Through their eyes....

I remember vividly being introduced to Self Esteem in 2nd Grade. I had never heard of it before, but our elementary school was going on a full-force campaign. We were all thoroughly indoctrinated with the concept of self value and meeting goals.

Then came the process of growing up. The tug-of-war between the media sending daggers into a young girl's self-concept and the opposite encouragement to be good with who you are. During this time, a great deal of effort went into being someone who looks in the mirror and accepts you for you.

Then you have kids. You get a new body. You have tiny humans hanging off of your every limb and using your body for sustenance. Your body is not your own. You, despite best efforts, take on that wild haven't slept, I don't know what that stain is, sometimes surly look of motherhood. And you wonder, what do I look like to my child and husband?

At first the little babes see your smile, and they smile back. They love you for your milk and the comfort of your arms. Then they start walking and run circles around your legs, and hug your knee caps.

Then, they start talking and lovingly expostulate every thought and observation. It is a kind of poetry only toddlers and preschoolers can really create. You get to see the world through their eyes. And scarier... hear their observations of you.

"Wow Mom your feet are as big as a Step Sister's!"
Too many comments ending in "Your big giant bottom"
"Are those red things chicken pox?!" (No, just a bunch of zits.)
"You look like the beast." (I was getting dressed to go out and actually fixed my hair, was wearing makeup, ear rings and a nice scarf)

A smart mom knows that these little tidbits of truth should make you laugh, not cry. (I know hormones can produce irrational results, but please Mammas, this is a great time to learn to laugh... even if it is at how your child views you.) Although, laughing until you cry may just happen.

Then you savor all those sweet remarks all the more. Like, "Mommy you so pretty." This is twice as sweet when it is the echo of your husband. Who even after all those babies and even with all that really scary, curly hair...still sees you as beautiful. Then it is your job, Mamma, to believe him.

Homeschool Journal

This year I have had the privilege of homeschooling my daughters. One is in preschool and the other is in pre-kindergarten. It has been a lot of fun, and a learning experience for me as well as them!

Discovering their 5 senses.

We started the year by by buying curriculum through Sonlight. We purchased the Kindergarten Multi-Subject Package.  This package is designed for kids age 5 through 7. It came with an enormous amount of books and teaching curriculum. Truth be told I was completely overwhelmed!

Even though we had a 3 and 4 year-old we decided to get the Kindergarten curriculum so that we could use it for more than one year. We also felt that our oldest was ready for the reading, math and handwriting at the Kindergarten level.

It took me a really long time to sort through all the curriculum, and to get a feel for how the teacher's manual was organized. Then I had to pair down the subjects... a lot! This involved a lot of prayer and a lot of chocolate!

And like most journeys, the path we ended up taking was very different from what I thought it would be. But, we are happy, and it is going great!

Here is what we ended up with:
The Kindergarten Package came with:
Horizon's Math- K
Handwriting Without Tears 
The Sonlight Reading Curriculum with the Grade K Readers

We have been using only these three elements for our Pre-Kindergartner. As we suspected, they were just right for her. However, the rest of the curriculum was too advanced and had to be set aside for next year. We will definitely get more than one year out of our purchase.

Then came the surprise. We ended up borrowing the My Father's World Kindergarten Curriculum. We have loved this. We have used that curriculum for our Science, Bible, Letter and weekly theme. This has flowed nicely into our weekly themed book basket we started last year. This was also very easy to use with both girls and they can fully participate at each of their levels.

Rose, our Preschooler has her own set of age appropriate workbooks... more on that later.

Surviving Survival Mode-- Part Four-- Ask for help!

This post is part of a series. I have been talking about a cycle that my family and I have experienced when dealing with the ups and downs of chronic health conditions. We tend to rotate through times of 1. Prevention 2. Survival Mode and 3. Recovery. 

The past several posts have been all about Survival Mode. Survival Mode is the time when health is at it's worst and your family is trying to weather the storm.  

 Lastly, Survival Mode is the time to enlist help. You bring in friends, you bring in the grandparents, you call the Aunties. Call your friends from church, or neighbors. Anyone who is understanding of your situation, who is compassionate (as opposed to judging) and willing to give your family a few hours of their time. 

It is not easy to lay in bed and let someone take over your home for a bit. Things will be done differently than you would do them. You may not be able to find a single cooking utensil when you are ready to cook again. But, bottom line, you need help. Admit it, welcome it, have the humility to accept it.

It can be hard to let people in. I mean after all, your house looks like it has NEVER been cleaned. People understand the flu, but not necessarily chronic pain or asthma that leaves you barely able to move. It can feel humiliating to let others see just how messy your struggle to survive has become. But you have to do it any ways. 

If you can, hire people to clean your house. I know that for me a huge burden would be lifted off my shoulders if I could hire someone to come in and clean each week. Even in the better times pushing around a vacuum and cleaning the tub are jobs that zap energy. 

And never turn away free help and the loving compassion of friends. Friends who have eyes to see your struggle and the compassion to come alongside you and help. These friends are priceless. Be sure to appreciate them in whatever ways you can. You may never have the strength to return the favor in the same way, but pray that the Lord opens your eyes to bless them in ways that you can, and ways that they need.

Maybe you can't go over to their house and clean, but you can offer them a cup of tea and a listening ear. You can offer lots of prayer up for others while you are laying in bed. 

I know that for me, the times that have been the hardest for me to ask for help have had the most surprising endings. Friendships have been formed, long important talks have been had, laughter was shared and everyone involved was blessed. 


Here is a video that tells the story of my recovery from a spinal fusion. (Many of you may have seen it before, but given the topic, I thought I would share it again.)

Music for Lent- A perfect combination

I love pairing things. It is almost a hobby for me. I enjoy finding the perfect combination of sight, sound, and taste. Combining ingredients to make a recipe for a moment that just lets your senses experience a deep sigh.

A cup of tea with just the right pastry. Delightful! Then if I can combine that with a spot next to a window, a blanket on my lap and the perfect music to match my mood....Heavenly.

Each season produces new inspiration and just like we have Christmas music, I have fall, Lent and summer too. For me music is such a key ingredient. On one hand it sets a tone, on the other it reflects what I am feeling or trying to express.

This year I set out on a quest to find some music that reflected my feelings and mood in this season of Lent. I wanted music that was soul-full, focused on amazing grace and sacrifice that would draw my thoughts back to the Lord. I found Linsey Wallace.

Linsey Wallace has a smooth alto voice with rich character and artful twists. Musical artistry and worship blend smoothly together. She has a way of getting to the heart of the matter with Jesus. Her beautiful voice pulls you in and you can easily get lost in the music, yet the words bring you into meditation on Jesus and all that He has done. It is a wonderful listening experience that produces a response...worship.

And what do I have? A perfect combination for my senses. Music that captures the flavor of Lent, the beauty of the Cross, and the cries of my heart. All experienced by a sunlit window seat, a devotional in hand and cup of good tea.

Check out Linsey's two EP Albums (Swayed by Grace and One) on itunes and see what I mean.

Surviving Survival Mode-- Part Three

During Survival Mode it is time to 1. Keep things Simple 2. Keep Perspective and Stay Positive 3. Ask for help!!!

Survival Mode is a time when one or more person in your family is sick, or struggling with their health. This series of articles is from my experience as a mom who has been frequently sick. At least in my family, when the Mamma is sick everyone struggles. 


We noticed that our family seemed to be constantly moving through the cycle of:  1. Prevention 2. Survival Mode and 3. Recovery. 


Whenever I was struggling with my health either due to Benign Hypermobility Syndrome or recovering from frequent illnesses, injuries and surgeries...we named that time "Survival Mode."    


 Survival Mode is a prime time for people to feel frustrated or despairing. It isn't hard to start feeling isolated and hopeless, especially if you are stuck in bed or confined to the house. It can be hard for the care givers to keep shouldering the burden of caring for a sick person and taking on all those other mom duties. You may start question if you will ever get through this time. You wonder how long your family will be going through this and if you will enjoy a non-survival moment. 

When my family and I start to feel that way, we try to keep perspective and stay positive.

First of all, my husband and I found it extremely comforting when we remembered that God sees us. He not only sees us, He is with us and preserving us. He is ready with all the strength we need to get through any and all trials. He is a God who understands great pain and has compassion. Reading through the Psalms is such a healing balm.

We also benefited from an infusion. When you are home bound and in Survival Mode sometimes you need to bring in a little sunshine. A friend or family member that can come in a bring news of the outside world (preferably good news). Someone to brighten and encourage and induce some smiles. If you don't know anyone like this, may I suggest hiring a clown.

One vital but very difficult thing to do during Survival Mode is to open your eyes to blessings. Trials can blind you to the blessings all around you. Appreciate everything. The sun shinning through your window into your bedroom. The sweet voices your children have. The funny things they say. Laugh at how pathetic your dinner is, and thank the Lord for it anyways. Pull out photos of brighter times, and remember with fondness not bitterness the brighter days, and pray for those brighter days to come again. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude and thankfulness. It is easy to say, but very hard to do. However, if you can teach your children to do this with you, then you will equip then to weather trials they will face in life. 

I am not talking about mere positive thinking, or faking happiness. I am talking about a peaceful fountain that flows from your soul and springs from the Holy Spirit who works this miracle in your life. It is what happens when you allow the Holy Spirit to move and flow through you during times of trial.

Keep the Kids in the Loop!

Around our house there are a few visual reminders of our schedule that the girls can interact with.

The first is a good ol' fashioned chore chart. I found ours in the dollar section of Target. It is a great magnetic, dry erase chart. On it I have written a few chores AKA daily habits that the girls should be completing every day.

Our lists go something like this:
Brush your hair
Brush your teeth
Get dressed
Make your bed
Pick up your room
Put away your clothes.
Make sure there are no toys in the living room.
Help set the table.

*Other chores we could have put on are: Help sort the laundry. Help make the salad or veggies for dinner. 

The other visual reminder is our interactive schedule AKA Day Planner that I made.

This is a kid version of our daily schedule. It is broken down by hours of the day. For each hour there are three Velcro squares. I have laminated picture squares that represent activities we do during the day and the week. Either the night before or that morning we fill in the day with the activities we have planned. We stick the activity pictures into the time slots. It is essentially a photo day planner for kids.

How I did this Project.
1. A list of your families daily, weekly and monthly activities. You will also need a list of people you may visit or see.
2. Find a picture to coordinate with each activity or person. I used photos that I took as well as lots and lots of Microsoft Clipart.
3. Print out your activity squares. You also need to print out the hours of the day in a large font as well as your day planner title.

4. Glue the hours and the title to poster board.
5. Take the poster board and your pages of activity squares to be laminated. (I usually go to Office Depot)

6. Once everything has been laminated, apply the Velcro squares to the poster and the activity squares. (I made our school calendar and our Daily Planner at the same time. So, I made sure that all the squares that went on the poster and the calendar were the fuzzy side of the Velcro. This way the activity squares could be used on both the calendar and the day planner.)

 If there is an even coming up, I will put it on our home school calendar and then move it to our Day Planner the day of. 

7. Apply magnet strips or Command Strips to prepare to mount it to the wall or door.
8. Stick on the Activity Squares for the day and start using it!

A game plan for the day!

There is that age old question every Mamma likes to hear... "What do you do all day?"

Any woman, working outside the home, or staying home, needs to have a plan to get things done. For me, I know that there are basic things that need to happen each day. I find that the best way to ensure that things get done is to plan a time to accomplish them. I created this schedule to act as a guideline for me and my family. The more we stick to it each day, the better things seem to flow.

The trick to a family schedule is to make it structured enough to get things done. But open and flexible enough for it to work! 


For instance... the girls were playing so well this morning I didn't want to interrupt them. We didn't do home school until 1pm!

Here is a day in the life for us....

6:30 - Lights on for Mom and Dad! Wake up, drink a smoothie. Complete chores and Exercise. (This is the early morning ideal that rarely happens)--(See Good Morning Mamma)

7:30 - Start making breakfast. (This is closer to when we actually get up).

8:00 - Family Breakfast at the Table. ~ Do morning devotions, get dressed, make all beds.

8:40 - Dad leaves for work.

9:00 - Chores (for me), Girls get ready for the day and Independent play. (Or help Mamma with the chores)

10:00 - Home School Time!

10:30 - Snack and Craft Time (Or extended Home School)

11:30 - Clean up and independent play until lunch

Noon - Lunch

12:30- Clean up (Load and run the dishwasher)

1:00- Outside play time. (Or hands on Home school Activities or Egg-citing Activity)

2:00- Nap or quiet time. (Usually listening to books on tape in their bed, or doing their leap pad)

3:00- Snack Time & Computer Time (Independent play in the play room)

4:00- 10 minute Tidy- Then movie for the kids while I make dinner. (The girls help set the table and sometimes help with the salad and veggie portion of the meal.)

5:00- Daddy comes home (Although he tends to work evenings) - Welcome daddy, the girls are supposed to bring him slippers and a glass of water. They usually just attack him and freak out.

5:15- Family dinner at the table.

6:00- Clean up after dinner and then 10 minute Tidy

7:00- Start the girl's night time routine.

8:00- Girls in bed.

10:00- Lights out for Mom and Dad. (Mostly)