Author: Stacie

Daybook

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Outside my window…it’s still light out yet three little boys are gently snoring away.  My only reward on a day without naps.

I am thinking…about William and his white balloon.  Last week when I went grocery shopping, I brought Joseph and William each a balloon.  William’s was the white one.  We always cut the lollipop off the bottom because the kids tend to throw the balloon up and down and we learned the hard way that doing that can cause the lollipop wrapper to tear and the lollipop gets crushed and it makes a big sticky mess…usually we replace the lollipop with a toy to help hold the balloon down.  Well, to make a long story short, William did not want a toy on the end of his.  He took it into the living room and let it float to the ceiling and then proceeded to turn the fan on.  Of course the balloon got caught in the fan and popped!  William was devasted.  So today when Daxson went to the grocery store, he brought home new balloons for both boys.  William got the white one again.  Only today he refused to let it go.  If he needed to do something else, he begged Daxson or me to please hold his balloon for just a minute.  Bedtime arrived.  William refused to come into the bedroom.  He was in tears standing just outside the bedroom door, clutching the ribbon to his balloon.  Finally, I realized the fan was on.  We turned the fan off, William climbed in bed with his white balloon.  He held it tightly all through storytime.  The lights were turned off.  I looked over and William was still holding tight.  His breathing steadied.  His eyes drooped closed.  His hand never released the string to his white balloon. 

 

From the learning rooms…check out our “A”mazing first week Along the Alphabet Path.

In the kitchen…crockpot meals.  I just love making dinner first thing in the morning knowing it will be ready early evening without any help from me.

I am wearing…a black t-shirt and gray shorts.

I am hoping…to pull Holly Pierlot’s book A Mother’s Rule of Life off the shelf and reread it soon.  Very soon.   

I am hearing…just the gentle hum of the computer.  Peace. 

Around the house…switching out baby clothes.  Already putting away newborn and small sizes. 

One of my favorite things…conversations between William and Joseph.  Here is a recent one that still makes me giggle.

Joseph loves to play school, with him as the teacher, of course.  So one day I hear him say to William, “William.  It’s time for school.  I’m going to be the teacher.  You’re the student.”

William replied, “But I don’t want to be the stupid.”

Joseph giggles.  “No, William, not the stupid.  You’re the student.” 

“But I don’t want to be the stupid.”

Now Joseph is getting frustrated.  “No, William, you’re not the stupid.  You’re the student.”

William, very insistent.  “I DON’T WANT TO BE THE STUPID.”

“Fine.  You’re the class.”

“Okay.  I’m the class.  You’re the teacher.”

Joseph, quite relieved.  “Good.  Now we’re going to work on the letter A.  A says a.  Now you say it.”

“But I don’t want to do the letter A.  Let’s do the letter B.”

“No, we’re doing the letter A.  Now repeat after me.  A says a.”

“But I don’t want to do the letter A.  I want to do B.”

You can imagine…this was not a very productive lesson.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing…

A is for…

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A is for Alphabet Path, which is the beautiful curriculum we’re using this year.  Head on over to Serendipity to see the Alphabet Path and all its beauty.  The greatest thing about it is how adaptable it is and how endless the possibilities are.  It’s a whole lot of fun thinking up ideas of what we can include (tonight at dinner, Joseph was “b”rainstorming ideas for week “B” and the list seemed to go on forever…bouncing balls, blowing bubbles, playing baseball…trust me, it’s easy and fun!) 

We’re using all of Serendipity’s plans, adapting the reading lists to the books that we have in our home library.  I’ve also added a few extras like a history block (just introducing some of America’s historical figures and moments), word box work (which is a basic introduction to alphabetizing and will provide fuel later for word sorting), physical education activites, and practical life activities.  William is traveling the Alphabet Path with us, with adaptations made that fit his age and learning style.   Joseph is also doing RightStart Math and The Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading (along with Explode the Code and Building Thinking Skills) in addition to his Alphabet Path work. 

Here are some highights from our A week activities (these really are just the highlights…this curriculum is so full of opportunities and rabbit trails that we actually took 2 weeks to complete our A activities!)…

A is for…apple aprons.  Auntie Leslie and Alex (and Uncle Dustin, who unfortunately doesn’t have an A anywhere in his name) were visiting on our first day of A week, so we made apple print aprons together.

A is for…Apple Blossom.  After reading Serendipity’s Flower Fairy story, Joseph and William colored pictures of the Apple Blossom fairy.  Joseph also did some copywork from the poem that is in the Flower Fairy book (which he did while listening to the Flower Fairy CD).  We also studied apple blossoms for science using Betsy Maestro’s book  How Do Apples Grow? which naturally read to a reading of one of our favorite books, Apple Picking Time. 

A is for…Saint Anne and angels.  We read about Saint Anne in our Alphabet of Catholic Saints.  Joseph did some copywork and both boys colored a picture of Saint Anne.  We also used the picture from the book to practice the letter A formation.  We read about angels in Letters from Heaven.  We’re using Letters from Heaven as a springboard for some Bible work this year.  There is a poem for each letter followed by a Bible verse reference.  I’m using that reference to teach Joseph how to use an actual Bible.  We’re also using the beautiful book God’s Alphabet for copywork.  Just so happens that A in both books refers to angels.   Later in the week we read Angels, Angels Everywhere and Joseph illustrated his favorite angel from the story.

A is for…the letter A.  Each week we’re taking advantage of the opportunity to practice correct letter formation using some various ideas such as Cuisenaire Rods Alphabet Book, Do A Dot, Salt Dough letters, and Pin Punch letters (although I’m still waiting for the pin punches to arrive…they’re on backorder). 

  

A is for…Adam and Eve.  I used the book Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden to introduce the story of Adam and Eve.  Then we used our Betty Luken’s Bible Felt Set to re-enact the story.  Joseph and William then made apple tree fingerprint trees and Joseph did a narration of the book. 

A is for…Always Ask.  I found these great coloring pages and we’re including one each week along with a virtue story.  After talking about what it means to “Always Ask” we talked about the importance of also using the word please when we ask, which sent us hopping down the rabbit trail to re-read the story “Please” from The Children’s Book of Virtues and to dig out our manners book, Please Say Please!  Here are some pictures of Joseph asking to please borrow some crayons from William (“May I borrow your crayon please please?”) 

A is for…apples.  We studied Paul Cezanne’s Apples.  Joseph did a narration and then they both did a sketch. 

A is for…Alaska, Argentina, Austria, and many more…For geography, we’re using blank outline maps, a globe and our wall maps to locate states and countries that begin with the letter of the week.  If our pin punches ever arrive, we’ll add pin punching the country outlines to our activities. 

In our book baskets this week (I’m choosing one book from each basket to have Joseph do a narration and illustration of):

History (Johnny Appleseed and Abraham Lincoln):  The Story of Johnny Appleseed, Johnny Appleseed, Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books, Abe Lincoln Remembers, Rookie Biography of Abraham Lincoln

Science (apples):  Apple Picking Time, How Do Apples Grow?, How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

Favorite A Books: Dr. Seuss’s ABC, ABC Animal Jamboree, Adele and Simon, Amelia Bedelia series, Alexander and the Wind Up Mouse, The ABC Buny, The Alphabet Room, At the Beach, Apollo, Ask Mr. Bear

Finally, another fun A activity we did was an All About Me lapbook.  Joseph had a blast filling in all the details about himself. 

Now that you see how fun and easy it is, won’t you join us as we wander down the Alphabet Path this year?

Art Show

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“I want to go to the bookstore,” Joseph said to me one morning at breakfast, his face serious, his intent earnest.

“Well, you need some money.  How could you make some money?”  (I’m thinking a good old-fashioned lemonade stand…he’s not.)

A long pause as he slowly considered the question.  “I could sell my artwork.”

“Okay.”  I replied, “Get it ready and we’ll have an art show.”  And so began the daily labor.  Crayons, markers, paint, and lots of paper were pulled out of the closet and day after day he worked.  Creating picture after picture.  Each one with a story to tell. 

“This one is for my art show, Mommy,” became the mantra for the following weeks.  Every now and then I heard “This one is for you, Mommy,” and I admit…my mommy heart swelled with joy at each masterpiece he presented.  I could see his hard work, his love, his effort in each piece he handed over. 

He gave each piece a title.  His name was added to all his artwork.  Then he began to price each piece.  Prices varied.  Some were only 38 cents while others were 1000 cents; some $3, others $300.  I think the joy was in writing all the different numbers; not so much in the anticipation of receiving the actual sum.  His self portrait (“Joseph” by Joseph) was priced at $30.  I asked him if he was willing to negotiate.  “What does that mean?” he asked.  “Well, let’s say someone really likes your self-portrait and offers you $1 instead of $30.  Are you willing to take it?”  “Oh yes, of course,” was his reply. 

The day of the art show was approaching.  Invitations were mailed out.  Anticipation filled the air.  “Mommy, you’ll come with me to my art show, won’t you?”  “Of course, I wouldn’t miss it.”  “Good.  I’m glad you’re coming.” 

The day finally arrived.  The artwork was hung below a sign that he had decorated.

Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Gary arrived for the weekend from Austin.  He politely offered a preview of his artwork to Grandpa Gary.  I could hear him chattering away about each piece of art.  Then Grandpa mentioned that he’d be taking some of Joseph’s artwork with him.  That possibility had clearly not crossed Joseph’s mind.  Later I gently explained that when you sell something, the other person takes it with them and gives you money in exchange.  I could see the wheels turning in his mind.  He seemed to be trying to come to terms with the idea of parting with his artwork.   I wondered if we were fast approaching an artistic meltdown. 

It was finally time for the Art Show.  His guests began to arrive and ooh and ahh over his work.  I watched from a distance wondering what would happen when the first piece of art was pulled off of the wall.  The first purchase was made.  He held his hand out for the money.  And then ever so slowly he reached up and removed the art from the wall himself.  He smiled proudly and handed it over.  He had made his first sale.  I breathed a sigh of relief.

Joseph’s Art Show was a success.  Not just monetarily.  By the end of the show, he was so excited to pull a piece of artwork down and hand it over in exchange for some money.  You could see the confidence and the pride pouring forth from his happy little face.  William had a few pieces in the show and was proud to have earned $4 (I think maybe he could have earned a little more, but he kept returning people’s money saying he only wanted $4 since 4 is his favorite number).  He plans to spend his hard earned money at the golf store.  Joseph, on the other hand, has big plans for his money at the bookstore.  And he’s already planning his next show.  I think an entrepreneur has been born.

Daybook

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Outside my window…night is here.  There are still raindrops dripping slowly down the windows. 

I am thinking…I love the sound of rain falling gently on the roof. 

I am thankful…for early bedtimes when no one has napped.

From the learning rooms…this is our first week walking down the Alphabet Path.  I promise I’ll post our beginning adventures soon.

In the kitchen…homemade chocolate chip cookies for Mom’s birthday.

I am wearing…a brown tank top and gray shorts. 

I am creating…my first wooden peg saint doll.  I am not very artistic with a paintbrush and wooden doll, but Joseph is convinced that I’ve done a perfect job of creating Saint Anne.  That’s all that counts. 

I am going…crazy trying to get organized. 

I am hoping…the mosquitoes stay away despite the rain.

I am hearing…Andrew’s steady breathing as he sleeps snuggled up against my chest. 

Around the house…laundry, laundry, and more laundry.  Pretty sure it will never stop.

I am pondering…”Love is patient” and Ann Voskamp’s reflection on it. 

One of my favorite things…rainy days. 

Here is picture for thought I am sharing…

Daybook

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Outside my window…the sprinkler is batting the windowpanes with a soft, steady beat.  Our grass is pretty pathetic.  I’m not sure this little sprinkler will do much good.  God could certainly do better if He’d only send some rain our way.

I am thinking…it has been way too long since I’ve blogged.  I need this.

I am thankful…for the end of bedrest.  Yes, we learned humility and yes, we were filled with grace, but life is so much better now that I’m able to participate in all the little rituals of the day (although ironically, I am sitting on the couch writing this).

From the learning rooms…school officially began this week.  We’re starting off light with a week of Five in a Row.  Next week, we’ll begin walking down the Alphabet Path.  Come back often throughout the year to walk with us.

In the kitchen…Beef Burgundy.  It smells divine. 

I am wearing…a pink tank top and jean shorts.  And they’re not maternity clothes!  Yea!

I am creating…our curriculum.  I’m just never satisified with anything.  So I add a little here and a little there.  It’s a work of art with lots of fine tuning, I suppose.

I am going…to finally see our friends again this week!  Oh how I’ve missed my friend and Joseph and William have missed theirs.  It will be a celebration of sorts to see one another again.  A few miles away can feel like a million when you’re unable to get together.

I am wondering…what is it about a pair of oversized boots that is so incredibly entertaining?

I am reading…Educating the Whole Hearted Child by Sally and Clay Clarkson.

I am hoping…that Joseph’s Art Show is everything he imagines it will be.  He’s worked so hard to prepare so many pieces of art!  (I promise to share some Art Show pictures soon!)

I am looking forward to…lots of family this weekend.  And a beautiful Baptism ceremony for little Andrew and Gavin.  It’s so fun making memories.

I am hearing…a whispering Joseph.

Around the house…laundry.  Does it ever end? 

I am pondering…grace. 

One of my favorite things…the big trees in our backyard.  A luxury here in South Texas. 

A few plans for the rest of the week:  School, play, visit.

Here is picture I thought worth sharing…

What is True About Parenting

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Ann Ruethling and Patti Pitcher reflected on what they found to be true in parenting in Under the Chinaberry Tree.  You’d be missing out if you didn’t have an opportunity to read their thoughts…

“If he had asked me a couple of years ago to tell him what I’d found to be true about parenting. I wouldn’t have mentioned the obvious – the wakeful nights, the spit-up, or the endless diapers – but rather what a profoundly life-changing experience it is.  As I get more and more days of parenting under my belt, though, I realize my advice would come in the form of questions.  I would ask…

Did you search your sould more deeply than you’ve ever searched it before deciding to have a baby and do you understand that parenting is forever?  Do you understand that no matter how much you prepare or how much you read, you will still find yourself questioning?  That the questions get bigger and harder – not smaller and easier – as your child gets older?  That there will be times when your child will need you to hold him in his darkest hour – whether he’s fifteen months or fifteen years old – even when every bone in your body says you don’t have the energy or when your appointment book says you don’t have the time?  That you will need to take a hard look at what ‘everybody’s doing’ and ask for the wisdom to know what is best and the courage to act from your heart?  Do you understand, the sooner the better in your parenting journey, that you are not parenting in a vacuum, that your child, raised with the values you have given her, will be impacting the world for better or for worse sooner than you’d ever dreamed?  Did you search your soul and even try to understand how our society has reached the point where children kill children?

And I would go on.  Are you willing to pray for guidance to know how to bring some Light into our often dark world, to take steps to soften the hard edges?  Do you have the patience to cry with others when there is pain and be full of joy when something of beauty has graced your family’s life?  Are you willing to slow down; to be sleepless in the middle of the night, wondering if you handled something the best way; to learn more than you thought you ever wanted to learn about things that have nothing to do with advanced degrees or the career track?  Can you be vulnerable?  Are you willing to be more completely honest than you’ve ever been?  Are you willing to see the places in your life where you stopped growing long ago?  Do you understand that to bring a child into the world, as well as to birth yourself as a more compassionate human being in the process of parenting, is not only the hardest thing you’ll likely ever do but, just as important, a profound honor? 

Yes, I would ask my friend these questions, longing for him to understand in the process of answering them the sacredness of the work at hand.  For if his answers are ‘yes’ then I trust that each time he wipes grubby hands, makes yet another peanut butter sandwich and with loving words breaks up a sibling dispute, he knows with each cell of his being that parenting is noble work whose every act is heroic and a task worth doing from the deepest, best place of his soul.”

Daybook

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Outside my window…the sun is shining.  Unfortunately that bright, beautiful sun is making it miserably hot outside.  We’re actually still inside this morning, just trying to avoid the heat.

I am thinking…kids are so funny.  Joseph is thrilled with a new joke that he learned.  Regardless of how many times he tells it, he’s still cracking up at how incredibly funny he is.  (Here’s the joke:  If the red house is on the right and the blue house is on the left, where is the white house?  In Washington DC!)

I am reflecting…on my parenting.  The thing about parenting is it’s a learning process.  I still have so much to learn. 

I am thankful for…inquisitive little minds. 

I am praying for…a complete recovery and a gentle transition back into this crazy life. 

From the learning rooms…still just doing a medley of sorts, trying to keep a school routine, but not really following any particular curriculum.  We’re doing lots of reading, a little math, some critical thinking, and still working on phonics.  A consistent routine is more important right now than a hefty curriculum, so that’s our focus.

From the kitchen…Pillsbury apple turnovers for breakfast.  Mmm, mmm, mmm.  Not the healthiest, but these days it’s all about convenience.  Soon we can be all about health again.

I am wearing…a black polo shirt and jean shorts.  It feels good to be in real clothes (even if they are still maternity clothes).    

I am creating…a calendar for this next school year. 

I am reading…Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling with Joseph. 

I am hearing…William running down the hall and Joseph warning Andrew, “Here comes trouble!”

Around the house…I’m still holding down the couch, coming up with a zillion lists of things I’m going to do when this bedrest is over.

One of my favorite things…a content newborn.

Here is a picture I thought worth sharing…

 The baby shower that Nury and Mom had for me while I was pregnant with Andrew was a quilting shower.  All the guests appliqued a block for the quilt and Mom did the rest…she did a beautiful job arranging it and sewing it together.  The beauty of this quilt is not just the fine details of each stitch and block, but it’s the love that went into creating it.  Here’s the finished project.  Thank you to everyone who took the time to make a square for Andrew and thank you to Mom for all of her hard work…together we all made a very special gift for little baby Andrew.  (You can’t see it in this picture, but each block has a handwritten message for Andrew by the person who appliqued the block…he’ll always know how much his birth was anticipated and how incredibly loved he was before he even arrived!) 

Ordinary Moments

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“Before falling into sleep, remember the ordinary moments of the day, the moments with your children that meant something to you.  This simple exercise is like a spiritual corrective lens.  In your vision of your kids, it helps restore the prominence of ‘who they are’ over ‘what they need to do’ or ‘what they need to work on.’  Review the images; revisit the funny yet strangely insightful thing your daughter said, the gesture your son made that surprised you.  Think about how your little one climbed up on the bench by the window at three o’clock, somehow sensing that her sister’s bus would arrive soon.  Remember how your twins looked at the park, the newly minted freckles on their cheeks; their pride in mastering the jungle gym rings.  Remember the way your daughter looked minutes ago when you checked on her: horizontal on the bed with her arm flung back over her head, as though she had tried to outrun sleep.  Relive those moments, and give them their due.  Let the images rise to the surface of your day.  Let them fill the emotional waters that will lull you, in waves of appreciation and wonder, into sleep.”  Kim John Payne, Simplicity Parenting

{this moment}

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{this moment} – A Friday ritual.   A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.  If you’re inspired to do the same, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see.