Tippy Toes, Doggie Nose and Five Years

 

It's like I always say, "If you're gonna have 'helpers,' it doesn't mean you're gonna get your work done quicker, but you'll have good company (and cute company) along the way."  (Additionally, you're investing in the "workers" of tomorrow!)

 

 

That's not to say I gleefully remember that every day.  Certainly I'm trying to remind myself of this lately.  Blossom3 wants to be a "restaurant girl" when she grows up and is displaying intense interest in all things kitchen-related.  She's been enjoying it and I'm reminding myself to just slow down and savor the moments with her.  (Yikes, she's FIVE already!)  It IS delightful to see this dream blossoming in her.  So, if you someday see a sign along the road that says, "Blossom3's Diner: Their food is good, but ours is finer," you'd better stop in for a bite!

Somehow or another, we ended up with one less egg for dying than we started out with.  Not sure how it happened or where it went, I just hope whoever finds it months from now, doesn't try to eat it!  (Around here, that is a legitimate concern.) 

Since Daddy was carrying Blossom4 in the pack for our hike the other day, Blossom3 was hiking with me.  It was like a mini Mommy date!  Watching her savor nature and just talking "life" with her, was so nice. 

Eventually Blossom4 had to practice being a big Blossom.  It's funny how little obstacles were big for her.  It kinda makes me think that in life, there are things that I might not find to be difficult, but I have to help the girlies navigate those obstacles, for they may appear larger in Blossom eyes.  Things like dealing with the fear of a thunderstorm or the anticipation of a performance.  Helping them know the Scriptures that brought me peace as a child (and STILL bring me peace) are the steps that will make the obstacles no big deal later on in life.  Plus, when they can trust God in the face of a thunderstorm, they can trust God in the face of anything.  Oh. so. necessary.

 

Rory-Bear is growing... and growing closer to us.  Though his chubby little puppy legs eventually grew tired near the end of our hike (he was missing his couch!), he plodded on, prodded by his love for being near us.  We like our dogs to have heart!

Next Friday is our last day of school.  The girls have been plugging along getting those loose ends tied up.  Yay for perseverance! 

Have I ever mentioned how much I love homeschooling?  I'm just so thankful for the opportunity to do this with our children.  I look back on the last five years and I smile - seriously.  I'm also a little surprised.  I hadn't really thought about how we've got five years under our belt as of next week!  The quality time I spend with them every day... The joy of scaling the mountains and valleys of learning with them is priceless to me! The investment every day in the things that we deem important is comforting in those oh-so-tiring night-time reflection sessions.  The togetherness... the reading aloud... the meals together... did I mention the togetherness? 

 

There is so much I love and am grateful for in this journey. 

Some Real Life

It's real life here.  Blossom3 is tickled pink because I got out the "big girl" stuff out for some math work yesterday.  She was hounding me this morning to get to it again. 

I don't usually send the littlest to another room to play.  They prefer to be right there in the mix.  So long as they are obedient, I am good with this.  (I've got a little secret for you: I actually like it this way.)  While Blossom3 tackles basic addition, Blossom4 solemnly works on her fine motor skills, as well as unknowingly absorbing numbers from Blossom3. 

 

It's neat to watch Blossom4's creativity with the math manipulatives while I supervise the addition and flashcard work. 

 

When she grew tired of the little blocks, we switched to some pasta!!!  It's another great activity that isn't so ordinary and is perfect for fine motor skills. 

It's important to me to let the little girlies work on fine motor skills, as it helps immensely when they learn to write.  I don't obsess over complicated activities every day, instead, I like to let them play with things that are small, things that I'd be tempted to keep put away because it requires too much supervision on my part.  (I'm convinced that successful, intelligent children are allowed to really play, touch things, get dirty and explore everything, especially what is usually inconvenient for mamas.)

Blossom3 victoriously finished her flashcards and we moved on to some Hooked on Phonics. 

 

Lest you think life is always smooth sailing here, Blossom4 descended into a crying fit because something eventually just didn't suit.   It's real life and we keep going.  A homeschool day isn't a failure because someone is crying.  We resolve the issue, discipline accordingly and continue plugging away.  That a whole lot like grownup life.  You might cry, but you just keep movin' on.

A Confession for Today

Sometimes there are seasons of needful things.  On a vacation a few years ago, the Lord helped me to write this daily confession for myself.  I'd been starting out the day with "stinkin' thinkin.'"  With that, the day would quickly go awry.  For a season, I read it and prayed it over myself daily, helping my mind to think the Truth of the Bible, rather than my own tired, emotional ups and more frequent downs.  Then, for a season, it wasn't needed.  It had done its work and whiled away its time glued to the inside of my journal.  This morning, as Blossom4 awoke *very* early, upset and easily set off by the slightest things, I sought the Lord, with many interruptions and a tired body, mind and heart.  And the Lord took me back here.  I barely made it past the first three points, but thank God for things that He resurfaces at just the right time to strengthen us.  I thought you might like to have a look at it.  Perhaps you will be encouraged as your mind thinks God's Truths.

Today

v  Today, Lord, I thank You that You are with me, so I am not afraid of evil.  (Psalm 23:4)

v  Today, I thank You that I shall not be in want of any good thing.  (Psalm 23:1, 34:9-10)

v  Today, I am strengthened by You.  (Ephesians 6:10)

v  Today, I receive mercy and grace for my time of need.  (Hebrews 4:16)

v  Today, I do not grow weary in well-doing.  (Galatians 6:9)

v  Today, I prosper and am healthy, just as it is in my soul.  (3 John 2)

v  Today, I do my husband good.  (Proverbs 31:12)

v  Today, I submit to my husband, as I do to the Lord.  (Ephesians 5:22)

v  Today, I discipline diligently and my children regard reproof and receive discipline. 

(Proverbs 15:5)

v  Today, I serve the Lord with my whole heart.  (Colossians 3:23-24)

v  Today, I love my husband, children and all others with Your love and I believe with Your faith. (1 John 4:7, Mark 11:22)

v  May Your will be done in me today.  Amen.

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Friends,

You can access this file here for printing.

Have a wonderful day!
 

Tweaking

Sometimes I think that things just need a little tweaking.

As in, T-W-E-A-K-I-N-G.  (Did you get the "You've Got Mail" quote!)

I noticed that I would make a blanket correction toward the Blossoms.

"Girls, GET busy." 

Blossom2 just so happens to *usually* be the only one working.  And hence, she would be upset because she WAS doing what she was supposed to be.  I'd usually respond to her,

"Blossom2, I wasn't talking to you." 

I got to thinking, how is she supposed to know that?  I'd say, "Girls" because it's the quickest thing to get out.  (We all know that rattling off four Blossom names and hopefully not two additional dog names mixed in there, isn't quick.  Don't look strange at me.  If you have multiple kids and a menagerie of animals, you mix their names up too, I'm sure of it.) 

So, I'm tweaking.  Yes, T-W-E-A-K-I-N-G. 

Rattle off the right names (difficult for my frequently befuddled brain) and address the offenders.  I don't need to be creating resentment for children in trouble when they really aren't. 

What do you need to "tweak" in order to more accurately correct your children? 

Keep on, keepin' on!

I was inspired to "keep on, keepin' on" with our repertoire of reading aloud to the Blossoms when I recently read an article on www.simplehomeschool.net.  "How to Read Aloud Every Day" outlined how reading only 5 minutes a day would amount to 30 hours a year.  You could read the entire set of the Chronicles of Narnia in that time!  #worthwhile

Don't give in to mom guilt.  (Many moms think this is just one more thing they *should* be doing.)

You don't need to commit to huge lengths of time.  We can all swing 5 minutes of reading aloud here or there.  The benefits are many - increased love of reading, better vocabulary, healthier imaginations, good quality time together and so much more. 



We are currently reading Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder and What Would Jesus Do by Helen Haidle.  It's a revision of the Christian classic, In His Steps, by Charles Sheldon.  I picked it up at the library, knowing that the classic was inspiring to me personally.  The girlies really took to that book!  I appreciated some of the questions at the end of each chapter, thus inducing them to think about what Jesus would do.  (Quality conversation and discussion!!!)  Blossom2 kept swiping it to read further, until I assured her that it was fine to take to afternoon quiet time so that she could finish it without having to stand at the kitchen counter. 



If you're having trouble making 5 minutes a priority, tell yourself you're investing in your children and then turn off your phone and start reading.  :)