A List of Things that Make Me HAPPY!
*writing
*turning up the music loud in the car
*pedicures
*using pink and purple pens
*listening to music in the house
*reading
*wearing my cowboy boots
*flower hair clips
*lipgloss
*a clean and organized house
*books, books, books
*journaling (especially gluing down favorite things from the Land of Nod catalog)
*baking and homecooked meal smells in the house
*my post-it note planbook/planning lessons
*pilates and salsa cardio
*going to the library
*walking through Barnes and Noble
*watching Gilmore Girls, Bunheads, and Say Yes to the Dress
*curling my hair and wearing make-up
*taking pictures of my kids
*my purple memo board and magnets
*making cards for people
*my little moments notebook
*reading to my girls while cuddled on the couch
*listening to Jim read-aloud from a family chapter book at the end of the day
*popcorn and movie night with Jim
*going to The Blend or Starbucks at Fry's
*writing on this blog and changing the background
*writing verses and our menu on my kitchen chalkboard
Thoughts, quotes, and poems on raising and homeschooling 3 little women. Ephesians 2: 8-10--For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." ~William Butler Yeats
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
Homeschooling (Again)
Well, it seems we will be homeschooling once again. Since we will be renting in one school district and building in another, we didn't want to deal with two schools. Homeschooling for the remainder of first grade with the possibility of using our building permit in the fall to get into the school district we will be building in seemed like the best option.
I have thought about what didn't work last time we tried it and have come up with some solutions to hopefulling make it go better this time.
What Didn't Work
*no co-op
*no help with Aubrey
*journaling curriculum didn't work for Gracie
*not giving Gracie enough work
*not enough breaks from each other!
Possible Solutions
*a co-op is a MUST...looking into one right now
*my mom will be helping with Aubrey in the mornings, and we will utilize Aubrey's afternoon nap
*curriculum will now include teacher-planned themed units with more worksheets (Gracie's loves them!)
*keep a folder of work for the month, covering all subjects, and work our way through it, if the work runs out, find more
*join Awana for another social outlet and get plugged in to a Sunday school class
I have thought about what didn't work last time we tried it and have come up with some solutions to hopefulling make it go better this time.
What Didn't Work
*no co-op
*no help with Aubrey
*journaling curriculum didn't work for Gracie
*not giving Gracie enough work
*not enough breaks from each other!
Possible Solutions
*a co-op is a MUST...looking into one right now
*my mom will be helping with Aubrey in the mornings, and we will utilize Aubrey's afternoon nap
*curriculum will now include teacher-planned themed units with more worksheets (Gracie's loves them!)
*keep a folder of work for the month, covering all subjects, and work our way through it, if the work runs out, find more
*join Awana for another social outlet and get plugged in to a Sunday school class
Sunday, January 13, 2013
I saw this and love it!
Before you speak, THINK...
T...Is it true?
H...Is it helpful?
I...Is it inspiring?
N...Is it necessary?
K...Is it kind?
And a favorite quote...
"For the mother is and must be, whether she knows it or not, the greatest, strongest, and most lasting teacher her children have." Hannah Whitall Smith
Before you speak, THINK...
T...Is it true?
H...Is it helpful?
I...Is it inspiring?
N...Is it necessary?
K...Is it kind?
And a favorite quote...
"For the mother is and must be, whether she knows it or not, the greatest, strongest, and most lasting teacher her children have." Hannah Whitall Smith
Favorite Moments
*how cozy our bedroom feels when Aubrey's sheep light is on and the heater has warmed up the room
*watching Aubrey lay on her tummy and kick her legs as she colors
*getting cowboy boots
*having conversations with Gracie
*Madelyn's sweet kisses when someone gets hurt
*popcorn and movie night with Jim
*watching Aubrey lay on her tummy and kick her legs as she colors
*getting cowboy boots
*having conversations with Gracie
*Madelyn's sweet kisses when someone gets hurt
*popcorn and movie night with Jim
Love and Writing
I am not very good at sticking to resolutions. I am flighty. I am emotional. I have terrible follow-through. I have grand dreams and ideas and never do anything to make them come true. But I've been reading a lot lately about how we have been created with a purpose. God has big plans for me and can accomplish through me far more than I can even imagine or dream. So I should not foresake these gifts he's given me just because I have some obstacles in the way. I have the Holy Spirit in me because I've accepted Christ as my Savior. Therefore, if my dreams are in tune with God's plans, I can do anything.
With that in mind, I have made two resolutions that will not only be for 2013, but will be my life resolutions--to be more loving and to write.
When I think about how I can be more loving, I can't just say it and expect it to happen. I have to find tangible ways to make it happen, especially since we will be moving back home and be around family a lot more. Family is strange. Not to say that our particular family members are strange, but family relationships are strange in that they are the people you love most but also the people you tend to treat the worst. My goal is to try and figure out what everyone's love language is and acknowledge that. According to the book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, everybody has a love language that speaks to them--quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, or physical touch. Knowing each person's love language helps show that you care about them, and it can help improve relationships. Life is all about relationships and reaching people for Christ--something I'm good at talking about but not actually doing. I hope to become better.
Another way I can be more loving is to take care of myself. And one way to do that is to write. I've been ignoring my blog for awhile, and I've come to one conclusion--I should not ignore my blog. An up-to-date blog is a happy blog. Writing here just makes me happy. Writing anywhere and about anything just makes me happy. So everyday I will write. I am working on a couple writing projects, a children's picture book series and a middle grade mystery. Once we move, I plan to work towards finding an agent for a picture book I have already written. But even if I don't have time to work on these projects, writing on my blog and keeping up with my favorite moments journal is a must!
With that in mind, I have made two resolutions that will not only be for 2013, but will be my life resolutions--to be more loving and to write.
When I think about how I can be more loving, I can't just say it and expect it to happen. I have to find tangible ways to make it happen, especially since we will be moving back home and be around family a lot more. Family is strange. Not to say that our particular family members are strange, but family relationships are strange in that they are the people you love most but also the people you tend to treat the worst. My goal is to try and figure out what everyone's love language is and acknowledge that. According to the book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, everybody has a love language that speaks to them--quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, or physical touch. Knowing each person's love language helps show that you care about them, and it can help improve relationships. Life is all about relationships and reaching people for Christ--something I'm good at talking about but not actually doing. I hope to become better.
Another way I can be more loving is to take care of myself. And one way to do that is to write. I've been ignoring my blog for awhile, and I've come to one conclusion--I should not ignore my blog. An up-to-date blog is a happy blog. Writing here just makes me happy. Writing anywhere and about anything just makes me happy. So everyday I will write. I am working on a couple writing projects, a children's picture book series and a middle grade mystery. Once we move, I plan to work towards finding an agent for a picture book I have already written. But even if I don't have time to work on these projects, writing on my blog and keeping up with my favorite moments journal is a must!
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