Children

30 Day Journal – Day 6: 20 Favorite Things

August 6, 2010 by Dana

Day 6:

20 of My Favorite Things

My Family – my children and my dog!
The internet – what would I do without it?
God – who plays a part in who I am.
Reading – knowledge is an important and powerful thing in life.
Homeschooling – or Independant Education, as I like to call it. Love watching my kids learn!
Olive Garden and their delicious meals (and yummy breadsticks too!)
Handpainting – my release from stress.
Hot baths – to soak away the day.
Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream – nothing like it, especially in a milkshake!!
Pepsi – my coffee
Snuggling with my babies – brings happiness to my heart.
My son asking for a hug – because he is not the affectionate one!
My Princessa style – unique just like her!
My baby’s sweet, clutching hugs – and how she says the word as she does it, so proudly!
Dancing with my babies
Comfy pants – that fit like a second skin.
Reading blogs – an easy way to look into the lives of others and to learn so much about this crazy life!
Music – spirit and joy shown through the words of the world
Good friends – who love you no matter how silly, crabby, happy or sad you are.
“Good Morning Mommy” all the way to “Good-night” – I love my babies happy smiles.

A Lot of Thinking {Thoughts from Me}

July 29, 2010 by Dana

Lately, as I’ve been cleaning, I have been doing a LOT of thinking. Thinking about life and my wonderful children, God’s many blessings to me, where I’ve been and where I want to go. Thinking about how far I have come in my life and about all it’s various changes. They say you can not see God’s hand while He’s working. It’s only when looking back that you truly see He was there all the time.

As I was redoing the boy’s room, unpacking my son’s various belongings and putting them in their proper places, many memories came back to me. I found the stuffed dog that my daughter recently pointed out was with me in the hospital through both hers and my sons births. Winston’s first birthday candle, reminding me of him falling asleep while eating his cake with his hands by his side (yes I’m talking face-first! LOL) So many memories we have made over the years.

It’s hard to believe how far I have come in my life. 11 years ago I was preparing to marry a man I knew was wrong for me. When we are young we think we know it all, despite fair warnings from all those we love. I’m thankful for that mistake, since it lead to the birth of my two oldest babies and I could not imagine life without those two to keep me going.

Three years ago, I met my ex-fiance and once again thought things were perfect though I knew better. Sometimes it takes a huge mistake to make you grow up, but from that bad experience came my beautiful Laycie, and for that I am also thankful.

God was with me all along. He was leading me forward and my children, too, as they came into the world. He has given me such gorgeous and smart children. He lead me to homeschool them, to teach them to be strong and semi-independant, and most of all loving, even when they are testing one another. For that I am also thankful. My babies are the best in my book.

I look back, I see how different I am from that girl who walked acrossed her parents backyard almost 11 years ago, the one who thought she knew it all. I now know just how niave and childish I was. Somedays she peaks through but now she’s an older and wiser girl, who cherishes her days with her little loves, their sweet smells, their joyous laughter. I know it won’t last long.

In 10 years, my son will be a grown man, living his own life. That thought terrifies me at time, brings tears into my heart and my eyes like nothing else can. I pray he is all that God intended for him to be. Two years after that my girl will be old enough to go off on her own too and I will miss her sweet songs and strong personality desperately. I will have only memories of my sweet babies to cherish. This is something I do not look forward to but I know I cannot prevent. I pray for them daily and I know, I KNOW God will lead and guide them just as He has done for me.

I’m in a new life now. I’m cherishing the years I have left with those beautiful babies and I realize the ones I’ve let past can never return. I look forward to my days with them, listening to their stories, their laughter and even their arguing. I look forward to growing with them, watching them learn and enjoy their own lives. I’m thankful to be able to educate them at home, to teach them more than just independant studies but also teach them Life’s many lessons in our own home. I get the good moments and the bad but most of all I get more memories to carry me on than I could ever feel blessed to ask for.

At this moment, this is the happiest I can remember feeling since I was a child, for my three gorgeous loves are the true meaning of Life and they truly are gifts straight from Heaven of which I can never be thankful enough.

Home Re-Vamp

July 7, 2010 by Dana

That’s right… we are in the middle of a full-home makeover. It’s going a little bit slower than I wish but in the end it’s all going to be more than worth it. It’s a spring clean/remodel in the middle of July. Who could ask for more???

Thus far I have:
     A new closet install in the girls’ room.
     Changed around the furniture in the girls’ room, as well as added a new (to us) dresser (Emmalee’s).
     Decluttered in the girls room and many other areas of our house. (Still working on this one.)
     Re-organized in the girls room, though I’m still working on this too.
     Emptied the “junk drawers”, which have now become the kitchen utensil drawers.
     Cleaned out and organized the laundry room.
     Moved the freezer into the dining/classroom. (Magnet zone for the kids now)
     Cleaned out (meaning completely washed out) said freezer and re-inserted food.
     Moved the trashcan to where the freezer used to be.
     Cleaned out and re-organized the family heirloom glass cabinet. (aka the “good” dishes)
     Gone through 80% of my storage trailer (which soon has to be emptied and returned to it’s owner).

Still to go:
     I need to empty our pots and pan cabinet and figure out where to store those items. (Getting a dishwasher soon!)
     Clean out under the sink storage and re-organize.
     Finish up in the girls’ room.
     Re-organize the spice cabinet.
     And soooo much more!

This is only a start. Once the dishwasher is installed, I will decide whether or not to paint the kitchen cabinets (thinking black to match the appliances). I also have to paint the girls’ room and their bathroom in the future, and finish the boys’ bathroom (we have three bathrooms in our home).

Lot’s to do but at least it’s keeping me busy. Till next time!

B is for Bufflehead by Steve Hutchcraft : {Book Review}

March 20, 2010 by Dana

B is for Bufflehead
Flying through the ABC’s with fun feathered friends
Steve Hutchcraft, author and photographer
Published by Photohutch

B Is For Bufflehead, ABC Book, Steve Hutchcraft

A new look at the alphabet through a gorgeous flock of photography, Steve Hutchcraft presents an interesting look at our fine-feathered friends for young and old alike. Each letter of the alphabet details at least one new bird, along with a wealth of fun facts about each one.

This book would make a wonderful unit study for the homeschool world or a great addition to a Charlotte Mason type living books library. My kids enjoyed each tidbit of information and every lifelike photograph included in the book.

Presented at the end of the storyline are fun questions to help reinforce the information provided on each page. There is also a section of extra facts for each bird, such as what geographical area the bird can be found in, what it eats and what kind of habitat it calls home, as well as much more.

I recommend this book to the young and old alike, especially bird watchers and nature lovers. It can be purchased online at https://www.bisforbufflehead.com/ for $19.95.

Homeschooling Again {First Day of Homechooling: February 2010}

February 20, 2010 by Dana

Last week we began homeschooling again.

My oldest two had been attending a local public school but it just wasn’t working out for us. My son was falling farther and farther behind in his reading and other educational skills and my daughter was not working up to her potential in Kindergarten. Her skills were much more advanced then her classes were offering her. So we decided the best thing to do was homeschool again.

A couple of weeks ago, I contacted our local homeschooling organization and enrolled the kids for homeschooling. It took a few weeks to iron out our details and have the extra cash for our fees but as soon as we did, we were ready to go.

My information was officially approved this past Monday. On Tuesday, I informed the school of our decision to homeschool and also told them that would be my children’s last day attending their school. On Wednesday, we were home and ready to begin, but because it was Emmalee’s birthday and we had a ton of company coming in and out we skipped school this day.

Thursday was our first official day of homeschooling. It was a relatively simple day. We managed to cover all the basic subjects and we set up a schedule to work each day.

Our day starts with breakfast.
Next comes devotions. We read a daily devotional online using CBH Ministries, Key’s for Kids, then we write the verse of the day as our copywork for handwriting skills. While we are writing, we listen to a Christian Children’s Radio show online using OnePlace.org.
After devotions is Grammar, using Scott Foresman’s Grammar books. The kids really enjoy this workbook.
Next the kids do reading online for 30 minutes using Starfall.com. They do a few other online activities dealing with reading at this time too.
Next we do Scott Foresman Math, then science.
Finally we do Social Studies, using Lesson Pathways online. Each day provides us with new activities to use.

We have tweaked this schedule a little, adding more worksheets and also adding a Bible curriculum starting with Creation for History. Each day we discuss a new section of the bible in an explaination of where the world began.

The kids are enjoying being home again. They love the ease of learning at their own pace. They are working together well. Our only obstacle at this time is occupying a whily toddler! We look forward to many more days homeschooling and daily growing in our love of God and our learning to come.

Thankful Mommy {December 12, 2009}

December 12, 2009 by Dana

The greatest word I have ever heard is the sound of my babies calling me “Mommy”. There is nothing sweeter than their voices calling my name, even when I’m at my tiredest. There is nothing better than their beautiful smiles when they see me coming to see or help them. I am grateful. Grateful for my three beautiful children. Grateful that they are well-behaved. Grateful for their love of God and their understanding of his Love and Lessons in our lives. I appreciate this gift God has given to me. I thank him for entrusting me with three of His greatest gifts, His children, to raise to gracious adults. I can never thank Him enough for this, their blessing, to my life. God’s love does, and will always, amaze me.