Feeling Good

February 23, 2015 / Stacie / 1 Comment

Spring is almost here and with it, new beginnings. This is the first spring in 8 years that I’m not pregnant or nursing incessantly to meet the demands of an infant (still nursing but now that she’s nearing 2, the relationship is much different…not nearly so demanding). It feels good. And I want to feel good because it’s been awhile since I’ve felt good…between fluctuating weight from having babies, dealing with anxiety and panic and an overwhelmed state of mind, suffering from a lack of spiritual life as I deal with the daily demands of my vocation, and the universal lack of sleep that plagues all parents, I’m ready to feel good again.

So my focus this spring? Exactly that…do things that make me feel good. I’m not talking about pleasurable things…like taking a vacation without the kids or spending the day at the spa or lounging about eating Godiva and reading romance novels (although all of those things would be lovely!). I’m talking about the things that just make me feel good….things that make getting up each day less of a chore and more of a joy…the things that fortify my body and mind. You know the things that might not be easy, but are completely worth it. Things like cleaning up my diet, making my workout a routine again and feeding my soul and brain. I’m going to fill my spring with things that nourish me because this mothering thing…well, it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. And I need to fuel up if I’m going to keep going.

I love that the end of Lent coincides so beautifully with the beginning of spring…it just seems natural to begin to reshape myself at the beginning of Lent so that by Easter, I am reaping the benefits of this “new” me.

Physical: Physically, my goals are to do the Whole30 and to make working out a REGULAR part of my routine again. My goals for the Whole30 are first, and foremost, to break the sugar addiction and to finally be free of the sugar demon. However, I have some fun, little goals too…I want to learn to make my own bone broths and curry. I want to try meat 3 new ways (or maybe 3 new meats…bison, maybe? lamb?) and incorporate veggies that I rarely ever use (rutabagas, bok choy, brussel sprouts, just to name a few). I also want to visit the farmer’s market a little more often and find a good source for our meat (yep, you guessed it…I finally watched Food, Inc.). As for working out, I’m going to reincorporate weight training (I am finally thankful that Daxson has lugged that Bowflex with us all these years) and stay consistent with some form of cardio (walking, running, chasing my kids).

Mental: I’ve always read to my kids. Always. But in the last few years, I’ve only read for myself late at night after the house is quiet and all those little interruptions are limited. I thought that seemed logical until the other day. I realized that here I am, trying my best to making reading (and reading-aloud) a culture and a way of life over here, yet I’m cheating my kids of one of the greatest examples…me as a reader. Reading isn’t just something we do only as kids…it should be a habit that follows us into adulthood. And for me, it is, yet my kids aren’t seeing that…all they’re seeing is me reading to them. So I spent the last week with a book in my hand during every spare moment (the moments that weren’t spent in the kitchen or folding laundry) and you know what I noticed? They started picking up their books and toting them around JUST LIKE ME…we were reading everywhere and much more often…outside, at the beach, first thing in the morning, after lunch, all together in bed at night. So my goal? Read. Read. Read. I’m always reminding the kids that every moment is a choice. When you choose to do one thing (for example, when I check Facebook or email), you’re choosing not to do something else (like read). Hmm. Wisdom noted. Advice taken.

Spiritual: It’s time to reread the Bible. It’s been awhile since I’ve read it cover to cover (I think maybe the last time I did that was when William was a tiny baby and life seemed considerably less busy). So it’s definitely time. This time I’m going to journey through the Bible with C.S. Lewis using this Bible.

Emotional: Time for myself. Seriously, that’s my goal. I’m not talking about carving out days or weekends here. Minutes will do. An hour would be extraordinary. Whatever it is, I need it. And I’m not talking about minutes after they’re in bed at night and I’m exhausted. Whether it’s Daxson offering to take over for a bit of time or while Katie takes her nap (and the boys have some quiet time), I’m taking it. And I’m not paying bills or preparing dinner. I’m breathing. I’m relaxing. I’m rejuvenating. Not because I deserve it. Because I NEED it.

That covers the basics. I could continue with a list of goals in all the other areas of my life from my marriage to my relationships to housekeeping, but I won’t. I have a million lists of books I want to read, things I want to do with the kids, conversations I want to have with Daxson, but listing it all would be overwhelming and it would begin to feel like a bit of a burden when this whole idea is meant to lessen my burden (because making yourself FEEL GOOD makes life much easier). That’s why I only focused on the four areas I listed. My final thought to share is this: I just have to keep in mind that as long as I stay focused on the moment and make those four areas my goals, I’m bound to reap the benefits in ALL areas of my life. Sometimes life just needs a little re-prioritizing. When I make a conscious effort to be present in each moment, all the other areas of my life flourish.

Nothing here is earth shattering, but all of it is life altering. Nothing here requires you to add more hours into your day to do (maybe re-prioritize a few things, but add extra hours? Nope). You can do this and you’ll thank me (and so will everyone else in your life!) Care to join me?

{this moment}

February 20, 2015 / Stacie / 1 Comment

{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.

Daybook

February 18, 2015 / Stacie / 5 Comments

Outside my window…lots of cheerful noise…birds, lawn mowers, and kids. A lovely cacophony of sound!

I am remembering…lying on the picnic blanket after lunch, relaxing. And then these two curious creatures interrupted.

I am listening to…Sparkle stories these days as we drift off to sleep. Here are some free ones for Valentine’s Day!

I am wondering…how we are already seeing mosquitoes around here…it’s only February!!!

I am thankful…for the week we took off. Much needed. Now we’re ready to move forward.

I am looking forward to…our next trip to the beach.

I am considering…grammar options to supplement our IEW writing lessons. We’re currently using First Language Lessons by Jessie Wise. We’re very happy, but I’m wondering what comes after level 4…any suggestions?

In the refrigerator…meatloaf, roasted veggies and mashed potatoes (simply so I can make Mom’s mashed potato pancakes).

I am wearing…jeans and a red shirt with red heart socks (okay, you caught me…I’m writing part of this Daybook on Valentine’s Day, but I probably won’t finish it until the day you see it posted…I write in short spurts, as kids, I mean time, allows.)

I am creating…the plans for the last 12 weeks of our school year. We’re getting ready to enter the 2nd half of the year (so our 4th six weeks) but I like to get a little ahead on my planning so it doesn’t sneak up on me!

We are celebrating…Valentine’s Day, of course! I know this is a little late to offer, but I love the suggestions of gifts for the 5 love languages here. We got lots of ideas from here (Joseph was inspired by her ideas and even made his own list of clever sayings!) and each of the kids chose which one they like best and then they got busy and made their Valentines. I found these adorable plates and cups at Pottery Barn Kids and transformed our dull, ordinary meals on Valentine’s Day into extraordinary meals. I even got away without having to offer dessert…sweet!

I am reading…Home in Carolina. My brain needs a break. Although putting the link here, I just realized this is just one in a series…which would explain why I felt like such an outsider when I first started reading it!

In our learning room…back to school this week.

One of my favorite things…this hair.

A peek into my day…Joseph and Katie reading together.

Please visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook for more daybook entries.

The Backdrop of Our Lives

February 17, 2015 / Stacie / 2 Comments

There is a backdrop in our lives, literally, that might not grab your attention at first glance, but it’s there. It’s my mother, present, in our everyday lives, despite the fact that she’s 200 miles away. How? you might wonder. Through her art – her quilting. Every stitch, it seems, is sewn in love and we drape that love beneath us as often as we can so we can feel her presence even when she’s not really here. We literally roll in it, nap on it, snuggle up with it and feel closer to her through a compilation of threads and fabrics.

This is how I remember my mother throughout my childhood (even though this picture is only a few years old, it’s reminiscent of my childhood):

And with that pose, here is what she can create…

One of the first quilts she made me…

She began a tradition to make each grandchild a quilt and present it to them on their first birthday. First there was Joseph and his John Deere quilt…

Then along came William and a beach themed quilt…

Next was Andrew, with a bug quilt (and by this time, Mom had become an expert on her embroidery machine)…

Finally, Mom had a chance to use some pink! Here’s Katie’s ballerina bear quilt…

Mom made me a quilt for my birthday one year (it’s the New York state star since that is my birthplace). This is the same quilt that I snuggled under every night in my first trimester with the babies when the morning sickness was unbearable and all I wanted was to be close to my mom.

There have been other exciting projects along the way. When I was pregnant with Andrew, for my baby shower, we supplied all the tools and each attendee made a personalized, appliqued quilt block. Mom sewed it all together and quilted it for me.

Mom’s quilt was even there as our backdrop when our family was featured in a local magazine!

When I had a close friend almost lose his life in a helicopter crash, I asked Mom if I organized a prayer quilt…friends and family members would each make a quilt block with each stitch representing a prayer…would she put it together and quilt it for me. Of course, she said yes.

There is the wall hanging she quilted that no Christmas would be complete without…

I see these quilts so often. One thing I can promise is that they are used. They don’t sit up on a shelf, collecting dust. We use them almost every day. It makes my heart glad (and I bet it makes Mom’s heart glad, too!). And Mom’s house is filled with more beautiful pieces of her art (our family’s favorite is the 4th of July quilt…my kids love snuggling under that quilt every night that they sleep at Granny’s!) so the art tour has only just begun…hopefully Mom and Leslie will post more pictures soon!

Thank you, Mom, for sharing your talents and your love with us in such a tangible way. Your art gives our lives a beautiful background to roll and tumble on!

The Second and Third Six Weeks

February 16, 2015 / Stacie / 1 Comment

Wow, I thought I was long overdue when I wrote my first six weeks post…if that was overdue, I’m not sure what word to use to describe the timeliness of this post! We just finished our third six weeks (so that portion of this post is on time!). Here are the highights of both the 2nd and 3rd six weeks (this won’t make for highly entertaining reading…plus I apparently ditched the camera for school-related things during all that time!)

Geography studies: 2nd 6 weeks: We covered Russia, the UK, France, Italy, Greece and Germany. 3rd 6 weeks: We covered the Netherlands, Spain, Canada, and the United States.

Chemistry: We continued our Chemistry studies supplemented with lots of fun experiments. We read Marie Curie’s Search for Radium. The boys each made their own periodic table pillowcase…apparently sleeping on the periodic table is worth “experimenting” with!

American History: 2nd 6 weeks: We covered the Pilgrims (just in time for Thanksgiving, of course!). 3rd 6 weeks: We covered early colony life, Daniel Boone and began a novel study of The Courage of Sarah Noble.

World History: 2nd 6 weeks: We finished up our Early Church and early saint studies and began to move into the Byzantine Empire (using Pandia Press…which you’ll see in just a moment that we didn’t stick with for long!) 3rd 6 weeks: After a King Arthur lapbook (lovingly prepared for Joseph by Auntie Leslie!), we switched programs (again) to Simply Charlotte Mason’s Medieval studies…ahh, love this. Simple, straightforward and filled with real books. Perfect fit for us. And all are engaged in their learning.

Wee Folk Art: 2nd 6 weeks: We focused on harvest time…lots of apples, pumpkins and of course, with fall, leaves! 3rd 6 weeks: We started Winter Wonderland…lots of snow stories and nonfiction about winter and groundhog stories. Not quite as engaging as our first trimester, but we’re enjoying the reading (and wishing we could visit some snow!)

Other highlights: We added back in our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd lessons (didn’t realize how much we missed this, until we started back!) We are continuing our Shakespeare studies, Hoffman Academy lessons (supplemented with Alan Jemison lessons…they’re finally reading music!), and Nature Study lessons using Simply Charlotte Mason’s Nature Study book. We switched over to Memoria Press’ picture study cards and are alternating our art lessons between Lindsey Volin and See the Light DVDs.

In between our 2nd and 3rd six weeks, we took the month of December for our Advent plans (we always spend the month of December doing school a little differently…we still do our Grammar and Math plans but we spend the remainder of our days soaking up the liturgy of the Advent season…lots of focus on feast days and preparing our hearts for the birth of Christ). This year we spent Advent studying Christmas Around the World. All the usual feast day celebrations took place (St. Lucy’s day with our annual tour of the lights; St. Nicholas’ day with card and cookie making; The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, with Grandma Nury’s help to make flan) along with preparation for Christmas (our Jesse Tree, the O Antiphon house, plus the gift making, cookie baking, present wrapping) during this time. This was our first year using the O Antiphon house, which added an extra depth to those dark days right before Christmas.

For a list of our daily activities including Faith lessons, Math, and language arts, you can glance back at the 2014-2015 plans.

{this moment}

February 13, 2015 / Stacie / 1 Comment

Daybook

February 11, 2015 / Stacie / 3 Comments

Outside my window…the sound of the basketball hitting the ground…repeatedly…thump, thump, thump.

I am remembering…our ride in the car yesterday. Andrew managed to get in with no pants and no shoes. We were just going for a short ride to get Katie to take a nap, so I didn’t pay much attention. We passed a park and Andrew asked if we could stop to play. I told him no, you don’t have any pants or shoes. The other boys started to blame him for not being able to go to the park and before I could interfere, Andrew exclaimed, “It’s not my fault! There was an invisible force and it blew my shoes and my pants off.” Hmmph, hard to argue with that.

I am wondering…what was going on in each of the boys’ minds as they took their first horse ride…(Thank you, Mrs. Montesano, for being such a wonderful hostess at Glenoak today. The spark was already lit, but today the fire was ignited…the world of horses is now ours to explore!)

I am thankful…for pink. After all those years of blue, there is much rejoicing in pink. And that face she’s making? That’s her smile when she sees the camera…nothing like the smile she offers when she first sees Andrew each morning or the smile she delights us all with as she laughs at the boys’ silly antics, but a frozen, bottom-tooth-only, smile offered only for the camera. (Thank you, Stephanie, for the beautiful, hand-made gifts!)

I am looking forward to…tonight. Wednesday has become pizza and game night around here. While originally I envisioned game night to mean board games, it’s kind of morphed into Hide n Seek night. Whatever…at least everyone can play, everyone is happy, and everyone is doing something together (except when we’re hiding from each other, of course!).

I am considering…finally watching Food, Inc. But I know that once I cross that line, there’s probably no going back.

In the refrigerator…all the fixings for pizza night…Italian sausage with veggies, sliced black and green olives, freshly shredded cheese.

I am wearing…jeans and a black t-shirt.

I am creating…Lent plans. Simple. Very, very simple. Here they are…they’re so simple, that I don’t think they even warrant their own post!

1. Bury the Alleluia…we do it every year. We have these beautifully painted wooden letters that spell out the word. The day before Ash Wednesday, we sing it, we say it, we chant it…we get it out of our systems. Then we bury it and we fast from it. For those of you who don’t know…during Lent, as a Church, we do not say the word Alleluia. At all. Alleluia is meant to be an Easter word. And so for 40 days, we bury it and we don’t let it slip…then on Easter morning, there is much rejoicing as we reclaim the missing word….we are literally filled with joy as we proclaim Alleluia on Easter!

2. Stations of the Cross each Friday. Sometimes we use the DVD to pray the stations, sometimes we pray the stations that line our hallway, sometimes we visit the cemetery and the stations there. We almost always use the book The Story of the Cross to aid us in our devotions. However we do it, we make sure we do it because it is a deeply rooted tradition that allows us the opportunity to meditate on the Way of the Cross and really, is there any better devotion than that during Lent?

3. The Good Shepherd Parable and the Jesus Tree.

4. Our family devotions…this year, we’re going to be using Bringing Lent Home with St. Therese of Lisieux by Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle and as a read-aloud for the older boys, Amon’s Adventure.

5. A Calendar Countdown.

6. Our individual sacrifices. We don’t eat meat on Fridays…that’s called for by the Church, but considering the fact that my kids eat whatever is served to them, it doesn’t feel like much of a sacrifice over here (not even to Daxson or I, who usually eat fish on Fridays year-round), so I also ask each of the kids to give up something that’s a big deal for them for the duration of Lent…it could be as simple as juice with dinner or syrup with breakfast. I like it to be tangible, though. (When they make sacrifices like “I’m going to quit whining,” it’s a little hard for kids to “see” that and therefore, they tend to forget about their sacrifice over the course of Lent and they lose sight of the purpose of making a sacrifice…which, of course, is rooted in the idea that Jesus willingly sacrificed his life for us…surely, we can suffer a little during the 40 days of Lent in our own small ways in an effort to grow closer to Him.) Making these small sacrifices is actually a big deal in the spiritual life of children…it forces them to call to mind how incredibly blessed they are each time their sacrifice is repeated. Even though it feels small, to us who are overindulged and spoiled, the act of giving something up…anything, no matter how small, rewires our thinking and makes us grateful for all the many blessings in our life…even the small things in life…juice with dinner or syrup with breakfast. I also ask the older kids to make one positive change in their lives during Lent (this is a sacrifice, too! Changing habits is hard!)…this is usually a little more intangible…maybe to commit to exchanging a good habit for a bad habit or making a commitment to do something that makes them a better person (or a better brother or a better son, etc.)

We are celebrating…another missing tooth! And he lost it at the beach…again!

I am reading…Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (you have got to read this series!) and It Starts with Food by Dallas & Melissa Hartwig, along with Well Fed 2 by Melissa Joulwan…totally excited about the Whole30 (which is part of my Lenten journey).

In our learning room…it’s our week off (we’re Sabbath schooling this year…6 weeks on, 1 week off…seriously loving it). We’ve done a whole lot of nothing…well, maybe not a whole lot of nothing…just a whole lot of things that might not be considered productive, but all very nourishing…lots of reading, beaching, and picnicking. And we’re keeping up with our reading streak. So all is good.

One of my favorite things…having children old enough to help out. I came in the other day and found the table all set and ready to go (thanks Joseph!)

A peek into my day…we call Granny a lot these days. I’m not kidding. A LOT. And the conversation usually goes like this…

Katie: (very breathy) hi

Granny: Hi Katie! How are you?

Katie: goo

Granny: Good? (thank goodness Mom can infer what she’s saying!) Oh, I’m so happy to hear that!

Katie: loyou

Granny: I love you, too!

Katie: (very clearly) Bye!

Granny: Okay, bye!

Please visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook for more daybook entries.

{this moment}

February 6, 2015 / Stacie / 1 Comment

Daybook

February 4, 2015 / Stacie / 2 Comments

Outside my window…the rain has finally stopped. Yesterday it seemed like a constant drip. Today, even though cloudy and wet, turned out to be a perfect day for outdoors. Lots of swinging, running and chasing. This weekend should be in the 70s. Perfect.

I am remembering…last week Andrew was all ready for bed, in his Batman pajamas. He was doing something that he wasn’t supposed to and I commented that Batman would not do that. Joseph said, “I think you’re missing the point…he’s BADman, not Batman.” Even Andrew found that comment hilarious.

I am listening…to Daxson as he reads to William and Joseph. So melodious.

I am wondering…why we don’t spend more time at the beach. It’s sunny and warm here 75% of the year and the beach is serious food for our souls. Every kid is happy there. Enough said.

I am going…with the boys to the Cathedral on Friday for a grand tour. Joseph asked our priest a few weeks ago if he would have time to take us on a tour. Our priest said yes. Joseph is thrilled…his top two interests…the altar (“he’s really going to let me get close to the altar?”) and the choir loft (“how in the world do they get up there…I see the stairs, but I don’t see a door at the top”).

I am thankful…for modern dentistry. Katie managed to chip three teeth (No, not one. Not two. Yes, three. Count them. One. Two. Three beautiful little chipped teeth.) two days ago. She had her hands in her pockets and took off running after Daxson. Clearly, she inherited my clumsy gene…she tripped and landed on the concrete, maybe hitting the gate as she went down. Three chipped teeth. One very jagged tooth. Two nights of painful nursing. So today we headed to our wonderful dentist, where he was able to file the rough edges off. Pretty little princess again and happy nursing mama.

In the refrigerator…homemade granola. I love the recipe on the back of the Let’s Do Organic Coconut bag…sometimes we add extras like pecan pieces or craisins, but no matter how we make it, it’s always a hit.

I am wearing…black “lounging pants” (yep, that’s what they’re called on Old Navy’s website), a blue shirt and socks. The socks are not because it’s cold…it just is so dreary outside that I figured it must be a sock day.

I am creating…a horse unit study. The boys are thrilled. It’s filled with lots of Billy and Blaze books, a few classics (like Misty and The Black Stallion), and tons of awesome nonfiction books (booklists and plans coming soon!)

We are preparing to celebrate…Lent. Keeping it very simple this year.

Someday I am going to miss…conversations like the one we had last week on the way to the beach. William said, “Hey, Mommy, you know what I’m going to be when I grow up?”

“No, what?” I asked.

“A daddy, a fisherman, and a spa person.” (he loves fixing my hair and massaging me…who I am to judge?)

Joseph piped up, “Well, I’m going to be an author and a daddy.”

I asked Andrew, “And you? What do you want to be when you grow up?”

He replied, very matter-of-factly, “A puddle.”

Hmm, how do you respond to that. “What kind of puddle?”

“A mud puddle.”

Both Joseph and William murmured approval, “That sounds interesting.”

Then Joseph again, “Oh I forgot. I’m also going to be a game maker.”

Andrew, “Yep, I’m going to be a game maker, too.

William, “Really, Roo. How can you be a game maker when you’re a puddle? You just can’t do both.”

No one and I mean no one here seems fazed by the idea that Andrew wants to be a puddle when he grows up. I guess I’ve done my job…my kids truly believe they can be anything they want to be when they grow up. Anything.

I am reading…It Starts with Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. Yes, I am going to do the Whole30. Yes, I have looked in the mirror and I know I don’t need to lose weight. I want to break the sugar addiction. I’m tired of my food ruling me, instead of the other way around. Sarah MacKenzie’s story inspired me. I’m on board. Whole30 will rock my world beginning February 23rd. You may want to avoid me for a few days while I weep over the loss of chocolate and sugar.

In our learning room…finished our first experience of rock tumbling. Absolutely amazing what a rock tumbler can do to a bunch of dirty old random rocks.