Sowing Seeds

I blew it yesterday. No patience, unkind words. Not much in the way of mercy.

I'm so thankful that God's God and I'm not. Because I sure wouldn't want to follow someone like me.

Why do I start out the day well and then as the pressures of all that needs to be done build, I crumple like a stepped on soda can? You know, the day is getting away too fast and still much remains to be done, the Baby needs some attention, Bubby is moving at his pace, etc. And the selfish me wants to be done with schoolwork, so I can move on to what I want to do. So what do I do? I choose the flesh. I get grouchy.

And you know what's the worst? At the end of the day, everything had gotten done...all of it...it always does. But at what price. Instead of sowing seeds of patience, gentleness, goodness, love, etc., which I could have (and should have) chosen to sow, I sowed seeds of anger, bitterness, impatience, etc. Seeds grow. And I know the principle - you reap what you sow. Now I'll have lots of weeding to do. ARRGHH! Why did I choose to sow weeds?

Sometimes I feel like that lump of clay on the Potter's wheel. He starts to get me shaped into what He wants me to be and then SMASH! - back into a lump.

So I'm sorry. I'm sorry that after all that God has done and the price He's paid for me that I still choose my flesh. And I'm thankful. I'm thankful for God's forgiveness. So, so thankful that it's there for the taking. All I have to do is ask.

I'm thankful for kids who are so forgiving - that seem to forget (or choose not to focus) when mom is so far from where she should be. Kids that continue to love me even when I fall.

Wow! Often times they paint a better picture of God's love than I do!

Maybe that's part of God's plan. Maybe that's part of why God called us to homeschool? Maybe God has me homeschooling more for what my kids can teach me? That's a humbling thought. But they do seem to have a better grasp than me on the important stuff.

Reliving History

We've been learning about early American History. We've been reading Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims as well as The Story of the Thirteen Colonies. The kids have been mesmerized learning about the fragile relationship between the settlers and the Indians. They've also enjoyed hearing about the faith of the settlers and how easy it was to get kicked out of a colony.

Imagine my delight when I had this conversation with Bubby today.
I had just asked him to help me set up the extra table for a family dinner tonight.

Bubby: Can I please go back out to play? We're having soooo much fun!
Me: What are you guys doing out there?
Bubby: Well I'm an English settler and the girls are part of an Indian Tribe and I got kicked out of my settlement and well, I'm not sure what's going to happen to me now. But I gotta get out there and see.

I was a proud mama. They are listening. They are learning. How awesome that they wanted to relive history!
I wonder what happened to Bubby. I'll have to remember to ask.

Science Center

Wow! These pictures seem sooo old already. I decided to clean off my camera and apparently it had been longer than I realized.

The kids and I took a trip to the St. Louis Science Center clear back in February. We just had to see the Grossology exhibit before it was gone. It was worth it!

Bubby and Leeny learning what causes us to "toss our cookies." The sounds were incredibly real and I found myself nearly gagging.


The 3 big kids watching a quick video on the grosser parts of the human body.


The Baby greatly enjoyed crawling through the bowels.

Sliding through the bowels was even more fun!

Bug learned what causes snot.

Bubby was kind of grossed out reading more than he ever wanted to know about human waste.

Leeny tried out her skills as a surgeon on a life size Operation game.

Bubby and Leeny shooting boogers at targets. Although the exhibit addressed disgusting aspects of the body, it was lots of fun, we learned a lot, and had fun laughing together.

A more refined activity - building robots with Lego's and programming them. Here they were getting their instructions.

All the excitement wore out Baby. She had a nice nap while the kids built robots.

We took a quick trip through the engineering section and the kids built an arch. It was pretty hard getting #6 in there. Of course they had more fun knocking it over.



A favorite at the Science Center is The Discovery Room. It's an area just for younger kids and full of hands-on learning. It is always a race to see who gets to the wheelchair first.

While we have these at home, Bubby spent nearly the whole hour building with Marble Works. I guess it was more fun here because they have a LOT more than we have.


I was surprised how long the girls spent playing at the water table. They've never had much interest in it before. Both were deeply engrossed in their learning (oops, I mean play).

What a great way to learn Science. Hands on Learning is the best!

Old Fashioned Fun

We had wanted to try a Taffy Pull for quite a while. It always sounds like so much fun when you read about them in books like Little House on the Prairie.

We had some friends over that we hadn't seen for a couple of months. We let them in on the fun. First you cook the stuff till it reaches 248 degrees, then you let it cool for about 10 minutes, butter up your hands and pull. I don't know why this picture is so dark. But, do you see that tub of butter? Well we used over half of it. The table was literally dripping. There was butter everywhere. Everywhere!

It was the oddest stuff. So sticky. Then we used too much butter and it felt like a big glob of slime and wouldn't stick together.

A couple of kids got frustrated (namely Bubby). They kept washing their hands and buttering up again hoping to get it to work right.

We never did get the desired results. Finally, we just stuck the whole blob in the big mixer and tried that. I'm not sure if it really worked or not. We wrapped up little pieces in wax paper. They were more like buttery peppermint caramels than taffy. But we had fun and lots of laughter. That's what mattered. And the mess cleaned up very easily.

Tootsie Rolls

The Bug and I found a recipe for home made Tootsie Rolls. What could be more fun than making them? Making them with friends.
And since our friends are homeschooled, we all could count this as art, home-ec and even *gasp* socialization.

This is the Bug with one of her best friends, Curlyjo. They are so sweet together.

The little chef, Leeny. Her friend Tiny Love is Curlyjo's sister. They have lots of fun together. But you have to keep a close eye on them. They are very curious. Kinda like George (the monkey). You just never know what they'll come up with (or get into).

Bubby. Poor guy, always surrounded by females.

This is Tiny Love. She is Leeny's best buddy and partner in crime.

This is my friend, Cindy. But I think the Baby has now claimed Cindy as her best friend. They ate suckers together.

So, the tootsie rolls? The kids enjoyed making them. It was like edible play dough and very tasty. Kind of like fudge.

*Tip - If you decide to make these and your recipe calls for milk, use dry milk powder. Do NOT use regular milk. Trust me on this one.

Fort Friendship

It is becoming increasingly difficult to find a park that holds Bubby's interest. I guess that is normal given he is almost 11. But it's kind of sad. He has always loved to play at the park and could so easily get lost in imaginative play.
Then we met a friend at this park. Oh My Goodness! This park is AWESOME!! The kids had soooo much fun. And Bubby? He was like a little kid and can't wait to go back.

The whole park is built like a fort. All wood. Tons of things to do. You could easily spend 3 or 4 hours here and not have to worry about kids getting bored.

Leeny and her pal B. They are so cute together. Both enjoy life so much.

Bubby and his pal S. They were hard to catch in a picture. They were on the move in their own little world the whole time.

The Baby enjoyed the park too. It will be much more fun for her (and Mommy) when she can walk a little better.

Morgan and H. They were very excited to spend some time together. It had been much too long since their last visit.

The park has all kinds of little tunnels and twists and turns. You never know where your kids might pop out.

She wasn't really impressed with the swing. The Baby wanted to be in the mulch and with the big kids. Oh the misery of being a baby!

We had a great time and can't wait to go back. Of course, we'll probably have to wait until Spring.

Equipped

Made Ready. Prepared. Having the necessary materials or supplies.

Sometimes as a parent but most often as a homeschooler, I feel like I am walking in the dark. Or trying to blaze a new trail. I like to be a leader, usually. But there is definitely some comfort in following - following trails that have already been made (and paved), even if the path is the wrong one for me, the less godly. I'm not proud of feeling this way, just being honest. Homeschooling can be scary. There isn't a "one size fits all" path. You kinda have to blaze a new trail.

I have been reading in Philippians. Actually, I've been stuck there for over a week now, just reading and re-reading, knowing that God has lots for me. Maybe I'll share more of what God is showing me later.

I know that I have been called to homeschool my kids. How I know I was called is a whole different post. Reading in Philippians reminded me that God has begun a good work here and will be faithful to carry it on. (1:6)

So, I'm trying to remember this when I have my freak out moments, my moments of uncertainty, my times of thinking that I can't do this and even my seasons of I don't want to. I have been called and He'll give me what I need, when I need it.
All I need to do is keep Him central to everything. To remember that the most important thing is Christ preached. Truly that is more important than the 3 R's. But oh so hard sometimes because my flesh takes over.

And so I'm reminded (again) that God doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called. And I have been called.

Around Here...

Two weeks of the Husband being home, wonderful as it was, throws off our routine. The momentum we had going, has come to a screeching halt. It will take a few days, (actually I think, this time, it's harder on me than the kids) but life will get back to normal.

Bubby had a tooth extracted yesterday. He was in quite a bit of pain after. This tooth had started bothering him off and on since the middle of July. Then it got abscessed. The antibiotics didn't work. He started another, stronger antibiotic and it helped but didn't clear it up. The dentist decided to go ahead and pull it. I begged the Husband to take him. I hate watching (even being there) when teeth are pulled. He couldn't. I had to act like a "big girl" and tough it out.
Yes, I know that Bubby was the one getting the work done. He did very well. As a former fainter, I just hate that stuff!

The Bug, aka my right arm, is now playing soccer for 2 teams. Fortunately, we still only have practice 2 times per week. She is playing on the 5th and 6th grade team too. I love watching her play. Especially when she knocks a big kid down. That sounds awful. She's not mean to other kids. She just charges the ball and if you're in her way, you might find yourself laying in the grass. Poor Bubby found this out at practice last week. He was NOT happy about it!

Leeny is busy, busy, busy! Sometimes I think duck-taping her to something would be a good idea (although she'd be out in 3.4 seconds). Both her top front teeth are gone - too cute. She too is enjoying soccer. But I think she also has a crush on one of her team-mates. They follow each other around before and after games.

The Baby is approaching her first birthday. As much as I love watching her grow and develop, I can't help but be a little sad that it's went so fast. Too fast.
She is the only one around here who HATES soccer. I think it is because it's not about her. Really, she hates her stroller much preferring to be crawling all over (think soccer field during games, strangers, parking lot, etc.) Soccer games keep me very busy chasing her!
She is just about to walk. I catch her standing with no support all the time, yet she lacks the confidence to take a step. Soon, very soon!

Me? Well my weight is coming down. I'm down a size in both pants and shirts. My weight loss is now about 16 pounds. Slow but steady. I started Weight Watchers about 2 months ago. Other than that, not much new.
I love being a mom. I love homeschooling my kids (even on the tough days). I love watching things click - when they finally get something. Or even better, when they apply something we've learned from a book, to real life. That is one of the greatest, most gratifying aspects of homeschooling. The best part though, I love watching the relationships between my children - the friendship, the love, the laughter, the joy.

Real Life + Real Books = Education

Today we had to run lots of errands. We needed the oil changed in the Suburban. All but Leeny needed some summer clothes, so a trip for clothes was in order. Of course we couldn't forget the shoes. Bubby's were almost a whole size too small. We had to eat. So Oh Charlie's was decided on. Finishing up the day was a mega trip to Sam's. No chance for schooling today, right? Wrong.

I had never really considered the value of real life - at least in recording it as a school day. But at convention this year, it seemed to be a recurring theme for me. Mind you, I have no intention of skipping the books. I just never counted real life as a "school day". Today though, I did.

We started out listening to a story about Bach and his music. It was fun realizing how much of his music we hear on tv and radio commercials. So we covered music appreciation and history. During the oil change, Bubby read a book and watched the news. Current events? Maybe. Reading? Check. Shopping was defiantly a math lesson (for me too - I was counting kids the whole time). On and on the list goes. We even listened to a Science Adventure CD on the way home.

You know what I realized though? I can't always categorize everything my kids learn - math, reading, history, etc. But I can't underestimate the things they learn that don't fit. Like learning to look people in the eye and order for themselves in a restaurant and patience when 40 jars of baby food have to price corrected one. jar. at. a. time. Where do you put following directions, building relationships, meeting new people, being able to comfortably communicate with people of all ages and unloading and putting away tons of food and clothes?

I don't know. Sometimes it just doesn't fit in the educational boxes. But they are learning.

We're Back

Well The Baby and I returned from the Homeschool Convention with lots of goodies. She was a great baby, hardly crying or fussing. She also became mobile while in Ohio. I put her on the blanket in the hotel room with a few toys and when I looked at her just a few minutes later, she was 5 feet away trying to eat...dare I confess.... my dirty tennis shoe! It's time to really keep an eye on her.



This was my 3rd year attending. I'm always amazed to see how many homeschoolers there are. It's reassuring to see people like yourself, to know you're not alone on this journey of educating your children at home.



What did I learn? Pretty much that I need to relax. Quit trying to bring the school home. Read aloud more, play lots of games together, let them play and explore. And, a LOT less bookwork! Basically I need to remember that education "is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire."



So here goes. We're going to grow butterflies in some kit thing I bought. A magnifying glass is going to open up a whole new world of little things (and I've always wanted to start a fire with one). We're going to play games and we're going to get back to loving learning.

More than a pink dress

I've been reading, I Saw the Angel in the Marble by Chris & Ellyn Davis. It's a great homeschooling book that really encourages you to see each child as individuals with God-created interests and abilities. One challenge was to find out your kids interests and base curriculum choices around that. I hate to admit that my initial reaction to that was sarcasm. I mean, really?! I have 3 school-aged children and a very demanding, nursing 5 1/2 month old. I'm going to a conference in about a week. I have already decided what I want to teach them next year. Ask them what they would like to learn? I'm not really interested.

Then the Bug walked in. Something made me ask. Some part of me, deep down, knew I had to ask. So, I did and was I surprised! She listed ideas and things she wanted to learn for a good 3 minutes in rapid-fire succession. I filled a notebook page. My face must have registered shock. (Truth be told, I was shocked. This is my princess-loving, dress-up wearing, make-up and all things girly, girl.) She wanted to learn about snakes and light bulbs and trees and how things are made and gorillas and....the list went on and on. Well, I was shocked. She asked me what was wrong. I told her I never would have guessed all those things that she was interested in. The Bug looked me in the eye and said, "You know mom, I'm more than a pink dress."

Is she ever! She's a child of God - the author of creativity. Shame on me for not asking before. Of course she's more than a pink dress. And when I go to convention, well, let's just say that I'll keep that in mind.