Monday Musings: Good Nuff

My dad use to say "good 'nuff for government work" and I find as I get older I say it too, generally when I just have to stop messing with something because I'm going crazy trying to "make it perfect" and most of the time it's already perfect and just me with the problem and not being able to let it go.

I think a lot of us have those problems.... really.  None of us want to let it go long past when we should have kissed it goodbye and good riddance.  The cake that wont rise properly, the fence post that is still, after trying and trying, just a mite off center, the paper that you labored over and still can't get exactly what you want said, said.  Well, you get the idea.  Sometimes we just need to say, with a shrug, "good nuff.  God can do the rest," and He can...  If we let Him.   

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  Philippians 4.6 

Which brings me to.....

I think I am a pretty good friend.  I try hard anyway, but lately I have decided to do my best to not worry if people don't reciprocate the friendship.  I am good nuff.  I guess I am odd, and just don't fit into the boxes that make me be the sort that others seek out to be "best friends" with. I try hard, but to no avail.  I'm not antisocial, and no one would say I am, however I am not money wealthy and I am not impressed with the "money wealth" that others may say or pretend to have.  We don't go on fancy vacations, we don't drive new fancy cars, we don't wear designer clothes, etc. and I think because of this I just don't fit in.  Even if I won the lottery tomorrow, the kind of car I would likely buy would be a very serviceable economy car and a Scout or an old Toyota Land Cruiser or something along those lines.  If my Nissan would just get running right, I would be 100% happy to just keep it.    I mean I know I am liked, just not the person that seems to be the "friend" that is included, you know?  This sounds whiny, huh? 

To kind of continue on what I wrote last week, I found another article that was interesting to read with regards to children and early learning......  Teaching our children to write, read and spell  They have some very interesting ideas and reasons why it isn't for all children and observing my own 4 year old I can see where they have a lot of valid points. 

This weekend I was shopping at Costco and then Safeway --we needed to pick up a prescription for Bob since he hurt his hip/leg and has been suffering with pain LONG enough and we needed a new Microwave since I kind of ruined ours for use in the kitchen after trying an experiment with it...  Don't ask... LONG story.  Not everything on Pinterest works.......  so Sarah was wanting some fruit, like grapes and I was really hankering for some asparagus.  The Blue berries looked really nice as well.  I started checking where they were from......  I decided to forgo that fruit until it got in season and we will just eat frozen for now.  Oh, BTW the asparagus, was from Chile.......  That prompted a brief geography lesson, right there in Costco amongst the salad mixes and mangos.

ANYWAY:  This week I need to get ready for Weather studies next month (we are going to look at our rain gauge every morning after a rain--OK every morning here...  LOL) and talk about clouds and rain and sunshine and that will lead into spring planting in March and April....  I also need to, on that note, get paper and pen out and work on our planting along with getting our carpet cleaned in the next couple weeks.  Then I plan to have someone come in and do some cleaning I can't do easily.  BUSY times to come and then spring planting.  I can't wait to find time to sew later! 

Princess of the mud castles

Mud play is so wonderfully fun and freeing.  I encourage everyone to try it, but be prepared....  our kitchen and bathroom floor ended up messy.  That being said we had fun.  We made mud caterpillars, dug for worms, used a pail and made a mud castle and then Princess Belle ruled the kingdom from her muddy throne.  I don't think this was in the Disney version of the story.  *smile*

The only possible problem was when Bear looked at me with a mischievous grin as she formed a mud ball and said, "watch out mommy."   No, I didn't end up with a mud ball in the face.  She had so much fun in the mud, last week playing out side in the snow all day for several days was fun as well but there is something about getting mud in your fingers and smelling the fresh wet dirt that is satisfying to the soul;  the discovery of worms are just an added bonus. 

This week we have also worked some more on organizing and dumping.  We have well surpassed our 20 bags throughout the house, some has been trash that has been removed as we have decided that some paperwork has no need to be kept and still more has been donated or given away.  I will post pictures soon, but as we clear a mess while things are waiting for new homes the house is piled with bags it seems.  Our weather last week put a big damper on things.  How is your sorting going?  I feel like I have even surpassed my projected number of bags that I could go back through every room and remove even more.  Do others feel that way?

I need to make my seed order soon as we plan for more outside time.  Do you have a favorite place that you buy your seed or plants? 

Foto Friday

 My favorite foto of the week is:

We took advantage of the warm sunny January day and played in the mud making mud balls,
mud castles and getting dirty with mud everywhere,
but we had so much fun and the fresh air was an added boost.

  
 
 

 

Monday Musings: All I need to know....

I learned in the garage and kitchen at home as a kid.  Everything else has just been icing on the education cake,  or in some cases the education system--as well meaning as it is-- has hindered me.  I have many years of education behind me, so I think I can speak with some authority on how "education" helps, or how it can hinder in some situations, the "whole" person. 

I think we can all agree that education is a wonderful and and exciting thing.  It sparks dreams and hopes and provides us with worlds beyond our space, but education can also limit us when it binds us to a box and uses a method that doesn't match us. 

Practice letting things flow in
there own time....  That's
when the fun happens.

This morning we were going to cut and glue and work on tracing lines and squiggles (as I call them, mostly I call them that for a fun name) but my plans have changed.  Instead this morning after my early class and a lesson in grocery store shopping we glued a squirrel statue back together.  A little figurine actually.  It was some little statue I bought a few years ago at the dollar store and we used it in one of the flower beds for decoration.  Nothing big or major, when it broke I was going t throw it away.  Bear had other plans.  She decided she was going to glue the leg back on.  I got the school glue out and figured it would be me doing it while she watched and we talked about it before moving forward but I was to be proven wrong.  Sarah insisted on doing it all her self.  She knelt on the floor and very carefully put glue around the edge of the break on one side and then placed the leg on the squirrels body and as I type it is sitting and drying and looking as perky and mischievous as ever.  It took her a few minutes but the leg really looks good. Those squiggles will be there tonight after nap time or even tomorrow. 

My point:  This is something she would have never done in school at 4.  The opportunity might have never been presented  in a regular "preschool".  I am not knocking people that send their children to preschool, everyone makes the best choice for their life at the moment and as we get older we realize we don't say "I will" but rather "Lord willing, we will"....  Today what my family has chosen may not be what we decide next week, next month, or a year from now. 

Even among homeschool families there are so many differences its amazing and overwhelming.  Homeschool families are just like every other family.  What I want to encourage is everyone, homeschool or not, to encourage their children to explore.  I know its difficult if your child is in the care of another person several hours a day, but use the weekends to explore other learning opportunities.  These opportunities don't need to cost money.  Look at the squirrel, it was a wonderful new learning opportunity.  Are you looking at me like I am crazy?  Yeah, I bet you are.  "Learning???"  Yes learning.  Sarah reasoned and used some fine motor skills and showed memory and creativity and even mathematical skills as she applied the glue and put the leg back on, properly I might add.  These are all skills we will be building on.  You can create those opportunities as well, even if your child goes to a brick and mortar building for education or day care. 

In coming weeks we will be exploring some things you can do, that don't cost a lot or take a lot of space to help teach the "WHOLE CHILD" in the "PRE-GRADE SCHOOL" Years.  Many will be items you likely have on hand already, all that's required is some imagination on your part (or the part of the kiddo in your life).  Given free rein, with just minimal guidance from you, your child's imagination will take over and flourish providing unparalleled opportunities for learning from the most mundane objects.  You don't need expensive toys, memberships or field trips to accomplish this.  Just one thing, openness. 

I read this today and liked what it had to say for the most part, though the article may not be understood by many:  "So much of what we see as disobedience in children is actually just natural, curious, exploring, learning behaviour. Or reacting – in the only way they know how – to a situation over which they have no control"  (Since when.....).  What brought about that? Well I have been fighting a never ending battle within myself over the way I want to parent and what everyone else expects of me. I do think that some may read this article and not understand what it is talking about, but I hope some will read it with an open mind. I do think children need to listen to parents, but the author is right, blind obedience, while an interesting thought, isn't really what we want in our children. We all want--NEED-- children that listen and not talk to strangers, or that don't do what their peers do just because everyone does it. Yet, we also want children that have minds of their own, that are creative and full of energy, while listening to us and obeying when we really need them too. I don't want, nor need, my child to blindly believe what I say just because I say it all the time. If that's the case, how can she ever explain why she does something or why she believes in something? No, she should be allowed to question when appropriate.

We expect our children to be little adults. I was given so much guff because we allowed Sarah to decide when she wanted to be potty trained. Those people that forced the issue have had some scary stories, or stories that seem scary to me. I decided it wasn't worth the fight after having a fight, not because I felt she should be trained but because everyone else felt she should be. Guess what, when she decided on her own to become potty trained she did it. Are there accidents once in a while? Yes, but that's only normal and we know accidents happen.

I witnessed a 4 1/2 year old one time that accidentally spilled a drink on the carpet in her family's dinning room, this was years before I had my own child, and I witnessed the fear in this child over an accident and the parents reaction.  Accidents happen, they happen to all of us.  I still spill things.  I still mess up.  How about you?  If we are adults and still mess up why and how can we expect our children to never have an accident or make a mistake?  We are placing our children upon a path they can't possibly walk.  They can't ever do it and will live thinking they are never making us happy or that we are never proud of them.  I know people think I'm crazy, but I am downright proud of some of my daughters antics.  Her spunk and enjoyment of life is inspiring.  It doesn't mean she doesn't get in trouble, because she does.  Some things, we have to learn,  are wrong and some rules must be learned for safety and health....  anyway my point is, sometimes we don't let our children be kids.

So go forth and tend your gardens gentle friends.....

Foto Friday

My favorite foto for the week was this one:

One day Sarah decided she MUST wear a dress just because it was in her closet, so she did.  Then she insisted on adding the wings to match her "tattoo" and the ever present Rapunzel doll.

great snowballs batman...

Here in the great Pacific Northwest we are looking at several snowstorms back to back.  This makes for interesting play times outside.  Try keeping a 4 year old in inside when snowflakes are just right outside the window.  Sunday night she ran from her bed to the living room window to check on snow all night long.  Monday was worse!  Tuesday night she didn't want to sleep either, the one desire of her heart was to make sure it was still 1) snowing and 2) getting deeper on the ground.  Sunday afternoon much of the snow melted before dark and it wasn't until she finally woke up today, Wednesday, that she seen enough snow to actually have a lot of fun in.  And boy has she.

Daddy stayed home today so she had both of us entertaining her.  We built a snowman, shoveled walks and then she decided her ATV was much more fun than a sled.  She had a blast and didn't want to go inside, even after almost 3 hours of outside play.  She cried and bemoaned the fact that we were cold, her cheeks were red as well as her hands inside wet mittens, but she was happy and full of fresh air and snow flakes.  The hot chicken soup waiting for her was but a small enticement. This week I guess our mud time has been snow time.  :-) 

Mrs. Kombucha is almost ready.  Both Bob and I tasted it tonight and we think it needs a few more days.  She has a nice scoby forming on top.  I think next time I will do a half gallon instead of a full gallon, but we shall see how fast we drink this batch. 

We have been progressing slowly with the weather on getting through our challenge.  We have removed close to 18 bags but aren't nearly done.  The attic and basement are going much slower because of the weather.  It is also making it very difficult to get the bags we are donating out of the house. 

I have decided that we will be labeling some objects around the house with their names to help Sarah with words and recognizing letters making up words.  We have had her bed room door labeled for some time and it was fun for her to pick out the letters and say what the label said, so now we will branch into other house hold items like the TV, bathroom, stove....  I really have been hesitant to do this and I can't really put my finger on why, but I think we will give it a try. 

We also bought a storage bin thing from Ikea for Sarah's toys and so far it is helping.  We still have a ways to go though and I know I will have even more items to sort and donate from her room, 3 bags later.  This is quite the task we have undertaken.  Saturday I am spending the WHOLE day in the basement, regardless of weather. 

 Along with the storage bin for Bear's room and toys we also bought a step stool for her for the kitchen.  No more chairs or containers of wheat for her to have to stand on.  It's on the tall side but it will be so handy for her and cooking with me in the kitchen.  We have already used it several times and she loves it.  She helped Bob put it together and the little stinker did a lot of it herself.  I think some real tools, not her toy ones, are in her future very soon.  A small tool set with a hammer and some wrenches and screwdrivers would be very good for her I think.  She was so proud of helping her daddy.

Lately she has been very much into telling jokes and stories as well.  Her stories are generally retelling of ones she has been told already but that is wonderful as well.  We are trying to learn some new jokes now.  Do you know any?  Clean kid jokes?  Please share them with us!

Have a wonderful week!

Foto Friday....

Another Friday is here and what is my favorite foto of the week? 

My little Bear decided last Friday afternoon that she was going to cut her hair like Rapunzel in the movie "Tangled."  Needless to say we ended up needing a hair cut and
she was finally able to make it into Wild Child here in Tacoma. 

A great little salon that actually knows how to work with kids hair and wont nickle and dime you to death by insisting that what you use at home is horrible for your babies hair.  

Oh, and how did her hair cut involve snowflakes? 

We were cutting snowflakes and Bear wanted to continue the project when we were done.  I left the room to gather things up in the kitchen for freecycle.  While I was getting those things ready, she was cutting more than paper snowflakes.  :-)  I think this cut suits her though. 

Rainbows and slides

Driving to Proctor today to get our hair cut we seen a rainbow (Why Bear needed a haircut is a whole other story involving snowflakes).  Sarah was amazed to notice that "it followed" us which gave us a chance to discuss perspective and what that means.   I attempted to explain to her how a rainbow is made and how it can be seen many times not just in the spring and summer (She seen it and decided that must mean summer was almost here--dear me I guess our wet summer last year made an impression on her!) and then we discussed the Biblical view of the rainbow. 

Of course we discussed the colors we seen and how they all merged together and how it was transparent (another word I explained the meaning of quickly) and then my little Bear exclaimed, "I wish I could slide down the rainbow Mommy.  That would be fun, wouldn't it?"  Ah, the fun and simple pleasures of childhood. 

Here I was trying to explain and discuss and in her mind it reminded her of a colorful slide.  "Mommy God made it for us to slide on huh?"  Well this mommy had to think for a minute.  Her imagination is so funny, what I said was that while it was a promise for us, it was not something we could slide on. To which Bear said, "So angels do?"  Funny girl.

She keeps me sane, while at the same time driving me insane.  How does she do that?  It's those funny moments that make all the "Pick up your toys please... 1-2-3...." worth it, I think.  *grin*  No they are, really.  No one ever said this road would be easy.  No one ever said homeschooling would be easy either and sometimes when I sit here and pour over what others are doing and see how "organic" we are I falter and think I might be doing something wrong, but when she tells tales like this I kind of can see we are doing a lot of stuff just right.  So she doesn't read yet, she is only 4 years old. Not even 4 1/2 yet.  I promise I wont worry, at least not too much. 

I do see so much growth in her.  Today she spent almost an hour in a half in class with me, early this morning.  She sat in her chair with her things and didn't disrupt the class.  There are people that would swear she would never be capable of that, I just think seriously, that they just want to look at the negative of my child and refuse to see that not all children want to sit and stare at a television all day or quietly play with paper dolls.  She is not a Lego all day sort of girl.  She is a Lincoln log, Tonka truck and Barbie doll sort of girl, making imaginary towns, tunnels and then bam.....  an earthquake hits.  By the way, I swear we must have the cleanest Rapunzel Barbie on the planet, even as I write, she is getting another bath. LOL

All this adventure means my house seems to be in chaos, a lot.  Toys are often out,  but we are working on that.  Just remember, we are  a work in progress, and it's a bumpy joyful ride; but we are also having fun learning about rainbows, stick ponies, slides, mud pies, and raindrops along the way.  How cool is that?

The show goes on

We are still trucking right along.  I have thus far gotten 10 large kitchen bags of donated goods out of the house and 9 small grocery size bags out of the house and that's not counting the numerous bags of assorted recycle paper waste from receipts, letters, etc that we really have no need for.  I know we have made a dent but not sure one could tell.  Sarah's room will be tackled this week as will a start on the basement. 

I am convinced it's time to let go of certain things as well.  Sarah's toy kitchen, our stroller, highchair, kelty back pack and toy swing.  Those will be hard items to let go but we have no use for them.  I will for sure be going to JBF this year unless craigs list turns out to be an option.



Mrs. Kombucha

In the meantime, we have a new "member" living in our home.  We finally have obtained a Kombucha scoby and she is hopefully happily growing and doing her thing as I write.  Learn more about Kombucha here:  Brewing kombucha : A beginners guide.   I am sure we will be hearing more tales from Mrs K as time goes on.  Life in our home, with an active and spunky 4 year old is anything but boring and I am sure Mrs. K will provide some tales and fun in months to come.



Kneading bread dough in our
 "classroom"

We started off our week diving into some fun projects here at home.  Cutting curves to work on fine motor skills.  Both with paper and play dough.  Then to work on strengthening our fingers some we worked on making bread.  We made a really nice cottage loaf of Dilly Bread.  A yummy recipe that made a really nice loaf to go with our soup dinner.  Then since we were on such a roll we made desert.  This allowed us to  practice following directions and again motor skills.  We did pretty good, although we really do like to control things in a 4 year old way and had to learn a couple times that directions and rules must be followed or the item we were making would not turn out.

This was followed by evening Bible studies with Bob (a practice he and Sarah has been doing for a while now).  It's so nice to hear her asking questions.  She is even telling me about coats of many colors and wanting one of her own.  LOL



The rest of the week will see us sorting more and working some outside if weather allows and getting back into the groove of writing letters again after the break.  She balks but wants to do it too.  Funny girl.

I found some interesting print outs we are going to try for tracing and cutting.  She, like the typical 4 year old, has periods of time when she follows directions really well and when she doesn't she doesn't very well, and wants to be the "leader". LOL   I pick my battles wisely, I hope, but sometimes it can be very hard.  I am happy though, we have been working hard on cleaning up our mess before going on and while I have to remind her it is getting better.  It's a slow long hard road, but no one ever said it would be easy.  :-)  We have been "retelling" more and more.  I was worried about that but I think I was just expecting too much to soon.  She can be so cute when talking about her day to some one, but be careful, secrets are no where to be had.  *Grin*

We are also going to be incorporating a mud play time into our week.  I know, GASP, what mother in her right mind would do this...  well I think it can really enhance her love of outside and exploring and really, right now, that's all we can get outside around here!  I see more pet worms in our future. 

I want to also give a little plug for the one program I really don't mind that she watches anymore and that's "Wild Krats".  It's really pretty good and engages kids on their level for learning about animals.  Sarah loves it and it leads to us exploring and learning more.  Just yesterday she was telling me about the slime that worms have on them and how the use their bodies to move in the dirt.  Remember, we can't throw the baby out with the bath water as far as TV. 

Anyway.....  here's to learning and sorting this week!



FOTO Friday

My favorite picture of the week: 

Sarah having fun on her Barbie ATV.  This is her to a T. 
 A happy, fun and full of energy child!  LOVE HER!

Including a second favorite foto for Foto Friday:
Ollie, our loyal and loving furbaby!

I pray that this find you and yours making some great and fun memories together as well!

And we're off....

to a good start and the peace I feel coming into my bedroom to relax at night is wonderful.  I have actually be coming in by 10pm each night! 

Sunday saw us tackling our bedroom.  We spent a few hours and really downsized with very little thought as we got rid of old shoes we rarely wear or haven't worn in a long time.  Shirts that were not what we wanted, dresses, jeans, socks....  and papers and knickknacks we had been hanging onto far to long.  Some might say we still have way to much but I am content with what we are doing thus far.

I am starting the kitchen and will even be getting rid of dishes and offering them on free cycle.  The clothes we donated.  

Here are a few pictures, just to keep me honest.....  :-)



9 Bags!

Happy Tending!
  

After the 9 bags.









HAPPY NEW YEAR!

May 2012 find you and your loved ones healthier, wiser, and happier! 

Much love and prayers!

Happy Tending!


From the whole crew,
Bob, Kim, Sarah

and Ollie too!