Not So New Year Resolutions

Many people look forward to the new year for a new start on old habits.  ~Author Unknown

I’m sure like many people out there, I’ve been pondering  a bit about what I should or shouldn’t do in 2010. I know I’d love to have a nickel for every person making health related goals (including myself!). Setting goals has just never been something I’ve been very good at. I’ve actually thought of setting a goal to set a goal this year.

Don’t get me wrong. I love January 1st. I’m a big fan of fresh starts and all that jazz. I think it comes down to the fact that my calendar doesn’t end at December 31st. Things I want to do or strive for just seem to pop up every now and then, sometimes evolve into something else, and sometimes even get achieved.

So, for what it’s worth, here are my perpetual New Year’s resolutions. My goal this year is to hold to them tightly when I need to, but give myself grace when I don’t .

1. Lead by example: let my children learn spiritual truths, healthy habits and compassion by seeing it firsthand from me.
2. Let God: give Him my husband, my children, my home-schooling, and (especially) me.
3. Kiss my husband passionately more often (I know, TMI for some folks!).
4. Live on purpose.

Over breakfast, my daughters and I began discussing when we could put up the Christmas tree. My youngest piped up with excitement in her voice and said “I love remembering the stories of the ornaments!”
Immediately, the three of us began listing our favorite ornaments, how we got them, and what story was attached to them. It’s funny that we didn’t even have to have the ornaments in front of us to remember them!
I’ll admit, decorating the tree for me sometimes can seem more drudgery than fun. I’m so thankful my daughter reminded me of how special this “drudgery” really is.
I hope you and your family enjoy recounting stories (and creating new ones) while you prepare your home in celebration of the birth of our Savior.

Tags: children, Christmas, home, Homeschool, mom

While the girls and I were running errands the other day, the subject of cussing came up. After we all talked about how bad it was, my six-year-old chimed in. “I don’t cuss,” she declared. “I’m God-friendly!”

Of course, I laughed at first. Then, I processed her choice of words and realized how perfect they were. These days, I’m so consumed with finding books, movies, and even clothes that are “kid friendly” (sadly, it’s getting harder to do!). How much effort do I put into setting those standards for myself? I’m ashamed to admit that many times my thoughts and actions aren’t very “God-friendly” at all.

Lord, help me to pay better attention to my own action ratings. Help me be a ten in the area of God friendliness.

My oldest daughter has been into detective/spy stuff for quite some time. We devour Nancy Drew books, and she even created her own detective bag - complete with note pad, flashlight, secret codes, fingerprint kit, etc. Also, one time during our Bible study, I explained how God has plans for each of us. She asked me if I thought being a detective was what God had in store for her. She’s serious, folks!

So, it was no surprise to me when asked what theme she wanted for her birthday party sleepover, she replied (enthusiastically) “Spies!”

Armed with my Googling fingers, I went to work. I found an abundance of ideas I borrowed from various web sites. We decided to make it a spy training party. The girls would go through a battery of training sessions, then complete their final mission. 

Our first activity was the “dexterity training” portion. We created an obstacle course out back, and timed each participant. The winning time earned the agent a little prize (lip balm, play doh, note cards, etc.).

The second training was the “stealth” portion. I got bright pink yarn and strung it in sort of a web across the room. The girls had to go through the “lasers” without touching any of them.

Their third training session was the memory part. I unveiled a tray filled with random objects. They had 60 seconds to look at the objects, then a few minutes to write down (from memory) what objects were on the plate (like the game we’ve all played at baby showers!).

After they completed their training, they received their very own junior agent badges. My husband printed them from the computer. When the girls arrived, we took their pictures, and put their photos on the badges. This was a real treat for the girls. They also got their spy kits. I ordered them from Oriental Trading. 

Finally, they were assigned a real mission. A “thief” came in and stole the birthday gifts. A series of riddle clues led them to the hiding place. Once the gifts were open, it was time for cake. I found this cake on a party idea web site, and did my best to replicate it. It was fairly easy - even for this inept baker. The round part of the magnifying glass is just two round cakes stacked. I baked a 9 x 13 and cut it into thirds, using two of the thirds as the handle.

After cake, they donned their PJs and sat down for the Nancy Drew movie. For boys, you could rent Agent Cody Banks or Spy Kids. Older kids could probably watch a James Bond movie or something.

The whole thing was a total blast to put together and execute. I think I had more fun than the kids! Happy party planning.

Tags: birthday, Homeschool, kids, Moms, parents, parties, party

The other day as I was making lunch (and apparently taking too long to do so), my younger daughter began her “I’m hungry”  diatribe.

“Can I have a snack?”

“Sure, you can have an apple, banana or some carrot sticks.”

“Can I have chips?”

“No, you can have a fruit or a vegetable because you haven’t had lunch yet.”

“Can I have a cookie?”

“No, you can have a fruit or a veggie.”

And so it went. She continued to complain and whine, yet refused every offer of healthier options to stave off her hunger.

We got to the point in our verbal tennis match that I almost laughed because it was so ridiculous. Later, I thought of our exchange and realized how I act the exact same way in my spiritual life. How many times has God offered me what I need to fill my void? Instead of opting for His presence, filling up on His word and being sated by a little quiet time with Him, I whine and complain for the meaningless, “unhealthy” things of life. Watching television or spending to much time on my computer often rob me of quality time with God. Maybe I could stand to listen to my own rules for my children once in a while!

My daughter finally caved in and decided an apple would fit the bill until lunch was on the table. In addition, I decided opening my Bible before my laptop would be the healthier option for me, too.

The girls are very fond of their American Girl dolls, and play with them often. Last week, they decided it was time for their dolls to be homeschooled, too. It was priceless. I think they spent about 20 minutes getting them all in the correct chairs and stuff. I couldn’t let the event go by without a picture or two (or 30).

I’ll spare you the 30, and share a few. Times like these make me so thankful we school at home. I can only imagine how many creative bursts would have been stifled had the girls been in a conventional classroom. Yes, these rabbit trails we tend to follow take a little more time away from “school”. But I’ve never been one to stay on the main road anyway. :-)

I was recently chatting with a fellow homeschooling friend of mine. During our conversation, I mentioned someone I knew would be putting her previously homeschooled daughter in public school this year. Although she didn’t say anything, the look on my friend’s face was a clear a mixture of disapproval and condescendence. We finished our chat and parted ways, but her reaction has stayed with me ever since.

It got me thinking – have I ever acted that way about parents who made different education choices for their children? I’m ashamed to say, the answer was yes.

The Lord reminded me of those times. There were the times we’d finished school early, and went off to do something fun. When we saw buses pulling on the road WAY after we were finished playing, I would say something like “Aren’t you guys glad you aren’t those poor kids!”  Or when my response to when someone did something less than stellar behavior-wise was “That’s public school for ya!”. I’m also quite sure my facial expressions have been less than loving when discussing public schools in general.

Why do I do that? Raising kids is challenging enough without having others judge us on how we educate our kids. Some parents don’t really have a choice – whether it’s being a single parent or just needing both parents’ incomes to survive. I know I’ve been on the receiving end of that judgment as a homeschooler, and I didn’t like it one bit.

Homeschooling was the right choice for our family. Actually, I can’t imagine us ever doing school any other way. However, if we were to make a change, I would hope my home schooling friends would support us regardless of where my kids were learning.

I’m supposed to be a light to others, not make them feel like losers because their kids aren’t schooled the way mine are.

Here’s a good verse for me to remember when I’m tempted to look down on others in this area: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1 & 2)

I could also take advice from those fun loving kids at East High – “We’re all in this together!” (Sorry if you’re singing that song now, and will be for the rest of the day!)

When I was in third grade, my sister and I forgot to remind our mom about picture day. That morning, we got ourselves dressed and went on to school (I think we had forgotten it was picture day, too).

When the photos came in, Mom was mortified. My sister fared pretty well. She’s three years older, so she did a better job keeping herself looking presentable on a daily basis. My photo clearly indicated otherwise. So much so, Mom opted not to buy any school pictures that year. She even threw the proofs away, if that tells you anything! Instead, she later took me to a “studio” to have my picture made.

As a result, my third grade year was not recorded with unkempt hair, sleepy eyes and a see-through butterfly print shirt with fringes (I forgot my undershirt).  Our box of pictures holds the image of me sporting a new, fashionable haircut (Dorothy Hamill), a coordinating turtleneck and pants set (in a flattering shade of peach), and a dab of under eye make-up to hide my dark circles.

Honestly, though, I often wish I still had the original photograph.  I’ve strived to live a transparent life. If you know me, you know me (whether you like me or not J).  I think having the picture would have been a good reminder for me through the years - of how I won’t always be put together very neatly, but that’s okay. God knows my heart, and that’s what matters.

Maybe just seeing that picture in my mind, as I often do, is enough. It keeps me laughing at my imperfections, and not dwelling on them.  It keeps me striving to be true to myself, and not scrambling to be someone I’m not. Most importantly, it keeps me seeking the approval of my God, and not of others.

I do miss that butterfly shirt with the fringes, though.

Tags: Christian, God, mom, parent, self esteem

If anyone says motherhood was easy, they are either referring to their pet hamsters or they are heavily medicated. I’ll admit, I used to beat myself up over not getting things done perfectly. After I got over that, I would occasionally beat myself up over not getting things done at all.

Over the past (almost) nine years of motherhood, I’ve made a few compromises. Some I can live with, many I rejoice in. Here are a few items that keep me somewhat sane and walking upright.

• Sometimes I under load the dishwasher so I have less dishes to put away
• Many summer baths for the girls are their time in the pool - chlorine cleans, right?
• If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it 
• If it is broke, hide it, duct tape it or throw it away
• Sliding through the kitchen wearing socks counts as sweeping
• Moving a coaster around before putting your glass on it counts as dusting
• No visible stains on the shirt? It’s good for at least one more wear before washing it
• The glamour poof will always be in style for me - it makes the simple ponytail look like I actually tried

The most important lesson I’ve learned is:

• The word “no” is now in my vocabulary. If I can’t do it, someone else will.

Tags: children, home, kids, mom, Moms, mother, parenting, Women

Hi all!

I’ve gotten such good response via here, Twitter, etc. regarding my last post. Thank you so much! Although we aren’t finished with our project, I wanted to give you an idea of what we’ve been doing.

I searched our library data base for books on every character, event, etc. in the movie. I also did a pretty extensive Google search for web sites about each subject. We are making lapbooks for this, and the girls are very excited (we’re big lapbooking fans!). To break it up, we study two characters/events on one day, then put our information in the lapbook the following day.

At the beginning of our lapbook, we’ve added a time line. We are doing everything chronologically, so we just fill it in as we go. However, I think I got a bit mixed up with Easter Island and put it earlier than it should have been. Good thing we marked the time line in pencil!

Two of the characters in the movie apparently did not exist - Kahmunrah and Octavius. For Kahmunrah, we just studied pharoahs in Ancient Egypt in general. For Octavius, we studied Octavian - Julius Caesar’s nephew whom became Augustus Caesar, Rome’s “First Citizen”.

At the conclusion of our study, I will post photos of our finished project. For the time being, I’ve posted a list of books and web sites I’ve come across that may be of help to you. I don’t have them listed chronologically below (because I’m lazy and just copied it as I had it written on my notes!). I hope they come in handy!

Oh, and a few of my links are lapbooking links. One site I found particularly helpful was www.homegrownhearts.com/lapbook.htm There are many templates/ideas here to help you pull something together. I’ve also used The Usborne Book of World History and The Kingfisher History Encyclopedia for a good summary of different subjects.

Also, I’m a little light on some characters like Abraham Lincoln and Sacagawea simply because we studied them both extensively recently. We will include them, but not go into as great a detail as we will with subjects/characters we’ve not studied before. In addition, we’ve just begun our study, so some of the resources I’ve listed I haven’t gotten to look at extensively.

If you come across good resources I’ve missed, please let me know. I know there’s a lot out there!

Have fun with it! I hope what I’ve listed is helpful.

Blessings,

Kristy

LIST OF RESOURCES

• Teddy Roosevelt - www.homeschoolshare.com/presidents_lapbook.php; and Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt by Jean Fritz
• The Civil War - www.homeschoolshare.com/civil_war_lapbook_templates.php; History and Activities of the Civil War by Margaret Hall; DK Visual Dictionary of the Civil War by John Stanchak; DK Eyewitness Books of the Civil War by John Stanchak; B is for Battlecry by Patricia Bauer; I’ll Pass for Your Comrade: Women Soldiers in the Civil War by Kimberly Wagner Klier
• Al Capone - www.chicagohs.org/history/capone.html; www.alcaponemuseum.com
• Amelia Earhart - www.ameliaearhart.com; www.handsofachild.com/shop/amelia-Earhart-ebook-p1021.aspx; Amelia Earhart: The Legend of the Lost Aviator by Shelley Tonaka; A Picture Book of Amelia Earhart by David Adler; Amelia Earhart: Pioneering Aviator by Leigh Hopewood; Amelia Earhart: Free in the Skies by Robert Burleigh; You Can’t Do That, Amelia by Kimberly Wagner Klier
• Ivan the Terrible - www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/russia/ivantheterrible.html; and The Story of The World, Book 2, Middle Ages (pgs. 231-233)
• Octavian - Story of the World, Book 2 Ancient Times; and used both Usborne and Kingfisher History Encyclopedias for this study.
• The Thinker - www.musee-rodin.fr/welcome.htm
• Kahmunrah (may have been named after Akhmenrah) - www.homeschoolhelperonline.com/lapbooks/ancient_egypt.htm,; Ancient Egypt by Philip Steele
• Albert Einstein - http://www.alberteinstein.info/; Albert Einstein by Don McLeese
• Napoleon - http://www.napoleonguide.com/; Napoleon: The Story of the Little Corporal by Robert Burleigh
• Tuskegee Airmen - www.tuskegeeairmen.org; www.history.com/content/worldwartwo
• “American Gothic” painting - I did an image search for Grant Wood’s work. For this and The Thinker, we’ll do a combined art study.
• Easter Island - www.mysteriousplaces.com/Easter_Island/index.html; Wonders of the World by Philip Steele
• Abraham Lincoln - www.homeschoolshare.com/presidents_lapbook.php; Abe Lincoln Goes to Washington by Cheryl Harness; Abraham Lincoln by David & Patricia Armentrout; Abraham Lincoln by Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire
• George Foreman - www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/248:310/1/George_Foreman.htm
• Sacagawea - www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s_z/sacagawea.htm; Sacagawea by Don McCleese; Sacagawea, American Pathfinder by Flora Warren Seymour