'll do it justice, but maybe I'll be able to interest you enough to read it for yourself.
This book was a late add to my spring reading list. It was in the house because the men of our church are reading it for their Wed. night Bible study and Ronnie picked up a copy. He teaches the kids on Wed. nights, so he isn't trying to read it along with the other men. I picked up the book after church Wed. night and read about half of it before going to bed. I had never heard of Jim Cymbala before reading this book, but I would guess that most everyone has heard of his church and their choir. He has pastored the Brooklyn Tabernacle for more than 35 years. His wife, Carol, directs their famous choir. This book tells the story of how God took a struggling congregation of about 20 people and an untrained pastor and transformed them into what they are today.
I was a little skeptical at first. You see, I go to a church with less than 100 active members and I love it. Although I grew up in a much larger church, I don't think I would be comfortable there now. I love the intamacy of a small church. We are truly family and some of them know me better than my biological family. So if this book was going to be about creating a mega church - I was not interested. I am not trying to be negative about large churches, they just aren't for me.
But that is not what it is about at all.
Pastor Cymbala spends much of the book talking about the early church. How did God use them to turn the whole world upside down? And, why is the church today so stagnant? He finds his answer in the New Testament church. God used those ordinary people because they were available to be bothered by the need around them. They begged God to use them to show HIS power to those they encountered. They weren't satisfied to simply attend a service and hear about God, they wanted, no they needed to experience this fresh wind and fresh fire that Cymbala is talking about. They were given a fresh indwelling of the Holy Spirit for whatever task God had set before them. With this fresh fire they boldly proclaimed the gospel in the face of impossible odds. The result ... lives were changed then and we are still building on their foundation today.
So, what is the answer for the church today? Pastor Cymbala reminds us that God hasn't changed, we have changed. He encourages the church to return to the foundation of our faith: the Word of God and claim the promises found there through fervent prayer. We don't need a new program for the church, we need fire from heaven to come and ignite our souls desire to reach the world around us for Christ.
My final assesment? Read the book. It is well written and easy to read. If nothing else you will find a great look at the early church and get the opportunity to evaluate your own prayer life and church in the light of their fire for God's work.
Second ... I need to add a disclaimer before reviewing this book. I do not feel qualified to review any book, much less this particular book. I don't figure I'll do it justice, but maybe I'll be able to interest you enough to read it for yourself.
Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala with Dean Merrill
"What Happens When God's Spirit Invades the Hearts of His People"
This book was a late add to my spring reading list. It was in the house because the men of our church are reading it for their Wed. night Bible study and Ronnie picked up a copy. He teaches the kids on Wed. nights, so he isn't trying to read it along with the other men. I picked up the book after church Wed. night and read about half of it before going to bed. I had never heard of Jim Cymbala before reading this book, but I would guess that most everyone has heard of his church and their choir. He has pastored the Brooklyn Tabernacle for more than 35 years. His wife, Carol, directs their famous choir. This book tells the story of how God took a struggling congregation of about 20 people and an untrained pastor and transformed them into what they are today.
I was a little skeptical at first. You see, I go to a church with less than 100 active members and I love it. Although I grew up in a much larger church, I don't think I would be comfortable there now. I love the intamacy of a small church. We are truly family and some of them know me better than my biological family. So if this book was going to be about creating a mega church - I was not interested. I am not trying to be negative about large churches, they just aren't for me.
But that is not what it is about at all.
Pastor Cymbala spends much of the book talking about the early church. How did God use them to turn the whole world upside down? And, why is the church today so stagnant? He finds his answer in the New Testament church. God used those ordinary people because they were available to be bothered by the need around them. They begged God to use them to show HIS power to those they encountered. They weren't satisfied to simply attend a service and hear about God, they wanted, no they needed to experience this fresh wind and fresh fire that Cymbala is talking about. They were given a fresh indwelling of the Holy Spirit for whatever task God had set before them. With this fresh fire they boldly proclaimed the gospel in the face of impossible odds. The result ... lives were changed then and we are still building on their foundation today.
So, what is the answer for the church today? Pastor Cymbala reminds us that God hasn't changed, we have changed. He encourages the church to return to the foundation of our faith: the Word of God and claim the promises found there through fervent prayer. We don't need a new program for the church, we need fire from heaven to come and ignite our souls desire to reach the world around us for Christ.
My final assesment? Read the book. It is well written and easy to read. If nothing else you will find a great look at the early church and get the opportunity to evaluate your own prayer life and church in the light of their fire for God's work.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Everything has to eat
I know that all living things need food, but there are some meals I never expected to witness. So, imagine my surprise when JW casually said this afternoon, "Mama, there is another mourning dove in the yard." We had been watching one on a tree in the back yard and I was explaining that it was a "mourning" not "morning" dove. Anyway, I walk to the window and look out only to discover that the bird in the yard was not a dove at all. It was a small hawk munching on an even smaller bird. It was a nice nature lesson for the kids, even though LB was a little grossed out by the whole scene. 
I took these pictures through my bedroom window, so they aren't the greatest, but I still think it was pretty cool to get to see this up close and personal.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Spring Reading Thing - 2009
**updated**
I saw this "Spring Reading Thing" button on a couple of sites I have visited recently and decided to check it out. Let me just say, I absolutely love to read. I don't have nearly the amount of time I would like to devote to reading, but I am always looking for something new that I want to read. Suffice it to say, that this idea of a low-pressure reading challenge seemed perfect for me. So, I think I'll give it a go.
The basic premise is this ... you create a list of books that you want to read between March and June and then visit Katrina's Callapidder Days to join in the fun. In June you'll evaluate your challenge and write a post about how you did. Along the way, you can review the books you have read or revise your list if you find that it isn't working for you.
I am going to start with a fairly short list, because to be honest, I haven't exactly spent a lot of time making a list of books that I really want to read. I will see one occasionally and think that I should write the name down before I forget, but usually forget before I get that far. I fully expect to edit this list as I actively seek new books to read. For now, I am going to list the books that I want to read personally, as well as some books I want to read with the kids. So, here goes.
Books for just me:
- Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery ~ I am reading this one now and will probably read it again in the fall with LB.
- Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes ... in you and your kids by Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller ~ I've been reading this one for a couple of weeks now and am at the point where I am ready to implement some of their ideas
- Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis ~ recommended by someone I went to high school with.
- Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan ~ I've never read the "real" version of this book. I am re-reading the simplified version with the kids for school right now. I would like to think that I am old enough for the real thing now.
- I would like to add a biography of some sort to this list, but haven't decided whose ... any suggestions?
- NEW ~ Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala ~ the men of our church are reading this book for their Wednesday night Bible study. My hubby got a copy of it and I picked it up last night after church (and read most of the night since I don't sleep well during thunderstorms). I plan to finish it tonight and so far it is very good.
Books for the kids and me:
- From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg ~ we are reading this again for LB's literature co-op class. The kids love this book ... it is great fun!
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott ~ one of my favorite books as a kid and now I want to read it with LB
- I am looking for something to read with JW and D, but I don't know much about "boy's books" so I am open to suggestions. I am thinking about Treasure Island or Swiss Family Robinson, but we'll see.
I have no idea that I will actually get through even half of these books by June, but I think I will enjoy trying! I would welcome any comments from those who have read these books or have suggestions for the areas I am still looking!
Don't forget to visit Callapidder Days and join the fun. Happy reading.
Monday, March 23, 2009
The Simple Woman's Day Book
For Today, Monday, March 23, 2009
Outside my window... pretty blue skies with high white clouds.
I am thinking... about what I need to get the kids to wear for our family pictures this weekend.
I am thankful for... forgiveness ... and a husband who loves me.
From the learning rooms... trying to get back in the routine after spring break last week.
From the kitchen... who knows? I haven't done the week's menu yet.
I am wearing... shorts and a t-shirt
I am creating... hopefully a new bulletin board for LB this week.
I am going... to play practice and then maybe furniture shopping with Mama before ball practice tonight.
I am reading... Angel of Mercy by Tracie Peterson and James Scott Bell
I am hoping... to get finished with the projects in our house soon ... very soon.
I am hearing... the playlist on my blog and the boys getting wild on my bed.
Around the house... laundry, dirty dishes and projects to work on.
One of my favorite things... sleeping children.
A few plans for the rest of the week: choosing a paint color for the living room, dining room and kitchen (suggestions welcome!). Shopping for furniture, a washer & dryer and tile for the kitchen/dining room.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing... I found this picture in a drawer this weekend. I originally found it in my grandmother's house after she died 7 years ago this month. Amazingly, no one else really wanted to have the picture, so I took it and had forgotten about even having it until this weekend. Now I am trying to decide where to display it.
Outside my window... pretty blue skies with high white clouds.
I am thinking... about what I need to get the kids to wear for our family pictures this weekend.
I am thankful for... forgiveness ... and a husband who loves me.
From the learning rooms... trying to get back in the routine after spring break last week.
From the kitchen... who knows? I haven't done the week's menu yet.
I am wearing... shorts and a t-shirt
I am creating... hopefully a new bulletin board for LB this week.
I am going... to play practice and then maybe furniture shopping with Mama before ball practice tonight.
I am reading... Angel of Mercy by Tracie Peterson and James Scott Bell
I am hoping... to get finished with the projects in our house soon ... very soon.
I am hearing... the playlist on my blog and the boys getting wild on my bed.
Around the house... laundry, dirty dishes and projects to work on.
One of my favorite things... sleeping children.
A few plans for the rest of the week: choosing a paint color for the living room, dining room and kitchen (suggestions welcome!). Shopping for furniture, a washer & dryer and tile for the kitchen/dining room.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing... I found this picture in a drawer this weekend. I originally found it in my grandmother's house after she died 7 years ago this month. Amazingly, no one else really wanted to have the picture, so I took it and had forgotten about even having it until this weekend. Now I am trying to decide where to display it.
This is Granny's inscription to her mother on the back of the picture.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
A Tale of Two Extremes
Yesterday was one of those days that leaves parents with nothing to do but scratch their heads and wonder at the insanity of it all. First of all, the day started earlier than normal. And in the end, I think that is why the night fell apart so completely.
Yesterday was a co-op day. It was a little bit different, because the boys were staying with my Daddy since it is very hard for me to teach a room full of high schoolers with a 3 year old in the room with me. I have done it, but I wouldn't recommend it. Anyway, that isn't really the point. Co-op went well and since it was just LB and me after class, I asked Daddy if the boys could stay a little longer and let us go shopping for a new dress. What followed was a really pleasant shopping trip for Mama and daughter. The boys were happily hanging out with their Papa and, as I found out later, with my brother and sister-in-law, who took them "exploring" in the woods. I can't think of anything they would rather be doing, so I didn't have to feel any guilt about them not being with me.
LB wanted to go eat lunch so I let her choose the place. She chose McAlister's Deli and we sat outside on their patio while we ate our lunch. The day was beautiful, but a little windy. We just talked about what she had learned in class that morning and how she wants to re-arrange her room. We watched birds cleaning up the leftovers. As far as I can remember, this is the first time that LB and I have gone out to eat alone. Usually, if we are shopping without the boys, my mom is with us. And as much as we enjoy Grandmother, it was great for it just to be us. We went to Children's Place, our newly opened JC Penney and LB's favorite store, Target. We didn't buy much, a new pair of flip-flops for me and a pair of shorts and a dance t-shirt for the girl. Not surprisingly, we couldn't find a dress in my price range that was both modest and actually pretty, but that is a blog for another day.
After our day out, LB and I picked up the boys and came home to reheat the leftovers for supper before heading out again to clean the church last night. The last stop of the day was a quick Wal-mart run to pick up a new watch band for Ronnie and got home about 9:30. Not too bad, especially for us. People who know us aren't surprised when we roll in at midnight or even later if we have been playing cards with my family. Almost immediately, things began to go south. LB and JW had hatched this plan to sleep on the floor in the living room and watch a movie. Knowing how tired they were and how likely they are to argue when in that state, we nixed the idea. Suffice it to say we were not prepared for the firestorm of wails and tears and general insanity that followed.
Let me just say, I have no illusion of perfection in my children. They are normal kids. They are usually very well behaved for other people. At the same time, they test every ounce of patience I can muster on some days. BUT, this is not normal! We may get some whining and even arguing about decisions, but not like this, EVER! I have never seen my children act this way. I believe that this was the definition of a "melt-down." After a few minutes of this, I could do nothing but laugh. Even the little Hurricane, who had been watching his older siblings warily through this whole thing, wanted them to stop. He tried to whistle at them, which is my signal that I have had enough. It was hilarious. After a while they settled down enough to finish our night-time routine and get them in bed. The boys were both asleep within 10 minutes.
But the girl. My little girl, who had been such a pleasant companion for the day had turned into an angry, defiant little bundle of difficulty. She claimed that she would not go to sleep at all. She was going to sit up all night. Ronnie and I discussed it quietly and decided to just let her work it out for herself. She was in no condition to discuss anything and since she wasn't keeping the boys awake or anything, we just went to bed and let her stew. I don't really know how long it took her to go on to sleep, but I suspect that it wasn't very long.
The end result is this: I am afraid, terribly afraid of the coming storm when this little girl reaches the pre-teen (we are almost there) and teen years. I think the time has come to increase the intensity of my prayers for wisdom.
Yesterday was a co-op day. It was a little bit different, because the boys were staying with my Daddy since it is very hard for me to teach a room full of high schoolers with a 3 year old in the room with me. I have done it, but I wouldn't recommend it. Anyway, that isn't really the point. Co-op went well and since it was just LB and me after class, I asked Daddy if the boys could stay a little longer and let us go shopping for a new dress. What followed was a really pleasant shopping trip for Mama and daughter. The boys were happily hanging out with their Papa and, as I found out later, with my brother and sister-in-law, who took them "exploring" in the woods. I can't think of anything they would rather be doing, so I didn't have to feel any guilt about them not being with me.
LB wanted to go eat lunch so I let her choose the place. She chose McAlister's Deli and we sat outside on their patio while we ate our lunch. The day was beautiful, but a little windy. We just talked about what she had learned in class that morning and how she wants to re-arrange her room. We watched birds cleaning up the leftovers. As far as I can remember, this is the first time that LB and I have gone out to eat alone. Usually, if we are shopping without the boys, my mom is with us. And as much as we enjoy Grandmother, it was great for it just to be us. We went to Children's Place, our newly opened JC Penney and LB's favorite store, Target. We didn't buy much, a new pair of flip-flops for me and a pair of shorts and a dance t-shirt for the girl. Not surprisingly, we couldn't find a dress in my price range that was both modest and actually pretty, but that is a blog for another day.
After our day out, LB and I picked up the boys and came home to reheat the leftovers for supper before heading out again to clean the church last night. The last stop of the day was a quick Wal-mart run to pick up a new watch band for Ronnie and got home about 9:30. Not too bad, especially for us. People who know us aren't surprised when we roll in at midnight or even later if we have been playing cards with my family. Almost immediately, things began to go south. LB and JW had hatched this plan to sleep on the floor in the living room and watch a movie. Knowing how tired they were and how likely they are to argue when in that state, we nixed the idea. Suffice it to say we were not prepared for the firestorm of wails and tears and general insanity that followed.
Let me just say, I have no illusion of perfection in my children. They are normal kids. They are usually very well behaved for other people. At the same time, they test every ounce of patience I can muster on some days. BUT, this is not normal! We may get some whining and even arguing about decisions, but not like this, EVER! I have never seen my children act this way. I believe that this was the definition of a "melt-down." After a few minutes of this, I could do nothing but laugh. Even the little Hurricane, who had been watching his older siblings warily through this whole thing, wanted them to stop. He tried to whistle at them, which is my signal that I have had enough. It was hilarious. After a while they settled down enough to finish our night-time routine and get them in bed. The boys were both asleep within 10 minutes.
But the girl. My little girl, who had been such a pleasant companion for the day had turned into an angry, defiant little bundle of difficulty. She claimed that she would not go to sleep at all. She was going to sit up all night. Ronnie and I discussed it quietly and decided to just let her work it out for herself. She was in no condition to discuss anything and since she wasn't keeping the boys awake or anything, we just went to bed and let her stew. I don't really know how long it took her to go on to sleep, but I suspect that it wasn't very long.
The end result is this: I am afraid, terribly afraid of the coming storm when this little girl reaches the pre-teen (we are almost there) and teen years. I think the time has come to increase the intensity of my prayers for wisdom.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Spring Cleaning and Pink Hair
After reading a post by my friend Amy, I was inspired to think about chores for my kids. They have always done some chores, but I'm not that great on the follow through and sometimes end up doing what they were supposed to do, just to avoid the struggle. But today, as I was planning some spring cleaning, and I use that term very loosely, I decided that all three could help out with what needed to be done. I spent a little time making some cute chore lists on my computer (because I LOVE lists) and then presented them to the kids before breakfast. They all got one, even my little Hurricane. The deal was this, you do what is on your list and when you are finished, you are free. It seemed pretty simple to me, and it worked well for most of the morning, but by the afternoon, they were tired of the "game" and everything just kind of fell apart. Most everything got done, but not without some some whining on their part and some nagging on my part. I hate nagging.
The bright spot is that they all worked together to clean the chairs, benches and table legs in the dining room. They did a pretty good job of it too. Because I wanted the little one to feel involved, I had him unload the silverware from the dishwasher ... he loved it and I can even count it as school since he played a matching game with the forks and spoons.
And in the end, their Daddy helped them finish up their list while I went to a homeschool meeting last night. Now today, I just have to finish my own list!
Now to the pink hair ... After getting everyone in the bed late last night, I was in my room and my daughter walks in and begins asking me something but before she could finish, I noticed a long pink stripe going across the side of her head. Umm, honey, what have you been playing with? It looks a lot like paint (which, by the way, she doesn't normally play with in her bed). Actually, it was fingernail polish ... you know the really yucky kind that comes in little girl's make-up sets. I never did figure out exactly how she managed to get it in her hair. I am sure that it has something to with the fact that she was using it to paint paper rather than nails. Strange girl, this Dancer of mine.
Oh, and yes, "toy" nail polish comes out with just water! And she has been forbidden to paint paper with nail polish in bed when she is supposed to be trying to go to sleep. I'll have to add this to the list. You know, that list of things that parents never even thought of, much less anticipated having to tell a child "no, you can't ...." So, parents, what is on your list?
The bright spot is that they all worked together to clean the chairs, benches and table legs in the dining room. They did a pretty good job of it too. Because I wanted the little one to feel involved, I had him unload the silverware from the dishwasher ... he loved it and I can even count it as school since he played a matching game with the forks and spoons.
And in the end, their Daddy helped them finish up their list while I went to a homeschool meeting last night. Now today, I just have to finish my own list!
Now to the pink hair ... After getting everyone in the bed late last night, I was in my room and my daughter walks in and begins asking me something but before she could finish, I noticed a long pink stripe going across the side of her head. Umm, honey, what have you been playing with? It looks a lot like paint (which, by the way, she doesn't normally play with in her bed). Actually, it was fingernail polish ... you know the really yucky kind that comes in little girl's make-up sets. I never did figure out exactly how she managed to get it in her hair. I am sure that it has something to with the fact that she was using it to paint paper rather than nails. Strange girl, this Dancer of mine.
Oh, and yes, "toy" nail polish comes out with just water! And she has been forbidden to paint paper with nail polish in bed when she is supposed to be trying to go to sleep. I'll have to add this to the list. You know, that list of things that parents never even thought of, much less anticipated having to tell a child "no, you can't ...." So, parents, what is on your list?
Monday, March 16, 2009
The Simple Woman's Daybook
FOR TODAY, Monday, March 16, 2009
Outside my window... Light rain and lots of puddles ... I just noticed a spider web on a tree in the back yard. Very cool looking with all the little droplets of water hanging on to it.
I am thinking... that the kids will be stuck in the house again today
I am thankful for... a new day
From the learning rooms... a lot of "home-ec" this week as we prepare for a visit from Granny
From the kitchen... homemade pizza for supper tonight
I am wearing... sweats and a t-shirt ... no surprise there
I am creating... a menu for the rest of the week and a shopping list
I am going... hopefully no where
I am reading... Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes ... in you and your kids!
I am hoping... to finish with the re-arranging/de-cluttering of my bedroom today
I am hearing... my youngest son softly snoring
Around the house... lots and lots of laundry
One of my favorite things... a quiet morning
A few plans for the rest of the week: Lots of housework in anticipation for our visitors this weekend.
Here is picture thought I am sharing...
Signs of Spring - Blooms on our Bradford Pear tree
Check out other daybooks at The Simple Woman's Daybook
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Boys will be boys ...
Even though I am nervous when they do it,
I always expected the boys to climb trees and such.
In this picture the Shy One is showing me that he can now climb higher than he ever has before ... as Mama's heart tightens and fear moves in.
The Hurricane is still staying pretty close to the ground, but since he started climbing long before he could walk, I am expecting to have to call the fire department for him one day.
This is my normally girly-girl out climbing the boys and loving it.
You might also notice that, though these pictures were taken yesterday and it is only March, my Dancing-Girl-turned-tree-climber and the Hurricane are barefoot. Spring is definitely in the air, even though today is 20 degrees cooler than yesterday, it is still comfortably in the 60's. The kids have been amazed at how quickly our tree has gone from barren to covered in tiny red and green leaves.
This is the Hurricane's first experience with "wish flowers" ... he thought it was great fun, even though it took him about 10 tries to get all the little fuzzy things blown away.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Simple Woman's Day Book
FOR TODAY Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Outside my window... Cloudy and warm ... the weather man says today will be the last dry day for the week.
I am thinking... that I really need to get school started.
I am thankful for... being able to garden with my Daddy yesterday, and not to be where I was a year ago.
From the learning rooms... catching up from the busy day yesterday.
From the kitchen... dirty dishes, lettuce to wash, and minute steaks thawing for tonight's supper.
I am wearing... sweats and a CHEB t-shirt, no shoes
I am creating... a cleaner, more organized home and school for my family.
I am going... to stay home until I have to take my little dancer to class this afternoon.
I am reading... Back to Basics trying to learn more about veggie gardens.
I am hoping... for a calm day of school.
I am hearing... the kids playing in the living room.
Around the house... lots of laundry to do today since we didn't have water yesterday.
One of my favorite things... a day at home!
A few plans for the rest of the week: continuing our bedroom project, a trip to the library, and preparing for Granny's visit next week.
Here is picture thought I am sharing...
Papa teaching the kids how to plant tomato seeds.
If you like this day book, there are lots more at
The Simple Woman's Day Book
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Sunday Reflections
The word for today: challenged
After a great Sunday School lesson and two sermons from the Word of God, challenged is the most appropriate word I can think to sum up the day.
Challenged by the Sunday School lesson from the book of Nehemiah to spend time planning and preparing for the things God has laid on my heart to do. Challenged to be patient and wait for God's leading instead of running ahead of God or following my own plan. Nehemiah spent four months praying, when was the last time I committed that amount of time to a single burden God has laid on my heart?
Challenged by this morning's sermon to examine my walk with Christ. Am I serving out of a sense of duty, or because I love Him and desire to follow His perfect will for my life? Challenged to search my thoughts and my attitude toward God's Word, God's house, God's family, the world, and God's Son. A statement to consider ... "when I submit to God because I love Him, my whole perspective changes."
Challenged by this evening's sermon to allow the Holy Spirit to work freely in my life to bring understanding, power, boldness, vitality, fervor, and passion for the lost into my life and to lead me to earnest prayer.
One final thought for the day ... tonight at choir practice, as we practiced our Easter Musical, I was so moved by the words of one of the songs. We have been working on this music for several weeks, so this isn't the first time I have heard the song, but somehow it spoke to me differently tonight. Some of you may be familiar with the song "He Grew the Tree" but just in case you aren't, let me share a few lines with you.
After a great Sunday School lesson and two sermons from the Word of God, challenged is the most appropriate word I can think to sum up the day.
Challenged by the Sunday School lesson from the book of Nehemiah to spend time planning and preparing for the things God has laid on my heart to do. Challenged to be patient and wait for God's leading instead of running ahead of God or following my own plan. Nehemiah spent four months praying, when was the last time I committed that amount of time to a single burden God has laid on my heart?
Challenged by this morning's sermon to examine my walk with Christ. Am I serving out of a sense of duty, or because I love Him and desire to follow His perfect will for my life? Challenged to search my thoughts and my attitude toward God's Word, God's house, God's family, the world, and God's Son. A statement to consider ... "when I submit to God because I love Him, my whole perspective changes."
Challenged by this evening's sermon to allow the Holy Spirit to work freely in my life to bring understanding, power, boldness, vitality, fervor, and passion for the lost into my life and to lead me to earnest prayer.
One final thought for the day ... tonight at choir practice, as we practiced our Easter Musical, I was so moved by the words of one of the songs. We have been working on this music for several weeks, so this isn't the first time I have heard the song, but somehow it spoke to me differently tonight. Some of you may be familiar with the song "He Grew the Tree" but just in case you aren't, let me share a few lines with you.
He grew the tree that He knew would be used to make the old rugged cross. Nothing took His life, with love He gave it. He was crucified on a tree that He created. With great love for man God stayed with His plan. He grew the tree so that we might go free. (words and music by Chuck Lawrence)
I think that these words speak for themselves. God's love, beyond anything we can possibly imagine. So now I am challenged with one more thing ... to be thankful.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Confessions of a Night Owl
For my whole life I have been a night owl. I have always liked staying up late and sleeping in the next morning. Even when I was in school or working a regular job, I still stayed up late. I even converted my “normal” husband with a little help from my family back in the days before we had children. I really can’t even deny that I have always been somewhat proud of the fact that I, and my whole family, kids included, could function on less sleep than most.
I am not totally to blame for this … my parents trained me well. When we (my 3 brothers and I) were little, our parents, aunts and uncles would hang out at our grandparent’s house until all hours of the night yelling at each other as they played Aggravation. We loved it. The kids, there were 13 grandchildren in all, pretty much had free reign to play whatever we liked … as long as we didn’t interrupt the adult’s game. Sometimes the games would go into the wee hours of the morning and they would have to wake us up to go home. The one difference being, while I have always enjoyed sleeping in, my parents would be up at the normal time the next morning ready for whatever they had to do that day.
So here is the confession … I don’t enjoy this anymore. I am tired. And, now that my kids are older, sleeping late just makes for a miserable day of trying to play catch up and get our school work done before supper time. I love the freedom to set my own schedule, but I am finally having to admit that not starting until the middle of the morning isn’t working. Oh, the kids love it on the front end, but then they want to be outside playing in the afternoon and not stuck doing school work.
For the last couple of weeks we have been putting real effort into changing our routine. When I say we, what I really mean is that I am changing my routine and the family is slowly adapting. This morning was the true test. The kids and I had to leave the house no later than 9:00 in order to drop the boys off at their Grandmother’s house and for me to get the girl to her co-op class on time, and we made it. Okay, I know that this is not a really big deal, especially for anyone reading who has children who have to be on the school bus before daylight, but for a family that likes to have school in their pajamas, this is a big deal.
Who knows, I may even learn to like getting up early. And the hidden blessing? Kids who get up early, tend to go to sleep earlier. Amazing.
I am not totally to blame for this … my parents trained me well. When we (my 3 brothers and I) were little, our parents, aunts and uncles would hang out at our grandparent’s house until all hours of the night yelling at each other as they played Aggravation. We loved it. The kids, there were 13 grandchildren in all, pretty much had free reign to play whatever we liked … as long as we didn’t interrupt the adult’s game. Sometimes the games would go into the wee hours of the morning and they would have to wake us up to go home. The one difference being, while I have always enjoyed sleeping in, my parents would be up at the normal time the next morning ready for whatever they had to do that day.
So here is the confession … I don’t enjoy this anymore. I am tired. And, now that my kids are older, sleeping late just makes for a miserable day of trying to play catch up and get our school work done before supper time. I love the freedom to set my own schedule, but I am finally having to admit that not starting until the middle of the morning isn’t working. Oh, the kids love it on the front end, but then they want to be outside playing in the afternoon and not stuck doing school work.
For the last couple of weeks we have been putting real effort into changing our routine. When I say we, what I really mean is that I am changing my routine and the family is slowly adapting. This morning was the true test. The kids and I had to leave the house no later than 9:00 in order to drop the boys off at their Grandmother’s house and for me to get the girl to her co-op class on time, and we made it. Okay, I know that this is not a really big deal, especially for anyone reading who has children who have to be on the school bus before daylight, but for a family that likes to have school in their pajamas, this is a big deal.
Who knows, I may even learn to like getting up early. And the hidden blessing? Kids who get up early, tend to go to sleep earlier. Amazing.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Tomorrow Is Another Day
Today was one of those days that I just wish I could rewind and do over. It isn't that anything horrible happened, just the opposite ... nothing happened, well almost nothing. Very little housework happened and very little school happened though I did manage to get meals cooked and dishes washed. I guess that is something. My favorite part of today is that it is now over and I can look forward to a better day tomorrow.
On top of that, I wasted several hours over the last 2 nights watching the idiocy of the Bachelor. Yuck. I haven't been a follower of this "reality" show in several seasons. In our house, we mostly watch shows that the kids can watch with us and I am not too keen on the idea of the kids thinking that the way these people act is acceptable, or even normal. That said, I did watch a few episodes toward the end of the season, like from the final four on, and I wanted to see who he picked. Frankly, I preferred Melissa ... I don't really know why, I just did. Now, after seeing all of the after the rose junk, I have decided that I hope that the show is scripted, because then I wouldn't have to feel so bad for what he did to Melissa on camera!
Okay, that said, I think I will stick with re-runs of M*A*S*H and Hogan's Heroes.
On top of that, I wasted several hours over the last 2 nights watching the idiocy of the Bachelor. Yuck. I haven't been a follower of this "reality" show in several seasons. In our house, we mostly watch shows that the kids can watch with us and I am not too keen on the idea of the kids thinking that the way these people act is acceptable, or even normal. That said, I did watch a few episodes toward the end of the season, like from the final four on, and I wanted to see who he picked. Frankly, I preferred Melissa ... I don't really know why, I just did. Now, after seeing all of the after the rose junk, I have decided that I hope that the show is scripted, because then I wouldn't have to feel so bad for what he did to Melissa on camera!
Okay, that said, I think I will stick with re-runs of M*A*S*H and Hogan's Heroes.
Monday, March 2, 2009
The Simple Woman's Daybook
I found a link for this over the weekend and loved the idea, so I am posting my own ... I am supposed to have a button to go at the top of this post, but I can't figure out how to copy it, so just imagine a picture of a lady sitting at a desk with a quill pen writing this, or go to the link at the bottom of the post and you can see it for yourself. Have a happy Monday.
FOR TODAY Monday, March 2, 2009
Outside my window... A beautiful blue sky, but still a cold morning.
I am thinking... I wish my daughter liked handwriting.
I am thankful for... my early morning quiet time. I am really going to need it for the rest of today.
From the learning rooms... handwriting practice, and then new division tables for one and new blends for the other.
From the kitchen... homemade bread about to go in the oven.
I am wearing... my favorite lounge pants (so comfy) and an old gray t-shirt from some long ago youth camp I chaperoned.
I am creating... a mom's planning book and a unit study on gardening.
I am going... to take the kid's to play practice and then to the library for books on gardening and weather.
I am reading... this week's Sunday School lesson.
I am hoping... to finish cleaning out/re-arranging our bedroom this week.
I am hearing... way too much talking from the schoolroom and "Through It All" by Selah.
Around the house... more projects than I can count.
One of my favorite things... watching the birds play in the yard this morning and knowing that spring is on the way.
A few plans for the rest of the week: work on our monthly book report for our meeting on Wednesday, get co-op work done before Thursday night!
Here is picture thought I am sharing...
No, we don't have snow today, but this just seemed appropriate for how cold it is this morning ... no problem though, it will be in the 70's by later this week, I love living in the deep south!
You can create your own daybook ... just check out this website: http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/
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