{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.
Outside my window…the sun is finally out again. Maybe some of that icky mud will dry up now.
I am thinking…I dread doing our taxes.
I am thankful for…fresh blueberries in the midst of winter.
From the learning rooms…one of the few things I miss about my teaching days are the wide, open walls. So much room and potential for exciting, eye-catching bulletin boards! I have been wishing I could do that in our humble little homeschool, where our “schoolroom” shares space with our playroom but since it’s already a busy room I don’t want to overcrowd things. So I was thrilled when my sister-in-law, Jessica, cleaned out her house and said, “I found an old bulletin board that we don’t need…do you want it?” “Yes!” I replied, awakened by the possibility of a portable bulletin board. The best of both worlds. Plus it’s a double sided bulletin board! Now I can easily make beautiful, eye-catching bulletin boards without crowding our room! Thought I’d share some pictures with you…(by the way, the boys LOVE our new bulletin board. We pull it out just once a day during calendar time and they are tickled to get their pointers and participate!)
From the kitchen…simple, simple meals this week.
I am wearing…olive green pants and a rose colored top…I actually think perhaps I look like a rose today, stem and all.
I am creating…stories. Constantly, I am creating stories to tell two little eager boys at bedtime.
I am going…to finish watching the Math U See video, hopefully.
I am reading…The Gift of an Ordinary Day by Katrina Kenison.
I am hearing…Joseph as he reads Green Eggs and Ham. I love his running commentary.
Around the house…the new office and spare bedroom are almost done…painting is finished, ceiling fans installed. Just need the floors and new shelving for the closet and I think we’ll be ready!
One of my favorite things…day dreaming.
Here is picture I thought worth sharing…We’ve been working on estimating in math and this week we were estimating marshmallows. Joseph guessed 100 and William guessed 4. I think we need more practice…there were actually 32 in the jar. Joseph divided them by 10s and counted them out and then handed them over to William who was happy to count them again (and again and again and again)!
It was just a tiny cut. No gushing blood. No broken bones. Just a little swelling on his nose and a trickle of blood from the tiniest cut. To Daxson and me, it wasn’t a state of emergency. But to Joseph it was an earth shattering event. An event that would entitle him to storytelling rights and lots of pampering.
I’ve learned that lots of the things we consider to be small things as adults are worthy of ceremony for little children. Cuts, bumps, and bruises are a just one example. The little things in their lives sometimes require some imagination on our part. How can we turn a tiny cut into a momentous moment? It’s all in our attitude. Sure, we could tell them to brush it off and move on, but sometimes it’s not about the physical hurt as much as it is about the emotional hurt. Their little souls need nurturing.
So how did I handle the tiny cut? I swooped him up and snuggled him and then brought him inside to begin the “ceremony” of fixing it. I got out “the hurt basket” (taken from Katrina Kenison’s idea in Mitten Strings for God) and got to work. I washed the cut and dried the cut, put some “medicine” (Neosporin) on it and dramatically covered it with a band-aid. Joseph looked at himself in the mirror, satisfied and surprisingly, all better. He hopped down off of that counter, proud to wear a badge of honor on his nose as he retold the story over and over throughout the day. And me? I lost maybe 5 minutes from my day as I fixed him up, but I gained respect in my son’s eyes as I taught him a lesson on the importance of taking care of one another. Totally worth my 5 minutes, wouldn’t you say?
“Lest I ever lose perspective on what’s important, may the small details of daily life serve to remind me: The sweetest memories are right here, in the moments we create and share with one another.” Katrina Kenison in her book Mitten Strings for God.
Outside my window…night has fallen. Two little boys are sweetly resting.
I am thinking…I should be sleeping, not blogging, but I’ve missed the world of blogging so.
I am thankful for…the ease of communication. What would I do if I couldn’t call my mom and my sister on a daily basis?
From the learning rooms…just finished our first full week of being back after the Christmas holidays. It is so lovely to be back in a routine. William is showing a little more interest in schooling although he still flits back and forth between joining us and playing, but I can see his curiosity is peaked.
From the kitchen…this week has been the week of one-dish skillet wonders. Tried a skillet spaghetti and a skillet spanish rice that were both delcious (thanks, Mom, for sharing your finds!).
I am wearing…pajamas. Nothing matches because the clothes that fit right now don’t exactly coordinate.
I am creating…a record of our memories. I thought about no longer blogging. I seriously considered it because I’m pregnant, and I’m tired, and I so desperately just want to sleep, but then I glanced back through the past year of blogging and realized I had created a storehouse of memories. Things I might not otherwise remember when my children are older and I realized that while I may not blog as often, it’s important to try to do a little.
I am going…to try to make it to Mardel’s education sale tomorrow and I hope to visit the Fruit King…they’ve got blackberries and strawberries at insanely low prices!
I am reading…Mitten Strings for God by Katrina Kenison. Yes, still. I’m tired, I tell you. When given a choice, for once in my life instead of choosing to read, I’ve been choosing to sleep. But I will eventually finish this second round of Mitten Strings.
I am hoping…for a year of peace and good health.
I am hearing…just the hum of the laptop.
Around the house…the office and guest bedroom are almost done…well, at least we’re getting closer to the finish line! Much progress has been made despite my fears that I would have to learn to install plumbing, electricity, sheetrock and floors.
One of my favorite things…observing. Just sitting back and watching my kids as they play.
I am praying…for those who don’t feel loved…I can’t imagine a life without love.
Here is a picture I thought worth sharing…
Are you sure Santa can fit through here?
{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.
It’s easy, especially the older we get, to lose sight of our idealistic, yet noble goals from our youth. Amid all the bill paying, financial responsiblity of daily life, we lose sight of the fact that we’re called not just to work and provide, but to serve a higher purpose as well. My dad sent me this link to a video put together by one of his freshmen students, Kayla Burch, and I was inspired! I thought you might like a gentle reminder, too, of our purpose here.
Outside my window…it’s sunny but cold. A perfect combination.
I am thinking…there are some things that just make life sweeter. Toddler kisses and “I love you Mommy” are two of those things.
I am thankful for…ginger ale and applesauce. When nothing else agrees, those two things seem to do the trick.
From the learning rooms…lots of Christmas preparation…baking, wrapping, decorating, painting ornaments (such a great opportunity for practical life exercises…measuring, cutting, taping); Christmas stories galore (especially Tomie dePaola’s); Christmas fingerplays and songs…we’re finding that Advent season is really a curriculum in and of itself.
From the kitchen…Peanut Blossoms.
I am wearing…black yoga pants, a black t-shirt, and a pink and gray striped hoodie. Warm and cozy.
I am creating…an Advent season full of delightful memories.
I am going…to take Joseph and William driving one evening to see Christmas lights again…they are so amused by such simple pleasures.
I am reading…Mitten Strings for God by Katrina Kenison. A perfect Advent retreat. A reminder of why simple is good and why less is more….such a beautiful and much needed message in the midst of the season of materialism.
I am hoping…that Advent and Christmas always remain such a magical season in the hearts of my children.
I am hearing…Joseph, as he reads Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? (while he’s dressing his little Jesse Bear).
Around the house…laundry, cleaning, cooking…all the usual.
One of my favorite things…listening to William. He repeats everything. My favorite thing he says lately? When given a cup, he’ll exclaim, “Lemonade!” but then he takes a sip only to realize it’s not lemonade and he says, “Actually, it’s water.” Nothing like hearing the word “actually” from the mouth of a 20 month old!
I am praying…for a healthy baby, a healthy pregnancy, and the energy to get through one day at a time.
Here is a picture I thought worth sharing…
Sometimes I stumble across a company that I think it so delightful that I am so eager to share my find with everyone I know! Piggies and Paws is one of those companies. What an awesome idea! Basically, it’s a consulting business with trained consultants who take your child’s hand or footprint and turn it into a piece of art. It’s hard to explain so watch this…
After hearing about Piggies and Paws, I called our local South Texas Piggies and Paw’s consultant, Amy DeAtley (you can contact her via the Piggies and Paws website or find a consultant in your area). I visited Amy where she showed me tons and tons of beautiful ideas. I chose the prints I wanted (I can’t think of a better Christmas gift for grandparents!) and then I took Joseph and William last week to have their prints done (Daxson even had his print done, too, as part of a piece of art that combines both the father and the child’s handprints). Amy did an awesome job. She was so careful and thorough as she made their prints. William wasn’t exactly a huge fan of having a stranger put paint on his little foot, but Amy still managed to get a great print. I can’t wait to see the finished products! Now what are you waiting for…preserve those little tiny hands and feet in a piece of unique art work…they grow so quickly, you’ll be glad you did!
I have this great book called Calendar Kids: Handprint Quilts Throughout the Year by Marcia L. Layton. I look at it from time to time, completely inspired by her ideas, but I keep saying to myself, “I don’t have time to quilt!” Then I realized that her ideas could be used for more than just quilts! I decided that we’d make Thanksgiving shirts for the boys to wear. Now the beauty of Marcia’s ideas are that they are not only incredibly cute but they also preserve a little bit of our kid’s childhoods because her ideas are based on using a hand or footprint for the basis of the picture. Joseph and William (yes, even William) had a lot of fun making their turkey shirts. William took a little while to warm up to the idea of having his hand painted, but once he saw Joseph having so much fun, he decided he’d try it too. Now he looks at his shirt and says, “I high-fived the shirt. See the brown paint?” He’s so very proud!
If you’re intrigued with the idea of handprint art, be sure to check back later this week…I’m going to introduce you to the absolute most brilliant home based business…you’ll be eager to find a consultant in your area, I promise!
With Every Intention 