Most days I don't feel beautiful.
Ten pounds of left over baby weight, stretch marks, pony tails, and sleep deprivation can do that to a person.
The other day Anna ran up to me armed with her hair brush, and asked me to do her hair.
"Why do you want me to do your hair, honey?" I asked as I began brushing.
"So I can be beautiful just like you, Mommy!" She replied with her impish grin.
Melt my heart.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Our Homeschool
Fall is in the air, and with that comes the new school year. Since my oldest turned four this past summer I have been thinking about starting school with him. Yes, I am one of those overly excited first time homeschooling moms. The concept of homeschooling is relatively foreign and exciting to me(Neither my husband or I were homeschooled), but it's also incredibly overwhelming for someone who has never done this before. However, homeschooling is something we have felt led to pursue with our children, and I suppose if you're going to do something for potentially the next twenty years it's probably good to be excited about it. :)
After researching several curriculums and the various methods of teaching, we finally decided on what we are going to use this year with Jack and Anna. Besides reading lots, and lots of books, we are going to be using Character Concepts for Preschoolers and some of the resources from 1+1+1=1. I was so excited when I found 1+1+1=1 because I love the book, My ABC Bible Verses, so the idea of using it as a way to teach letters was very appealing to me.
As Jack shows signs of reading readiness(which he basically is now), I will be using Teach your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Teaching preschool takes up less than an hour of our day, and has been a fun thing to begin doing on the mornings we spend at home. I don't want to push anything they aren't ready for, but so far both kids have been more than excited to "do school."
We are hoping to use Classical Conversations when Jack begins Kindergarten next year, but for right now we are enjoying our laid back, character focused curriculum.
After researching several curriculums and the various methods of teaching, we finally decided on what we are going to use this year with Jack and Anna. Besides reading lots, and lots of books, we are going to be using Character Concepts for Preschoolers and some of the resources from 1+1+1=1. I was so excited when I found 1+1+1=1 because I love the book, My ABC Bible Verses, so the idea of using it as a way to teach letters was very appealing to me.
As Jack shows signs of reading readiness(which he basically is now), I will be using Teach your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Teaching preschool takes up less than an hour of our day, and has been a fun thing to begin doing on the mornings we spend at home. I don't want to push anything they aren't ready for, but so far both kids have been more than excited to "do school."
We are hoping to use Classical Conversations when Jack begins Kindergarten next year, but for right now we are enjoying our laid back, character focused curriculum.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Attitudes
I often get asked how I "do it" with four small children. I'm not always sure people want an actual answer when they ask me this(Hello, complete stranger at the grocery store!) but mostly I think there's a genuine curiosity about how I handle them.
I don't know if what Erik and I have chosen to do regarding child rearing would work for everyone who wanted to have stair stepped kids, and I still have a lot to learn so I'm not sure I'd be the person to ask anyways. But there is one tip I can give, and I am fairly confident this will help anyone regardless of how many children they have or how close in age they are.
Your attitude will almost always determine the outcome of your day. If I wake up in the morning complaining to myself about how tired I am, how these kids are driving me crazy, how all I want is to have 10 minutes without someone crying, or just be able to go to the bathroom by myself, then chances are I've ruined my day before it's even began.
On the other hand, if I wake up in the morning with an attitude of thankfulness my day will go much smoother. That doesn't mean I have unrealistic expectations, it just means I'm trying to trust God with my day instead of getting through in my own strength. Because there will be discipline issues, there will be boo boos that need kissed, and there will be fights to break up. But if I can surrender my attitude and day to the Lord, it is much more likely I'll be able to respond in the proper way.
>Wednesday, August 31, 2011
3 years
Sorry for the lack of posting this past month! August has been a whirlwind between moving to a new town and family coming to visit. Things are starting to settle down(a little!) Hopefully I'll be around more in September.
In the midst of moving, to be exact the day after we moved, Anna turned three. Poor girl didn't get much of a celebration on her actual birthday, though she did get to spend the day watching an inordinate amount of videos so I think she was happy with that. We did take her out for ice cream the night of her birthday, and she did get a birthday doughnut for breakfast, but we waited until the following Saturday to have an actual party. We headed to our local park and had a picnic of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cupcakes with pink icing for desert.
The big three year old!
My mom and dad bought Anna a princess bicycle. She was so excited when they brought it in for her. She actually jumped up and down and screamed, "A BICYLCE!"
Anna, Lily, and one of their dolls enjoying the new bike.
I was really proud of Jack for being a good sport at Anna's party. He didn't seem to get jealous at all when Anna opened her gifts. We told him that knights in shining armor don't get jealous when someone else is getting attention, and it seemed to work!
Enjoying the park.
I think Max was happy everyone else was having fun. :)
Happy Birthday, my spunky girl! Anna, you are hilarious, silly, at times a *bit* of a handful, and absolutely beautiful. I love how much you love to read and how excited you get about doing new things. I pray you will grow into a woman who loves and serves the Lord. I am indescribably blessed to be your mom!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
18 months
Dear Lily Faith,
How can you possibly be 18 months already? In many ways it feels like you should be older than that, and in other ways it feels like you're still the baby around here. You, my dear girl, are an endless supply of energy. Even more so than Jack or Anna. Most mornings you are the first one awake, and you usually don't take as long of naps in the afternoon. You think you are just as big as your big bubby and sissy, and have no intention of being left out of any game they play.
Nursery workers and Sunday school teachers comment on your sweet disposition. I certainly agree with them, but I also see a stubborn and independent streak in you(which I'm sure you inherited from your daddy!) I think I tell you at least once every day not to play in the pantry or the trash can. Just yesterday you walked into the living room covered head to toe in flour!
You bless me every day with how sweet you are to Max. Every morning you go find him and give him a kiss. You try so hard to be helpful, but sometimes your help doesn't always go as planned. When Max is nursing you'll come sit next to me and try to give him his pacifier while he's eating, which he doesn't always appreciate. Whenever Max is in his car seat, you'll go get your shoes and put them on him, and you're just sure his blanket belongs on his head!
How can you possibly be 18 months already? In many ways it feels like you should be older than that, and in other ways it feels like you're still the baby around here. You, my dear girl, are an endless supply of energy. Even more so than Jack or Anna. Most mornings you are the first one awake, and you usually don't take as long of naps in the afternoon. You think you are just as big as your big bubby and sissy, and have no intention of being left out of any game they play.
Nursery workers and Sunday school teachers comment on your sweet disposition. I certainly agree with them, but I also see a stubborn and independent streak in you(which I'm sure you inherited from your daddy!) I think I tell you at least once every day not to play in the pantry or the trash can. Just yesterday you walked into the living room covered head to toe in flour!
You bless me every day with how sweet you are to Max. Every morning you go find him and give him a kiss. You try so hard to be helpful, but sometimes your help doesn't always go as planned. When Max is nursing you'll come sit next to me and try to give him his pacifier while he's eating, which he doesn't always appreciate. Whenever Max is in his car seat, you'll go get your shoes and put them on him, and you're just sure his blanket belongs on his head!
You are still very attached to your big blue dog. When you fall or get hurt you have to have a kiss from mommy or daddy and doggie to make thing better. At your last doctors appointment you weighed 23 pounds, and you are mostly wearing 12-18 month clothes.
We love you so much, Lily! I can't wait to see what the Lord does in your life!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
My Head is Spinning
It didn't really hit me until this past weekend just how crazy this last year has been. It has been such a blessing to see prayer after prayer answered, but walking through some of it hasn't always been easy.
In the last eight months we have..
Sold our house
Switched houses with friends.
Finished two years of school(ok that was my husband, but I feel like I went through it too!)
Welcomed our fourth child in less than four years.
Had two months of unemployment and no income.
Husband starting a new job.
Found a new house, and are getting ready to move..again.
Moving to a new town about two and a half hours away from our home town. In just about two weeks!
My mother in law tells me she can't keep up with all the changes, and you know what? Neither can I! But through it all the Lord has been faithful. We haven't had a single need go unmet. I've seen prayer after prayer get answered, maybe not always in the way I wanted, but always in the way that was best. I have had to learn some lessons over and over again, because apparently I'm stubborn. Some of these lessons I'll be learning for the rest of my life. But one thing I never want to forget is how faithful God has been. Isn't that amazing? If we are Christians, we can rest in knowing that God will supply all our needs.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?....33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-27;33-34
In the last eight months we have..
Sold our house
Switched houses with friends.
Finished two years of school(ok that was my husband, but I feel like I went through it too!)
Welcomed our fourth child in less than four years.
Had two months of unemployment and no income.
Husband starting a new job.
Found a new house, and are getting ready to move..again.
Moving to a new town about two and a half hours away from our home town. In just about two weeks!
My mother in law tells me she can't keep up with all the changes, and you know what? Neither can I! But through it all the Lord has been faithful. We haven't had a single need go unmet. I've seen prayer after prayer get answered, maybe not always in the way I wanted, but always in the way that was best. I have had to learn some lessons over and over again, because apparently I'm stubborn. Some of these lessons I'll be learning for the rest of my life. But one thing I never want to forget is how faithful God has been. Isn't that amazing? If we are Christians, we can rest in knowing that God will supply all our needs.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?....33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-27;33-34
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Distractions
It has been a rough morning at my house. The reality that we are moving, and need to be out of here as soon as possible is sinking in, and that has caused me to go on a major decluttering spree. I got a late start this morning, but I was determined to get my maternity clothes boxed up and go through my kids clothing. That doesn't sound too difficult, right?
Five hours after I started the project, I've barely made a dent. Here I sit blogging, surrounded by piles of clothing. I need to clear my head before I dive back in. It's amazing how many clothes six people can have.
As I was saying, this morning has been rough. I'd start working on the clothes and then someone would need a drink, or someone would would need cleaned up, and then it was time for the baby to nurse, and then Lily and Max both started crying at the same time, and neither of them were calming down. And while I was trying to nurse Max and hold an inconsolable Lily, Anna and Jack decided it would be fun to dump all the clothes that had been put in totes and throw them around the living room. I was ready to scream(actually I think I did scream.) I was beyond frustrated by this point and was ready for the kids to take naps an hour earlier than usual.
But they needed lunch, and while I was making peanut butter sandwiches I started praying. Basically I was asking the Lord to give me self control and patience. And I felt convicted about how I was placing my goal of organized clothes above the needs of my children. I thought of all sorts of arguments and excuses . I thought about how we were getting ready to move, and things had to get done. The conviction remained. It was as if the Lord was saying, "Stop treating these children as distractions."
And that was exactly what I'd been doing. On the outside it may have appeared that I was putting my children ahead of my project, but my heart said otherwise. I was frustrated that I had to stop what I was doing to attend to my children. I wanted to complete my project by nap time so I could have a break. One of these days maybe I'll realize these crazy days won't last forever, and I'll remember to enjoy this season in my life.
Now I must be off so I can tackle these clothes before my children wake up!
Five hours after I started the project, I've barely made a dent. Here I sit blogging, surrounded by piles of clothing. I need to clear my head before I dive back in. It's amazing how many clothes six people can have.
As I was saying, this morning has been rough. I'd start working on the clothes and then someone would need a drink, or someone would would need cleaned up, and then it was time for the baby to nurse, and then Lily and Max both started crying at the same time, and neither of them were calming down. And while I was trying to nurse Max and hold an inconsolable Lily, Anna and Jack decided it would be fun to dump all the clothes that had been put in totes and throw them around the living room. I was ready to scream(actually I think I did scream.) I was beyond frustrated by this point and was ready for the kids to take naps an hour earlier than usual.
But they needed lunch, and while I was making peanut butter sandwiches I started praying. Basically I was asking the Lord to give me self control and patience. And I felt convicted about how I was placing my goal of organized clothes above the needs of my children. I thought of all sorts of arguments and excuses . I thought about how we were getting ready to move, and things had to get done. The conviction remained. It was as if the Lord was saying, "Stop treating these children as distractions."
And that was exactly what I'd been doing. On the outside it may have appeared that I was putting my children ahead of my project, but my heart said otherwise. I was frustrated that I had to stop what I was doing to attend to my children. I wanted to complete my project by nap time so I could have a break. One of these days maybe I'll realize these crazy days won't last forever, and I'll remember to enjoy this season in my life.
Now I must be off so I can tackle these clothes before my children wake up!
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