Enjoying My Family

Intentionally Enjoying My Family - Catching My Family Members

2012-02-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

Have you ever caught someone in your family doing something unexpected. I've been "catching" my family members this week, this is what they've been up to.

I caught Katy rocking Clark.

One day I walked upstairs to see how the kids' school was going. They should've been close to done and I caught Katy asking Kent the answers to her math problems. Kent was readily answering them, too. While I'm glad to know that Kent has learned his easy addition problems I want Katy to learn them too.

I caught Felicity getting the clean laundry baskets out of the laundry room. I helped her get them apart and set them up. Later when I looked over I caught her "folding" the clean laundry. She would take a piece of the laundry from the clean clothes to fold basket, shake it out and put it in a basket. She told me she was "helping laundry, get a coin". Of course I gave her a coin for helping without being asked to help.

Another day I caught Clark traveling around the living room. I looked in to see what he was doing and he had moved several feet, the next time I looked he had moved several feet more. Later that evening I caught him rolling over across the room.

One afternoon during quiet time I caught Katy and Kaomi "making valentine's", by coloring their hands with markers and making handprints on construction paper.

I caught Jeff, coming through the front door, home early from work on Friday with donuts.

I caught all the girls having a beauty parlor during Daddy's Bible Time. Katy was "braiding" Kaomi's hair and Felicity was combing Katy's hair.

I caught Felicity throwing her breakfast of Cheerios on the floor and singing the "clean up" song from Sunday School. Guess what? I got her down and told her to clean them up and put them in the trash. She did that while happily singing the "clean up" song.

I caught Kent being upset with Katy, when he was really upset with me and his math lesson.

What have you "caught" your family members doing recently?

Project Party - Paint, a Picture and a Bank

2012-02-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

I have several projects that I would like to do, so I thought I'd try making time for them and sharing my progress with you over the next several ~~weeks~~ months.

On Saturday, Kaomi, Felicity, Clark and I went to the paint store. I was able to find some paint that I want for a project. I was also able to get a sample color of the color I want in our bathroom. Jeff's not sure whether he will like the color I want, so now we can see if it will work or not. One step done. A few more to go.

I was also able to get a picture into a frame and ready to hang on our dining room wall. It is a puzzle that our whole family worked to put together. The frame I bought on sale at Michael's a couple weeks ago. Jeff hung the picture up on Sunday afternoon.

Kent also finished the bank he was making for Felicity for her birthday.

10 Things This Mommy Needs - Part Two

2012-02-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

Last week I shared the first three things on my list.

This week I'd like to share 4 more things that I "need". Now I realize these aren't actually true needs, but they help in my day to day goings on.

4. Lots of snuggles and hugs. I love it when one or more of my children snuggle up to me, especially when we are reading. Katy gives the best impromptu hugs. The other kids have the best hugs, too, but they almost never give impromptu ones. Kaomi is a great snuggler, she stays still long enough that she just seems to melt against me. I love it when Felicity wants to snuggle and rock, she's growing up and the times are fewer and shorter than they used to be. Even though Kent is a constant wiggle worm, if I can get him to sit next to me and he decides to snuggle up against me he will actually be pretty still if I am reading something that interests him. Clark is great for snuggling, especially when he falls asleep in my arms, sometimes I just don't want to put him down. Jeff gives great, full hugs that encompass me and make me feel loved.

5. Chocolate. Yes, I like chocolate. Dark chocolate is my favorite. I also like peanut butter cups, mounds bars, hot chocolate and chocolate ice cream (not all together). Maybe I eat too much of it, then other days I don't have any at all so it evens out, right?

6. Making specific time to work on a project if I have something I want to do. This is key to getting pretty much anything accomplished. If I don't make time for it, it won't happen. When I need or want to do something I write it on the white board in my kitchen. Then I try to make it happen. If it is important enough it happens sooner, rather than later. If it's not very important it may take a while to complete or may get erased, to be added again at another point when I think it might be able to get accomplished.

7. A hair cut. Nothing fancy, just a couple inches. It's been a really long time since it's been trimmed. I think its been more like a year and three quarters or so. Jeff trims it for me, but we both have to remember at the same time and have it be good for it to actually happen.

Join me next Wednesday for the last 3 things this mommy needs.

What kind of needs do you have as a mom or dad?

January 2012 - Top Referring Sites

2012-02-03T07:00:00.000-06:00

I'd like to say a big thank you to 5 of my highest referring sites.

Visit them to help say thanks from me.

Raising Arrows

The Srader Family

Intentionally Enjoying My Family - Movie Night/Game Day

2012-02-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

This past weekend when Jeff was at his Christian Service Brigade Dad's Retreat Kaomi helped plan a movie night for Friday night and I played some games with the kids on Saturday.

One of the things that Kaomi bought from Mommy's Store recently was a Plan a Movie Night coupon. She decided to redeem it this past Friday night. She decided that we would watch the movie "Molly on the Homefront". Part of the coupon deal was that she also got to pick a snack. She decided that she wanted us to have cookies for snack. Since we were going to be watching this movie at dinner time she also got to help pick out dinner. We settled on pizza and carrot sticks. On Friday after lunch Kaomi helped make cookies for us to have for dessert. She really likes to help in the kitchen and we had fun, and the cookies looked a little strange since she put them on the tray mostly by herself, but nobody seemed to mind. After our movie everyone got ready for bed and we even had time for a few rounds of dominoes.

On Saturday we decided to finish getting the house straightened up for Sunday mixed up with various games throughout the day. We started off with a game of Zingo, then I put Felicity down for her nap and assigned each of the kids a chore. Kaomi was to get the dirty hand-towels from the kids bathroom and make her bed, Katy was to clean the counter and the scrub the toilet in the kids room and Kent was to vacuum the dining room. I picked up a few things and stripped the sheets off my bed and put the blanket in the washing machine. When everyone was done Kent picked out cards to play war. After a few rounds of war I sent Kent to clean the kids bathroom floor, Katy was to vacuum the living room and Kaomi was to clean-up her pre-school box contents which were strewn across the school room floor. When we were done with those things we did a few exercises then marched around the house while I sent kids to quickly put misplaced items away and return to me to march and get sent to do something again. That was a good workout; we should do it more often. Then the kids played upstairs while I fixed lunch. Felicity woke up late, so the kids played quietly while she was still sleeping and I did a few other chores. After lunch we did our next set of chores and played "Don't Break the Ice". After that Felicity had quiet time, Kent took his bath, and the girls sewed for a little while. When Kent was done with his bath I let him play x-box and Katy took her bath while Kaomi had book time. We went to Chick-Fil-A for supper and I let the kids play on the playground for quite a while. They had a lot of fun. When we came home everyone got ready for bed and Kaomi and Felicity took their baths. Then everyone went to bed. We all had fun!

How do you have a movie night or game day at your house?

Read about other ways I've been Intentionally Enjoying My Family here.

A Day in Our Homeschool - January 2012

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

It's Monday morning, January 30th. The beginning of a new week. A new school day.

Come on in and take a peek at how our day goes.

I wake up to a happy Clark. Kent is in our bed. I guess he wanted to snuggle. Jeff gets up and gets moving. A little later I get up, Clark is excited to see me up he knows he will usually get fed soon. Jeff brings Felicity in to say good morning and then goes to eat his breakfast. Felicity joins him at the breakfast table with her milk cup and cereal. I finish getting ready for the day and get breakfast ready for the other children. While they are eating breakfast I read my Bible and pray. Clark is playing contentedly on the floor, so I go make my breakfast. As the kids finish Kent and Katy take their turns practicing the piano. I get Felicity down when I am done eating and get her dressed. They finish on the piano and they have a few minutes of play. Kent is throwing a ball from the living room to the entry way. I let him continue as he isn't causing any problems and its helping him burn some enrgy before school. I feed Clark and then call everyone to come and start school with me. I read a chapter of "School Days with the Millers", then we say the pledge and pray for our missionary of the week. This week we are praying for the Omondi Family in Kenya, Africa.

When we are done with our school beginning I send the oldest three up to the game room where they wait patiently for me to join them to practice our Bible verse. I put Felicity down for her nap, it's just after 9:30 am. I take Clark upstairs with me. We practice Proverbs 12:24 "The hand of the diligent will rule, but the slothful will be put to forced labor.". We talk about it a little bit and have fun practicing it. Everyone knows it pretty well already, because we started learning it last week. tomorrow they will get to say it all by themselves. I decide that we aren't going to read and talk about our poem today. I get Kent and Katy started on their individual work. Kaomi, Clark and I go downstairs to do her pre-school. While Clark is eating we read her Bible Lessons about Elisha and the Widow with the jar of oil and Namaan. Then we do some activities and papers. One of her papers today is making the letter "Mm". I draw it on a white piece of paper with a sharpie and she glues pistachio nut shells on the letter "Mm". When she is done I send her upstairs to play quietly.

I go upstairs to check on Kent and Katy's progress. Katy is at a stopping point so it is time for her piano lesson. After her piano lesson she returns to doing individual work if she has any. I heard her playing with Kaomi instead. It's not a big deal, so I let it go. Kent is ready for his piano lesson now. He plays all his pieces very well. He is quite excited.

After piano lessons I talk with Kent a minute to see where he is at in his lessons and get him going on the next thing. Then I work with Katy. We do everything that she needs me to teach her, except for math. She still has some individual work to finish, so I suggest she get that done before lunch. I help Kent know what he needs to finish up before lunch time. It is about 11:30.

Jeff called and wanted to know if we were going to go to Miguelitos for their grand opening. We decided to meet there for lunch. I fed Clark and had the kids get ready to go then got Felicity up from her nap. We drove over their and their was a paper on the door that said the grand opening is tomorrow. I call Jeff and let him know, he turns around and goes back to work and we go home. I quickly fix lunch. After lunch the kids had a little bit of free time. Then we gathered together in the living room to have storytime. I read a book about Noah's Ark that Felicity has been carrying around talking about the elephants and camels and then we read a couple of chapters in "The Ill Named Weed".

After storytime it was time for Felicity to have quiet time in her bed. I let her have a couple of board books to look at before she took her nap, if she was going to take one. Then I worked with Kent on his English lesson and directed him to complete vocabulary before we would do reading together. I played a math game with Katy and she finished her math lesson. Then she and Kaomi were having book time. When Kent was ready I got my embroidery out and he read my the last chapter in "The Mystery at Pelican Cove". Then I gave him his instructions for the project he is to work on for the book he just finished reading. I tell him his project is due on Thursday.

It's around 3:30 pm. Everyone is having book time until 4:00, then they may play quietly until Lissie wakes up. I had a little time to sit and get on my computer, before I needed to go and make supper.

Want to compare today to a day last year read If You Were to Visit on a School Day....

This is linked to:

Monday Evening Observations

2012-01-31T07:00:00.000-06:00

As I sat watching Felicity play it was like a whole different world. She was pretending. She was playing with Kaomi's large, brown stuffed horse. Jeff was playing his guitar in the background. She was talking to Penny, as she was calling the horse. She moved it around to where she wanted it and carefully removed the bear that was under it to make it more comfortable. She gently stroked its back and talked to it more. Then she climbed on its back, but promptly got off and got one of Clark's blankets for its back. Then she climbed back on. "Bldip-bldip-bldip-bldip" she pretended to ride it. Then she got off and put the blanket "away". She sat down next to the horse talking to it and playing with it...over and over.

While she continued to play with the horse Kent came up to me and Clark. Clark was sitting on my lap. He was engaging Clark and pretty soon Clark was laughing at the sounds and things that Kent was making and doing for him. His giant grins showed how much he loves his big brother. I refrained from making Kent stop getting in Clark's face, because Clark was loving it.

Then it was time for Jeff and Kent to leave. The fun stopped, Felicity really wants to go with them, sad that she needed shoes and they left before she had them on. So sad, need shoes, go outside with Daddy 'n "Tent". Tears.

Just watching, observing without intervention brings joy to my heart. I truly have been blessed by God through my children.

10 Things This Mommy Needs - Part One

2012-01-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

As I'm being pulled in at least 7 different directions, sometimes I wonder how important everything is. To be able to do everything that I'm expected to and want to do I need to be able to stay on top of what is going on and prioritize. Sometimes it's hard to really accomplish whatever I need to do when I allow my own needs to take a back burner. So I thought I'd begin to share a list of my own needs and solutions to trying to meet those needs. I realize that someone else's needs may be completely different than mine and that is the joy of each person's life and how God has created us.

I haven't listed my needs in any particular order, so here are the first three needs of this mommy.

1. A consistent time to read my Bible and pray to start my day off right. I know when I am consistently in God's Word I feel more complete throughout my day. It's hard to fit my quiet time in when I have to start my day off running. Since this is the way it seems to be lately, I've been reading a passage of scripture to the kids and a story to go along with it in the morning. This doesn't really fill this need, but I feel that it is a step closer when I'm reading my Bible and praying, even with the kids. It seems with various seasons in life that I find a consistent routine and then it changes. Some days I try really hard to get my quiet time in, while the kids are going about doing their morning activities. Sometimes, when I find a verse that I find encouraging or that I need to work on something I write the verse on my white board in the kitchen. Then I can meditate on it often, sometimes for several days.

2. Lunch everyday. I mean a whole meal, not just a bite of something before running on to the next thing I need to do. I do eat throughout the day, but lunch can be hard because the kids want to eat, then Clark wants to eat, then somebody needs me for something, then Felicity wants to get down, then its time for me to read to the kids, etc. Then I am starving and don't know why I'm so hungry until I go to make supper and realize that I never really ate much for lunch. Some days it works great, like when we are all having the same leftovers I only have to fix one thing. Most days I fix sandwiches for the kids, but I'm not all that interested in eating PB & J most days for lunch. I like my peanut butter at breakfast.

3. Sleep. I find I can function better if I am rested. It's hard to get enough when you go to bed late and get up a couple of times to feed a baby. Then everyone expects you to jump out of bed raring to go first thing in the morning. I've been trying to go to bed earlier, but somehow Clark has noticed and doesn't want to let me do that. Naps are a thing of the past. If I wanted one, I either wouldn't be able to fall asleep or someone would wake me up. Besides, after I take a nap I feel worse than before. I have found that when I am on a decent sleep schedule it is much easier to get up early enough in the morning to consistently read my Bible before my day starts to fly.

Join me next week for Part 2.