Summer Activity Ideas

I made a list of all kinds of fairly simple things that I could do with the kids or things that would be fun or maybe not so fun, but necessary. I thought it might be fun to do these things over the summer that involve using things we have around the house or planning an event or trip that will be low cost.  I typed up the ideas (3 pages worth), cut them apart, folded them in half and put them in a jar.  I've since thought of some other ideas and written them down and added them to the jar.  We pull one or maybe two activities from the jar most days at 9:15 am.  Then we do what it says that day.  We started on Memorial Day and everyone rotates through pulling an idea.

These are the ones we've done this week.
Monday (Jeff):  Dollhouse/Action Figures - I put the dollhouse in the gameroom and got all the dolls and accessories out and got out Kent's action figures.  They've been having a blast playing with something that hadn't been out in a while.  It looks kind of funny to see several of Kent's action figures sitting on the purple couch in the dollhouse.

Tuesday (Clark):  Have ice cream - I served the kids chocolate ice cream for desert at lunch.  The littles were quite messy, but it was a fun treat for everyone.

Wednesday (Felicity):  Everyone give Mommy a hug and tell her "I love you.' - They all did this and I enjoyed the extra hugs and kisses.  I returned their hugs and I love yous immediately.  Then they wanted to pull another idea from the jar.  Kaomi pulled an idea out to plan an activity, but as the day went on I realized that this week the idea wouldn't work well as it involved some other people we know who wouldn't be available.  I explained this to the kids and we put it back on Thursday Morning.

Thursday (Kaomi):  Choose a missionary and write a letter to them.  Since Kaomi's pick yesterday didn't work, I let her pick again.  - Everyone thought of a missionary to send a letter to and the letters/drawings will be going to 4 continents.  This was fun.  Everyone had their own idea immediately of who they wanted to write to and we didn't have any doubles or fighting.  Everyone wrote to someone they know, which makes it even more fun.  Kent chose someone we have had to our home several times.  Katy chose a child who used to live in our neighborhood.  Kaomi chose someone she knew from Sunday School and Felicity chose a teacher she had at childcare.  I added a short note with each of the kids notes.

Friday (Katy): Have a concert - each person sings a song or plays the piano, guitar, etc for everyone else.  Everyone decided what they were going to do and let me know so I could make a program for the evening concert.

Our program looked something like this:
The Sears Family Concert
Master of ceremonies:  Kent
Felicity and Clark:  The B-I-B-L-E, Kent - Little Spider Spins a Web (Piano), Kaomi and Clark - Jesus Loves Me (Singing with Tambourine and Bells), Katy - Waltz (Piano), Mommy -  Summer Moon (Piano), Daddy -  It Is Well With My Soul and Indescribable  (Guitar/Vocal)

We ended the evening with brownies.

I forgot to take pictures, but Jeff recorded it.

The kids all enjoyed it and wanted to put the idea back in the jar so we could do it again.  I told them we would wait until we finished the other ones then we will put it back in the jar.  I think it will be something we do again, even if it isn't something we pull out of the jar.

I'm planning on writing each week about the activities we do from our jar.

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Our 10th Anniversary

This month we also celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary.  We had talked about doing a couple different things for this year, like taking a weekend trip with just the two of us (but Quinn wouldn't have let us) or renewing our vows with our children present (but we didn't try to make any arrangements soon enough for that).  When our anniversary arrived I hadn't had a chance to get anything for Jeff, not even a card, I was a little bummed, but thought maybe I'd come up with something.  I had an idea for a gift, but I didn't get a chance to go out to get it.

Jeff made coffee in the morning for me.  When I went to get a cup from the cupboard I found a new mug with a special note in it.  When I got the to the coffee pot I found another note and a Mr. and Mrs. Coupon book.  I found a card and a package of bright hair ties on the bathroom counter, a note and some duct tape on the corner of my desk, a note and package of children phrases stickers in my diaper bag, a note and a wind chime on the piano, a note and project idea on the bathroom wall, a card and book on my night stand, a note and movie on the entertainment center and a note and special paper to frame on Jeff's desk.  My husband was so thoughtful and gave me 10 reminders of his love throughout the day, besides a few text messages.

We thought about going out for dinner, but we decided that the next day would be better, so the day after our anniversary we had a nice leisurely dinner out at Texas Land & Cattle Steakhouse (Thanks, Dad and Mom for the babysitting services).  Then we stopped at Walmart and I let Jeff pick out the windspinner he liked best as his present from me (aluminum or tin for our 10th anniversary).

My Mother's Day

I finally got the pictures downloaded from my camera from May, so I thought I'd share about Mother's Day.

When I came to the kitchen in the morning, Jeff and the kids were already up.  I found my place set like this.  Jeff even cooked my breakfast!

Mother's Day 2013

On the way home from church Jeff stopped by the side of the road and 

picked a bouquet of wild Flowers for me.

Mother's Day Bouquet 2013

Jeff fixed all the meals of the day and the kids gave me handmade cards and 

the special things they had made in Sunday School.   I felt very special.

Mother's Day 2013

At the end of the day I insisted on a Mother's Day picture with all my children.

A Few Other Highlights from April and Early May

Felicity made Gingerbread men after reading The Gingerbread Man

Jeff's Birthday

Box House

Clark and Lissie playing

Dance Party on Daddy

Quinn 3 1/2 months

We're Going Around the World

From Bits and Pieces From My Life I found out about Around the World in 60 Days.

This looks like a quick and fun Geography/Bible Lesson for each day.  I asked Jeff if he wanted to do it in the evenings with the kids and he thought that would be fun.  So we he is going to try it and I will do it with the kids on any evenings that he is working late.

I printed one map for each of us and laminated them so we can use them as placemats and have them easy to see when it is time to look at the map.

We Remember

On this Memorial Day we remember and thank each of you who have provided service to keep our country free.  Thank you to all our family members, friends, acquaintances, those we've never met, and those who have given their lives so that we can live in America.

In School This Week...

Monday:  We spent much of the day at Grammy's house.  Kent completed math, piano practice, and studied the 28 prepositions he has been learning for a test tomorrow.  Kaomi did handwriting and we finished reading The Adventures of Buster Bear.  Katy completed math, cursive, and English.

Tuesday:  Katy gave me a very short oral report on a book she read.  She also practiced the piano and did cursive, dictation, math, English, and some corrections.  Kaomi did math, handwriting, and thinking skills.  Kent had a preposition test, grammar, math, piano practice, dictation and a preposition game.  Altogether we prayed for some friends with needs and for the families involved in the recent tornadoes.  We had storytime.

Wednesday:  We volunteered in the classrooms at church.  Kent did grammar, math, and piano practice.  Katy did English, math, and cursive.  Kaomi did handwriting, thinking skills and a color by number.

Thursday:  Anticipation of tomorrow being the last day of school is high.  We read a missionary story together.  Kent complete his piano practice, math, grammar, and dictation.  Katy completed her English, piano practice, math, dictation, and cursive.  Kaomi completed reading, math, thinking skills, handwriting, and we began reading Uncle Wiggly's Bedtime Stories.

Friday:  We read a missionary story.  Kent finished math, and did grammar and piano practice.  Katy finished English, and did math, cursive and piano practice.  Kaomi worked on reading, math, thinking skills, handwriting and we read more of Uncle Wiggly's Bedtime Stories. 

School is officially finished!  They will have corrections to make.  Kent has a day or two of grammar to finish.  Katy has a couple days of math and cursive to finish.  Kaomi has about 4 weeks worth of math to keep working on and we will keep practicing reading.

We are all ready for a break.

Trip to the Log Cabin Village - Part Two

In part one I shared pictures from the hand on cabin at the Log Cabin Village.  Here I will show some of the other places we visited at the village.

The woodworker showing some toy oxen.

The woodworker demonstrating the lathe.

Pa and Mimi walking with Felicity.

The blacksmith

The blacksmith playing his concertina in his down time.

The sawmill.

Katy ringing the school bell.

One room school house.

 On our way out of the village we went back by the hands on cabin and the kids all wanted to check out the chicken coop, which they hadn't checked out when we were there earlier.

Trip to the Log Cabin Village - Part One

When my dad and mom were visiting we took a trip to see the Log Cabin Village in Fort Worth.  We enjoyed visit there and it tied in very nicely with the end of our pioneer science study.  Our first stop was the hands on cabin.  This was so much fun, because we could touch everything at this cabin and really get an idea what things were like during pioneer times.

Spinning Wheel

Kent grinding corn

Coonskin cap

Felicity using the mortar and pestle

Grinding coffee

Clark playing with pioneer toys

Pumping water

Kaomi grinding coffee.

This chair is my size.

Katy grinding corn.

Felicity making chicken.

Check out the next post to see several of the other places we visited while we were at the Log Cabin Village.

In School This Week...

We are starting to wrap up our school for this session.  I didn't write down the things we did each day this week so here's a quick recap.  We finished history and science for the year.  Kent and Katy did an end of year reading project on the last book they read for reading.  They made a timeline for their book.  I graded them and gave them back.  Kent learned a lesson in disappointment when he received a 59% on his project.  He didn't follow the directions to summarize each section of his book.  He only wrote a phrase for each section.  Next time he has a project I think he will work hard to make sure he follows the directions.  Katy on the other hand did follow the directions and she got a 93% on her timeline project.  She had one section of 18 that she only used phrases for the summary.  Kaomi was learning about time in math this week.  She had fun playing with a foam clock I found in the dollar section last summer.  We started reading The Ordinary Princess for storytime.  Katy has several English lessons left.  Kent has some grammar left.  Everyone still has math to complete.  Next week is our last official week of school lessons.

Pictures with Pa and Mimi

Mimi with Quinn

Pa with Quinn

Mimi at Playground

Making Daggers on Kent's Birthday

Pa with Clark

Gunfight

Mimi reading a story to Kaomi and Katy.

Pa with Clark and Quinn

Mimi with Felicity

Sleepy Pa and Clark

Pa and Mimi

Motherhood

     God chose me to mother six children.  I am blessed beyond measure.  It was fun to watch my babies smile for the first time.  I love seeing them learn to do something, like jump or read or walk downstairs without assistance or falling.  I enjoy the wonder in their eyes as they watch the birds fly, look at the moon at night or see the animals at the zoo.  I like to watch them enjoying the playground or making s'mores in our backyard.  My children are special and I love each one of them.
     Motherhood isn't always easy.  There are days when the whining and crying is constant, no matter how cheerful and joyful I try to be.  There are days that I pray my way through, just to get to bedtime.  Some days I seem to spend disciplining and training every moment.  There are days when children don't feel good and I have have to figure out the best way to care for each one throughout the day.  There are days when I feel like I am at the end of whatever I have left and wonder how I can manage for another hour or even how I can manage the next day.  Many times by the end of the day I feel like I have nothing left.  The job is hard, but God chose me for it and I will struggle to do my best and depend on God to do the rest.
     Through all the trials, I find joy.  I can't imagine my life without my children.  I enjoy seeing when they get the idea of what I am trying to train them to do.  It is fun to listen to them tell me about something they enjoyed.  It is an honor to serve my children daily, though I may not always remember that at the time.  It is a pleasure to work together and have the satisfaction of a job well done.  I am their mother and I want them to grow up to be the best children anyone could want.  Therefore, I will strive to enjoy each and everyday.  I will train them so they will one day be able to leave home and have an idea of what they are supposed to do.  I will spend time smiling at them and listening to them.  I will try not to get angry and if when I do I will try to handle my emotions in a God honoring way, so my children will see the love of God in my life.  There may be moments when I wish I could drop everything to leave and get away from the stress of the day, but I can't imagine ever staying away.  I love my children and I want to be the best mother that God has enabled me to be.

My Dad and Mom with all 6 kids.  April 24, 2013

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