Meaningful Home Life

Healing through Him....

2012-02-10T06:30:00.000-08:00

Words can't describe the emotional roller coaster that would sum up the last year and a half. My life, and the lessons God has brought forth, have taken so many twists and turns that I could hardly tell if I was up or down in the big picture of life.

You see, this past year and a half was a painful one. A hurtful one. Never have I experienced such hurtfulness from others, especially in such a concentrated number. This year has seen me falsely accused of things I didn't do, name-calling (yes, I couldn't believe it either and yes, I'm talking about adults), irate emotions in my face (literally) that was the adult version of a tantrum, mocking words that made fun of my desire to serve, unrealistic expectations and demands of me, subtle overtures of disrespectful behavior, comments about my person, lies about me. I think the saddest part is that all of this has come from fellow believers in Christ. Whew, I'm exhausted just writing that all out!

And that's just it... it was exhausting and pushed me to the point of my health deteriorating and dropping me smack middle into a Lupus flare. Not a good place to be. Physically or spiritually.

All of that pain, compounded on top of each other, by different people and different environments in my life (yes, simultaneously) heaped on top of my head like burning coals, was overwhelming. The very people I had called friends and family, were tearing me down.. sometimes behind my back and sometimes to my face. It was too much for me to handle. It was the worst kind of hurt. And I cried. For many weeks. All I could do was cry and agonize and grapple with the "Why? What did I do wrong to deserve such harsh treatment from others? Why do they not like me? Have they even given me a chance?" Dangerous questions to mull, let me tell you.

By the end of summer, the torment, both externally and internally, hadn't let up. I was at max breaking point. I was angry and I could feel the roots of bitterness begin to plant their roots deep into my heart where, if I let it continue, it would choke the Spirit of God and my ability to hear His voice, right out of me. But how to weed? How do I forgive while insults and mockery continue?

But, then. Words of a friend. Wise counsel from Godly women. Friends like these -godly friends that speak the truth in love - are priceless and rare. When I wanted affirmation in my hurt, I got correction for my bitter heart. When I wanted to zing hurtful words back, I got reminders of how God asks us to behave. This, too, was a painful time. Bible verses seem to be dropping in my lap (and my heart) from a variety of sources and these, too, stung. They were painful reminders of how far I had let my attitude and focus stray. It didn't matter if I was right or wrong, I had taken my eyes off of the one who mattered, to deal with petty comments and hurtful words. To defend my reputation. A reputation, I would later learn, not worth defending. I was trapped.

It took two months for God to grab hold of me and teach me the lessons I was trying to hide from in all of this. I met Him. In a stream of healing water and He washed my wounds and He reminded me that He has never rejected me. He let me know that my focus was on the wrong people. Because it was ON people. The words and hurts these people had caused, some repeatedly and intentionally, was not where my worth comes from. My worth comes from Him. He sets my value and not people and not this world. He bought me at a price.

God took the hurts of this past year and a half and used them for good. He used them to heal me. He taught me that my reputation (or anyone or anything else's) isn't worth defending. That is not my job as it robs me of His peace and rest. My job is to defend His name alone.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit
~ Psalm 34:18

God took off the chains of anger and hurt and freed me. The shackles that I had taken on and helped lock onto my wrists and ankles, had fallen off while being washed in His healing waters. I left them there at the bottom of that stream and walked out of the water, a new creation with healed wounds. I;m not sure I have ever felt God's love more tangibly than I did at that time.

Did the hurtful environments go away instantly after my experience with God? Sadly, no. Did the hurtful comments and behaviors of others go away after God's healing? No. Those things didn't change. However, I can tell you what did. I changed. Through Him, I changed. And once that happened, I could face the hurt head on, knowing Jesus was standing in front of me protecting me through the hurt. I let Him guide my responses, my behaviors, my attitude and my decisions. I turned the reigns over to Him. This healing and the lessons I did learn and continue to learn, didn't happen over night. In fact, it is still happening and I am humbly grateful.

Now, here is where I NEVER. EVER. thought I'd be nor would I ever say... I am GRATEFUL for the experiences of this past year and a half. I am so glad God allowed all of it - every hurt, mockery, scorn, lie - to come into my life. He used every single bit of it to teach me and heal me and I just want to shout from the rooftops what He has done for me. Did He go kick those people's butts and tell them to stop picking on me?? I don't think so. I honestly don't know how He handled them (or if He did). And that is the point. My focus was shifted off of them and onto Him. He directed my eyes to the areas He wanted me to work on.. not the people I wanted HIM to work on!

Grateful that God chose these people and these venues to teach me and heal me. Thrilled that He has begun a good work in me and will not stop. Humbled that He would hear the desires of my heart for release. Release from the unhealthy entanglements of others and release from a place we called home. God had to take me to a point where I had to accept no release was coming. No reprieve. No retreat from the hurt. I had to accept that. And I did.. knowing I was shielded and protected by the One who loves me and makes me new each morning.

I am thrilled to be on this journey of healing. There are days and times when the enemy tries to steal it. He tries to tinker with the foundation that has already been laid but he forgets that through the healing, my response is to grab hold and fight for God's healing and not let it be taken away. By anyone. God's healing is sweet and worth fighting for to claim as my own!

My prayer is that you too would be on your own healing journey and the burdens of this life and all the hurt it (or someone) can throw at you would melt off of your shoulders and that you would be cradled in the arms of the One who has begun a good work in you too.

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. ~Psalm 62:1-2

Co-op, Valentines and Conferences... Oh My!

2012-02-09T13:17:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit

This week, has been, for the most part a non-school week around this place. Not by choice and certainly not written in the plan. A nasty cold tried to sweep through our household, nabbing two victims (two school victims, mind you), so school has been extra, extra light around here as they recover from 102 fevers, congestion, and body aches. I felt kind of sorry for them, so school took a back seat and I just rolled with the punches! Shockingly, I have avoided this cold and I am convinced it is due to consistent doses of Elderberry syrup! The boys are sorry they balked at it now!

Today, as one child continues to recover, we turn our attention to our first day of our homeschool co-op tomorrow! The excitement is in the air and the anticipation for this spring semester with our friends is about to make our heads burst! (or,perhaps that is just the cold...).

Tomorrow is our Kick-off event and Valentine's day party! So, the non-sick boy and I spent the morning stamping up valentines to disperse to our friends. Potluck goodies have been made and we are gathering supplies for our Valentine craft and service project! We were on such a roll that we even made some extra decorations for the house to boot!

And if hanging cut out hearts and stuffing heart shaped candy into bags isn't enough to get my head to be thinking about love, than the "Art of Marriage" conference we are attending at our church this weekend, certainly will! Our new church home, Lifepointe Christian Church is hosting a Family Life marriage conference that looks to be amazing! We are so excited to be encouraged and learn some new thoughts on a godly marriage. After 15 years of marriage (and 21 years together; yes, we began dating in high school), it's awesome to refresh your perspective God's purpose for our relationship and how we can serve our spouses best!

The other conference is on Sunday and Monday nights and that is the Answers in Genesis conference. If you have never attended one of their conferences, YOU MUST! Discover when they will be in your neck of the woods and GO! Another local church is hosting this one. Even my soon-to-be 13 year old is excited to attend!

We've got a packed weekend filled with friends, faith and fellowship.. plus, a little learning thrown in for good measure! I hope you're weekend is filled with those things and more!

Kitchen Makeover - House Crasher Style!

2012-02-08T11:42:00.000-08:00

Remember my promise to you to post pictures of my kitchen makeover with the DIY t.v. show, House Crashers? Oops! I'm a bit late, I'm afraid! We weren't able (as in legally able) to post pictures prior to the show's debut in April 2011. Then, well, I kind of just forgot! So sorry!

Here is my before, all the work in between, and after kitchen, thanks to Josh Temple and his AMAZING House Crasher crew!

These are pictures of my kitchen before. Drab. Stunted. Cut-off and completely diffcult to work in for someone who cooks from scratch most of the time. You'll notice there are no doors on any of the kitchen cabinets. Yeah, well, that was our attempt at staining. That would become a two year nightmare. In fact, I never lived in this home with cabinet doors. We took them off prior to moving in to stain and they stayed that way until the dumpster was parked in our driveway by House Crashers!

Goodbye, countertops, odd island thingy and cabinets!

Kitchen is officially gutted!

They ripped off the ceiling with the intention of making the entire ceiling flush (because the fluorescent light box mandated the ceiling be dropped to fit it) but discovered that bathroom pipes from upstairs ran through the beams. It wasn't expected and in their budget to move those pipes, so the ceiling had to go back on. The yucky fluorescent light box is gone, though!

Old sliding door is removed and the opening is widened for french doors.

I have to point out that all of these pictures, where you see a man dressed in a dark blue, long-sleeve shirt and tan/khaki pants... that's Josh Temple. I have to say he is NOT just the host! He worked so hard and was involved in every step of the way!

Chris with the jackhammer. We had to move the pipes to our sink because the sink went into a new location!
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Josh Temple having fun with the cameraman, Quentin!

French doors being prepped and the floors being cleared of all debris for the new flooring being installed on day two. We had lots of great friends that helped us over the entire weekend.

Josh having fun with Chris' mask!

The "before" pictures of my new china hutch! It was completely re-done! New paint, the scrolly things were cut out and wire was added and new knobs!

The new flooring being installed. We went from faux wood planks to real cherrywood floors. The wide planks are in keeping with the farmhouse style.

Now that the floor is in, the cabinets are being installed. The show works on a 3 day turnaround, so we had a TON of people streaming in and out of our home each day and many times, while working on one project, the next project guys were already there waiting in the background to jump in and get started! It moved FAST!

The apron sink is being fitted and the cabinets are being measured for the counter tops.

Each day, a list of work was posted and checked off as completed! It really kept us on task!

Goodbye, table!

Hello, new one!

Lots of people in the house but it made it SO MUCH FUN! They are a great group of people!

The new hood gets installed and the industrial pipes are measured out and installed for our upper "cabinets".

How it looks at the end of day two:

The apron sink is permanently installed, the subway tile backsplash is being finished while others are putting in the dishwasher.

The stove is put in and at this point and we are kicked out of the house for the next several hours while they finish the kitchen. The surprise at the end of the show is REAL! I left there with it slightly coming together and walked back into a completely finished, beautiful new kitchen! So, we took this opportunity to give our sincere thanks to each member of the crew and take a picture with them. I won't post all of them because there are A LOT but I'm so glad we got some time to personally thank each one.

And now (drum roll, please)... the finished kitchen! We absolutely love it!

The show still airs as a re-run (just aired on Feb. 6 and will again on Mar. 28). It's called "Farmhouse Kitchen", if you want to check out the whole episode! You can also watch it online too! They also did some 'tip' commercials at our house which run on DIY network throughout each day! Tips on painting, cabinets, changing out air filters... pretty fun to be watching DIY and your house and, sometimes, my husband, friend or me, is on the commercial! What a trip!

We had an amazing, exhausting, memorable three days and had so much fun with this crew! At the end of the 3rd day, Josh said some very touching, sweet things to both Chris and myself. He brought tears to my eyes. This was an AWESOME experience that we'll never forget!

Curriculum Highlights

2012-02-04T15:58:00.000-08:00

I don't have a post up of the curriculum we're using this year. I just didn't get around to it. Besides, it feels so permanent when put in a blog. What if I end up not liking it mid-year? What if I changed my mind and went with something else? What if? What if? What if? Ahh, that never ending nagger and creator of indecisiveness. This question (or some variation of it) stops me dead in my tracks more times than I'd care to cover here. So, I didn't write a curriculum post at the beginning of the school year.

With half the year over and safely tucked away, I feel confident in showing you what has worked for us and are "keepers" in our school.

For my oldest, a 7th grader this year, I opted for this program to lay a solid foundation on worldviews and logic. It is meaty, in depth and challenging.. and we love it! It references media and movies all over the place and (if you know us well) this is right up my and Chris' alley! We are big proponents of being conscious of the messages being sent with a movie and not just plop down in front of something and absorb it all without thinking it through and discarding what is truth and what doesn't align. This curriculum does that. It teaches middle schoolers to know what they believe and WHY (not just because mom and dad said to believe this). It also teaches them to apply logic to the messages bombarding them.

This wonderful curriculum is called "Lightbearers" and is created by Summit Ministries. It is a two thumbs up here!

Next up is our Grammar and Writing curriculum. It was introduced to us by a friend and we love it. We have taken our sweet time with this Level (4) because it is SO advanced and so concentrated that you can and there are only 8 levels, so what am I to do once we're done?! Eek! I've got to milk this baby! As someone who hold a degree in English, I have to say, this is the most comprehensive, organized curriculum I've seen that makes grammar and writing approachable! I can't imagine NOT using this curriculum. Ever! I wish I had been taught this way when I was in pubic school. I can't say enough great things about this curriculum! Now, don't get me wrong, the jingles are VERY corny and makes us raise an eyebrow at times BUT (and this is a big but) THEY. WORK. So, corny or not, I don't care. The boys retain the information through these jingles. So, it's a keeper in my book!

The curriculum I have referred so many friends to is Shurley English. It is EXCELLENT! Even when I purchase curriculum with built-in grammar or writing, I skip that (usually) because they usually pale in comparison of Shurley English's presentation of the material. I love, love, love this curriculum for its thoroughness and it's ability to make normally dreary topics into manageable chunks of information that is easily retained! Two thumbs up again!

I am definitely an eclectic homeschooling mama. There isn't one "style" that I'm particularly drawn to and feel the need to be 100% faithful to. I pick, what I consider to be, the best components of several styles and see what works for my kiddos. If it works, it stays. If it doesn't, it's gone and we find something else that works better. I am not compelled to stick with any one particular style because I don't think any of us fit into an exact mold or box when it comes to styles. I found this curriculum for our Bible time at a convention two years ago. It wasn't at its own booth nor was it being raved about from any one workshop. It was just quietly sitting on a shelf of a vendor with a wide-range of curriculum. I bought it and implemented it in our school. Since implementing, I'd started and stopped it, going to other curriculum suggestions friends have given me over the past year and a half but I always end up back here. We just love it.

Am I the only one who does that?! Stop something that is working because something that LOOKS better comes along?? Why do I DO that?!?! Well, I'm learning and I learned this lesson big time through this subject matter. The curriculum I have loved is called "God's Great Covenant" created by Classical Academic Press.

There are several things I don't really like about the Classical "style" of homeschoolng but, in this topic and in this season of our children's lives, THIS. WORKS. I know it works because they retain more knowledge in going through this curriculum than in any other we've tried to date. It is multi-age friendly. It is chronological. It is in-depth but in a kid-friendly in-depth kind of way. It. just. works. Why I stopped and started this curriculum a few times baffles me but I have learned my lesson. Don't throw out what is working!

It goes over Hebrew words and terms, the overarching theme of the Old Testament, and details how the OT points to our coming Savior, Jesus Christ. It is SO in-depth that it will take you two years to go through the Old Testament systematically and 1 year for the New Testament.
The Old Testament 1 book is written for a 2nd grade level but that is a surprise to me. It challenges the kids to remember many facts and is universal to several grade levels.

I will be adding another component for my oldest soon. Something for him to do on his own but this works wonderfully to lay a solid Biblical foundation.

I have to mention my love for Apologia. We have used their books since the first year we began homeschooling (4 years ago now!!). They are user-friendly, full of knowledge and LOTS of hands-on activities and makes science interesting for kids. It is also from a Biblical worldview which is a plus for me. We have thoroughly enjoyed working through the "Exploring Creation" series!

Last but not least, I must tell you about Truth in Science. I found this curriculum last summer, somewhere on the Internet and began researching it. Not much is written about it and I couldn't find any blog that was using it that could give a solid recommendation. So, I went directly to the publication company's website and began researching. Once my hesitations were answered and overcome, I ordered this curriculum for my 4th grader for this year. WE. LOVE. IT! It is systematic, thorough, methodical in presenting the two main worldviews on science (even to early elementary grades) and it encourages lots of important skills such as creating visual and oral presentations (which includes research and documentation) in addition to learning the material presented. Jake is enjoying it and I'm very impressed with this curriculum. And in case your wondering, yes, he does this AND the Apologia (we do Apologia on a MUCH slower schedule since both boys have their own grade-level science curriculum). I just couldn't give up Apologia this year!
My biggest disappointment over Truth in Science is that I didn't find it before my oldest moved into middle school. Currently, their curriculum only addresses Grades 1-6.

So, there you have it! The keepers of our school curriculum! I like others but these are the ones that I wouldn't want to do school without!

What is your "can't do without" curriculum?

Weekly Wrap-up: January 30- February 2

2012-02-04T15:00:00.000-08:00

This week started strong but by Tuesday afternoon, Jake was running a high fever and none of us were feeling it in the school department. We did manage to get our Nutrition science experiment in with Dad at the lead as well as some other learning.

Josh stayed on target, after all, he wasn't the one who was sick. He finished the week with all assignments completed and on track. It's hard to convince the oldest that HE still needs to do school work while the younger one cuddles on the couch reading, resting, and feeling yucky. I must admit, it's hard to resist the urge to join in on the cuddling and just call it a day!

No one feels like reading or trying to retain information when they have a fever and battling head congestion! So, each afternoon, Josh and I joined Jake on the couch and learned via documentaries, thanks to Netflix streaming! We learned about Mt. Everest, Denali National park in Alaska, hidden secrets of several U.S. monuments, how the states got their shapes, the lost ships of Rome, the history of cornflakes and the Kellogg brothers, and one that only Josh and I watched, "Bhutto".
(We had a whole week of sickness, folks. The poor kid still isn't over it). :)

"Bhutto" is about the rise and death of Benazir Bhutto and it was a fascinating look at the power struggle that is going on in Pakistan. This documentary is highly recommended. It was frustrating, enlightening, moving and troubling, all at the same time. It resonated with me for days and it was an excellent conversation starter with Josh regarding history and struggles of Pakistan. I do not recommend this documentary for anyone under 12. It is definitely a case by case basis of the maturity, understanding level and awareness your child displays. It is also graphic at times, showing footage after bombings or other killings occurred.

Normally, when we watch a documentary or educational movie, I have the boys fill this out.

This may look like busy work (and to some it may be) but it has one purpose - to help one of my children (who shall remain nameless) focus. You see, when the t.v. comes on, no matter what, this particular son goes into the 'zone', especially when it's 'educational'. He isn't present during the film and couldn't tell you a thing that he learned. Because I want what we do to be purposeful, he needs some guidance in this area. Thus, the 'fact finding' sheet! He is now engaged in anything we watch for school and it has become a game to him! He's listening and looking for facts and now, at the end, can discuss what he's learned about that topic. Yay!

Chris got in on the action of science experiments (I usually schedule them with him and the boys; it gets him involved in teaching and gives me a night off to do something I want to do). So, here they are experimenting with which fruits and vegetables provide the most Vitamin C. They made an indicator, used iodine and extracted juices from a lime, tomato, orange, and lemon. The filled out their hypothesis sheet and notated their procedure steps as well as the conclusion. I LOVE Apologia!

Jake finished up studying the state of Vermont for the Trail Guide to U.S. History curriculum. We began our study of Connecticut, which should end our unit on the New England states. He's moving along in our California State History curriculum too!
He mapped out the major rivers, capitol, and highest mountain in Connecticut.

This is on Monday, when he felt well! Poor kid!

Josh is learning about the Ancient History in Asia and the Middle East. So in addition to finishing up his reading of "The Children's Homer", I added "The Trojan War", as well as a library book on "Muhammed of Mecca: The Prophet of Islam" to his readings. He is almost finished with Muhammed even though we added it this week as well as "The Children's Homer".

We had a lighter week of learning this week while nursing one back to health while trying to keep it away from everyone else. Yet, learning still occurred! It's weeks like this that teach me to roll with the punches and enjoy my time with the boys!

I've linked up to the Weekly Wrap-up over at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers! Come join in on the fun!

Weekly Wrap-up: January 23-27

2012-02-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

This week was a great school week! We stayed on task (for the most part) and accomplished all that was scheduled to complete! Weeks like this feel good!

We fell behind in Jake's science over the fall but are quickly catching up... and enjoying what we're learning! He is in Step 3 of his Truth in Science curriculum. Have you heard of this curriculum? We LOVE it! It's an excellent presentation of the two opposing worldviews - Christian and Secular/Humanist and how both approach a scientific study with two very different outcomes. While they weave that in, they are also teaching science! I love that it is taught from a Biblical worldview but that also teaches from an evolutionary one - and points out the flaws in the theory. Each "step" (there are 12), requires the student to create a visual and oral presentation on a topic that is assigned at the very beginning.

Part of our hands-on activity in Step 3 is to plant some seeds and observe them growing. Luckily, I had on hand this "root viewer" that I bought awhile ago and had laying around!

We had to soak the soil disks in water overnight, first.

We planted carrot, radish, and onion seeds.

Look how tiny these radish seeds are!! Or were these the onion?? Hmm....

And now we wait...

We also resumed our Apologia Anatomy curriculum this week, after our Christmas break. We wrapped up our Nutrition lesson by discussing Vitamins and minerals.

Jake is still working on the state of Vermont. We hope to wrap that up next week and begin a new state!

Josh is working through his world history at a steady pace. He is currently reading "Children's Homer" and "The Mystery of the Roman Ransom".

Josh wrapped up his study of the world, in general, through the Trail Guide to World Geography curriculum and finished the unit with a wonderful hands-on 'old world map' project. He hand drew the map to be as accurate as possible. Colored and tore the edges and then we used some brewed tea to paint the paper, giving it that weathered, brown look.

We had a rainy day this week, which always makes me want to SLOW DOWN, cuddle up and not follow the plan! I'm happy to report I DID follow it, though, and we were finished early and was able to do a rainy day watercolor activity! So much fun! (Sorry they are sideways. I entered them correctly but blogger is turning them. Weird).
Jake's rainy day watercolor picture

Here's Josh's watercolor picture. He discovered he didn't like working with watercolors on this one and I discovered how much he NEEDS to work with this medium! It's his perfectionistic tendencies that got in the way and I need to address those.

My watercolor picture

We got this idea from a lovely little book put out by Usborne Books called "50 Rainy Day Activities".

The weather cleared up by Friday to meet a bunch of our co-op friends at the park for several hours of fun, sunshine and laughter! I love my co-op friends!

All in all, a good week. Fun week. A week filled with getting to know my sons better and looking for creative ways to teach them, build our relationship and grow as a family!

Carpe Diem, Mom! A response to Glennon Melton's post, "Don't Carpe Diem"

2012-01-20T23:17:00.001-08:00

Perhaps you've seen the blog post that has been circulating around Facebook and email lists, being hailed as truth and wisdom. This one, suggesting old ladies in grocery stores, let alone ANYONE, shouldn't "Carpe Diem" moms.

After reading the post, I walked away from it more disturbed than encouraged. The writer seems to be misinterpreting the intentions of older mamas and inaccurately defined the term "Carpe Diem".

You see, when an older mom takes the time to remind me to cherish my children's growing up years, I hear them. I even get a little misty-eyed. Do I feel a twinge of guilt? Sure, but that's not the old ladies' fault nor is that their intention. That guilt comes from knowing better but not doing better. Sometimes my temper gets the better of me but Carpe Diem to me. That is the perfect time to take up this Latin advice! Because in the big scheme of things, what I'm mad about makes no difference. What perturbs, annoys me or downright drains me in my role as parent, is not going to make one difference 10, 20 years from now. However, how I RESPOND to them in those frustrating moments, makes a lifetime difference for them. THAT is what they remember. When an older mom takes the time to speak these wise words to me, it's not in an effort to tell me I'm doing it wrong, to heap hot coals of guilt on my head, or to criticize my parenting (or lack thereof) in the moment. This much is obvious in their nostalgic look that sweeps across their eyes. In watching my children, good or bad behavior, they are transported back to the years when their children were tender; when their children were under the same roof and a part of their daily life.

The definition of Carpe Diem is not to be happy,ecstatic and bubbly all the time, as the author mislead her readership. That's not what that famous Latin term is about at all. According to Merriam-Webster, it means "the enjoyment of the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future". In Latin, it means, quite literally, "pluck the day" or "Seize the day", as Robin Williams taught a whole generation of youth. Not be crazy happy every moment, of every day as she would claim. Hardly. It is the active seeking, the purposeful choosing to take pleasure in the moment WITHOUT being burdened with future plans. It is embracing the glimmers of joy, no matter how small or spaced out, in the moments. To Carpe Diem is a choice. It is a mind-set. It is a choosing to look for and embrace the moments of joy. It is also the reminder to not get so ahead of yourself with the future that you can't BE in the present moment and glean enjoyment from it.

Little old ladies aren't lining up to beat young mamas over the head by the ever so brief flashback of their child's younger years. Do they have a clear memory of the harried, HARD days of motherhood? You betcha they do! However, this author seems to think their memory became a little cloudy with age. I wholeheartedly disagree. They remember the time their children locked them out of the car on the side of the road. They remember their son wiping poo out of their diaper in an attempt to be a little Picasso on their bedroom wall. They remember the sassy attitude their daughter began to display at the tender age of 8 (and didn't let go of until the overdue age of 28). They distinctly remember after the 150th time of telling their child to take their hand out of the door jamb, and then consequently rushing them to the hospital with an almost severed finger. They remember the illnesses, sleepless nights, tantrums, mischief, down-right defiant moments, the ill-behaved child in the store and the myriad of "fail" moments in parenthood. How could you NOT remember these moments, so intricately woven into your life as a parent?? I don't doubt for a minute nor do I short-change the mothers who have gone before me in their ability to remember or the wisdom that they've gathered in their time in the trenches, so to speak.

Oh no, these sweet, older mamas' message of Carpe Diem "is right" and it is "good". The author acknowledges THAT much (she just goes on to contradict herself from there). She misses the point ENTIRELY. These mamas are whispering Carpe Diem to young moms in grocery stores because THAT is the lesson they learned through all the hard years of parenting. Carpe Diem. To not sweat the small stuff. To not get so focused on today, tonight or tomorrow that it has robbed you of the ability to seek out the enjoyment of the NOW. These older moms aren't negating how difficult parenting is or that we have crappy days. No way. They are passing on a gem of wisdom to us young moms; a piece of wisdom they wish THEY hadn't turned their nose up at when sweet old ladies approached THEM in grocery stores. They are telling us - earnestly wishing to penetrate our thick skulls - to NOT long for bedtime; NOT long to just "make it through the day", to NOT focus on plans for today, tomorrow or next year; to NOT long to drop them off at school or daycare for 8 hours a day. They want us to seek out the joy in TODAY. Not tomorrow. Not next year. These sweet old mamas want us to CHOOSE to seek out the moment and seek out glimmers of joy - even on the hard days, ESPECIALLY the hard days. They aren't delusional moms wandering the grocery aisles just waiting to make a frazzled mom feel bad. They are wishing for us what they wish they had done for themselves.

The author seems to have a disconnect with the term Carpe Diem and the intentions of older moms. The last half of her article she discusses the two types of time - Chronos and Kairos. Um, hello? Can we say Carpe Diem??? Carpe Diem IS Kairos. Yet, Carpe Diem is MORE than Kairos. It is both Chronos AND Kairos. Carpe Diem urges us to be an active participant in our DAILY life, not just to sit around and wait for a Kairos moment to hit us over the head. It is our job to make our Chronos moments (which, by the way, is our daily life, without concern for the future) Kairo moments, as much as possible. THAT is what the term Carpe Diem IS, people! Make your Chronos moments, Kairos moments!

But more so, having more Kairo moments than just, you know, regular 'ol every day Chronos moments (which, again, makes up most of our life) is all about a mind set. It is a choice. You can CHOOSE to see the beauty in a moment as desperate as you may be reaching for it on those tough days, but it is still up to you. If we only see things as hard, difficult, stressful and negative, then, yes, they are. All of those things. For that is the filter by which we CHOOSE to see our life as a mom. Or we can Carpe Diem our days. We can actively pursue the joy of the moment without being caught up in our future plans. We can choose to see more of our Chronos moments as Kairo moments. Carpe Diem is lifting up the idea that our Chronos moments ARE Kairos moments. Or they can be, if we let them. It is up to you to glean the nuggets of joy from them.

The thought that these women are abusively standing on the sidelines yelling 'COME ON! AREN'T YOU ENJOYING YOURSELF?!?! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU??' - as the author of the post has suggested - is absurd and extreme. Far from waiting on Mt. Everest to beat down the people climbing it, these moms, that have been in the trenches MUCH longer and have learned a thing or two, are cheering us on in the most positive, supportive way. "Let go of your to-do list, Honey. Don't let yourself long for bedtime or school hours, to be rid of your children. Don't rob yourself of the joy that is yours to be found -if you would only look - in each of your days with your kids". That. That is what I hear them say when a grandmother or older woman looks lovingly at my kids and reminds me to "Enjoy this time because it goes so fast."

The Bible tells us to be mentored by the older wives and moms so we know how to take care of our families, yet, if we develop the attitude the author has, we risk missing all the wisdom the generations before us have learned. We are to have teachable hearts on what these veteran moms can teach us. This author would rather stew in the self-pity of how hard parenting is and harshly criticize the intent of these older moms.

The author had a hope for how she wants to approach a mom when she's old and gray - "Carry on, soldier. Only 6 hours until bedtime", among other things. This poor mom is clearly confused on what the term "Carpe Diem" means, let alone, the point of the wisdom to enjoy your time with your kids. I'm sorry but counting down the hours (or minutes)until bedtime is hardly having Kairos eyes to grab those moments of "God's time". Her eyes are too focused on the clock to see the moments of Kairos. These older mamas KNOW that moms get tunnel vision. We get too caught up in the chores, the to-do lists, the demands, the plate juggling, the plans of today, tomorrow or next year. They know this how?? Because these sweet older women, who miss the days of raising a family, WERE THERE ONCE. I hope I pass on the solid truth that as moms we get too caught up in the to-dos, the chores, the crazy behavior, the plans for tomorrow or next week or next year.

I don't want to settle for "a couple of Kairoses a day for me" like the author of that post. No way. And that is PRECISELY what these older women are saying too - "Don't settle. Change your focus." A couple of Kairos moments is NOT good enough for me. Perhaps I am swimming against the masses but I want more.

As for me, I will gladly welcome a sweet, older mama caring enough to remind me to Carpe Diem my day, especially when my kids are behaving at their worst. It is a lovely reminder to look for the beauty in my children and in my days spent with them. It is them saying to me, "yep, parenting is hard work but don't get caught up in that part. Look for the moments to grab joy in your Chronos time, for in that mindset, you will find more than one or two Kairos moments a day. You'll find a multitude of Kairos moments - of CARPE DIEM moments - if only you change your focus." That. That is the message I want to share when I'm old and gray. I hope you do too.

I leave you with two inspiring thoughts on Carpe Diem: 1) this simple reminder from a cartoon my kids enjoy and 2) The movie that made the term, "Carpe Diem" popular.

It's all about attitude! In the words of Phineas and Ferb, "grab those opportunities every day" to Carpe Diem with your kids!

Lyrics:
Well we hope you all enjoyed the show
Hope it was not anticlimactic
Now there's something we want you to know
And we don't want to sound didactic

But if there's one thing we can say
I know it sounds a bit cliché
There's no such thing
As just an ordinary day

And you don't have to build a roller coaster
Just find your own way to make the most of
These days of summer

You can dance to the beat of a different drummer
Just grab those opportunities when you see 'em
'Cause every day's a brand new day, you gotta Carpe Diem

And you don't have to build a roller coaster
Just find your own way to make the most of
Every minute

No more waiting for the right time, you're in it
Just grab those opportunities when you see 'em
'Cause every day's a brand new day, baby, carpe diem

Dead Poet's Society - Robin Williams. Enjoy!

Weekly Wrap-up: January 16-20

2012-01-20T21:44:00.000-08:00

Second week back at school and I'm still tweaking our schedule. I tend to try to pack our days too full with learning and that, quite honestly, kills the joy of learning. It's still a process for me to hit that sweet spot - creativity, just enough book work to balance out hands on activity.. ugh. I hope one day I'll get there!

So, having said all that... we started our week with a break from school as Monday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day! We had Chris home with us which was a special treat! I got to work on my own homework assignment: art for our newly painted bedroom.

Here it is (sorry! I didn't take pictures of each step to show how I made it. That's probably better, though, because in getting the paint chips on the board, I was THIS close (pinching two fingers together) to throwing the whole thing away!).

Here the last coat of Modge Podge is drying. It already has two coats on it and Dark Walnut stain spread over and wiped off of it. The stain gives it the vintage, old look to it.

Here is the finished product (just needing the hanging material on the back). Can you believe it?!? Here is my $5 art project!!! Made from PAINT CHIPS! I love it! Had you asked me when I started gluing on the squares (spray adhesive, mind you), I would have told you all that I can't stand about it (crooked squares, a line left over from painter's tape that the stain picked up, etc.). Luckily, I took a few deep breaths, talked myself into continuing on and I'm so glad I did! Of course, I picked spray adhesive off of my hands for DAYS! (think: Chevy Chase in Christmas vacation and having tree sap on his hands - yep! That was me!).

My other "homework" project was to re-do our family picture wall. As you can see, I still need to add a couple of pictures to some frames but I think it's done!

The metal words "Lord Bless This House" was a Christmas present that I added to the display along with a letter "J". My dear hubby cut the wood for me to create the "The Joyce Family" signage (got my family info. vinyl from ). I painted the wood black, then white and then distressed it with sand paper. Monday was a productive day for me!

The boys enjoyed documenting this icicle they found coming out of our porch awning gutter. Icicles are RARE in Sacramento, so this was a big deal to the boys!

This is a BIG deal!

Speaking of recording weather and nature, both boys got this book for Christmas and we LOVE it!! I kind of wish I had gotten one for me too! Luckily for us, the weather in Sacramento this week has been different than what we are used to. We've had SUPER cold (to us, anyway) days this week and then a windy, rainy day today. This gave the boys lots to record in this handy book. They have recorded their daily observations of our weather and nature outside as they become Naturalists.

LOVE. THIS. WORKBOOK! It is a MUST for any kiddo even remotely interested in nature or the outdoors!

Jake started reading "The Ballad of Lucy Whipple" as part of his California History curriculum I've selected for him. I happened to find a great workbook for this book through Moving Beyond The Page I am really enjoying this company's creative approach to learning (so is Jake). This week, we were scheduled to make a mock apple pie as the gold rush miners were apt to do. But this mama didn't make the pie crust and forgot to pick some up at the store. So, we'll post pictures of that next week!

We memorized the Classification system order and the importance of it in Science, worked further on math facts and memorized the first 17 books of the Bible (thanks to Jake's Sunday school teacher who gives homework! We were impressed with that!).

Jake, cutting out a picture of the state bird of Vermont, the Hermit Thrush. He moved on to the state of Vermont this week. We'll finish that up next week.

Josh wrapped up his lesson on the world and moved to his first continent - North America - in The Trail Guide to World Geography.

We also are working on a virtue each week (from the We Choose Virtue curriculum. See link in sidebar). Last week and this week, we focused on Diligent. "I am Diligent. I start fast, work hard and finish strong." This has been so helpful in reminding us all of the character God wants each of us to have!

We wrapped up our week with spending Friday with our wonderful co-op friends! The rain couldn't dampen our fun! We went bowling and then hit up a local pizza parlor! It was awesome to see our friends that we've missed terribly over our co-op break!

I hope your week was productive and filled with joy!

I've joined up with the weekly wrap-up at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers -

Weekly Wrap-up: January 9-13

2012-01-20T21:06:00.000-08:00

I'm, well, a week late on my weekly wrap-up of our school but better late than never, right??
This was our first week back to school since Thanksgiving break. I figure the local school district does a 6 week break, why can't I?? Yes, for those wondering, we plan on doing school through some of June, although, if I was solely going based on the required number of school days California requires, we are fast approaching that number.
So, I had planned on easing back into school last week, but, as usual, I jumped with both feet in. I was so excited about the topics we were learning and getting back into our school routine that I threw the 'easing in' idea out the window! I'm not sure the boys shared my enthusiasm entirely, although, I think they welcomed having a strong structure to their days again.

Despite my pictures (or lackthereof), we DID do more than geography last week! Ah, well, blame on the excitement of getting back into learning!

Jake jumped into learning about New Hampshire. Have I mentioned how much I love, LOVE, LOVE Trail Guide to Geography?!?

Working hard on finding the facts on New Hampshire.

I got this Wallie U.S. map over break at Amazon and each state we begin, Jake gets to add it to the map! It's good practice for finding where it is on the map!

...and look! He even matches the map! What a cutie!

Josh is working through The Trail Guide to World Geography. It is teaching him to thoroughly navigate maps and atlas while familiarizing him with where countries are located around the world. Right now, he is still doing an overview of the world and getting the basic concepts of the various types of atlas'.

In addition to Geography, Math is another daily subject around here. Jake is working hard on his multiplication facts. Memorize, memorize, memorize. That's all I can say on that!

Looking over my pictures from last week, I only took them of geography each day! So strange! I must have been busy teaching the rest of the day, each day! Go figure! hee,hee... ;)

We did our fair share of history, science, reading and english/grammar. To top off our week, we had a field trip on Friday. We saw the play, "The Giver" at B. St. theatre. Josh had read the book in the fall, in anticipation of attending this play. He was disappointed in the play and how they told the story. He enjoyed the book much more. I have not read the book but after watching the play, I now have added "The Giver" to my reading list.

We had a great week back to school! I hope you did too!

Book Review: With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God by Skye Jethani

2012-01-12T09:43:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to review the recent book written by Skye Jethani, With:Reimagining the way you relate to God. To get to the point, I enjoyed this book, overall, I found a few theological mentions troubling. I truly enjoyed his perspective on how one approaches God. I had never truly examined that for myself and this book made me think. The author's premise is that there are five main approaches to God that humans have created - 1) Life over God; 2) Life under God; 3) Life from God; 4) Life over God; and 5) Life with God. Of course, when introduced to these concepts, the reader would like to assume they fit into what the author deems the best, Life with God, but one quickly realizes that is not always the case.

This book really examines and gives a new perspective on how we "do" life with God and how, in our heart of hearts, we see Him. Do we see him as someone who bargains with us? Or as a removed, task-master? Or saying that we need and live for Him with our mouth but not truly believing it in our hearts? Jethani even gets into areas that border on worshipping the Bible instead of God as well as replacing Jesus with a set of principles that seems to be a popular trend right now.

I was moved by Jethani's fresh approach to how we approach God but was troubled by some statements mid-way through. Jethani is quick to point out that the Bible is either completely true in its entirety or it's not. There is no picking and choosing which sections of the Bible compliment your beliefs and life. However, he then contradicts himself by throwing in the idea of an "Old Earth" view point. I have an issue with this because, as he so rightly pointed out, either the Bible is true and accurate entirely or it isn't... so, if God says He made the earth in a certain amount of time or in a certain way, then we, His creation, must accept it as He stated it. Or not, but then Jethani contradicts his thought that we must accept the Bible's accuracy as a whole.

The first part of the book and Jethani's viewpoint on how we approach God is insightful and, at times, convicting, however, he lost me with the second half of the book, both in theory and in redundancy.

I received this e-book for review from BookSneeze.com and was not compensated in any way for a pre-determined review.

Weekly Highlights

2011-11-12T21:44:00.000-08:00

Our week started off with us getting back to our old schedule... only to find that I don't really like our old schedule. It's un-motivating. It's overly ambitious. It's a task master and it's crampin' our school time! So, back to the drawing board to tweak our routine and schedule!

Both boys started their new geography curriculum this week and it was a hit, especially for Jake! Jake is working through the Trail Guide to U.S. Geography" curriculum. He LOVES it! We put together his Geography notebook and got to work.

The first region we are working through is the New England region. So, we jumped right in learning about the state of Maine this week!

Did you know that Maine is where chewing gum and chalkboards come from?? (We didn't either).

In his notebook, Jake has to record the typical information such as state capitol, state bird, insect and flower (Maine's is the Chickadee, Honeybee, and Pine cone with tassel - in that order). He also recorded information about the prominent industries, climate, highest point, national monuments and parks and other fun information. Jake created his own maps, complete with having to mark where the capitol (Augusta), major rivers, national parks and the Appalachian trail are located. Pretty fun stuff! We LOVE Trail Guide to Geography!

I added Highlight's Which Way USA puzzle book and map of Maine to this lesson! It was the icing on the cake and helped reinforce what we were learning through fun puzzles, word searches and other games! This is a monthly subscription we've gotten for the past year or so and I've been waiting for the perfect time to use them! I think I've found it!

Josh worked through his World History books and is reading a historical novel - "Theras and His Town".

Josh is working through the "Trail Guide to World Geography" curriculum to coincide with World History this year. History and Geography go together like Yin and Yang; Laurel and Hardy; pancakes and syrup; peanut butter and chocolate... like... ok, you get the idea. An amazing history professor drove home the point that one must have a working knowledge of geography to fully understand history.. and I have to say, I agree!
I would have pictures but my 12 year old ducked and dodged most of my picture taking. Ah, boys! Ah, pre-teen boys! I'm thankful for the ones I got for this post! The first two weeks of the curriculum have him creating a notebook, mapping out the continents, oceans, reviewing latitude and longitude and giving a nice overview of the world, in general, prior to delving into specific countries. I'm sure I'll have more pictures to post on this awesome curriculum as we get deeper into it. Said pictures may or may not include my 12 year old. :)
This week also brought us a fun Field trip day to the Crocker Art Museum! They hold monthly homeschool days and this one happened to have a performance to go with it! The 'theme' for this month was Baroque Art and being that this genre of art began in Florence, Italy and started a renaissance in the arts there, it seemed fitting to have the Sacramento Opera come and perform and teach about the history of Opera. Very cool presentation!

Someone may be a smidge done with the picture taking...

Old Crocker museum that belonged to the Crocker family and was used as their home in the 1800s (even has a bowling alley and skating rink down in the basement!).

Old museum attaches to the new museum - pretty cool!

We found ourselves out and about a lot more than usual this week but we still kept up with our math, Shurley English assignments, Anatomy, Piano practice and Bible.

Whoa! Might want to slow down on the pretzel sticks!

I was excited to get in the mail our new Bible study curriculum this week. I'll have to post details next week. I liked what we were using but a friend recommended this, so I borrowed the manual and ordered the posters and workbooks. Our other curriculum, God's Great Covenant, is great! I really love how it thoroughly and chronologically walks us through the Bible, so I'm using that still, in addition to this new one, just at a slower pace.

All in all, a great week in school! Those were our highlights, what were yours?

Thankful Thursdays Link-up: Thankful for the lessons...

2011-11-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

I'm linking up to Three Thinking Mothers today for Thankful Thursdays!

Thankfulness isn't something that comes easily to the human heart. It is difficult to seek out what we can be thankful for in a situation when you're in the middle of it. Yet, God wants us to be thankful "always". Not just for a season or when things are going well. No, we are to give thanks in the middle of pain, in the trauma, in the exhaustion. He calls us to give thanks during the strife, the frustration, the tears and the loss. He calls us to thanksgiving... no matter what.

This year has been a year of painful lessons God is taking me through in succession. They haven't been fun. They haven't been pleasant. Many of the situations left me hurt and angry and opened the door for the roots of bitterness and resentment to grow. God had to grab me and shake me a bit to embrace the truth that I so often quote to others but wasn't applying to my life. "God is in control". That very saying that I so often reminded others of, I myself was not living out. It didn't feel as though God were in control. In fact, it felt out of control.

So, on this day, I am thankful. Thankful for the lessons. Whispers of thanks fall from my lips and heart as God revealed truth and gave love so freely to me. Tears of gratitude well up when I think of that day. To have encountered God in a tangible way, asking me to give Him the hurt and frustration. Asking me to rest and let go. My heart sings with thankfulness when I remember that day He freed me from my own prison. He rescued me from myself. He showed me that it is not about others' actions but about my own heart. He unchained my shackles of anger and frustration and hurt and led me down the path of peace and leaning on Him. For that, I. AM. THANKFUL.

REVIEW: Create a Story board game

2011-11-01T17:21:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Sacramento had a pretty rainy day sandwiched between some warm weather in October. The boys and I decided to scrap our regularly scheduled school day to embark on a "Game Day". Who says learning has to come in the form of textbooks and worksheets??

Among the math, earth science, anatomy, and history games we played that day, we discovered a little gem that had been sitting in our closet for far too long. This board game is called "Create a Story; The Creative Writing Game". We had not played it up to this point, sadly.

(Forgive the pictures. They are not the best quality. Remember, it was a dark and stormy day).

Setting up the board is a cinch! The board is the medium in which each person's story is structured. It is through random chance of drawing cards which determine the Setting, Description, Characters, Resolution and even the topic sentence of your story. With plenty of cards to choose, based on the roll of the die, the variety of story lines are endless!

Once you and the other players have moved through the board and arrived at the end, the real fun begins! Everyone flips over the cards they have and fills out this Outline sheet with the information on the cards. This is where the deeper thinking skills kick in as each player must choose the cards that would make the most coherent story. Notice I said 'coherent'. This does not exclude goofy, ridiculous, outlandish and off the wall!

From this completed Outline sheet, everyone then begins to write their creative writing story on a piece of binder paper. As a way to help guide them, there is a scoring grid that lets them know where they can earn points.

(sorry, I can't get the picture to turn despite trying several times)

Once everyone was finished, we each read our story out loud and critiqued it based on this scoring pad.

Create a Story board game is a lot of fun, even for "non-writers", which I would classify at least one of my two boys. At first he was uncomfortable and slightly overwhelmed but by the time it came to writing out his story, and he saw that all the components of his story were ready and waiting to be written down, he loosened up and had fun!
The game doesn't dictate the story to you, instead it helps facilitate the player in writing the details and developing a story based on the various cards you draw.

This game really tapped into our imaginations, taught proper structure for writing a story and did so in a fun, non-intimidating way! Both of my boys walked away from this game feeling more confident in their writing abilities.

The one drawback is the PRICE! Yikes! It sells for around $45-$50 but looking around that is a typical price nowadays for a board game. If you can splurge and get this item for your schooling, I would recommend doing so!

*I was not paid or even given this game for free in return for my honest review. I just decided to review it. ;)

8 ways to deal with a chronically ill friend...

2011-10-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

One of the surprising elements to come out of my recent Lupus flare is people's response to my health. Friends and acquaintances have shared their thoughts and, interestingly enough, their expectations on how my flare would play out. Many people shared that they have been surprised at how long I have been sick (some even casting suspicion on if that is even possible). I've had a few friends genuinely share that they thought I would be feeling better and back to my old self within a few weeks, a month at the most. Others have expressed frustration in how long and frequently I was ill. Still others were sympathetic but had no idea how to help or what was needed. It has been touching to see a friend's genuine love and care in a crisis.

While each chronic illness has it's own unique conditions and I can only speak based on my experience, I thought I would put together a list of how to respond to a chronically ill friend.

**Disclaimer: Please do not hear me say that a flare or chronic illness is an excuse for poor behavior, complaining, whining, or the platform to garner attention and sympathy. It shouldn't be used as an excuse for any of those behaviors. I hope this list provides some helpful insight into interacting with a person with a chronic illness.

So, here we go!

1) Pray. Pray for your friend. God hears 'em and can work out the health issue according to His will. Never underestimate the power of prayer.

2) Extend flexibility. Even if you don't understand how a specific chronic illness works, be flexible in what your friend or family member can do. Believe me, those experiencing a chronic illness do not want to 'flake' at the last minute on a planned event or commitment. Nor do they want to 'check out' of their normal activities. They don't want to miss out on the fun yet there are seasons when the illness and health takes priority. In my case, a Lupus flare is the time when the disease is in hyper-drive, causing internal (sometimes permanent) damage. If I don't slow down and yield to the disease, I can exasperate it, making the damage done worse. Often, a chronic illness requires day by day living as how I feel today doesn't predict how I'll feel tomorrow.

3) Offer encouragement. Battling a chronic illness is exhausting,frustrating and typically sends one into depression. The chronically ill person has to hand over reins to their life, at times, to the disease, and that is no fun. Be an encourager. Let the person know sunny days are just around the corner and the dark clouds will dissipate with proper rest and care.

4) Ask questions. I, for one, am open about my disease. It is not my identity, it is not something I want to focus on, especially when I'm feeling well but I am happy to answer questions. If you're unsure, please ask. I have been so surprised by how many assumed my flare would last as though it were just a common cold. The truth is flares are unpredictable and devastating. According to www.webmd.com, "Flares and remissions can occur abruptly, unexpectedly, and without clear cause. There is no way to predict when a flare will happen, how bad it will be, or how long it will last. When you have a lupus flare, you may have new symptoms in addition to those you have had in the past." I was surprised to experience frustration from someone who assumed I would be all better in a couple of weeks. Ask questions to prevent wrong assumptions and misunderstandings.

5) Lend a helping hand. Chronically ill patients have one thing in common - severe fatigue. Regardless of the disease, extreme fatigue is the common link. The body is extending all of its energy to fighting off the illness, leaving the body depleted of energy unable to do what we'd consider 'normal' acts. At one point over the summer I couldn't walk from the kitchen to the living room without being out of breath and needing to lay down. I'll be honest here - this bugs me and tweaks anger in me. I know it's silly but it's embarrassing that I couldn't walk across the room without having to sit down. I don't want to feel incapable or weak. I don't want to be seen as that way either (yeah, I know... pride issues). I want to do normal stuff. Cook dinner for my family. Walk to the park and play with my kids. Take a bike ride. Do laundry (don't WANT to do it but need to). Clean my house. Go on a walk. Try new adventures without having to consider pain level and how and when my joints will lock and stop working. Yet, when I'm in a flare, it is difficult to do these things. It is difficult to get out of bed. Literally. Putting aside the severe, heavy, debilitating fatigue that presses on the body like a boulder, most mornings my joints didn't get the memo that I want to move. Walking is something people take for granted. This combo - fatigue, pain and pride - make it difficult to ask for help. Go ahead and offer it. It is truly appreciated in a great time of need.

6) (Ok, this is going to get blunt here but..) Don't dismiss the knowledge. Yeah, I had to go here. I know people mean well but don't dismiss or second guess the one who suffers with a chronic illness. I know the intentions are good and, embarrassingly enough, I've done it too. But consider this... the person living with the illness is not only living it first hand but has most likely done a lot of reading on the subject (not to mention had lots and lots of doctor appointments). For me, Lupus (and the other auto-immune diseases I have because of it) is what it is. It looks different for different people. I know your aunt's cousin's niece only had one flare her entire life and to that I say your aunt's cousin's niece is lucky... and may not have Lupus (key word - MAY). While you may know someone with similar disease or circumstance doesn't make it so for all. To imply that only makes the person feel worse as though they are freaks.. or worse, hypochondriacs. What I know about Lupus comes from what I've experienced with Lupus. Everyone has different rates at which the disease presents itself and to what extent. The most consistent thing about Lupus (and all chronic illnesses, I imagine) is that it is entirely inconsistent. Allow the person to express their unique experience with the illness without dismissing it.

7) Respect boundaries. Understand that your friend or family member, if they know what's good for their health, will need to put boundaries in place. Perhaps it is avoiding certain foods or cutting back on activities once enjoyed by you both. You may not see as much of your friend during seasons when the illness is active. Please don't take this personally. It is not a reflection of the value of friendship or activity. It is, simply, a necessary step to take to regain optimum health. Sure, you may be able to eat what you want without consequence, require only 5 hours of sleep each night, and be active with groups and activities every night of the week but understand these things may not be possible for one with a chronic illness. Also, in order for health to continue to improve and avoid going back in a flare, boundaries most likely need to stay in place to maintain good health after the crisis has gone away. As of right now, I'm not completely out of my flare. Don't get me wrong, I feel immensely better BUT I am still battling fevers, fatigue and pain. I'm not totally out of the woods yet and the boundaries I've created in my life (and even went lax on the past few weeks) need to stay in place to regain my health. Unfortunately, that means I may not be able to volunteer in the same groups, activities or participate in all opportunities that come my way.

8) Recognize that your friend is still your same, 'ol friend deep down inside. Know that your friend is still your friend and diminished health doesn't change that. For me, I had little social interaction this summer, as a way to get more rest and turn my health around. It was a necessary step in order to regain my health and prevent permanent organ damage. When in a flare, anything and everything makes a flare worse. Know that your friendship is strong enough to weather a temporary health setback. Love each other and embrace each other..regardless of circumstances.

Let's face it. It's hard and even awkward to be around a chronically ill person. It's hard to relate or understand, especially if you've been blessed with good health. Trust me when I say that I wish I didn't have this. I hate the inconsistency it brings in my life.. not to mention the pain and diminished health. Some seasons of my life, I'm full of energy and ready to conquer the world and in others, I'm lucky to make it down the stairs. I hope that as my friend, you can rejoice with me in times of good health in my life and mourn with me in times of poor health.. as I hope to extend to you. Journeying down the road of chronic illness with supportive friends makes such a difference!

hello? Remember me?? and my summer journey...

2011-10-09T15:34:00.000-07:00

Man, it's been awhile! Sorry about that! When I took the summer "off", I REALLY checked out! The time off to heal was a blessing and a great help. It helped physically, spiritually and emotionally. We chose activities outside (and inside) the home carefully and found ourselves with more free time and at home more often. But even with more intentional resting and little responsibility, my body was not responding. I was worried. The level of pain wasn't diminishing. In fact, it was growing worse. This was not how I wanted to start our new school year or another co-op year. I knew drastic times called for drastic measures and with the news of my husband's worsening heart condition, we changed our diet. Drastically. I am and have always been convinced in the direct link between the food we eat and the health we display. I have experienced first-hand health improvements when I eat real, fresh food. Specifically, fruits and vegetables.

So, we embarked on a 2 week homemade smoothie diet. Chris and I drank our 3 meals a day and each smoothie contained 5-10 servings of fruit and veggies. In using Nutrition therapy, Chris' heart symptoms diminished and was able to stop taking his newly acquired blood pressure medicine. I saw an immediate disappearance of the joint pain that had me taking WAY too much motrin and in tears each day. We both gained a wonderful amount of energy. We felt alive and healthy! At the end of the two weeks, it was hard to believe that my body had been fighting with a Lupus flare for 9 months! It was amazing to experience what 'good health' feels like for the first time in years!

Well, we slowly allowed food (you know, the kind you chew) back into our diet and became less discriminating on what we ate. BIG. MISTAKE. Our symptoms have slowly been coming back - one at a time - with each passing week. So, tomorrow we embark on round 2 of our green smoothie detox in the hopes of diminishing or even curing chronic illness, feeling healthy and GREAT again, and re-training our taste buds to be discriminating to God-made food!

Have you tried making green smoothies? If so, what is your favorite recipe? If not, why not? :)

I am the face of Lupus...

2011-05-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

and you can't really tell, can you? That's because there are rarely outward signs of Lupus, and many other auto-immune diseases. It is a disease that lurks within attacking all those areas in my body it so chooses. Normally, the body creates antibodies when a threat appears to the body. With auto-immune diseases, the body creates Anti-Nuclear Antibodies (ANA) that attacks the GOOD antibodies AND anything else that is helpful (organs, blood, bones, vitamins, nutrients, babies... yeah, all that good stuff).

There is no cure and not a promising future. Lupus, as with many auto-immune diseases, shortens one's life. The dangling thread of hope is that the disease goes into remission. For a long time. Unfortunately, remission isn't a formulaic procedure. if I follow these steps and this treatment, then it gets under control. I wish it were so simple. In fact, remission is so dependent on a variety of possibilities and, even then, a patient could be doing everything right; have all pieces of the puzzle in place and the disease still roar out of control.

So, I'm in a flare. Trust me, it's not as exotic as it seems. In fact, it's frustrating, painful, inconvenient, exhausting and dangerous. Not necessarily in that order. A flare means the disease is not only actively destroying parts of my body but is overactive; so it's in hyper drive. This is dangerous because it can cause the same damage (or even death) at a faster rate than it is normally doing damage to organs. And I'm not just talking AN organ. It's got the entire buffet to choose from - kidneys, liver, skin, brain, heart, lungs, pancreas, connective tissue, muscles, skeletal system, etc. My body is in such a hyper active mode right now that the onset of my period (sorry for going there) puts my immune system into attack mode - with fever, body chills, etc. So bizarre!

I am concerned about the damage that could be occurring but no one can stop. I am concerned that when it's waging its war against my body, what permanent damage will I be left with. Yet, this.. this is the most troublesome component of having Lupus: how it effects our home life.

When the Lupus is active, it changes how I am as a wife and mom. I cannot do the same things I can when I'm not under attack. I do not have the same energy, attention or quality of care as I do when Lupus is in its cage. I am not me when it flares... and I can't STAND that! To see the quality of my home life, the interactions with my husband and children suffer at the hands of this dumb disease, truly breaks my heart because since I was in Kindergarten, all I've ever wanted to do was be a stay at home wife and mom ( I had a few other dreams here and there but this was my heart's desire). It makes me so sad to not be able to do the normal, everyday things I should/could/would do if I didn't have this limitation!

However, despite my frustration, I know I'm held in the palm of my Creator's hand. The Bible is very clear that we have bodies that are imperfect and will deteriorate and fade away. I actually discovered a blessing in my last flare-up some years ago. Instead of seeing it as the enemy (which is sometimes hard NOT to do), Lupus, or any disease, can be God's way of prompting us to change the pace of our life. It can be a friend who is forcing us to take it easy. It can be a wonderful way to remind us to slow down and spend more time taking care of ourselves and our loved ones. It is a wonderful way of creating healthy boundaries in one's life. I know that He is in control, not the Lupus. My temporary panic of learning I'm in a flare is being overcome with the reality to rest easy in His arms and listen to the promptings to let go and let God, once again.

Let go and Let God...

2011-05-18T07:55:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since my last post but you can see from it that I love to plan! I love planning events, routines, schedules, shopping trips, vacations, home school schedules... it's endless, really, all the things I can plan!

This week, Good Morning Girls kicked off their summer reading program which gets women all of the world into God's word daily. Next week we also begin reading through the WONDERFUL book, "Ministry of Motherhood" by Sally Clarkson. Why do I tell you this? Well, it's not too late to jump in and join us, for starters! There is still room for you so head on over to Good Morning Girls and join an accountability group and meet some wonderful women! I have and am enjoying getting to know these women better as we journey this road together.

My other reason for bringing this up is to share with you what God has shared with me today. With my propensity to plan, it's easy to get ahead of God. It's easy to have my week, month, year all planned out. Logically, I KNOW that my plans won't all come to be, yet, I gain comfort from planning it anyway. Strange, huh? A good clue as to where I place my trust and faith - not His plans but my own. Ugh.

In Matthew 6:33 we read, "and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the kingdom of God your primary concern." This is a powerful IF/THEN statement that spoke to me this morning. My focus needs to be wholeheartedly, first and foremost, on Him and His ways. Yet, that is difficult when my mind is wandering to next week's dinner with friends or the camping trip in a month or what my kids will learn next school year. While those things aren't "bad" to focus on and plan out, they occupy too much of my focus in the day to day that I run the risk of MISSING today because I'm not HERE!

Now, this seems like such a simple "DUH, Sheri" moment. Perhaps this isn't a struggle for you but, boy, did I need to be reminded of this! My faith and trust shouldn't lie in MY plans but in the One that holds my future. This verse is SO clear - It is day to day that God provides all of my needs WHEN I'm focused on Him and His ways. I mean, The One who created all things and was there in the beginning and knows the end, He, even He, provides not a month's worth of needs, not a week's worth but day to day. If the Creator of the universe can focus on the day to day, surely I can take captive my thoughts and focus and bring them down to TODAY. In doing so, I become a better wife and mom because my focus is on my time with them - today.

It's easy for us to focus on the good part of this verse (He will provide ALL our needs day to day...) yet this verse requires action from us. He promises to take care of ALL of our needs, day to day, IF (yes, this is where you and I come in) I live for Him and make His ways my "primary concern". For me, this action is taking my thoughts and focus captive and behaving in a way that shows my faith and trust in Him - not my plans. For the reality is, I can make all the plans in the world and it gives me warm fuzzies to do so BUT I'm not in charge. I'm not in control of those plans or the REAL plans that He has for me. I need to lessen my faith in my own way and let His way in. "Let go and Let God" as the saying goes. That is what I needed to hear today.

I don't think making plan is 'bad', it is how tightly we grip those plans that is a problem. It is when we put our faith and trust in the plans and not the One who REALLY is in charge.

Let go of whatever you are holding onto today and Let God. Let God move in your life. Let God lay a better plan than you could ever have imagined.

This post is linked up to Women in the Word Wednesdays over at GoodMorningGirls

Schedules, routines, and lists... oh my!

2011-04-08T13:48:00.000-07:00

I happened upon this blog, A bowl full of lemons that challenges its readers to weekly organizing challenges and, before I got sick, had planned on joining in! Well, I'm resting on the couch and decided to make use of this time by better organizing my weeks.

Part of having a meaningful home life is routines. If chaos rules your home, it makes it much more difficult to carve out time for meaningful moments, let alone let them happen spontaneously, because you're too busy playing 'catch up' in all that has fallen behind. I'm all about having a meaningful home life and the best way to achieve that is a little organization!

Enter the latest challenge - create a schedule and routine as well as kid's schedules. So, here I am again... ready to tweak my schedules and routines, improve upon my systems and make our home life flow more readily in order to have room and time for meaningful moments!

Of course, routines and schedules are not to lock you in and suffocate. They are to help make use of your time better by providing direction.

Won't you join me and A bowl full of lemons in taking these fun challenges to improve your home life?

Here's my weekly routine:

Monday – Laundry; Home school; Staff meeting; small group bible study
Tuesday – Upstairs cleaning; Home school; Projects (Science or Baking), Scouts
Wednesday – Downstairs – cleaning; Home school; Projects (Art or Movie); Scouts
Thursday – Laundry; Home school; Kaary-appt.; Library day; Piano lessons
Friday – Home school Co-op; Laundry; Family night
Saturday – Family Fun day OR Home day; OR Various activities
Sunday – Church; Rest; Youth group

Here are the boys' daily schedules:
Josh and Jake’s schedule:
7:00 – 7:15 – Wake, make bed, get dressed, turn on Cami’s lights and feed her
7:15 – 7:50 – Morning devos, Breakfast, prayer
7:50 – 8:00 – Morning chores (clean up breakfast table; bring down laundry hampers and sort, etc.)
8:00 – 10:15 – School; Fridays - CHILL
10:15 – 10:30 – Break; Fridays - CHILL
10:30 – 12:00 – School; Fridays - CHILL
12:00 – 12:30 – Lunch; Fridays - CHILL
12:30 – 1:30 – School; Fridays - CHILL
1:30 – 2:00 – Afternoon chores; finish up in remaining school work or projects
2:00 – 4:00 – Free time
4:00 – 4:30 – Scouts study time; help with dinner prep
4:30 – 5:30 – Free reading; help with dinner prep; garden/yard chores
5:30 – 6:00 – Dinner;
6:30 – M- Small group; Tu. – Jake- Scouts; Weds. – Josh – scouts; Thursday – 6p.m. – Piano lessons
7:30 – get ready for bed
8:00 – free reading time for Josh and Jake in bed
8:30 – Bedtime – Jake
8:45 - Bedtime - Josh

A Verse That Speaks A Thousand Words...

2011-03-05T16:19:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 12:11-13 - No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

This verse came before my eyes this morning. I'm not sure what stood out and spoke to me more but every word contained a message for me. Every word meant something to me, as though it had been written just for me during this week.

To be perfectly honest (and if you can't be honest on a blog, where can you??), this week has been a difficult one. With the weight of the world on my shoulders, I felt so defeated and discouraged this week. These past few months have brought recurring illnesses for me and my family, discouraging words, sad news, criticisms, complaints - large and small, and it felt overwhelming at times.

God can take any situation, though, and turn it into an opportunity to learn and to grow. That is what he has done with me this week. He has shown me areas of my heart that need discipline. Areas that need 'pruning' and areas where I need to let go.

Self-discipline is hard and discipline from God, well, that can be even harder. It is true what the verse says - discipline can be painful! Yet, we know that, if we are open to it, it DOES provide growth and peace. I don't know about you but those are two things I desperately want in my life.

Ants in the pants...

2011-03-02T22:43:00.000-08:00

I've been censored. At least, for now. I'm unable to post pictures. I'm also unable to describe, in detail, what took place over one weekend in November. I can't describe to you how my kitchen looks now. I'm forbidden to tell you all of the ways my kitchen was changed. How a construction and t.v. crew took my outdated and stagnant kitchen and turned into... well... I can't say.

And quite frankly, it's killing me. How long is a production company gonna make a girl wait, anyhow??

Until our show airs, which the producer said will most likely be the beginning of April, I can't talk about it. I can't even post pictures.

I CAN tell you that we had so much fun with the crew and host! Despite some anxious moments (you'll have to see), we laughed, joked, and tried to enjoy the company of 20+ extra people in our home for 3 days.

I CAN tell you that the host, Josh Temple, is wonderfully talented, funny and touching. Chris and I both had a moment with him where he opened his heart up and spoke some touching words to us that, honestly, blew both of us away. We were humbled and caught off guard by his comments he felt he had to say to us once everyone else had left. Chris and I will never forget those moments or his words.

I CAN tell you that holding a sledge hammer is thrilling! BWAHAHAHA - the power that tool carries!

I CAN tell you that nail guns ROCK! I highly recommend purchasing one. I highly recommend you do NOT point it at the camera man trying to shoot a close up of you using it, though.

I CAN tell you that, despite the hiccups that our show incurred (I'll have to tell you later), we laughed and joked and poked fun at each other. There is something about wrapping the cameraman up in tape that just sets the mood for the day, you know??

And finally, I CAN tell you that our show SHOULD be airing at the beginning of April (it's already been moved twice, so don't hold me to this). DIY Network. House Crashers. We are Episode 1 of Season 4.

OH! OH! I can ALSO tell you that all of Josh Temple's "house tips" that will be run on DIY for this next year, were filmed at our house!

Whew! Well, I'm glad I got some of that off of my chest! Waiting from November to April sure is asking a lot! I can barely contain myself, short of just completely ignoring the subject altogether... which I find easiest!

Stay tuned and watch for our episode! Let the countdown begin!

Book List for 2011

2011-03-02T21:40:00.000-08:00

I moved the start of my annual book read-a-thon to January 1, so that it's a clean cut year. You'd think, though, being two months in to this said read-a-thon I would have already racked up a couple of books, at least, right?? Nope. Not really.
I am half way through a WONDERFUL book called, Feminine Appeal" by Carolyn Mahaney. This is proving to be a challenging book as I'm learning to look at my roles as mom, wife, partner, and child of God a little differently. Some of it is not "new" information but, said in just the right way at the right time, has been powerful, nonetheless.

Please note my disclaimer at the bottom of my list. Sometimes it's best not to plan EVERYTHING!

Reading List for 2011

* Rebecca
* The Good Earth
* This Book Will Save Your Life
* Pillars of the Earth (didn't get to this last year)
* The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
* The Phantom Tollbooth
* Mysterious Benedict Society

Parenting
* What He Must Be... if He Wants to Marry my Daughter (reading to gain insight for my boys)
* Parenting the Way God Parents
* Raising Kids Who Turn Out Right
* Strong Willed Child
* Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends
* Faith Training
* The Mission of Motherhood
* Say Goodbye to Whining
* Life Skills for Kids: Equipping Your Kids For the Real World

Family/Marriage books
* The Well-Versed Family
* Amazing Adventures, Creative Connections, Daring Deeds
* The Case for Family Worship
* Five Signs of a Loving Family
* Heaven at Home: Establishing and Enjoying a Peaceful Home
* Feminine Appeal

Health
* The Inflammation Syndrome
* Stop Inflammation Now
* Healthy Heart Miracle
* The Metabolic Plan
* Don't Eat This Book

** Actual books read may change on a whim from this scheduled list due to mood, interest, personal application, etc. ;)

Book List for 2009-2010

2011-03-02T21:26:00.000-08:00

These are the books I completed from my birthday, August 8, 2009 to my next birthday, August 8, 2010. Most were great, some... meh. I was just glad to get back into the habit of reading again after a TOO long hiatus!

Homeschooling with TLC
52 Family Time Ideas
One Million Arrows - Julie ?
What's Age Got to Do with It? - Robin McGraw
The Power of Less
Midnight Sun - Stephanie Meyer
The Shack - William Young
Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
Obsessed - Ted Dekker
Three - Ted Dekker
The Penderwick Sisters
Maximize Your Mornings
Good and Angry
Autoimmune Epidemic - Donna Jackson Nakazawa
Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips - Kris Carr
Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture - Mary E. DeMuth
Bunnicula
Family Driven Faith - Voddie Baucham
Raising Godly Tomatoes - L. Elizabeth Krueger
The Gift of a Year - Mira Kirshenbaum
The Martyr Song - Ted Dekker
Crazy Love - Francis Chan
Clean - Dr. Alejandro Junger
In The Woods
Already Gone - Ken Ham
Mom Talk - Sally Clarkson
Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
Case Histories

Product Review: Sumoku math game

2011-01-24T10:47:00.000-08:00

It's very easy to get stuck in a rut when homeschooling. Workbooks, worksheets, texts, while helpful, can be boring over time (even for me - the teacher). So, it's nice to throw in an educational game or hands-on activity to change it up a bit!

Enter Sumoku (pronounced Sum-o-ku), made by the Blue-Orange company! This fun math game challenges you and your kiddos to speedy addition in a Scrabble-like style!

Within this small package, 96 number tiles and instructions for 5 different games reside! We played the Speed Sumoku today. Each player draws 10 tiles from the pile in the middle.

Roll the die to determine the "key number". This key number is what you use to build your sums (or the multiples of that number) in a crossword style puzzle.

This game really helps the kids learn their addition facts (and even multiplication) in a fun way!

This game isn't just for homeschoolers either! What a great family-building activity for any family with grade school kids!

This fun game can be found at http://www.timberdoodle.com/Sumoku_by_Blue_Orange_Games_p/430-405.htm

How do you define success?

2011-01-09T20:23:00.000-08:00

I suppose I don't hold to the traditional definitions of success. I don't define my life by what I do for a living (or what Chris does). Or my clothing size. Or by my accolades. I don't define what I own as success either. After all, they are just things that come and go and, quite frankly, trends are stupid. Trends bug me. They are just other people telling you how to think and behave (uh.. hand over brain ___here___). No, I like to think for myself, thank you very much. Don't get me wrong, it's fun to buy a new sweater or a piece of new furniture but they don't define me or my success.

No, I have a much more simpler way of measuring whether I'm successful or not. For starters, and this is probably the biggest difference in the world's definition, is I don't measure my success by other people's or society's definitions. I don't want to be a prisoner to a definition that others tell me I have to meet. You know, the drill... you *HAVE* to own the latest and greatest (insert item __here__) or your home, your life, your relationships, your educational background *MUST* look like everyone else or your not successful. Simply put, I don't define success by what others say is successful. Life's too short to let another live YOURS for you!

I *DO* define success in the ways that matters most to ME. Have I loved - really shown love - to my children today? Have I lived with a grateful heart today? Did I treat my husband with respect when I could have coped an attitude instead? Does he feel the amount of love that I have for him? Have I had a successful relationship with my husband? With each of my children? Have I taught my boys something that brings them closer to God today? Are my kids displaying grateful hearts? Have I laughed today? Have I been a good example in attitude and behavior for my boys? Have I been a friend that uplifts and encourages today? Have I helped someone that needs it? Have I extended grace that I might otherwise deem undeserving? Have I lived out God's words today, to the best of my ability? Have I been a "good and faithful" servant?
These are some of the many measurements of success in my book. How well I accomplish these (and a few other) definitions is what matters to me. It's liberating to take the focus off of what others say is success and listen to God's definition and make it my own. How well have I loved? How well have I given selflessly? How well have I taken care of my family?

I don't define success by what others think nor do I ever want to. I don't want to chase after material things that rot away or acquire something just to impress someone else. That's no success at all. That's slavery. That's not what I was called to do here with my time on earth. I want to keep at the forefront the successes that matter most.

Full speed ahead...

2011-01-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

Full blown school starts around these parts tomorrow. I've readied the room, prepared my lesson plans, put a couple of orders for new supplies in and the kids are brimming with excitement and eagerly awaiting the moment when I wake them up at 7a.m. tomorrow to start breakfast and devotions before getting into school topics at 8:30. (ok, so the last one.. not so much. I can dream, though, right?!?).

I began the school year with one plan and that plan, is still, relatively intact. I've made some tweaks and adjustments and full on abandoned other things altogether.

Here's what's working so far...

*Spelling Power. This program is wonderful, quick and easy to use. It contains the 5,000 most commonly used words in the English language that the kids work through, semi-independently. I say "semi" because I read off the words to them in our daily 5 minute test. I also check for mastery and retention in different phases each day. I opted not to purchase the activity cards in the beginning but have since re-thought that and have made that purchase. We will be implementing that component this week!

*Teaching Textbooks. I REALLY love this math curriculum!! I'm so glad someone recommended it to me last year!! While it doesn't have as much review/repetition as I'd like, that's easily remedied with supplemental worksheets/workbooks.

*Apologia Science - YES! LOVE this curriculum too! I can't wait to do Botany and Anatomy with the boys (they aren't as thrilled about Anatomy as I am. They're a bit squeamish). I highly recommend this curriculum, especially if you're teaching multiple ages in this subject. Great stuff!

*God's Great Covenant, OT - This is an excellent curriculum to provide a foundation for biblical knowledge. Put out by Classical Academic Press, it is very well organized and structured for optimum retention of the facts. This gets a high recommendation from us!

*Charlotte Mason/Unit study approach to History - having attended the unit study workshop in the summer really improved how we approach history (and even science) now. LOVE this structure for this topic! Another high recommend!

What's in the works...

*Mapping the World by Heart - I purchased this curriculum in the summer with the hopes of beginning it in the first semester. Clearly, that didn't happen. This is an intriguing curriculum that I'm excited to incorporate THIS semester. It looks fun, has a hands-on creative approach and seems manageable to incorporate into our school day.

*Spanish for Children - another Classical Academic Press product! I can't wait to get my hands on this!! It comes highly recommended by my mother in law, who checked it out and is fluent in Spanish.

*Shurley English - grammar that's fun?!? As one who holds a degree in English, *I* can't even claim that to be true YET a very good friend has highly recommended it after using it this first semester with her own kids.

I'll keep you posted on how these curriculum choices panned out in our homeschool!

So, here's to a new year and a new semester of school!! Yippee!

Homemade Christmas Advent

2010-11-28T10:49:00.000-08:00

Last year, we began a new tradition in our home to try to keep the real meaning of Christmas the focus of the season. "Christmas isn't about gettin'", as Veggietales correctly points out. With the hustle and bustle and push to shop, shop, shop... Jesus' birth, and its significance, is often lost. We struggle with this as adults. Why wouldn't our children have an even more difficult time then? Without intentionality, Christmas' focus shifts to an attitude of "what am I going to get?" instead of "what am I thankful for". Being intentional for the sake of our children's hearts, and our own, provides a very satisfying Christmas season - and that satisfaction doesn't come from things.

To create your own Christmas Advent, you'll need a place for your daily activity slips. We found small, colorful envelopes at our dollar store. I put a decorative slip around them and numbered them - 1 through 25. I then hang the envelopes on a string in our downstairs hallway. Some families use a wooden advent tree but anything will do. Then, write an activity (be creative) for every day between December 1 and December 25. Make them specific and meaningful for your family. Some days, we do more than one.

This is what we'll be doing this season:

* Serve a meal at Union Gospel Mission

* Snuggle up and watch The Nativity Story!

* Go Christmas Caroling at the Convalescent Home with Cub Scouts

* Make snowflakes to hang around the house!

* Make a list of 10 things you are thankful for and hang it where you can see it daily

* Make Christmas cookies. Some to enjoy tonight and others to give to neighbors

* Stargaze tonight with the telescope and learn about the star that led the wise men to Jesus

* Family worship night tonight! Celebrate Jesus’ birthday by worshiping him! Have a cupcake for dessert too!

* Family game night tonight!

* Write a letter to one of your family members telling them how much you love and appreciate them. Tell them WHY you love them . Tell them what you like about them. Pray a prayer of thankfulness for that person.

* Write a ‘thankful’ letter to ANOTHER family member telling them how much you love and appreciate them. Tell them WHY you love them and what you like about them. Pray a prayer of thankfulness for that person, together.

* It's Christmas Day! Happy Birthday, Jesus! Remember, on this day we celebrate Jesus' birth! His coming to save us is the greatest gift of all!

* Go to Christmas Eve Service tonight!

* Tonight, we go to the old Crest theater to watch the old movie, “White Christmas”, with popcorn and a drink! Bundle up!

* Check out Christmas lights around town! Don't forget the snacks, Christmas music for the car ride and make sure to wear your jammies!

* Snuggle up and watch another Christmas movie together tonight!

* Play some games as a family tonight. Enjoy our time together!

* Read a Christmas story together with hot chocolate and a cookie!

* Go through our books and donate the books we no longer want to kids in need.

* Read the story of Jesus’ birth and discuss how important his birth is to us today. Why do we celebrate his birth? Watch Veggietale’s “The Toy That Saved Christmas”

* Make a paper chain and write on the back of the papers what you are thankful for!

* Write your last ‘thankful’ letter to the other family member. Tell them that you love them and WHY you love them. Tell them what it is you like about them. Pray a prayer of thankfulness for that person, together.

* Dance and sing to Christmas music!

* Bundle up and grab your beanies because we’re going on a flashlight walk! Notice the beauty of winter and God’s creation! See what makes winter different from other seasons! Come back to warm up with hot chocolate and the Veggie Tale movie, “It’s a Meaningful Life”!

* Make Christmas ornaments!

* Make Christmas popcorn balls!

* Bake with mom today!

* Make Uncle Paul’s famous truffles!

What will you do to make Christmas meaningful?

full circle remembrance

2010-11-18T10:49:00.000-08:00

Today is a big day in the life of Jake. This day stirs up memories of the first years of his life. Beautiful, sun-drenched days of downy blonde hair, cooing and formula burps. His entrance into this world was amazing and wonderful but not without hurdles. This child had to fight to keep his place in this world. His hands - his breath - his very soul clung to the warm place that he called home for 8 months. Without ever stepping out of my womb, this child already knew of adversaries, struggle and developing a will to survive.

My body was not a welcoming place for either of my boys. My body tried so hard to reject new life forming. This new life was a threat - something that must be destroyed. Jake's struggle began almost as soon as he was conceived. High risk. Warnings of loss. Warnings of deformities all came back from the experts. Tests. More tests. Nothing could be definitive until he was born. Yet, we knew, no matter the outcome, God had created this child and He was in control. Not the doctors. Not the tests. Not my body.

As Jake grew, so did my body's attempt to attack him and rid itself of him. 5 months early, my body was done with him. More tests. Twice a week, Chris and I drove to the hospital to see if our precious son was still alive in my body. With lots of prayer and bed rest, we made it to 3 weeks before the due date. My body was weakening him and his heart was stopping, the doctors induced. Initially, he struggled to release himself from the attacks. He wrestled with the disease that I wrestle with. He fought to ensure he had a place in this world and by the end, a wonderful, easy, amazing delivery came. All seemed well. The warnings that had come, quickly disappeared upon looking at our new bundle of joy. No deformities. No loss. No more struggle.

Happy. Growing, yet unable to use his muscles. Growing, yet unable to support himself. No lifting of the head. No sitting up on his own. No crawling. No walking. No milestones to mark. Lots more prayer and doctor visits.

2 years of physical therapy and our youngest could walk. Hallejuah! Another year and a half of leg braces to help support this newfound, yet delayed skill. He had a smile on throughout it all. Still, concerns of a deeper, more lingering problem held on. Whispers from the physical therapist. Whispers from the neurologist. All wondering what had caused the hypotonia (no muscle tone). Awkward mentions of cerebral palsy floated across lips and I struggled to see that when we had a happy, healthy WALKING toddler in front of us. More warnings to watch for signs around the age of 5. Will he become clumsy? Will the muscle tone he'd worked so hard for go away? So, we watched and waited, praying the whole time that God's will would be fulfilled, whatever that looked like.

5, 6, 7 years old. No signs of faltering muscles or regression and we are thankful. Yet, other signs appear. Little concerns here and there. New concerns. 8 years old and it is time to draw back the curtain to see if anything is going on inside that maybe we can't see on the outside. We arrive to today. MRI. EEG. A new neurologist wanting to pick up where the other doctors left off. And we are thankful. Perhaps it is nothing. Perhaps all is still well - on the inside as it seems on the outside. We are prayerful that all is well. We are prayerful that His will still remains our focus. No matter the outcome. No matter what. We are humbled each and every time we face health issues (and it seems like that's a lot!) because we are reminded that we are not in control. We are very much out of control. So, we must rely on the One who is.

4 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

We named our son Jacob because we wanted our son to be bold and have the tenacity to wrestle with God when he has doubts, fears or to stick it out to receive a blessing. As we look over his past 8 years, I'm struck at how fitting his name is.

I borrowed a wonderful idea...

2010-08-30T23:10:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite blogs is Impress Your Kids! I highly recommend this blog for oh-so-worthy-of-our-time activities to do with our kids to instill bible verses in their hearts!

So, a few weeks back, while perusing this blog, I saw an adorable idea that I knew I wanted to copy!

In the boys' old rooms, in our old house, I stenciled a Bible verse on each of their walls. In Sharpie.

I'll wait while you catch your breath.

After about, oh, 7-8 coats of paint, one could barely make out the sleepy-time blessing! Lesson learned, folks! No sharpie on the walls for us anymore. Particularly rental home walls! Eh-hem!

When we bought our house 2 years ago, I was determined to create a vinyl version of the verses they would like on their walls. Easier on the walls and budget, you know!

So, when I saw Amanda's idea for a canvas art project with their favorite saying from the "Jesus Storybook Bible", I knew this would be the perfect way to accomplish what we wanted!

I started with my oldest's favorite verse because he has loved this verse for a long time and instantly jumped on this idea!

I started with a blank canvas (obviously)...

Then, I whipped out my handy-dandy Cricut Expression and went to work cutting letters out on clear contact paper.

Once the letters were cut out and placed on the canvas, J. went to town painting with the colors he had chosen at the craft store!

Now for the fun part! Once dry, you get to pull off each letter! Kind of fun and therapeutic (don't judge me).

And the finished result? Unique, personalized wall decor that speaks to my son's heart because it is his favorite verse! It is there to remind him, in good times and bad, not to be fearful and to rely on God to get him through!

Thanks, Amanda at impressyourkids.com for this awesome idea!! I'll post when my other son does his canvas project! Of course, that is once he decides on a Bible verse!

Goodbye, 35...

2010-08-09T15:09:00.000-07:00

So, today marks the first day of being 26.. ah hem, I mean 36. I closed the chapter on my 35th year of life and begin with eager anticipation of what my 36th year might hold!

With the closure of my 35th year, my 35 book challenge to myself ended as well. 35 books in a year, from Aug. 8, 2010 to Aug. 8, 2011. This may not be a big deal for some as they may read this many, or more, books in any given year but for me, over the last few years, I was lucky to finish 2-3 books. This made me sad. I have always enjoyed reading. Heck, my degree is in English with an emphasis in literature. I enjoy a good story, folks. However, with kids, and kids' activities and home responsibilities, volunteer responsibilities and, well, life... I found less and less time to read the books that I had been wanting to read. I had collected more books on my shelves than I had read. For shame.

Thus, my challenge last year. I am proud to say that while I did not meet the 35 book goal, I did make the 29th book goal. I was 6 short of the goal. This goal, while not completely met, has challenged me to continue on. To read as many, or more in the upcoming year. The books I read over this last year have been informative, challenging, thought-provoking and, at times, life changing. Who wouldn't want to add some more of that to their lives?!

With that, I reveal my reading wish list for the upcoming year. Perhaps you'll be encouraged to read along with me!

READING WISH LIST FOR 8/9/10-8/8/11

Fiction
* Rebecca
* The Good Earth
* This Book Will Save Your Life
* Pillars of the Earth (didn't get to this last year)
* The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
* Johnny Tremain
* Mysterious Benedict Society

Parenting
* What He Must Be... if He Wants to Marry my Daughter (reading to gain insight for my boys)
* Parenting the Way God Parents
* Raising Kids Who Turn Out Right
* Strong Willed Child
* Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends
* Faith Training
* The Mission of Motherhood
* Say Goodbye to Whining
* Life Skills for Kids: Equipping Your Kids For the Real World

Family books
* The Well-Versed Family
* Amazing Adventures, Creative Connections, Daring Deeds
* The Case for Family Worship
* Five Signs of a Loving Family
* Heaven at Home: Establishing and Enjoying a Peaceful Home

Health
* The Inflammation Syndrome
* Stop Inflammation Now
* Healthy Heart Miracle
* The Metabolic Plan
* Don't Eat This Book

** Actual books read may change on a whim from this scheduled list due to mood, interest, personal application, etc. ;)

Sheri's Daybook

2010-08-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

Outside my window...
the birds are chirping and we're watching our dog race back and forth through the yard

I'm thinking:
I need to get more lesson plans done today

I'm reading:
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
(and starting my new year of reading challenge). I LOVED this book when I read it in middle school/early high school!

I'm listening to:
the boys giggling over breakfast. I'm not sure what's so funny about breakfast but they are having a great time giggling!

I'm thankful for:
Chris. He is an amazing husband and friend! I'm so glad I get to do life with him!

I'm cooking:
Quite possibly Baked Potatoes or Chicken and potatoes... whatever I do it has to involve potatoes because I bought the BIG bags at Costco and need to use them!

From the school room:
the faint pleas of organization are calling my name!

I'm creatiing:
a master plan for our school year right now

I'm hoping:
to try a modified version of the workbox system in our school this year. We don't have the space for the traditional system, so I'm creating my own. We'll see how it goes!

I'm going:
NOWHERE today! I've got to get some more plans in place! Tonight, we're going to Union Gospel Mission with the youth group!

One of my favorite things is...
spending time with my boys. I love them so much!

A few plans for the rest of the week:
planning for school when it starts next week, planning for SEEDS and organizing the school room!

2010-2011 Homeschool Curriculum

2010-08-04T12:58:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like making something 'official' than by putting it in writing (and post it for 2 people to read - lol!) :)

Curriculum/School Plan for 2010-2011

Foreign Language: Spanish (both boys, through co-op)

Math: Teaching Textbooks Josh - 5/6th; Jake - 3rd

History: World - Mystery of History (review and finish the remaining parts of book)

U.S. - Story of US, supplemented with History Pockets, biographies, U.S. States study and Presidents study

Fort Ross study - co-op class in preparation for field trip

Science: Apologia Science - Zoology - Swimming Creatures of the fifth day

Music: Piano lessons - 1x/week (plus practice)

Art: Art History, Art projects through Science and History

Spelling: Spelling Power

Writing: Institute for Excellence in Writing DVDs

Grammar: Shurley English
English from the Roots Up, vol. 1 (Latin and Greek roots to be added to spelling lists)

Reading: various age-appropriate classics for grade level with study guides

Logic: Fallacy Detective (Josh)
Safari Logic, Book 1 (Jake)

Weekly activities:
Cub/Boy Scouts
SEEDS Bible nights
Family nights
Swim team (in Spring; winter session - possibly)

Breathing new life into our Family Nights...

2010-07-25T12:08:00.000-07:00

With the very packed schedule that we, willingly, took on in the Spring, our family nights have been non-existent, sadly. Our boys beg for our family nights when we get off schedule which is heart-warming because it means they are meeting a need within them of building family unity and community. Yet, there are seasons in the year that our schedule shifts and family nights become a lower priority. I wish it weren't true but that is our reality. I would like to change this, though, and make it a consistent priority in our lives. After all, we've only got the boys for a little bit longer before they branch out into the world and start their own families.

As I work on a new program for our church, that emphasizes family nights, I'm revamping our family nights that will be starting in August. I'm pretty excited about the possibilities and the organizational ideas I am getting just by lurking around the internet!

I'll post some pictures and my plan once I've pulled it all together!

"Here we are now, enterain us"...

2010-06-05T22:10:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking alot about the state of the American church recently. Actually, for more than a year. I am troubled by what I see in the actions that churches take to be "relevant". What does that word even mean nowadays, anyway?? Does replicating a concert like worship atmosphere make worship "relevant"? Does flashing images, strobing lights and a full band constitute relevancy? I think the church, as a whole is suffering from an identity crisis and isn't even aware of it.

Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines the word relevant as "a : having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand b : affording evidence tending to prove or disprove the matter at issue or under discussion c : having social relevance".

I'm guessing that churches are trying to hit the 3rd definition but are missing the mark entirely. While trying to be socially relevant, churches are creating a co-dependency on being entertained while at church. Concert equivalancies, strobing lights; feel-good sermons; feel good lyrics; fun children's activities; fun classes.

Many leadership teams are quick to scold their congregation to "not come expecting to be entertained", yet, unintentionally or not, train the people to expect just that. If you analytically look at a typical modern church service what it produces is entertainment. Their actions speak louder than their words.

The church is teaching the congregation how to judge our experience on any given Sunday based on entertainment values. Did the music "move" *me*? Did the promo video make *me* feel good or proud or happy (or plug in an emotion)? Did the church provide fun to my children while I was in worship? Did I see *my* friends there? Did I get compliments on *my* contribution to the service?

I will often hear that the worship service (more specifically the music) was "great" but what does that mean? Based on what criteria? How well people performed? How well one praised God? If the latter is true, should we really be patting ourselves on the back for how well we gave back to God?

Don't get me wrong... I'm not a killjoy. I enjoy fun and highly encourage it! I enjoy being enterained but I don't think the church should be the venue. The church is so quick to flash lights, provide a 40,000 egg hunt at Easter, and create a concert feeling that they've lost their true purpose in the process. Is church about making me feel good each Sunday? Is that it's social relevancy nowadays? I ask because that is what churches are emphasizing, whether they mean to or not. I don't think church should be about *me* or you or anyone else. It's about coming to a place to give our worship to God. It is also about being taught what the Bible says.

The church has confused "social relevancy" with entertainment, blurring the line and confusing the two. Social relevancy is... being applicable, effective, needed in our society today. Yet, more and more are turning away from the church and, often, God than ever before. Clearly, our entertaining is not working, yet we're too stubborn (dare I say, prideful) to recognize that.

Shouldn't the church be known more for it's helpfulness to those in need on a consistent, reliable basis than for what it produces on a Sunday morning (or pick another day of the week)? Shouldn't the church spend more time in the neighborhood it serves each week than on what it produces? Shouldn't the church be encouraging to "go out" instead of "come in"?

I pray that we, as the Christian church, would examine our activities and the motives and purposes behind each one. I pray for true simplicity to be embraced by the church. I pray the teaching of God's word become a primary focus in each congregation. I pray, especially, for leadership to reclaim the church's identity in a community that is hurting and struggling. I pray that I nor anyone else seeking to praise God on Sunday would come with a "entertain me" expectation.

Sanity in a school planner? I can only hope...

2010-05-07T15:29:00.000-07:00

This is the glorious planner that will help keep my sanity for next year. At least, I hope.

This is the Teacher's schedule page where I can keep track of the master school schedule as I plan out my days.

This page is to record the first semester's goals that I want to accomplish with the boys. There is another page to record the second semester's goals also.

There is a section for recording field trips and monthly expenses for each month as well as books you'd like each child to be reading.

This is the student planning page which allows you to record which curriculum you will be using for each child you have. It even allows for space to record books and other items needed to be purchased throughout the year and record when you need to go grab it!

Each month begins with a full month at a glance calendar and then has weekly pages to allow more detailed planning.

There is a page to record weekly grades for each child.

There are even these encouraging articles at the beginning of each month.

This planner includes four cute, card stock quality report cards to make your child's schooling "official", should one desire.

Overall, this planner has got me very excited! Not so much about planning because I LOVE planning! I'm a planner, what can I say?? :) This planner is exciting because of its organization. It allows for space to include all of the most pertinent information in one place. There are even places to record chores for each child, your weekly and monthly cleaning routine, family budget, etc. Despite my fatigue from this year setting in, I'm very excited as I look forward to the next school year! Check it out at www.homeeducatingfamily.com

Food Revolution...revolting against the wrong side?

2010-04-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

If you've been following Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, as I have, I'm sure you've seen the atrocities that they call food being served in school ca. It's disgusting! I was appalled at what USDA forces school districts to purchase and serve to our children.

What is more appalling, for me, is the backlash that has occurred against Jamie Oliver. He is bringing awareness and education to a better way of eating and he's condemned for it! Wouldn't the criticism be better aimed at USDA for forcing school districts to 1) purchase food that is unhealthy and over-processed and 2) providing so much red tape that a school who wants to change their food to fresh food that schools give up in defeat rather than fight on through the bureaucracy?

This is America! Our children shouldn't be fed the worst of the worst kind of food simply because an entire case of processed chicken nuggets costs them $3! America's health is spiraling out of control and we are teaching our children poor eating habits. I admire Oliver's persistence in changing how America eats and I hope more people listen to his advice.

Leading a life of simplicity

2010-04-18T12:47:00.000-07:00

I don't believe there are words to describe the emotions I am feeling with my home, my organization,my schedule, my life. To put it mildy, I'm frustrated. Stressed even. I feel like my life, things and schedule is in control of me instead of the other way around. I long for the early days of my marriage when simplicity reigned. We may have been poor but our life was so less complicated. With that simplified life, we ate out less which made us healthier; we spent less, which made our home less cluttered and gave us more time because we weren't picking up, cleaning and maintaining things. We had most evenings and weekends free to spend time as a family or have friends over for dinner. More meals were made from scratch which meant we had a ton of opportunities to learn about good foods and how to cook with them. Life was just... well, less, full. And you know what they say, "Less is More".

Simplicity, though, doesn't occur with wishing. It doesn't occur naturally. It requires a proactive guarding of the calendar, bank account, and precious family time. We've had a whirlwind past two years with LOTS of changes. With those changes, we seemed to have lost our grasp on the simple life.

How do we gain it back? I supppose the process is a little different for each family but for us, it is going to start with 1) a strict budget and 2) a more predictable schedule and 3) guarding our calendar better. Adding the word "No" to our vocabulary could be our 4th step in this plan. But I think that is another blog!

So, Project Simplify begins ASAP! I am laying the plans for the changes that are acomin'~

Step 1: Simplify by getting rid of the excess. Read: Garage sales.

Step 2: Set up a budget that reflects our goals as a family and cuts out excess spending.

Step 3: Examine what we participate in and get rid of the excess.

Step 4: Create a predicatable routine and family schedule.

Step 5: Protect our calendar so that family time doesn't get bumped off.

Project Simplify begins today!

Why I Homeschool...

2010-04-05T12:54:00.000-07:00

I wasn't always a proponent of homeschooling. I am now ashamed to admit that I once bought in to the commonly held beliefs (albeit misguided beliefs) that homeschooled children 1) have the social skills of a doorknob and 2) teaching is best left to the "professionals". I felt it was sad that homeschooled children were denied the experience that public school offers, after all, my experience wasn't bad. At least, not all of it. I figured homeschooling moms were overprotective, religiously fanatic control freaks that just couldn't handle the variation and "culture" that can be found in public school. I mean, the bullying, snarky comments, choice swear words and the like build character in our kids to some degree, right?!

Luckily, I have seen the error of my ways and my (eh-hem) rather strong opinions on homeschooling have changed. Significantly. Dramatically. Irreversibly. Ok, you get the idea.

What started off as a solution to a problem has become a lifestyle shift for us. In a good way. The problem was the warp speed in which the public school system is desintegrating before our eyes. At least here in California. I mean, a school without a library?! That's like chocolate without peanut butter. Journey without Steve Perry. T.V. without Tivo. It's not natural. It's just not right, people!

Seriously, though, we can't expect our children to take education seriously and make it a priority if the government isn't. That's a lot to ask for grade school kids and apparently, it's a lot to ask of grown adults making decisions for an entire state. Sorry, I digress.

Our journey into homeschooling began 1 1/2 years ago as an exploration into alternative options to public school but has now become our life. I have never been the mom who waited for Monday mornings so I could send my kids back to school and have "me" time from 9-3(although, it is nice every once in awhile). I've never been the mom who panicked when the kids had an extended break from school. I have always enjoyed the company of my children and truly missed them during their school day.

Now, I have the supreme pleasure and honor of spending my days with my children - teaching them, laughing with them, molding their characters and manners and having a positive influence on them.
What I have discovered over this past year and a half is that...
* My children receive far more one-on-one attention with their school work than they ever did in school

*They have far more hands-on learning opportunities and field trips than the State of California's education budget allows. We have several field trips each month as opposed to the one or two a year.

* They are not being taught contradicting values, manners, behaviors, and beliefs of our family

*We are SOOO busy with social activities that we have to really guard our calendar

* The boys are much happier, less stressed and are having their own unique learning style (not the "one type fits all" cookie cutter mold)addressed so that learning becomes interesting

* We've discovered how much they flourish in subjects that are quickly getting the axe in public schools, such as music and art.

* We get to explore topics not offered in grade school (foreign languages; in-depth astronomy,etc.)

* Topics the boys are interested in are incorporated into our day and explored

* Ageism doesn't reign in the heart and mind of my eldest any more (this came from the segregation of ages in school). Gone are the days when little brother is "too young" to play with or it's "uncool" to be seen hanging out with his younger brother. My boys are now good friends and play well together. Most days anyway.

* I get to keep my kids closer for just a little bit longer before they are grown

These are just a few of many "perks" of homeschooling that we've discovered over the past year and a half.

The funny thing is it took me taking a leap of faith to homeschool to realize that I am an expert on my children. I may not have all the answers but I know their idiosyncracies, their temperament, how they grasp information, how they learn best. I am the professional of teaching my own children. I taught them before they ever darkened the doorway of a school. I am capable of continuing this.

The joys of homeschooling have far outweighed the paradyme shift in our life. I get to spend my days with my children. I don't consider it a burden or feel overwhelmed by the fact that I have no where to send them. I do not begrudge the time I get to have them around. I have always wanted to be a mother and when I was told I couldn't have children, I was stunned to think my dream, my goal would never happen. Yet, I've been blessed. Both with two miracle children that, according to the medical community, should not be and with the opportunity to homeschool. Yes, OPPORTUNITY. I am excited to say I am blessed with and on this journey of homeschooling. It's a wonderful thing and I honestly wouldn't want it any other way now.

Break!

2010-03-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

We have arrived to the glorious moment in homeschool where we put aside our books, our pencils, our schedule (somewhat) and enjoy a much needed break.

Our life seems to be gaining speed and a full schedule. At times it makes me secretly hyper-ventilate because it feels like I'm drowning in an never-ending to-do list. Other times, it feels as though I can't keep up. There aren't enough hours in my day or week to do all that I need or want to do. It is times like these, when my schedule has gotten the best of me, that I grow concerned. Concerned that I haven't spent enough time with my family; concerned that I haven't spent enough time with my husband; concerned that I am let our homelife slip; concerned that I don't have enough energy to go around for all; concerned that I'm giving up the little time that I have to take care of myself.

Yet, as real as those concerns are, I must remember that there is One that knows my plans for my future and knows the number of my days. There is One that doesn't give me more than I can handle and asks me not to worry for He will take care of my needs and the desires of my heart. If only I will rest in Him and give all my cares to Him.
Not a bad trade off, huh?!? Now, if I can just pry my grubby, white-knuckled hands off of my cares and let them go! That is the key - not wanting to grab and take hold of them again. Not letting my hands close up and grasp to my concerns and *my* plans but lay them down at His feet and walk away.

Here's to keeping my hands open and resisting the urge to grasp and take back today!

New year, new beginnings...

2010-01-09T12:03:00.001-08:00

I want to say we survived the Christmas season, as I do most years, but honestly, this year was different. We slowed down. We created nightly family time and turned our focus on the real meaning of the season by choosing intentional activities that would foster both. The DIY family advent calendar was awesome and a definite keeper for our Christmas' to come! Without buying more, baking more, hustling more, we created a very fulfilling Christmas. By buying less, baking less, and hustling less, we left room for family and to reconnect with what Christmas is really about - Christ's birth.

With a week of the new year already under my belt, I've turned my attention to my health. I want this year to be different. I want to be in control of my health not it being in control of me. I want to live without the pain and constant reminder that my body is deteriorating at a faster rate than it should. I want change.

So, now is the time for new beginnings. It's not enough just to talk about change; to long for difference. I have rediscovered this lesson over 2009. I got tired of hearing myself repeatedly say that "I've got to..." or "I wish..." or "I want...". That got me nowhere. So, in the last half of 2009, I stopped talking about what changes I wanted to happen and started making them happen. If I wanted to slow down, then I said "no" to more activities. If I wanted to have more time with my family, then I cut back on my existing commitments and protected family time. If I wanted a more meaningful, peaceful Christmas, then we created that by protecting our time and being intentional about our activities.

What does 2010 hold for me? I don't know. I hope a stronger, healthier body. I hope a less hurried lifestyle. I hope more meaningful moments with my sons and my husband. However, my hopes will only get me so far and the lesson I learned in 2009 must be carried over into 2010. It's not enough for me to hope change will occur. I must be intentional. So, here's to 2010 and all the opportunities for change that it holds!

On the first day of Christmas...

2009-11-30T19:39:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is December 1st and the ushering in of the Christmas season. In an effort to create a more meaningful home life and enforce our family values and the meaning of Christmas, we are beginning our own homemade family advent calendar!

Here's our list of activities for the next 25 days to celebrate Jesus' birth, family and fun memories:

*Snuggle up and watch a Christmas movie together

*Write a letter to a family member expressing your love for them. Tell them why you like them and why you are thankful for them. Say a prayer of thankfulness for our family members.

*Make Christmas cookies and enjoy!

*Read about Jesus' birth in the Bible. Discuss what it must have been like!

*Go Christmas caroling with our Cub scout pack to the convalescent home

*Make paper snowflakes and hang them around the house

*Make a list of 10 things you are thankful for and hang it where you can see it daily

*Family Game night

*Bake batches of cookies and take them to our neighbors

*Read a Christmas story together with some hot chocolate and a cookie!

*Stargaze tonight with the telescope. Learn about the start that led the Wise men to Jesus

*Make special, handmade gifts for Nana and Great Nana

*Check out Christmas lights around town! Don't forget the snacks, Christmas music for the car ride and make sure to wear your jammies!

*It's Christmas Day! Happy Birthday, Jesus! Remember, on this day we celebrate Jesus' birth! His coming to save us is the greatest gift of all!

*Make paper chain decorations! On the back of each slip, write something that you are thankful for.

*Go to Christmas Eve service tonight!

*Bundle up because we're going for a nighttime flashlight walk! Be ready to snuggle and drink hot chocolate when we get home!

*Snuggle up and watch "A Nativity Story" together!

*Go through the kids books and donate the books we no longer want to kids in need.

*Make old-fashioned caramel popcorn and watch another Christmas movie!

*Have a family worship night to celebrate Jesus' birthday! Enjoy a birthday cupcake also!

*Go to the snow today!

*Create handprint in plaster Christmas trees!

*Write another two more letters tonight to the other family members that you didn't write to before. Tell them how much you love them and WHY you love them. Tell them what you like about them. Pray a prayer of thankfulness together.

*Dance and sing to Christmas music!

I can't wait to get started on our celebration nights! I hope you can incorporate this into your home life!

keep it simple...

2009-11-28T14:04:00.000-08:00

As Christmas quickly approaches, I am faced yet again with the attempt to teach my children (and myself) the simplicity and the true meaning of Christmas despite the bombardment of the media saying otherwise. This year, my husband and I do not want to give our children lots of presents as we have done in the past. We don't want our boys to get caught up in the message of the world and lose the intended message of Christ.

Having lots of presents doesn't move our children any closer to the reality of celebrating Christ (which is the point) and it certainly contributes to an insatiable appetite for 'things' and an unhealthy sense of entitlement and ungratefulness. So many of the toys bought go unappreciated and unused each year. I see it with my own kids. Of all the gifts that they receive from us, from friends and family - only a few are played with any frequency.

I think it's funny that we move from Thanksgiving, a holiday to express being grateful for what we have to a man-made frenzy that feeds the mouths of overabundance and overindulgence. Somehow over the years, Christmas has become the time where people break the banks, max out their credit cards, deplete their savings... for what?! This only serves to contradict a grateful heart for the things in which we already have. This contradicts the simplicity of the season.

Now, don't get me wrong, our boys will receive presents at Christmas this year but the amount will be reduced drastically. We have talked to them about this change and instead of a long Christmas wish list, they have been asked to pick 3 things (each) that they would really like to receive. This has been an interesting assignment. Instead of complaining and sadness, it has sharpened our boys' deduction skills. Now, instead of creating a two page wish list, they have to really consider if an item is worthy of making the "top 3". Through this, they have really honed in on what they really want as opposed to random stuff that looks fun but is unappreciated moments after opening. Instead of receiving toy after toy ad nauseum and to the point of glazed over eyes, the focus has shifted to the true meaning of Christmas - celebrating the arrival of Christ our King, that was promised long ago.

Instead of giving your child one more 'thing' that may be tossed out or given away (or still sitting on a shelf) come next year's Christmas season, consider giving gifts that make an impact in the life of a child. Here's what I'm thinking for our sons in the new year:

1) Give of yourself. Life is busy. How much quality time are you giving to your child? Each child? One on one time is so precious and so important. Play some ball. Take a bike ride or a walk. Grab some ice cream together. Talk. Listen to your child. What a great coupon book this would make! Regardless of the presentation, make a commitment in your mind to do this more often.

2) Give to others. Volunteer to do a good deed with your child or children. Teaching our children to serve and help others is an excellent way to teach them about the spirit of Christmas and combat what the world says Christmas is. Make a welcome basket or cookies for a neighbor. Give to those in need. Find a charity to volunteer some hours. Help an elderly person.

3) Commit to creating some family moments in the new year. The reality is if you don't plan for them, they might not happen. Set aside a day or two each month that is just 'family day'. Create a time that is uninterrupted by any outside influence and just be a family together. Whether you go to the park, visit a museum, or take a road trip, make a plan to create some special
moments for you and your kids. Monthly family days have been a hit in our household!

4) Create a tradition. Traditions create wonderful moments for kids. They are special and set your family apart from what other families do. Traditions give kids a sense of security and a sense of fun. Come up with something fun and that your kids can really get in to!

Those are just a few free and fun ideas that my hubby and I will focusing on this holiday season and finding fun ways to present them to the boys! They each help capture the spirit of the season and help us to keep it simple!

Garden wish list

2009-11-12T11:15:00.000-08:00

So, here's what I want to grow in my backyard...
* Blueberries
* Strawberries
* Peaches
* Apples
* Pears
* Currants
* Raspberries
* Green beans
* Bell peppers
* Tomatoes
* Onions
* Cucumbers
* Zucchini
* Lettuce
* Sweet Basil
* Oregano
* Cilantro
* Thyme
* Rosemary (already have)
* Lemons (already have tree started)
* Oranges (already have tree started)

This is an ambitious list, I know. This may be a long term list but my goal is to implement as many of these foods into my backyard as possible this Spring. I'm convinced the benefits will outweigh the work that will go in to it. My family will be eating healthier;my carbon footprint on God's earth will be lighter by growing my own food; my boys can learn how to take care of and grow plants and food (ah, who am I kidding?! I'll be learning that too!)

You may be wondering what kind of backyard space I have. I can assure you it is small but with the help of the three books I have been reading, I'm confident the above items will not be a problem. I plan on using a combination of container planting, as well as a small patch of a designated garden in a planter box in addition to some fancy tricks I discovered in those awesome books!

Both the Organic Garden book and The Kitchen Garden book teach how to train a fruit tree to become a hedge, a climbing plant or to train it to grow on an arch or trellis! I'm purty excited about that!

However, most of what I have chosen must wait until after the winter in order to begin growing. So, what's a girl to do between now and March?? Once again, I turn to the books! The Organic Garden has, at the back, a chart of what to do during each season of the year! That's perfect for a novice like me!

I'm going to begin what I can now such as the herbs and plan layouts for WHERE my garden foods will go. I'll also be venturing into the unknown (for me) world of composting and learning about soil prep as I get ready to plant for late Winter/early Spring!

A garden we will grow..

2009-11-11T14:31:00.000-08:00

I know, I know... we're heading into Winter, so why am I thinking about and researching growing a vegetable garden in November?? Shouldn't I be more focused on the more immediate? On, say, Thanksgiving??
Well, for starters I'm neurotic. And a planner. I'm a neurotic planner and I know that vegetables have seasons. And in order for those lovely vegetables to be ripe and "in season", I must start my planning BEFORE the "in season" arrives. Are you following me?!

I'll admit I'm clueless when it comes to starting a garden, particularly the kind that I'm wanting to create. I mean, there is pest management; soil issues; disease; seasons in which to plant; seasons in which to pick... there's a season for everything! With the prices of organic fruits and veggies creeping up, though, this will be an excellent way to eat healthfully while watching the budget. Did I mention my garden will be organic to boot?!
So, journey along with me as I learn the ins and outs of growing my own organic fruits and veggies for my family!

First, we must start with a firm foundation of knowledge. So, I'm rotate reading(what I call my odd phenomena of not being able to read one book at a time) through 3 books on how to grow my own veggies and fruits (and when). Here's what I'm reading:

1)Organic Crops in Pots: How to Grow Your Own Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs (Green Home)
2) The Organic Garden (A practical guide to natural gardens, from planning and planting to harvesting and maintenance)
3) The Kitchen Garden: Simple Projects For The Weekend Gardener

I'm HIGHLY impressed with The Kitchen Garden so far. It blends growing fruits and veggies with a beautiful garden and each idea includes a blueprint on how to execute the idea. It even teaches how to train an apple tree to grow as a hedge!

The first step, though, is deciding WHAT to grow. I'll post my list tomorrow. Based on these three books, I am learning that space (or lack of it) doesn't have to be a limitation. So, I'm not going to start with WHERE to grow because then my space defines my crops. No, I want my crops to define my space. Even if it is in suburbia.

My Reading List for 2009/2010

2009-11-10T17:41:00.001-08:00

I turned 35 in August and the yearning to require more of myself began even then. I decided I would challenge myself to read 35 books between August 2009 and August 2010. I'm currently on my 5 book. I can do this!

Here is my reading list...

Currently reading: Faith Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham Jr. and Organic Crops In Pots by Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell

Holy Habits - Mimi Wilson & Shelly Cook Volkhardt
Confident Parenting
Messy Spirituality
Parenting the Heart of Your Child: Teaching Your Kids to Make Good Decisions Even When No One Is Looking
That's My Son: How Moms Can Influence Boys to Become Men of Character
Already Gone: Why your kids will quit church and what you can do to stop it
Habits of a Child's Heart: Raising Your Kids with the Spiritual Disciplines
Keep the Siblings, Lose the Rivalry
Parenting the Way God Parents: Refusing to Recycle Your Parents' Mistakes
The Shack
Love This!: Learning to Make It a Way of Life, Not Just a Word (Invert)
The Martyr's Song (The Martyr's Song Series, Book 1)
The Gift of a Year: How to Achieve the Most Meaningful, Satisfying, and Pleasurable Year of Your Life
Building the Christian Family You Never Had: A Practical Guide for Pioneer Parents
The Ministry of Motherhood: Following Christ's Example in Reaching the Hearts of Our Children
The Jesus I Never Knew
Grace-Based Parenting
Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's
Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
Good and Angry: Exchanging Frustration for Character in You and Your Kids!
Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life
Mom Talk - Sally Clarkson
Rebecca
From Clutter to Clarity: Simplifying Life from the Inside Out
The Pillars of the Earth (Deluxe Edition) (Oprah's Book Club)
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
Practical Theology for Women: How Knowing God Makes a Difference in Our Daily Lives (Re: Lit Books)
The Kite Runner
Homeschooling with TLC in the Elementary Grades: A Practical Guide with Fun and Effective Teaching Tips
Womanly Dominion: More Than A Gentle and Quiet Spirit
The Strong-Willed Wife: Using Your Personality to Honor God And Your Husband
Family Driven Faith: Doing What It Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God
Homeschooling the Child with Asperger Syndrome
The Read-Aloud Handbook: Sixth Edition

I'm missing a few! I'll have to check which ones were on my list! So many books, so little time!

Requiring more of myself...

2009-11-10T15:40:00.000-08:00

Life seems to throw a continual barrage of obstacles at times. It can be downright overwhelming. Health issues. Time constraints. Finances. teachable moments (READ: hard and stressful moments). Day to day responsibilities. Plans don't go...well... as planned.

This is when what I require of myself slips. Not intentionally. It's not something I'm conscious off (I don't think). My eye is taken off focus. I just wake up one day and realize that I have dropped the reins and life isn't necessarily how I want it to be.

Change begins with me, though, and so I announce to the world (through this little blog) my plan to require more of myself. Small steps. Small changes. Changing life for a more meaningful (and eternal) impact... for me, for my kids, for my husband and for our home life.