snapshots no. 3

saying good-bye to our nature retreat...

a change of pace :: quick stop home and then we headed south to the big city

oh, the joys of childhood :: there's nothing quite like jumping on a hotel bed! 

pictures of 'the big city' to come!  enjoy your weekend, friends....

snapshots no. 3

snapshots no. 2

nature center exploration :: moose, coyotes, and other wild things :: extra-long snake skins amazing a little boy ::  trail hikes and walks (begged for by the children!) :: more paddle boat rides :: swimming :: baby feet and hands :: planning for bike rides :: beauty and moonlight

struck by the wonder of it all.

                                                                                                                                                             

snapshots no. 2

snapshots

UNO games right after breakfast :: paddle boat rides :: have blender, will travel with green smoothies :: in awe of His beauty filling our senses :: sunlight, warmth :: quiet hour activities :: bubbles (enjoyed by Mama as well) :: thinking, talking, sharing :: ideas and plans for our stay here :: excited voices of little ones.....


a pause from the everyday.

snapshots

in the book bag

We're heading out for a week long away-from-home time as a family :: otherwise known as a little vacation.  Flooring is being replaced while we're gone, and that news is very exciting! 

So, the last several days have been spent packing and gathering a few goodies to pass the time next week.  Books for me, a geography outline to help with next year's planning, and some as family read alouds, good stuff.  Oh, I know it's a bit ambitious to think they will all get read through, but one has to have goals right?  We'll see what happens.

enjoy a blessed weekend....

in the book bag

‘tis the season

to be jolly…

…about YARD SALES!  or garage sales, or tag sales—whatever the wording may be for your part of the country.  Having lived from the deep South all the way up to the Northeast, I’ve noticed that there are several different names for the event.  Interesting.



I had vowed to fully declutter our home before heading out to search for ‘treasures’ among the discards of others, but well, that hasn’t happened.  I tried…really.  But last Saturday morning found us out and about as the girls decided to join in on the fun.  Homeschooling materials, home decor, summer clothing for the baby…we had a great shopping experience. 

But in an attempt towards frugal living, I am also challenged not to bring stuff home simply because it’s inexpensive; often I have to remind myself that we do not need a particular item.  Saying ‘no’ is a little hard at times! 

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‘tis the season

thinking ahead

Another year of home educating is coming to a close, and this Mama finds it a little bittersweet.

My second girl is wrapping up elementary school and it’s hard to believe that seventh grade is right around the corner!  Okay, we do have the summer in between…but wow.  Girl number three closes the door on first grade and the little boy born just ‘yesterday’ is joyfully looking forward to next year, and the next year, and the next year…

And so it goes.

I should be excited that they are all so thrilled with homeschooling—I am too and right now can’t imagine another road to travel.  Had you asked me about six weeks ago I probably would have had a different answer though!  We have our days.  In the next few weeks I hope to write a little here and there about our year, so we can remember and give thanks.

Plans have begun floating around in my head for next year—plotting and thinking through what our days will hold and how it will work together (the baby will NOT be a sleeping infant but a toddling little boy).  But first, warmer months are coming and we’re all looking forward to a break and some new activities!

To all other homeschoolers out there….a happy ending to your year (whenever that may be)!

A few treats before you go~

Have you been to Simple Homeschool’s site yet?  It’s a new community and very informative.

A suggestion on how to organize homeschool days :: seek to scale seven daily rungs on the ladder

The best book on educating children that I have read so far :: this one is dog-eared, underlined and highlighted throughout!

And here’s a post that’s not necessarily about homeschooling, but on living life on purpose—deliberately, intentionally.  Great for homeschooling Mamas don’t you think?

 

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thinking ahead

after the weekend

It’s been busy around these parts…time spent planning and such for a women’s retreat our church hosted this weekend, and what turned out to be a super wonderful experience! :: I’ll be reflecting for days to come.

But when all is said and done on such a project, I usually spend a day or two ‘roaming’, with  no particular agenda in mind.  Yesterday’s rainy weather was perfect for~

                                        

:: stepping back into time.  The Young Victoria was released last week and it was placed into my Netflix account to be delivered this weekend (in time for my retreat after The Retreat!).  It’s okay, but the made-for-TV Victoria & Albert from 2001 was much, much better!

:: dreaming of strawberry season and wanting to make a version of these parfaits

:: admiring this square foot garden~beautiful!

:: making plans to host a shrimp boil early this summer…and maybe later in the summer as well!  Yum.

Most of all, there was lots of hot tea, conversations with my spouse & best friend (the same person!) and listening to children’s adventures while I was away for the day. 

Fullness…

after the weekend

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A photo & post from the archives, a daily lesson reminder~

This is my youngest daughter, one winter years ago, looking outside of our glass door desperately desiring to be on the other side participating in the big world outdoors, no matter how blustery. She had been there for a while (if you look closely, you'll see her breath on the pane).

Yep, this picture for me probably sums up a life lesson on motherhood.

Taking time with my little ones, and my not so little ones, while they are still on this side of the glass pane so to speak--with me, close by, within my reach--before they leave and go out to the other side.

To create their own worlds and homes.

I'm not too sure what the weather will be or what life may hold for them, but the opportunity to bring them near and prepare their hearts and minds for the future is a precious gift not taken lightly.

And one that I’m seeking to fully enjoy.

 

 

This post is part of High Calling Blogs prompt, capturing life lesson reminders in a photo.

photoplay

what I love

Little girl who tries to be like her Mama…journaling, collecting pictures and pasting away.

"Our children are watching us live,

and what we ARE shouts louder

than anything we can say." - Wilferd A. Peterson

what I love

never again

{I recently wrote this for our church women’s newsletter}

The following is a true story. The facts have not been altered in any way.

The date is February 10, 2009, one full of activities as we had a child’s birthday to celebrate. At a point that morning I finally decided all was calm enough to quickly finish getting ready. I separated my crew and my then 10 and 3 year-olds were in the basement playing, the 6 year-old birthday girl in my room. Yes. Naively I slipped behind the double doors of our bedroom for just a few minutes alone, every mother of little-ones-at-home dream come true. All of a sudden, my 10-yr old daughter comes in yelling at the top of her lungs...."MOM, the POLICE are here!!" My first thought was of my husband in an accident.

"What!? At our door?"

"YES! Oh Mom, are we in trouble!? Did you get a ticket or something!? WHY are they here!?" Like I knew that. So I ask her to open the door while trying to pull myself together. What in the world could the police want with me? Running downstairs, I find two officers questioning my daughter.

'So, you don't have school today?'

'Oh, I'm homeschooled.' At that point I wanted to yell...Oh no, she's not!! because I knew what they had to be thinking. But I stayed silent since shock had settled in. Just in perfect timing, my 3-yr old son—the culprit who accidentally called 911 in the first place—came around the corner waving a piece of bread on a stick and asked the policemen if they wanted to play campfire and did they happen to have any marshmallows?

Again, I had nothing to say. Imagine the headlines now: “Mute Woman Attempts to Homeschool Children, Investigation Pending”. I did wonder where the bread had come from...wasn’t he supposed to be in the basement?

One officer began cancelling the fire department & ambulance on their way as well. I finally spoke up when asked for my name, date of birth, etc. and as they left, I apologized profusely. Mortification doesn’t even begin to describe what I was experiencing, let me tell you.

Closing the door behind me, my mind began racing with a resolute vow...

I will never, ever again...

I will never again. Ever uttered those words as a response? Ever felt the need to shelter and shield yourself from further or repeated pain? To never again want to experience anything that would even come close to representing what you’ve been through? John Eldredge, author of Wild at Heart, comments in his book that we often make vows from our place of ‘woundedness’. From the place of hurt, embarrassment, anger or any other hosts of deep emotion emerges a resolve to never, ever...well, fill in the blank. I’m sure we all can.

Yes, my run-in with the law was a tad humiliating and by no means a real wound so to speak. But it reminded me then and now of how I’ve so quickly done the hard work of building a wall of ‘never again’ protection only to realize that this same wall was keeping me captive. Keeping out the unwanted maybe, but also blocking the good trying to flow into my life.

It’s hard. Some of the experiences we’ve been through have left us raw and yes, wounded. I’m not trying to advocate a simple 1-2-3 ‘get over it’ plan that means little. I wouldn’t do that; life has dished out a few situations of my own to demonstrate how trite this would be. However, very delicately, I will suggest another alternative.

Let God take the never again. Gather up every one of those resolves, those vows made in the midst of pain and hurl them at His feet. Cast them off, shed them like the dirty laundry they are spiritually and stand there bare before Him. They’re too weighty to carry anyway, am I right? Do it again and again if need be. Then allow Him to robe you in His clothing of peace to your soul and a heart willing to try again, live again, BE again. He desires this for you...will you let Him?

As for me, I’ve decided that age 15 is when my children can finally be trusted to be alone; so by 2025 I can hopefully enjoy those few minutes by myself!

 

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never again