Homeschool-itis....

Is there such a thing as "Homeschool-itis"?  It's kind of like senior-itis, but for homeschoolers!  The weather is nice (well... it's supposed to be), we are bored of doing the same curriculum everyday, and are ready for summer to come and play outside, go to the beach, go swimming in the backyard, have fun at the park, go to the zoo, picnic, go camping, etc... The summer fun list seems endless!

I have to be honest this year, probably due to the super cold winter, our homeschool-itis is at an all time high!  I am having the hardest time getting back into the swing of things!  My punky wants nothing to do with school, it's like pulling teeth (literally for her) to get her to do anything!  And once we decide to do something it takes about 10 minutes too long because we are both being pokey and just don't want to do anymore work!  Anyone else feel the same way that I do?

So a couple weeks ago I started something new that has helped!  You know those packs of paper lists that you can hang on your fridge? I started to actually USE those!  They are now my kids check-lists!  It is the perfect size for what they need to get done for the day!  So in the morning I just write out what they MUST get done today and then at the very end, I ask "All finished?" And if they are then they get 20 minutes of screen time... iPhone, iPad, computer...supervised of course and with a timer going!  But for my kids who ask constantly to play on any of those things, I figured this was a great compromise!  Finish what is expected and then you will get rewarded.  And every year more things will be added to their responsibilities.  But for now I am just hoping this will help get us through the rest of the school year!

I've also noticed with "homeschool-itis"... complaining, arguing, and just poor attitudes are never far behind.  My hubby and I have instilled the Consequences Chart again and I have faithfully kept up with it. Our Consequences Chart is something that my hubby and I did earlier and then stopped.  So we ended up having a family meeting and getting the kids input on it.  The kids decided that we would give a warning, 1 reminder, and then if we had to ask a third time for them to do whatever it was then they would have to move their magent to whatever consequence was next.  We have about 7 color coded consequences on the chart... we start with a time out and get "worse" as they move down the chart.  The first few days that we implemented this, the kiddos had a tough time, but now they know that if we ask them to move a magnet that they made a poor choice, and they immediately regret their decision.  Now, I must say that not everything get the grace before magnet moving.  Things like physically hurting someone else is an immediate consequence.  I'm hoping that the longer we are able to do this the kids attitudes and behaviors will improve.

So, What are some ideas that you have that help get through "homeschool-itis" and the attitudes that the kids show?  I'm always looking for different ways of doing things!

I'm Back!

It's been a long time since I've written anything.  We have been so busy here, and I just haven't had the inspiration to write. But I am feeling better and thought I'd just write about what has been going on here these past few weeks!

For starters, my girls and I chopped our hair!  We ended up donating 30 inches of hair to locks of love!  It was so fun doing it with my girls.  (We still have to mail out our hair, but here are some before and after pics of us!)

Sweet Stuff before and after...

My Punky before and after...Myself before and after...

Let's see what else have we been up to?  My hubby and I did a clean eating challenge with some friends.  I was kind of skeptical about it.. like how much could I really lose with this challenge.  Since I'm being honest I will post my pics.  Here are the results.. I was amazed as to the difference in just 5 days of doing clean eating and p90x!

    It's always nice to see RESULTS! :)

The kiddos got another piece to their clubhouse in the back yard thanks to Grandma and Grandpa S!   This is not the final resting place for the swings, but the other swing set is still frozen in the ground from this horrible winter!  So as soon as we get it out this one will be over by the clubhouse!

A visit to the Children's Museum!

 Playing with some water!Riding the dinosaurs and digging for fossils

 Chalkboard fun, playing with bubbles!

 A bus driver, and a very tired Mr. Mailman!

It has been a fun, busy past few weeks!  But this mama is looking forward to some routine again :)

 

The Busy Signal

So, I have been wanting to write this all week and just haven't been able to sit and do it!  Such a dilemma when one of your passions is writing!

On Monday, starting at 8am, I was on the phone calling and recalling a local camp ground to make reservations for a weekend trip for us and another family.  We went camping together last year and had a blast!

 Roasting marshmallows, cooking hotdogs, playing baseball, swimming, CAMPFIRES!  Ah, camping.. I love it!  It's such a nice way to get away, unplug from the world, and not have to spend a ton of money in order to have family fun!  

OK, back to "the busy signal", I would love to see my phone bill from Monday alone and see how many times I called the camp ground before finally getting a ring tone!  While I was in the middle of the "busy signal" (About an hour and a half) I found myself getting more and more frustrated.  Every time I called and heard the sound I just wanted to throw the phone!!  I just wanted to give up and not call back because I knew, more than likely, I would hear that annoying sound again!  I spent 2 hours of my life persistently calling ONE number... hoping and praying that I would get through.  And then once I finally did get through would they have space for 2 families to camp next to each other.  And it's not like we were trying to just get a tent campsite.. we were fighting to get 2 of 5 camper cabins.  So the longer that I waited with this busy signal I felt our chances dwindle.  I am happy to report that we did get two cabins next to each other... but not until the first weekend in September!

I tell you all of this because I had a thought occur to me while waiting.  How many times are WE that busy signal?  We can be a busy signal to our kids that just want our attention.  They want to show us a picture they drew, play a game, read a book... But instead we say "Hang on one second honey, I just want to pay this bill, write this email, check Facebook (I am ashamed that I have done this), or get this stuff organized for school tomorrow... (All of which I can do once they are in bed for the night)  Or, how many times do we feel that knock on our heart from God saying.. "Hey, I miss you!  Come back and talk with me... Spend time with me by reading my Word... Pray with me and tell me your struggles and triumphs..." And we come back saying "Yes, Lord I will.  Just give me a minute to finish.... **insert excuse**"  And then a minute passes, an hour, a day, week, month.. and we still haven't gone to Him.  I find myself longing for the day before technology overwhelmed every aspect of our life.  It was so much easier.  We didn't feel the temptation to sit and just stare at a machine for 5 minutes (but in reality is actually 45 minutes).  We gave our attention to the things that mattered!  We gave it to our family, to our friends, to spending all day outside, to our imaginations taking us on adventures, to reading or writing, and to spending time with Jesus.

I challenge myself to stop being the busy signal so often!  I challenged myself last week to embrace the chaos of everyday life and I feel like I did, but could always improve.  Here are some pics of me enjoying life and not being the busy signal...

 Here is my Mr. Man helping me make tacos.  Great helper, but what you don't see is he missed the pan and the taco seasoning went all over the stove... embrace the chaos! (And just for the record... the taco seasoning is still all over the stove... I just haven't cleaned it up!  I'm horrible)

 Here is my willow tree angels arm that broke off and while I was going to find something to clean up the taco mess (Which didn't get cleaned because I got side tracked from the Mr.) Mr. Man decided to stick the lantern into the butter... Embrace the chaos...?

 And here is the perpetual state of my basement.  I ask the kids to help clean and they say... "What should I clean?" Well let's just start with what we see shall we?  Embrace the chaos!  Or else the chaos will embrace you and you will want to be a "busy signal" :)

Waving The White Flag

These past few weeks have been super challenging for me.  Parenting is SO HARD.  We have had lots of breakdowns from being trapped inside because of this cold weather and everyone is just ready for a change.  I broke down this morning crying and the kids get so worried "Mommy, why are you crying?  Are you OK?"  I always reassure them that yes mommy is fine.. sometimes mommy's just cry.  Then I get big hugs and lots of "I love you's" and pictures that they drew out of love.  Makes me feel better instantly!  With the hubby working 12-9's and then being out of town makes things tough at home. Now I'm not saying I want my hubby to stop his job because he truly loves it and is very happy and I couldn't ask for anything more... just to clarify :)  I just feel like I have to take on the whole world so it will keep on spinning.  I want to fix everything...or maybe I should say control everything. I want to make sure everything is order by attempting to do the laundry (which is never done by the way), that the basement, living room, and kitchen are all free of clutter, the finances are still in working or not working order (even though I've checked it about 50 times and always come up with the same result), that the kids school gets done everyday, and doing whatever else comes up.  It is exhausting and I'm tired of living in anxiety.  So I am waving the white flag and am going to focus on the good, the fun that happened these past few weeks :)

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="390"] My Punky going down the hill as a penguin
My Mr. Man saying "don't worry we can handle it" as he goes out with his little shovel to help shovel us out of the driveway. Never mind the huge mound he's standing on... we'll just start in the middle ;)
My two SUPERmen.  They are always making me smile :)[/caption]

My sweet stuff going through the "lasers" in the hallway, and giggling the whole time! 

 

My girls teaching a friend how to play Sequence for Kids

It's the little things in life that you need to smile about and be proud about.  Otherwise your days just blend together into this never ending string of blah.  So my goal for the rest of this week is to find joy and beauty in the little things instead of feeling overwhelmed by the chaos.  I will take pictures and then I will write about it... along with whatever else God lays on my heart to write about.  I really, truly love the life that God has me walking through.  I take it for granted too much... so I'm waving the white flag and am going to enjoy and embrace the chaos instead of fight it.

 

 

 

Leaving a Legacy

I just read my morning devotions from my Homeschooling Mom Bible... something really hit me and made me stop and think....

"If the story of your life was included in the Bible, how would you be remembered - as a woman who served The Lord faithfully with all your heart and soul, or as someone who did evil in the sight of The Lord?"

What would my story look like? Would it look like a mom that was striving to do things the way that The Lord designed or would I look like a mom that was just hanging on by a thread because I'm trying to do it all on my own? I am afraid of my answer because I know what it is. My answer isn't that I always go the way that has been planned out for me by my loving Heavenly Father. I usually end up going out on my own and it is a curvy path that bring me through thorns and thick weeds. I eventually end up where I was supposed to be.... But if I had just listened to The Lord's prompting I wouldn't have encountered so much trouble.

For example.... Finances... They literally get me every time. I sit there and balance the checkbook and fret about how I am supposed to buy groceries and put gas in the van on such a small amount of money? I make sure to pay all the bills first and use whatever is left over to buy food and gas. But sometimes what is left just doesn't look like enough. So then I start obsessing over it and trying to recalculate and looking for ways to cut down the list and yadda yadda yadda.... I become overwhelmed and instead of just trusting that The Lord is going to provide (as he always does) I just sit in the doom and despair that is called money. My hubby tries to talk and calm me down and remind me of all the blessings that we have because we are faithful to our Provider above but something inside just doesn't want to listen and I become someone that I don't want my kids to become. I become bitter and extremely frustrated and end up taking it out on everyone that gets in my way...

What kind of legacy is that? Trust The Lord in everything kids, but when the going looks like it's getting tough get into the drivers seat and just take over. Um, NO! It needs to be the total opposite. We need to give that control over to Him and know that we will be taken care of 100%. In my head I know and understand and see that He is providing but then it comes out totally wrong and my kids see that part. They can't see what is going on in my head. They only see my reaction to the stress. Matthew 6:31-33 is exactly what I need to live out and show my kids the faithfulness of God. "Don't worry about having enough food, drink, or clothing. Don't be like the pagans who run after all these things. Your Heavenly Father already knows all your needs 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." When I am feeling the stress and strain of financial woes (or anything else that causes stress really...) that is when I need to turn and run to God, NOT myself. It is a horrible habit that I have gotten into and one that needs to break...not only for my sake, but for the sake of my hubby and kids.

I need to live and breathe Philippians 4:12-13
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

That, my friends, is the legacy I want to leave for my kids. One that trusted mind, body, and soul in The Lord and his plan for my life and my family's life. He knows what he is doing and I really need to stop questioning that.

Feeling blessed....

Today my kids and I went to my homeschool co-op. My kids love being in their classes learning about cool things like China, the sun, drawing, and playing blob tag! The kids are very well entertained and learning and the moms get to chill and have some mom time discussing things coming up in our c-op, prayer requests followed by prayer time, and being able to hang out and talk, hang out and be the emotional woman that we are :) Some mornings feel so rushed but by the time the morning is over I am ready to conquer the rest of the day!

My past few posts have been about my struggles with weight and my body image. Today at co-op we separated into groups and the group that I joined in was on exercising. Seems like a perfectly timed group if I don't say so myself! I have been feeling like I just don't have the motivation to do what I need to do. But after talking with the ladies in the group I was in I feel like this is something that I can do... Not only for me but for my hubby and kids!

So here's my plan!
1. I'm packing away the scale. It gets discouraging when the numbers don't move as fast as I want them too. So I will go by my measurements and how my clothes are feeling.

2. I am going to continue to try waking up early and get my work-out done in the morning. I would much rather get it all done at once instead of piecing it together throughout the day. So the early morning I feel like I will be less interrupted by the needs of my kiddos.

3. I am going to charge up my fitbit and start wearing it again all the time. It's nice because it tracks your steps, your sleep patterns, and any other movement you do and counts it as calories burned! And to go along with that I am going to faithfully log all my food intake on my fitness pal. It's really nice because the fitbit also syncs up with my fitness pal so I don't have to guess durning the day as to how much time I'm taking with doing work.

4. I am NOT going to buy any new clothes until the ones I am wearing are too big. So that will be good motivation for me!

5. I am going to alternate daily between doing the elliptical and Jillian michael's DVD's. Il probably add in some small work outs and stretches from Pinterest that catch my fancy just so my muscles don't get used to doing the same thing over and over again. And I am also going to do it that way in hopes to reduce the chance of shin splints (man those things hurt!)

So my goal is to work out faithfully for 2 weeks without complaining :) hehe... My encouragement verse will be... 1 Corinthians 6:19 & 20 "Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." God doesn't want me to just sit around feeling sorry for myself. He gave me this body and I need to take care of it. He gave me my kids and I need to stay strong so I can teach them and care for them.

So here's to my healthy lifestyle!

Struggling

My goal with this blog was to show the good and the bad...

This week has been a TOUGH week. Like I feel more than any other week of parenting. I don't know if it's just because the kids are still trying to recover from the crazy business of Christmas and daddy being gone all week and being literally stuck in the house because of the freezing temps.... It gets to be a little much. I'm at my wits end today.

I was laying so nice and warm in my bed this morning and the the kids started to trickle into bed with me. Which is fine because they all usually find a spot and rest for another 30 minutes before we get up. But this morning no one was happy about where they were laying because everyone of them needed to be touching me. So instead of us working it out we all started yelling and it ended with me kicking the kids out of bed because one or all of them were starting to hit and I was starting to feel my blood boil. Not a great start to the morning. I crawled out of bed and made my way to the keurig to make some much needed coffee...all while listening to the kids fight over who gets to take the dog out and back in again and who gets to feed her! I felt defeated already and it was only 6:45 IN THE MORNING! I usually drink my coffee and do my devotions but my heart is just not in the right place right now. Devotions will have to come later when I can truly sit in the presence of The Lord and not feel unfocused.

So, here's my dilemma... I feel like a failure because I'm a homeschooling mama and I feel like my kids should behave better. I know that is an unreal expectation that I have and that kids are kids and we need to teach them how to make good choices and live the way God wants us to live. But HOW do you do that when it is a constant battle? I am going to be trying something new for today and next week that a friend told me about. I made a chart with their names and we will do stickers and check marks. I made one for each of the kids and myself (because let's be honest the kids aren't the only ones making good and poor choices in the house). That way the kids won't feel like they have no say. If they see me making a good choice they can point it out and tell me to get a sticker. But if I make a poor choice they can also tell me to make a check mark on my chart. At the end of the day we will count up how much of each we have and go from there.

I feel like my family needs a "reboot". I sat down to write this today because I felt overwhelmed. The song that came to mind was from kari jobe... A song that I haven't listened to in forever. But God whispered it into my soul.... The lyrics are below and go here to listen to the song...

Come and rest here
Come and lay your burdens down
Come and rest here
There is refuge for you now

You'll find His peace
And know you're not alone anymore
He is near
You'll find his healing
Your heart isn't shattered anymore
He is here

Breathe in
Breathe out
You will
You will find Him here

I will rest in you.