Curriculum!

Wow!  I never knew just how much STUFF was out there.  Going through curriculum choices was like my adult version of getting a toy catalog in the mail as an 8 year old.  The choices seemed limitless and it mostly all looked fun.

I kept coming back to hands on curriculum with lots of books and not lots of worksheet type set ups.  I know I want my children to have the opportunity to learn and challenge themselves, but I also wanted something that fostered creativity and well, childhood:).  I knew I did not want something rigorous.  The past few years, I have really felt led to more of a play centered learning style when they are young (under 7).  And even after 7, I wanted to be able to give them opportunities to learn in an (don't hate me for using this word), organic way.  For example, my son gets absolutely fascinated with a particular thing and for about a span of 1-2 weeks, it just consumes him.  What better opportunity to learn than during that time!   

So anyway, we ended up choosing My Father's World.  It was written by a missionary couple who homeschooled their own children and felt the calling to create a curriculum program.  A large portion of their sales actually goes to publishing Bibles in different languages.  Anyway, first and foremost, this program is bible based.  It infuses Christian worldview into all subjects.  It (some of this is straight from website) "utilizes hands on, unit studies with daily lesson plans" and enables families to learn together.  Many of the programs can be taught (at different levels) to a range of ages together.  It combines Charlotte Mason and classical style of learning with a biblical worldview and international focus.  

We have only done 2 weeks of it but I am so very excited to see how it works in our lives!  

Our schoolroom

So excited to have a room we can use as a school room.  It's right off the living room and kitchen; it's perfect because we are still within the "hub" of the house.  It's also nice to have a place for the million supplies and learning aids I have collected over the past few years.  Below is a view of my desk, school table, the bookshelves and cubbies.  The cubbies each have quiet things in them to work pull out and work on when one is waiting on another to finish up.  

I also have a little reading area here.  Each week I switch out library books in the book basket that pertain to whatever we are studying that week.  The kids can pick and choose what they want to read during quiet times throughout the morning.  

There are a few other things I am wanting to do to the room.  But right now, we are busy with other parts of the house so the rest will have to wait. 

Legacy

So we had to name our school when we declared our intent to homeschool with the state.  We tossed around several names but eventually landed on Legacy Academy.  I just kept thinking of what was important for my children to learn....what was going to be the take away from all this in 12/14 years.  Sure, I want them to be well rounded, well read, well educated.  I want them to love learning.  I want nothing to satiate their hunger for knowledge.  But really.  If I could only list one reason, it would be to fulfill their ministry.  I want them to walk in Christ, to continue the legacy set forth since the beginning.  I feel so blessed and so EXCITED that I will have opportunity after opportunity to teach them about these things.  I love that I will have so many teachable moments with them everyday.  Psalm 78:4 says, "we will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of The Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done."

Big things

Oh, Hey!  Been a while, yadayadayada....but I am here now and that's what counts, right?  Who knows- maybe it will stick this time:).

Big things are happening around here lately that just deserve more than a Facebook status update.  First, our house is under contract!  Yippee!  We are so excited although also so sad too.  This house holds a lot of memories for us- its our first house as a married couple, the house we brought both our children home from the hospital to....it has so many happy memories.  But ultimately, we knew that there was one more house in our plans where we would make many more happy memories.

Which brings me to the second part of our big news.  We planned on building this whole time and even have our land....but surprise, plans changed:).  A house sort of fell into our laps and its actually quite perfect for us.  We really love it and it has everything we wanted in a house.  We just could not find one reason not to buy it.  So we did!!  And if everything follows schedule, we should be moved in to it in a few short weeks!  So yay! We are very excited and up to our eyelids in boxes around here!

Throw in our first year of homeschooling to begin shortly after we move and there you have it- the second half of 2013 is bringing lots of exciting changes for our family.

obligatory pumpkin patch pictures

What would fall be without pumpkin patches?  I have decided that my new favorite season is Fall.  I love how fierce and crisp the blue sky is against the changing leaves of yellow, gold, brown and red.  I love how the wind bites at my skin, but the sun warms my back.  I love how the fresh, cool air blow through my open windows, leaving my house feeling new and clean.  I love how the blankets always come out for impromptu picnics and story-times in the grass.   I love the pumpkin patches and fall festivals, the reflections of thankfulness and blessings, the excitement of preparation for the coming holidays.  I love the fall races, the spryness I feel in my step as I run in the cooler temperatures.  I love the sweaters and jackets, the brown leather boots and burnt orange colored accessories.

Mississippi may not have a lot of distinction between the seasons and although many people complain about this very thing, I take relief in it.  God certainly put me in Mississippi for a reason.  I quake in my winter boots at the thought of an actual winter.  My little flip flops rejoice in their tattered soles from being worn 9 months out of the year.  I love that I can fully enjoy a season without having to commit to it (well, except for summer...but then there are pools and snow cones and air condition for that, so that's okay).

Okay, on to some pictures....

 

Our plans, but not really

Know what you get when you mix an over-thinker (Eric) and someone who thinks pretty much every idea is absolutely thr best idea ever after a few minutes of convincing (me)? Absolutely nothing!

Several years ago, Eric and I bought some land out in the country with plans to build.  We originally thought we would just pay on it for a few years and then start building.  Well, according to those plans, we should really have our house on the market and, actually, probably have it sold right now and be making some serious and real decisions about our dream house.

But, see.  Well, the thing is....it goes like this....Eric starts thinking about what would be the best long term plan for us and what kind of house would really fit our lifestyle.  And we talk about it and of course, I agree that yes, we really do need a Swiss family Robinson treehouse.  It would be perfect!  And then two weeks later: a dome shaped abode made from concrete really would be better if we have to survive an apocolypse.  But then again, I always wanted to live in a ski chalet.  But hold on to the hammer, I actually love the house we are currently in now so let's wait 3 more years to sell and then build.

And I think that's probably our biggest issue- we really do love our house.  It's not any larger than the house we will build.  It's the house we brought Adler and Hazel home from the hospital to, the one we have made a part of our family.  It's just a quick little zip to anywhere in town, and well, there is absolutely nothing fundamentally wrong with it.  It's just not our dream home, our dream location.  And while I know we will be so happy when we finally do make the move, there is no big rush to do it now.  We are perfectly happy where we are now.

Right now we can't decide from a house made entirely from toothpicks and a modern barn.  We can't decide if we should pay off the land completely (one year!), wait a little longer so we can pay for the beginning of the building process without taking a loan out until later, or if we should jump right in.  So, please, if I start talking about our how our house is going to be made entirely out recycled newspapers (how green!), don't pay a bit of attention to me.  And if you ask when we plan on moving and I tell you one year, don't believe it until you see it!

Jam session

The hurricane forced the in-laws north for a few days, giving us a chance for a little visit! Cousin Everitt, who is a total rockstar to my kids, came with them so it was a fun night. We have been stir crazy so it was just what we needed!

Still waiting....

This morning I went for a run and was greeted with the most glorious sunrise mid-run. I love running in the early morning- everything feels so new and unspoiled and, well, so touched by God's hand.
And now I am sitting here looking out the window at the gentle wind blowing the trees and thinking that this hurricane is taking its sweet time to bring us all the rain everyone is predicting.  We have two days off from school due to Issac and I planned on getting lots done around the house.  So far, the only thing I have done is take the kids to the park and play "Man v. Wild" in the backyard with them.  But what I should be doing now since they are napping is cleaning, packing for our little camping trip (to Hattiesburg- so who knows if we will actually be doing that now), and working on lesson plans for September.  But the breeze is lulling me towards this half awake, half asleep state and I can't make myself get up!  There is always tomorrow:).
Prayers for all my friends and family on the coast and everyone else affected!

Ha!

That is all.

The sponge

Can I just say that I am loving this stage Adler is going through right now?  It's like some little light went off in his head and he realized the world is out there for the taking.  He is so curious about everything and soaks up every little piece of new information he gets.  I mean, I guess he always has been curious, as most little kids are, but he is old enough now to actually grasp meaning and explanation beyond "because God made it that way" (although even the most complicated of answers do come back to that).  It's just exciting to see his little wheels turning and the excitement in his eyes as he is truly learning something new.  It is good for me too because it is challenging my brain to remember all those little tidbits I thought got lost somewhere between two kids, diaper changes and sleepless nights.  It's still there (mostly, but for everything else, there is google- yay!)!

Well, this is awkward...

Erm, hi.  I never know what I should say when I come back to my little blog after such a long vacation.  Should I try to explain why I haven't been around?  Should I try to catch it up on all that has happened since we last spoke?  Or should I act as if I never left?

Well, maybe I will do all three.  Soihavebeensobusywithschoolandkidsandchurchandjust,well,lifethatsomethinghadtogoandmydearlittleblog,well,iknewyouwouldforgivemeeasiest.plusijusthaventhadmuchtosaysoiknewyouprobablyneededabreakfrommetoo.  And breathe. Thelastfewmonthshavebeensobusyandfull.westartedto boxthehouseandthendecidedtowaitawhile.thekidsaresogrown.hazelespeciallylostherbabyoverthesummer.  And breathe again.  Not sure how I am supposed to act like I never left so we will skip that one:).

So school has started back and i have a kindergartner who is very much aware of how big he is now.  He told me yesterday that he walked in his classroom (of kids younger than him), everyone says, "here comes the coolest kid in class.". And he truly believes it.  He said that everyone calls him "dude.". Oh my.

Hazel is in the 3 year old room now and has assumed a big girl role as well.  I am so lucky I get to peak in on her every now and then while she is sitting at the table listening to her teacher or doing her little work.  It's the cutest thing to see her grow.

As for me- I love my new class too.  I have a younger bunch this year and let me tell you, it has been way too much fun coming up with ideas and crafts and cute things to do with this younger set.  And they are all so lovely and affectionate and funny.

And other than that, life is the same.  I have luckily been able to run consistently since my stress fracture in February without any major injuries:).  I am looking forward to some cooler weather but am so thankful to run, regardless of how hot it is outside.  The kids are "in training" as they so seriously call it, getting ready for a race in October.  There may or may not be Gatorade bribes to encourage their running.  They will do anything in exchange for it.  Adler is running 1.25 miles at a time now and z is going .30.

So, although I said I wouldn't do a full blown catch up post, I guess I still snuck in a little one.  My next post is going to be heartfelt and enlightening and personal now that I got the chatter out of the way,

PS: don't hold me to that last promise....

PSS: it's so embarrassing that I always misspell kindergartner.  Its just one of those words you should make it a point of knowing how to spell, in my opinion.  Thank goodness for spell check.

What to do when you can't run

Oh, wait. That title wasn't supposed to sound like I was about to tell you what to do when you can't run. I can tell you what NOT to do if you are trying to make yourself feel better- eat 18 bags of Cadbury mini eggs...start back drinking cokes....watch episode after episode of every show you ever missed on Netflix. Those things definitely don't help, believe me:).

A few weeks ago I was out running and I rolled my foot over a gum ball (they may look harmless; but don't be fooled. They pack quite a punch.). It turned out that it caused a stress fracture in my foot (although I am still a little unsure of that diagnosis). Whatever it is, its totally screwing up my running. It's been 3 weeks, and although I did run one teeny weeny race on it because I just couldn't not run it, I have been pretty sedentary. I have aqua jogged a few times which feels as stupid as it sounds. And I have done weights and gotten on the rowing machine. But it all basically reminds me I am not running. With the risk of being annoying, I will just go ahead and say that when you are a regular runner, to not be ABLE to run is pretty dramatic. When you run, you quickly associate who you are with who you are when you run. The lines fade into each other. And when you can't run, it sort of messes with your identity. I know how ridiculous that sounds, and maybe I am the only one out there who feels this way, but I am pretty sure I am not. But believe me, I have done my share of internet looking through this injury and I have read some pretty pathetic blogs of people, runners, or cyclists, or swimmers, or gymnasts, or whatever, just athletes, who are sidelined due to some sort of injury. It's a sad lot:). I am trying to maintain a positive outlook: my arms are going to be hardcore after all this rowing and weight lifting; my blog is going to be updated more regularly; maybe I will make baby books for the kids; I will pull out my sewing machine, I will finally get my house ready to put on the market.

Or I will just wait it out a few more weeks hopefully and will be able to slowly run again. You know, I think God must hold the virtue of patience pretty highly- it seems like in life, He is always giving us reason to practice it.

What the best week looks like....

It started on Monday with a steroid shot- ah, sweet relief from allergy hell.

And it just got better. The weather: glorious sunshine and warm breeze. We trapsed across parks all week, exploring old haunts and discovering new ones. We dug in the dirt. We smelled new growth of sweet grass as it squished beneath our toes and the fresh wind as it traveled across our faces. Bubbles were blown. Holes were dug. Treasures were found. It was perfect.

This week really solidified to me what I thought to be true over Christmas break, but wasn't sure if it was just a fluke at the time. My kids just do better when we stay home more. And it's more than "doing better"- they thrive in each other's company, at home. This week, they have played together beautifully as well as alone. They have used all their toys. They have been happy with their imaginations. The television has been turned on very little and I haven't felt the need to referee all day. There has been this unhurried, peaceful state of play that has inhibited this house this week and IT. HAS. BEEN. AMAZING.

What's even better than the obvious peaceful state of my house this week is the sweet relationship I see unfolding in Adler and Hazel. How it warms my heart to see Adler delight in Hazel's potty training success. He has given her so much encouragement and even gave her his prized dinosaur becuase she has been going on the potty this week. He has been patient with her and let her play in his room. He told me that even though she didn't follow all his rules in his room, she could still come in to play. I watch them from the kitchen window as they play and every single time Hazel screams over a bug (which averages about every 2.3 minutes) he comes running to comfort her. And she just folds in his comfort, completely at ease once he makes it better.

And Hazel, how she embraces her role as the younger sibling. If you ask her who she is, her automatic answer is, "I'm the baby sister.". You can tell her all the other things she is, but she always insists that she is the baby sister. Period. She follows Adler everywhere. His the first thing she asks for in the morning and the last person she is talking about before sleep. And although she may be the youngest, she does her share of protecting as well. There is not a timeout that Adler sits in that Hazel is not right there beside him. She rubs his back when he is sad and sings songs to make him smile.

How blessed my children are to have each other. And how blessed I am to be a part of it!

the power of the freckle

Never under-estimate what a cute freckle will make you do.

and as always, the one picture I can get of Adler when he isn't making a silly face. 

slow down.

Five

Five has always been the magic age we used when Adler asked to do something he wasn't old enough to do. "Yes, Adler, you can stay up late, drive a car, drink coke, play with choking hazards....when you are five.". It seemed so far away; and now it is here. Luckily,he has forgotten most of these promises. But the idea has stuck with me. Suddenly, I am watching him in a new light. The bed that his bed rails are attached to doesn't look quite as high off the floor as it once did. For that matter, the wood floors don't look so menacing and hard either. His long arms and legs look a little silly dangling out of his carseat. Those big chunky legos look babyish. He has finally graduated- to rail-less beds, a booster (although I am still on the fence about that one!), and small legos he can choke on now. It's pretty surreal!
But how I LOVE my five year old Adler! He is funny and happy and full of life. He is right in the middle of the phase where any odd noise or face is hilarious, where knock knock jokes have no limits, where the party doesn't stop until the eyelids physically won't stay open, and where building blocks are transformed into spaceships for hours of fun.
But the gentle bits of him that I love are still here too- he still requires at least 20 minutes of cuddling a day. He is usually kind to his sister and truly feels it is his job to take care of her. He is mostly obedient and tries so hard to do the right things, follow the rules and make others happy. He is inquisitive and smart, curious and imaginative.
I couldn't be more excited for this fifth year- what a joy it is to be his mother!

Fess up

pinterest- who's on it? I know it's the buzzword of 2011, the visual google for crafters, fashionistas, teachers and chefs....and why I try to resist jumping on pop culture bandwagons- there is a reason everyone is talking about this website- Pinterest basically just rocks.

But here is my question- who is actually testing out the ideas they find on the site? Come on now....you can tell me! I think there needs to be another website that showcases ideas taken from pinterest and actually used, complete with notes from the experience and pictures.

I have done a few things from the site. At bunco the other night, everything I made for dinner came from recipes I found of pinterest. The only bad thing was I felt completely unoriginal because all my bunco girls are on pinterest too and exclaimed how they had seen the recipes there too- oh. snap.

So far I have made:
Pizza balls- http://pinterest.com/pin/233764379/ (was not delicious)
Loaded baked potato soup- http://pinterest.com/pin/210742138/ (was a hit!)
Chocolate wasted cake- http://pinterest.com/pin/302720320/ (so bad but soooo good!)
Apple smiles- http://pinterest.com/pin/124652638/ (made for Adler's class but used caramel and it was a little too gooey)

Okay, so that's all the food I have made, but I have also bought several items of clothes and a few gifts from some ideas I saw here. And I used a appliqué tutorial and made several crafts with my kids or the kids in my class. So SEE? It's not a bit waste of time!

And now I promise to never talk of pinterest again. It's sort of embarrassing how often I bring it up in conversation.

Oh, and sorry for my lack of actual links- I used to be able to easily link on my iPad but something is wonky with it the past month or so and it won't link on blogger anymore. Any tips?

Hap Hudson 5k recap

I know, I know, running has been a theme on the blog the past month or two, but this season is the best season for running and racing and it gets me all excited. And when I get excited about something, I am pretty obsessive about it!

So this last weekend, I ran the Hap Hudson Homecoming 5k at MC. This was my first race to do solo so I was a little bit nervous about that; but Eric and the kids were on the sidelines cheering me on so that eased my nerves a bit. I also had been having some shin issues and had not run in a week trying to get them well again. On race day, they felt pretty good though so i think sitting out that week was worth it.

The weather was perfect- chilly, but clear skies and no wind. The race started with a prayer (nice!) and a horn and we were off. Again, I took off maybe a tad too fast, but I just couldn't help it! It's kind of fun passing people and the only time I get the chance is right in the beginning when all the smart runners aren't blowing it out right at first:). The course was rolling, and winded through downtown Clinton and a neighborhood and ended with one lap around the MC track. First mile I did at a 7:01 pace. Second mile was 7:16. The last mile there was a pretty gross hill towards the end that did not agree with me. I looked down at my watch at one point up the hill and I was at like an 8:45 pace- yikes! I finished that 3rd mile at 7:34 and the last bit at 7:06. I didn't think I would like the last quarter mile being on the track but I kinda loved it! I wish I would have pushed it a little harder on the track and shaved off a few more seconds because that was the easiest part of the race, but I will know for next year! I am very happy with the experience I had- it was lots of fun and i felt great afterwards. I am not sure my exact time yet, but I know it was 22:40 something. I wasn't listening when they announced it and the race results aren't up on the Internet yet. But I did win 3rd overall for women and feel pretty good about that too.

I am so thankful that God gives me joy through running. It is such a blessing in my life right now.

Ps- the men's overall winner did it in 16 min and something. Wha???!!!??? How?

The whole world is her stage.

These pictures pretty much sum up our little Hazel these days.  If there is a flat surface and a willing audience, she will sing and dance her heart out.  She loves it!

PS- Shhh- Z thinks that expression in the second photo is her super pretty face.  I am sure going to miss that scrunchy silly face when she realizes its not!

the MAN.

he knows where its at- all in the eyes.

he was a little nervous at first, but even still, he insisted and doing flips and tricks the whole time

he almost didn't get on the bull and wanted me to get on with him (not gonna happen!) but he did it.  And afterwards, he was all like, "I OWN that bull."

This year at the fair, Ad really got to experience all the rides as a kid, not a baby.  He rode on all the good ones with his cousin, Everett  and truly thought he was a big kid.  He was, actually.  He was nervous about them all, but he was brave and did them anyway.  So proud of the little guy my son is becoming!