The Joys!

I won’t lie, home schooling can be quite difficult at times so it is necessary to delight in the plain goofy.  Just a few short stories of :“Things That I Never Would Have Witnessed If I Didn’t Home school”  Unnecessarily long title. . . I know!

Just earlier this week: I had the pleasure of checking over my boy’s work, to find on THREE of his blanks for a science work sheet --with this filled in:  IDK -- IDK -- IDK.   To make it even more fun ~ that was three out of only five questions total for that day!

Or this, going about the normal day.  If any day is normal.  Kids are taking their lunch break.  What is in my hair???  A Lego?!  Really-a Lego.  Not just in my hair.  Specifically Tied in my hair.  Of course I had to ask about it; it was from Kaleb--and--it had been in for a few hours.  Hmm...

Logy, newly attached to a stuffed animal.  Found in the basement - used to be his sisters.  Now it is his precious animal.  Carries it around the house.  Makes us all kiss it.  Sometimes he needs to be wrapped in his blanket.  And if you squish its belly it makes noise too!  Except, now it’s old.  So to make the noise, you have to punch it. . .quite generously.  Logy let me know "Puppy" -cause that’s its name-has a birthday in 2 days.  Then asks very seriously, “What will you get him for his birthday?”  I reply. .”Cookies.” thinking--sure, I can deliver on that if I must.  He then replies, “Me and Puppy. . .share everything.”   He repeated this same questioning to other members of the family as well.

It is so easy to dwell on the difficulties of life.  But it is much more beneficial to spend more time being thankful, and dwelling on the Joys.

Our Family

by Taylor

Punishment vs. Discipline

Seriously!!  There is a difference?!  (That is my thought process as I learn.  I love new ideas and learning new things!) Yes.  I, -only-Recently learned this distinction.  This  is one of the 2 very important things I have learned as a parent regarding discipline.  

 First, punishment or discipline?  I never thought of the two as different.  Never really processed that .  But what a world of difference!  Reading, in a book Choose Words Choose Life, I discovered punishment is simply “stopping a behavior.”  Discipline is different in that it Teaches children how to live.  Basically you can punish a child.  Stop the behavior.  Go on with life.  And this pattern is repeated rather often.  But in doing so you can miss an opportunity -to teach-.   Why should they stop?  Cause mom or dad said so?  Well, yes but as a parent am I the end of the line?  Am I the moral authority or standard?  Um. . .not really.  Not at all.  I just am a copier (and often “attempted copier“), of the Bible.   So I’m learning to use that (the Bible) in directly teaching at each opportunity they give.  Which can be often:)  But my goal is to instill values  regularly -even daily as I become more accustomed to this new pattern that I’ve been blessed to learn of.  Not to say I never did this, yes sure there were times.   But repetition is the mother of all learning.  And we all know for a child -ehhahemm..even ourselves-learning is:  repeat -- mistake --relearn --repeat--etc.  To make this a habit, to turn the inconvenience of disobedience into an opportunity!  What a great opportunity.  No longer will I pass it up.

The second, is the idea of breaking or rather shaping the will and not breaking the spirit.  The spirit of a child is fragile & easily broken.  The will is very strong.  Breaking the spirit happens when punishment comes out of anger, frustration, just reaching the proverbial “end of the rope.”  The -rough- “PUT IT DOWN!” Yank (it) out of the child’s hand with harshness and pure frustration…maybe even a glare in your eye,  “WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH YOU.”  Anything demeaning.  Harsh.  Unnecessary for teaching them.  Instead of the -difficult-self controlled, calm, but serious, “you need to set that down-now-.”  Elementary example-but I think it simplistically reaches the point.  What we really want to give our children is the shaping of the will, keeping their spirit healthy. Click here and scroll down for a more detailed description.

Insist to Persist

IT was Friday.  IT felt like Monday.  So--I had to put it on a Monday cause the feelings were just too draggy for a Friday.  Ever have those days you wonder why you do--what you do?  For me, an at home mom. Teacher to my kids.  This job has no glory.  No esteem. . .at least not on this earth.  No “ladders” to climb and get “bigger.”  Nonetheless it’s my job.  And it’s what I’m called to do.  Here is the thing--I think many at home moms struggle with: The Dream, the Co-Workers & the companionship -that goes with it. Importance. A pay check.  Communicating with people. . .regularly - -that are your own age.  Getting out of the house (often).

 Cause you know us at home moms are in gray sweats all day with long oily bedraggled hair down to our waists, bare feet (oh that’s rough in the winter), excepting when we go out, then the bonnet goes on!  OH YEA!  Haha.  You get the picture..the stigma shall I call it.

So at times the inward struggle happens.  Especially on the days that you are just trying to keep the patience.  Trying not to freak out.  Burst.  Cause the precious littles can have those days when they yank and tug and pull -the patience- all day:

 “Just do what I told you.”
  “If you would have been focusing that would have taken you ½ the time  (in an undertone). . . At most!”       “You mess up your bed every day what makes you think that you don’t have to make it today?”

 And on. And on.  You get the picture.  These days are inevitable.  So that was my Friday, just "keeping it together."  Just hanging by a thread.  Just trying to say a little prayer here and there in desperation…try to keep -the patience-.

But I will not give up.  Won’t give in.  This is what I am supposed to do in my life.  God will give the strength.  All I need for that day is to persevere.  No need to consider “a real job,” no need to consider “wow, the extra money would be nice…oh maybe work just enough to cover the grocery bill.”  No  need to think, “the time away from home, the friends …the adventure.”  Life with kids is an adventure!  I will never look back and say wow wish I spent less time with my kids.  Being home is valuable, it is good, it is worth it.  Glory or recognition for it won't come in this world.  But who needs it anyway!  My heart and mind are at peace where I’m at.   Even though some days the peace is waaay deeeep inside :).  It is good.  Life is good.  Someday I will have more time to spend with friends.  More time for what I want to accomplish.  Not today.  Thankful for the ones I have.  And thankful for my Job.   My kids.  My husband.
Be encouraged.  Be thankful.  Some days are just tough.  Sometimes a lot of days are tough.  Life is full of ups and downs, we ride the roller coaster…even though sometimes it makes us sick.  Stick-to-it-ive-ness is at a loss in our culture today.  Possibly -near extinction.  Though it remains a very good thing.   In all the ups and downs there is one truth that is constant, one thing that always stays the same.  God’s word-it is dependable.  At times the only thing we Can count on.

  For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Hebrews 4:12-13

Healthy is Easy (ER than I thought!)

Condiments. . .  Lovely things -right-?  BUT filled with so much garbage.  I like to think of ingredients this way:  If I can’t say its name = no good.  If I cannot read it--double no good.  Although, even the things I can read like maltodextrin and high fructose corn syrup,..y-u-u-k, I don’t really want those things in me.  There are enough health issues to face with out complicating things here.  So…I made home made Mayonnaise.  Click here for Recipe  Difficult? No, just a tad time consuming unless you have some magic percolator to drip in to your food processor.  Not too bad though, I timed it to see if it would be worth doing in the future.   About a half hour.  This will yield  approx a cup and three-quarters.
How was it? Pretty good with the exception of my tendency to not measure and I accidentally put in too much mustard--but I like it-.

Ok, one more that I have done on and off is Ketchup!  This one is insanely simplistic and definitely worth it.  So basically a can or two of tomato paste in a small saucepan, add an equal amount of water or more--till you have the consistency of the bottled stuff.  Then sugar--lots, but it is much better than high fructose corn syrup.  Start with 3 Tbsp. Then add to how you like the taste.  Vinegar and salt too.  If you need more detail I can work that out..but I do have a tendency to make it up as I go along.  It’s fun that way.  Unpredictable! Which you could say is good . . Or bad.