That's It?

It's 9:45am and I've walked 2.22 miles already. 

Yep, I'm just a stay-at-homeschooling mama-wife who eats bon-bons and watches soaps all day.

#extremesarcasmrunsinthefamily

5 More Thrifty Ways to Bless Your Husband

Twice now I've shared five things you can do to bless your husband that don't cost a dime.  Once again, I'm inspired to rattle off a few more thrifty blessings.  This is something that I brew on when I turn my attention toward being purposeful in blessing the Rugged Mountain Man. 

#1 - Get your man some fresh reading material.
Some men maintain that they aren't readers, but they'll read the whole newspaper or an article on their favorite slice of the hunting world, so I believe that most menfolk actually do like to read, if you find them something that grabs their attention.  To do this the thrifty way, I drop by my local library.  In this case, I asked around for book recommendations, browsed genres I know he likes and looked for authors with a similar bent in their writing.  Notice it took my time, but not my money to find him something fresh.  Libraries lend out copies of magazines too!  Another friend gave us a whole stack of a magazine the Rugged Mountain Man likes, so I simply rotated the stock in the bathroom.  He enjoyed the new reading material and it makes me smile every time I see him reading something I chose.

#2 - Anticipate something he needs to do and do it.
The Rugged Mountain Man wasn't feeling so swift the other day and I noticed.  Realizing that he had an out of town meeting, several chores to do that evening AND it was garbage night, I did the garbage for him.  That's really not a big thing, but it blessed him.

#3 - Clean your coat rack or coat closet. 
At first glance I'm sure that seems silly, but the coat rack or coat closet may very well be the first glimpse he has of your little slice of home-paradise.  Even though warmer weather is on the way, why not do a quick little tidy-up and take the load of clutter off his mind?  And hey, c'mon mamas, no excuses.  I finally tackled mine and it literally took three minutes. 

#4 - Give him kids who listen. 
I realize you now have a rock in the pit of your stomach after reading that.  I feel you!  Our family is a work in progress, just as much as yours is.  I was recently inspired to redouble my efforts to train our children to obey immediately.  God expects this immediate obedience of me; why not train the girlies that this is right and good, especially in regard to listening to Daddy?  It's a blessing to him and less stress in a day.  I may not see instant results, but I can persevere in an effort not only to please God, but also to bless the Rugged Mountain Man.

#5 - Fix something for him.
Ok, sewing on buttons and mending are not one of my favorite things to do.  I do like to sew, but mending doesn't count, does it?  The Rugged Mountain Man was walking around with his slipper flopping off lately, all because one little thread came loose.  One.  So, I fixed it.  Did I particularly enjoy it?  Nope, but I did enjoy thinking about how it wouldn't annoy him anymore.  What about your husband's favorite shirt?  Does it need a new button?  How can you use your domesticity to bless him?  Not all of us have a Seamstress Extraordinaire Mom to teach us how to mend, but most of us have access to the internet.  You can find out how to do everything on the internet.  Everything. 

Sometimes we just need to buckle down and bless our man, whether we enjoy the actual task or not.  I believe it's called self sacrifice.  The more I die to self, the more Christ can live in me.  And the more I can bless my husband.

Dominique

More Planting

I think you might remember when I talked a little about "planting" previously.  Some folks call it "strewing."  Mainly, I like to put items or books around the house to pique the girls' interest.  I love watching the Blossoms' interests change, grow, ebb and flow. 

Right now, Blossom4 is major into floor puzzles.  The same floor puzzle is on the kitchen floor for about four days being disassembled and reassembled constantly.  Then, she moves on to another.  I like to "plant" a new one around when I think she's getting bored.  Puzzles are outstanding for developing spatial awareness!

This past Saturday morning, when the bigger Blossoms were fishing with Daddy and Blossom4 slept in, Blossom3 and I had an impromptu Mommy date.  We sipped our tea and hot chocolate and I taught her how to play Cat's Cradle.  Now, the three older Blossoms are all totally into Cat's Cradle.  I can literally feel the wheels turning as they try to invent and learn new Cat's Cradle patterns.  Did you know that you can find directions on youtube.com for Cat's Cradle and other string games?

Going right along with their Kid Poet Society class, I've been planting miscellaneous poetry books on the dining room table.  The interest even led to reading poetry at an impromptu dinner with my sister, brother-in-law and my nephew.  Poetry has become a little bit of a family thing.  Maybe your kids aren't into it.  Grab a copy of Runny Babbit, by Shel Silverstein and the giggles will start.  They just might get hooked!  I know we are thoroughly enjoying Runny Babbit as our current lunchtime read-aloud. 

So, I'm off to my regular Monday "stuff."  Hope you choose to embrace and delight in your kids' current interests. 

Dominique

Early Hours

 

"Early to bed, early to rise, makes a mama, healthy, wealthy and wise."

Oh, and can you see what we'll be doing as soon as school is out in a few short weeks? 

Yep, stackin' wood. 

Bring it on.

Dominique

Sweedler Nature Preserve & Good Silence/Good Chatting

These pics were snapped barely two weeks ago, but this trip already feels like a dream. 

That's one of the reasons I like to take so many pictures;

to solidify memories for the Rugged Mountain Man and me.

 

On this particular day, I was pretty thankful for google.  We knew that several of the local state parks were either closed or had trails closed.  We'd already hiked many of the trails that remained open.

 

Through a google search for "waterfalls near Ithaca," we discovered this gem.  Sweedler Nature Preserve is privately owned by a land trust, which means less signs.  Less guidelines.  More hiking with less closed gates.  You know that's a little more our style anyway.

One of the things I loved about this trip was its reminder to enjoy companionable silence.

 

I've mentioned that the Rugged Mountain Man and I have been friends since I was 16 years old.  We've long been able to be chatty or silent together.

With children though, there's so much noise and chaos, that the companionable silence gets mistaken for unfriendly or unwanted silence.

Driving to church is sometimes quiet between the two of us or sometimes chatty.

 

Either one is good and acceptable. 

When you live with a clear conscience before God and an open heart toward your husband, the times of quiet or the times of talking are good, good things.

 

But the noise, noise, noise, NOISE can make the silence seem broody or distant. 

 

 

I felt reminded. 

 

 

Thinking is good. 

 

 

Talking is good.

Together is good.

 

And I wondered how many wives are nagging their husbands for chit-chat, when he's just enjoying the companionable silence between the two of you? 

 

 

Quiet husbands sometimes get a bad rap.  Or a discontent wife.  Precarious is the balance.

 

I felt newly reminded to revel in the companionable silence and the conversations,

just as much at home, as I did here in Ithaca.

 

Of course, I realize that it's easier to do when there's no housework, no whining,

no bickering and no cares. 

 

But, I can still take that thought with me back to the homestead.

 It's just another link in the whole chain of the two of us growing closer to Jesus

and each other every day.

 

As for hiking, you can see that I'm a details person and a grandeur person. 

I adored the frosty details on the waterfalls and the grandiose rockery.

 

At this point in the hike, we met "Rob," a man who'd jumped fences and gates at numerous places we'd hiked during our concurrent stays in Ithaca. 

 

He also confirmed my suspicion that we are a conspicuous couple in our hiking boots, lumberjack plaids and ruddy outdoor complexions, since he recognized us from eating at the same restaurant the previous night.

 

It was nice to meet a fellow who hailed from our state.

 

I have to say, Ithaca, NY is rapidly becoming one of my most favorite places in the entire US.

 

Maybe a little dream is blossoming in my dream-prone soul:

 

to own a little cabin there someday.  Maybe, someday...

 

Oh, and, just a quick stop at Buttermilk Falls on the way back through town to see how the flow was a little bit higher than last fall.  Totally worth it!