tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-344122422024-03-07T02:24:24.663-06:00The Sustala {7-1=} SixAngelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.comBlogger388125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-74436415530103075212011-07-06T17:50:00.000-06:002011-07-06T17:50:11.029-06:00How Does this Happen?<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">When I was the mom of just two, I remember seeing this picture:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GPBBZQjX4-YCWshDeWbfujYIfGHVmPyzsYrtxo-iHEg-654I4QI5HMD0KlCZI30-Hb8TOXyd8KjUkaXt95HHTnhTzOGmQr83j4WwKr1YD8JnugKuL7yt-HYT12OmKTSBlqPZ/s1600/baby+marker+on+face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GPBBZQjX4-YCWshDeWbfujYIfGHVmPyzsYrtxo-iHEg-654I4QI5HMD0KlCZI30-Hb8TOXyd8KjUkaXt95HHTnhTzOGmQr83j4WwKr1YD8JnugKuL7yt-HYT12OmKTSBlqPZ/s320/baby+marker+on+face.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">After gasping, then laughing hysterically (because they are not <em>my</em> children), I could not for the life of me figure out how something like that could happen. I mean, c'mon! <em>Where was the mother???</em> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Then I had two more children. Who were not like my first two children. At all. </div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">They do their part to help me understand how things like that happen. Even with me <em>here</em>.</div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Today, Jace decided that drawing on himself ... </div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibsOt8lZeMbUh5fP2IdsNWfB6X90WKEc7fdN2r6VpzLyYrPZEiMETgozN0RDzUBczSYOQcpLtCYj5Z2KnxFhZNpCVJ97HEOKqnYK_AH8oj7GZRCco5BN_zjYs-LuhKR9Vy-oUJ/s1600/sofa+Jace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibsOt8lZeMbUh5fP2IdsNWfB6X90WKEc7fdN2r6VpzLyYrPZEiMETgozN0RDzUBczSYOQcpLtCYj5Z2KnxFhZNpCVJ97HEOKqnYK_AH8oj7GZRCco5BN_zjYs-LuhKR9Vy-oUJ/s1600/sofa+Jace.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">AND our leather sofa </div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyKoi7_sMrB4Yk2A_Pw-Dr4S7FzLq4d5KnAvANxgIfqdTCdVPdGI6icbvF52nXDEpMA6AV4-XU6YWUfZyXbqgxZba_S4A6kQI8SA4o0HmPMoRgVP1FL60wXE0NmsodXUbLxh5/s1600/sofa+ink+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyKoi7_sMrB4Yk2A_Pw-Dr4S7FzLq4d5KnAvANxgIfqdTCdVPdGI6icbvF52nXDEpMA6AV4-XU6YWUfZyXbqgxZba_S4A6kQI8SA4o0HmPMoRgVP1FL60wXE0NmsodXUbLxh5/s1600/sofa+ink+1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">with a PEN </div></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8diBnmI_ILitUAhqIg42f2sVE19JRp-XHt_O79Z0_2qOrY17X_ULcukSJSqA3SnEsjxUAzh5HJycoMqvZyu78bcBDX3luppvWqH1rC-dMDHHiQVdwcZz_lPyjmhE_RbNqIYaq/s1600/sofa+ink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8diBnmI_ILitUAhqIg42f2sVE19JRp-XHt_O79Z0_2qOrY17X_ULcukSJSqA3SnEsjxUAzh5HJycoMqvZyu78bcBDX3luppvWqH1rC-dMDHHiQVdwcZz_lPyjmhE_RbNqIYaq/s1600/sofa+ink.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">was a good idea.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
While I *thought* he was watching a movie. The older three were playing Uno at the kitchen table. And, I was cleaning out the refrigerator. We weren't even technically <em>out </em>of the room!<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Thankfully, we have a family friend who restores leather. He told me to use alcohol to get the ink out. I have witch hazel and hydrogen peroxide in my house. But no alcohol. Of course. So, I ran to Walgreens and bought a rather large bottle.</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimY2jSLvfnIV3VVlSPqHh6dmSS7p3HVw6Wa75YnZIw1wJaSNhyphenhyphenWlSjJl7Xotgn246y7dh-CZlIx2xu39rOJq2BWF6FFodEP1_HZw_tLq6iHgIeP5AOHPSl0mNLEBLg-r0d94Hx/s1600/sofa+alcohol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimY2jSLvfnIV3VVlSPqHh6dmSS7p3HVw6Wa75YnZIw1wJaSNhyphenhyphenWlSjJl7Xotgn246y7dh-CZlIx2xu39rOJq2BWF6FFodEP1_HZw_tLq6iHgIeP5AOHPSl0mNLEBLg-r0d94Hx/s1600/sofa+alcohol.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">After using nearly half the bottle</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tYTrHiiLJLLao37rqiExJWr5rlYsGQ1oZ9NWp9ETbh6-08cyhC35dDvQZIxxzfPzIDDKG6hHnJ6GjU38rkCk3jI_ClQVBBQ8IGOHWBHbIf8aoXLgcDSEhtGEvSO4Tc_QvY55/s1600/sofa+alcohol+used%2527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tYTrHiiLJLLao37rqiExJWr5rlYsGQ1oZ9NWp9ETbh6-08cyhC35dDvQZIxxzfPzIDDKG6hHnJ6GjU38rkCk3jI_ClQVBBQ8IGOHWBHbIf8aoXLgcDSEhtGEvSO4Tc_QvY55/s1600/sofa+alcohol+used%2527.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">My sofa now looks like this:</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxq1kHVMwdxjpLvswyL2ytGo7vPNgVYWwCGs2qXq8fY-zpBhglWrCpX4Y6Y5d9pyR5A9wRK406C1s6ojmCjh7CYUjyGkPcedZTR_w-lSLN79CnE1Mt3WOPBxydtBk0CNPC1iC0/s1600/sofa+after+alcohol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxq1kHVMwdxjpLvswyL2ytGo7vPNgVYWwCGs2qXq8fY-zpBhglWrCpX4Y6Y5d9pyR5A9wRK406C1s6ojmCjh7CYUjyGkPcedZTR_w-lSLN79CnE1Mt3WOPBxydtBk0CNPC1iC0/s1600/sofa+after+alcohol.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5iw4eJLo539_NIAqNvCAd5qIJFA-E9PBijGII7dHWRJTd3in0ASUav4DAKWeO1T6EYzr4_gXZGUlt_A8zK15nJl6-P6ajOtrQEn0N89VuzOtB5oyU5HyIXWVytKJdcYyavMu/s1600/sofa+after+alcohol+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5iw4eJLo539_NIAqNvCAd5qIJFA-E9PBijGII7dHWRJTd3in0ASUav4DAKWeO1T6EYzr4_gXZGUlt_A8zK15nJl6-P6ajOtrQEn0N89VuzOtB5oyU5HyIXWVytKJdcYyavMu/s1600/sofa+after+alcohol+2.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Well, that's better. Don't ya think?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Thankfully, Eddie is out of town. He would have a stroke! Even more thankfully, the leather-master-family-friend is coming tomorrow to (PLEASE, Lord!) restore the color. I'm hoping that by the time Ed gets home, this will all be funny. In the meantime, today would not be the day to check my blog, honey. :)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Thanks to reading <u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Thousand-Gifts-Fully-Right/dp/0310321913">One Thousand Gifts</a> by Ann Voskamp</u>, I somehow moved uncharacteristically quickly from "OH NO! OH MY GOSH! OH NO! I'm gonna throw up" panic-mode </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">to </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">"Thank you, Lord, for this little ornery boy. Even with ink on my sofa, I'm thankful for him. I'm thankful to have a sofa. And a friend who restores leather. For the ability to run to Walgreens to buy alcohol. For the elbow grease needed to rub ink out for an hour and a half." Many gifts in the midst of frustration. Always. We just have to <em>see.</em> Oh, how I want that to become my natural reaction.<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If you haven't read that book, you should. Just don't get your 3 year old to write on the sofa to see if its changed you. I don't recommend that. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Hopefully, I will have some "just like new" photos to post after tomorrow. {fingers crossed}</div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-64587291959132023612011-06-10T15:52:00.000-06:002011-06-10T15:52:28.064-06:00Command CentralI posted a picture of our new "command central" on facebook this morning and had no idea how much attention it would get. I'm glad I'm not the only one who needs this! As suggested in the fb comments, I'm posting the details here :)<br />
This past year has not been pretty. Behaviorally, my kids have fallen apart. Bad attitudes and disobedience abound. As the mature, responsible parent that I am, I've responded by nagging, yelling, threatening - all of it in completely unpredictable patterns. :) <br />
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One of the benefits of having lots of kids (if you consider 4 a lot) is many hands to do the work! But, when I have to nag and whine and yell just to get them to dress themselves, it doesn't feel much like <em><strong>help</strong></em>. Our <a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/2010/08/organized-mom-series-part-2-schedules_13.html">old system</a> wasn't cutting it anymore - mainly because I didn't <em>"inspect what I expect"</em> (love that phrase!), so I had to find a way to build in accountability for me as well.<br />
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I've told y'all before I'm not creative. I have very few original ideas - and this is no different :) I have been "collecting" ideas from several places (<a href="http://www.fisher-kids.com/">here</a>, <a href="http://confessionsofahomeschooler.blogspot.com/2011/02/10-days-of-homeschooling-enrichment-day_08.html">here</a>, <a href="http://www.tipjunkie.com/creative-chore-charts-for-kids/">here</a>, <a href="http://www.doorposts.com/details.aspx?id=14">here</a> and <a href="http://www.freckledlaundry.com/2011/02/chore-responsibility-bucket-system.html">here</a>) for the past few weeks and combined them into something that will work for our family. I've purchased pre-made chore charts and such before. I didn't want to spend any money this time and I wanted something that would combine chores, behavior, family rules, scheduling, the whole shebang into one system, while being easy for me. 'Cause, at the end of the day, if its not easy it won't last! <br />
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Big picture:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoI-5rq9oYHSnLCy2b1p1komMllrmmAjm7x4ju1wkP8eyDYTBciuS-gtcesfx0XpaaYCqjhxAcLewpHmH6hG9GS0fzhEoO_-UJxGfotyTl_dGmUIu-0RQ3qIWT_Zrjl-6VUx5P/s1600/command+central.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoI-5rq9oYHSnLCy2b1p1komMllrmmAjm7x4ju1wkP8eyDYTBciuS-gtcesfx0XpaaYCqjhxAcLewpHmH6hG9GS0fzhEoO_-UJxGfotyTl_dGmUIu-0RQ3qIWT_Zrjl-6VUx5P/s320/command+central.jpg" t8="true" width="240px" /></a></div> I glued <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20src=%22http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thesussix-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000PWZU4E&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>">baseball card protector pages</a> with the side & one end cut off to a poster board so they act as pockets. The craft sticks have the kids' chores written on them. Once a week, I place the sticks in the appropriate pocket. The kids pull the stick(s) for that day, complete the work and leave the stick in the kitchen, so I know the work is ready for inspection (accountability for me!). Once it passes inspection, they put the stick in their bucket (our kids have been color-coded for some time, so they know which one is theirs - though it would be cute to label it. Target generally sells the buckets in their $1 section). These are all unpaid chores - work they do to contribute to the family (I really like <a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/article/top-3-kids-and-money-qa/lifeandmoney_kidsandmoney">Dave Ramsey's philosophy on this</a>). If they complete this work (without reminders, complaining, etc), they are allowed to choose a paid chore from a bucket I keep in the kitchen. Sundays are pay day. They receive their weekly "commission" as well as any money they earned from paid chores. The white bucket contains extra chores (or "trouble chores" as Jadyn calls them) and they are used for behavior issues related to our family rules (below). <br />
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Family Rules:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXX4g3yqIdJz5RvyXc4RRsVWbdGJyORRuXQboBWxmAu9PH0TNWAxEjD9WZYMZWWTwV3SOTFtakLSwvSHm4722Mrp-0nRkHipZWsgYPbQGUL48pNT0npuC33WhK-Ari2_RSiQhC/s1600/cc+family+rules.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXX4g3yqIdJz5RvyXc4RRsVWbdGJyORRuXQboBWxmAu9PH0TNWAxEjD9WZYMZWWTwV3SOTFtakLSwvSHm4722Mrp-0nRkHipZWsgYPbQGUL48pNT0npuC33WhK-Ari2_RSiQhC/s320/cc+family+rules.jpg" t8="true" width="240px" /></a></div> I boiled all our rules down to one word: R.E.S.P.E.C.T. :) Respect for parents, siblings, property, others & self. Each heading has some more detailed examples of what it looks like. You can download ours <a href="http://www.4shared.com/file/MCLOROQb/Family_Rules.html">here</a>. If they break a rule, they go to the chart and accept their discipline and read the Bible verse(s) associated with it. If they break the same rule again that day, they move on to the Motivator (including extra chores). This has made discipline consistent. No need for me to yell, nag, threaten, etc ... and no need for them to get angry with me over unfair punishments I'm doling out just because I'm grumpier than the last time the same behavior occurred. This week has been much calmer and happier for all of us!<br />
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Weekly Schedule<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDfUarQgb_OP0GTxGC4AoGAq2lwb1FQISanjqcNwJZQgMl3M1Q0EAg0QOwBTUtbe4p1ateScxtrBgZBgq3fwPqhSPswHk-pzz_vblaV9M5fqs_wPffoHYenNl8TY7rv17UzgV/s1600/cc+weekly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDfUarQgb_OP0GTxGC4AoGAq2lwb1FQISanjqcNwJZQgMl3M1Q0EAg0QOwBTUtbe4p1ateScxtrBgZBgq3fwPqhSPswHk-pzz_vblaV9M5fqs_wPffoHYenNl8TY7rv17UzgV/s320/cc+weekly.jpg" t8="true" width="320px" /></a></div> I added a dry erase weekly schedule I found at Target. It has a space for each family member, which I love. Our weeks get really busy, so this will come in very handy in the fall! Its on a magnetic board where I've hung different schedules - like the pool hours and church activities! Summer stuff for now, but it will hold kids' activity schedules in the fall). The board is also a dry erase board, so I've listed their weekly "commission" - and the breakdown of giving, saving and keeping. <br />
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Morning Routine:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVgHHz0V_JGZzrbKZtopIVLdjOt4God7oC4Okx8k429LPbfANl_0cGz9286tfruBeHUJh5qIFmsSAxiPxHuevsE7c1bIhvawLiSJvcqxz0ONxkZiBxu1xB2tc0CuvPfOnw8K5/s1600/cc+mornings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVgHHz0V_JGZzrbKZtopIVLdjOt4God7oC4Okx8k429LPbfANl_0cGz9286tfruBeHUJh5qIFmsSAxiPxHuevsE7c1bIhvawLiSJvcqxz0ONxkZiBxu1xB2tc0CuvPfOnw8K5/s320/cc+mornings.jpg" t8="true" width="320px" /></a> <br />
This is the same for all of them and for each day, so I wrote it on the poster board. On Sunday, I will decide if they earned their stick for the week (meaning they did their morning routine without reminders all week). If they do not earn it, they do not get paid for any paid chores they may have done. <br />
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Evening Routine:<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8B3Z3ZG_ZnA_lx6MV-7xsRlOtPI5Gi4VhOv2cfpg3QvFt6CrS9DoixPf0CeEDkbP5EaQ84X0RiUKQ00Lry_yUHcB-OlAoyZo7GW1KtNR2lg3awPmN-ybdD7yTiGNQn4cjDyWY/s1600/cc+evenings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8B3Z3ZG_ZnA_lx6MV-7xsRlOtPI5Gi4VhOv2cfpg3QvFt6CrS9DoixPf0CeEDkbP5EaQ84X0RiUKQ00Lry_yUHcB-OlAoyZo7GW1KtNR2lg3awPmN-ybdD7yTiGNQn4cjDyWY/s320/cc+evenings.jpg" t8="true" width="320px" /></a></div>They love to spend time with Ed and me in the evenings - sitting & talking, playing games, reading books, etc. The sooner they complete their evening routine, the more time they get with us. We used to do room cleaning in the mornings, but it drives Ed batty to put the kids to bed in a messy room and I like the idea of teaching them to go to bed with their things tidy. They also have mom and dad time to look forward to which seems to be a much bigger incentive to work quickly than school time. Lol. Jake has had his room cleaned before dinner every night this week! *Hmmm .... I wonder which kid's love language is quality time??* :)<br />
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If I was going to do it again, I would write the days of the week at the top of each pocket (as they get covered up by the sticks where I wrote them). I was planning to use <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20src=%22http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thesussix-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B004150WIA&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>">library pockets</a>, but didn't have enough (and didn't want to spend money, remember?). I think they might look a bit more tidy (and I do like tidy!). Also, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20src=%22http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thesussix-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000M3V8XI&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>">command hooks</a> would hold the buckets better than the giant thumbtacks I used that leave equally giant holes in the wall (but, again, using what I already had). I would have also used a colored poster board instead of white. But, all of this is purely cosmetic. I plan to hang a file holder under the calendar to hold other papers we may need as well. Oh, the extra bucket up high holds dry erase markers, eraser, etc. I didn't want to be hunting for those when I need them!<br />
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It is working beautifully for us so far! I hope it helps some other mamas! If you have some ideas, PLEASE share in the comments! :)Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-39033461072369120062011-04-11T14:38:00.000-06:002011-04-11T14:38:02.665-06:00I have been MIA in blog-land for over three months now. This blog has suffered some droughts in the past, but none quite this long, I don't think! <br />
I just haven't been myself lately. I love blogging and I really want to get back to it. This is the closest thing I have to a scrapbook. Blogging makes me think more about taking pictures and capturing sweet moments with my family. Hopefully, this is the start of getting back in the game! :)<br />
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I have been dreading this month since one year ago today when Jackson passed away.<br />
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I will never forget waking up at 3am April 11, 2010 in a panic about him. I truly believe God was telling me he was gone. I tried all morning to get him to move. I felt like I was going nuts, but desperate to feel him kick. By noon, I told Ed ... and life felt like it began swirling out of control from then on. One of the most painful memories of that day was watching Ed's face as my midwife moved the doppler around my belly, searching for a heartbeat. I will never forget the pain of watching his heart break into a million pieces when she didn't find one. It was almost as hard as losing my baby boy. <br />
There are still some hard days left to get through this month, including Jackson's birthday on the 20th. <br />
I know the first year is the hardest, so I'm looking forward to getting beyond that milestone. I trust that God is and will continue to bring good out of even this, the most painful heartbreak of my life. <br />
We would covet your prayers for us this month!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-66911900604849045972011-01-08T11:40:00.000-06:002011-01-08T11:42:49.908-06:00Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Burns!Last night, my little brother, Erin got married!! We were so thrilled to be part of their special day. We're even more jazzed about *officially* welcoming Beth into our family! <br />
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All of the wedding festivities were wonderful. Everything went off without a hitch. The bride was <u><em><strong>beautiful</strong></em></u> - and the groom looked pretty good, too ;) <br />
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My kids did a great job as ring bearers and flower girls - and were adorable (or so I thought!). I can't wait to see some pictures. Somehow in the hustle and bustle of it all, I didn't get a single picture on my camera (or phone) :/ Hopefully, I'll have some to post soon.<br />
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I hope they had a great time and will always remember the love and devotion they felt yesterday. Even on the days they don't particularly <em>like</em> each other. :) I know they can't imagine a day like that right now, which is just as it should be.<br />
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We were so honored to be included and are so thrilled for them as they begin the amazing journey of marriage. <br />
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Congratulations, honeymooners! We love y'all and are very happy for you!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-57827498325741553942010-12-17T21:39:00.000-06:002010-12-17T21:39:37.030-06:002010 from the rearview<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7Sj3ahnAyemxdLaijxWj79utxp-pEtKncB8tPHP9pauLzdSf8gKCaInJEw79QaYBdUsLV8zCEeE079iTbbNRdoc7oly__L2uKHWPjjPfRvExvlklRckB7nSKa1mn__r7UcV3/s1600/Christmas+Card+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7Sj3ahnAyemxdLaijxWj79utxp-pEtKncB8tPHP9pauLzdSf8gKCaInJEw79QaYBdUsLV8zCEeE079iTbbNRdoc7oly__L2uKHWPjjPfRvExvlklRckB7nSKa1mn__r7UcV3/s320/Christmas+Card+2010.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I'm cracking myself up over the title of this post. This year has felt a bit like a <em>rear </em>view, <em>ifyouknowwhatImean.</em> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">For those of you who only visit my blog once a year, here's the recap ... if you'd like the abbreviated version, check facebook for my 'year in status updates.' </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">For the ladies, here's the longer, slightly more detailed version:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We won’t be sad to say goodbye to 2010. Even though a new year can't change circumstances, there are just some years that seem more deserving of a swift kick in the pants, ya know?</div>We began 2010 excited about Sustala baby #5 joining our family! We learned we were having a boy and named him Jackson Erin, after Ed’s grandfather, Pawpaw Jackson and my youngest brother, Erin. Sadly, Jackson was stillborn at 24 weeks due to a cord entanglement. As you can imagine, it has been a difficult journey to grieve the loss of our little boy. As always, God has been present in every detail. His hand has been evident at every turn. I’ve tried to write about our grief and the journey of faith it has required on this blog in hopes that it may one day minister to someone else. This has been the loneliest journey of my life – even though I know I'm not alone. Ed and I are both surprised at just how difficult losing Jackson <em>still </em>is – even eight months later. The pain that lingers is not something we could have anticipated. Our children have struggled through this in their own ways – they mention Jackson frequently and say often they wish he had lived. Jadyn got upset when I was talking with a woman I didn't know. When she asked how many children I have, I answered, "Two boys & two girls." (I don’t feel comfortable burdening everyone I meet with what happened) Jadyn exclaimed, “MOM! You have THREE boys!!!” Awkward…but precious nonetheless. It warms my heart how they embrace him as part of our family. In the picture above, Jordan is holding our "Jackson-bear" because we wanted him represented somehow.<br />
This year also marked having three official homeschoolers! That has been quite the adventure, but still remains a beautiful, wonderful fit for our family. I have enjoyed the time I get to spend with each of the kids one-on-one as well as the time we have together as a family. The flexibility it provides has come in very handy (again) this year as well! <br />
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The kids have had a busy year. Jordan (10) joined a homeschool choir called Joyful Sound! I continue to be amazed at the doors God opens for her! She gets to do her two favorite things: sing and dance! She has also had a lot of orthodontic work – which will continue next year with braces, as we work to correct her under bite and hopefully improve articulation. <br />
Jacob (8 ½) has taken his soccer interest to a new level, playing junior select soccer. He loves the professional coaching and the seriousness of the players. If he sees a ball, you can bet his feet are on it - juggling, kicking, something! He continues to excel in academics, especially math. He is in his second year of cub scouts, as a bear. <br />
Jadyn (5 ½) is in Kindergarten and is into all things creative. She has been lucky enough to participate in one of the Joyful Sound! show choirs with Jordan as well as taking gymnastics. <br />
Jace (2 1/2) is a short and stocky, happy, extremely busy little guy who loves music, trains, balls and anything his big sisters and brother are doing! He makes us laugh every single day. It took him a while to start talking in more than single syllable words, but now we can't shut him up! <br />
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Despite (or more likely because of) the heartbreak this year, we have been able to get away a little. Ed and I went to San Antonio a couple times, went to Dallas and made a trip to Chicago. We also rented a beach house in Galveston with the kids in May, which was just heavenly!! It was so wonderful, we're hoping to make it an annual event. <br />
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We are ending this year bitter sweetly...<br />
Bitterly, we are saying goodbye to Ed’s sister, Stacey & her family as they move to Southeast Asia. It’s a wonderful opportunity for their family, so we are excited for them, but sad for ourselves!<br />
We are also working on repairs to our house after a recent flooding episode. You can read more about that <em><a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/2010/12/no-grey-matter-here.html"><strong>here</strong></a></em>. :/<br />
Sweetly, we are looking forward to my brother, Erin’s wedding in three weeks!! We are honored to participate in the day as a bridesmaid, groomsman, flower girls and ring bearers :) We look forward to ‘officially’ welcoming Beth into our family! <br />
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As difficult as this year has been, we know God only has good plans for us – and He will be faithful to bring good even out of our suffering. We pray that you will sense His blessings and provision in your lives as well! <br />
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Merry Christmas, blog friends!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-31446818000426790232010-12-08T21:57:00.000-06:002010-12-08T21:57:12.304-06:00No grey matter here!As has become customary, it is feast or famine around this blog! <br />
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Very little grey matter here. :)<br />
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Here's the high (and low) lights of the last few weeks. <br />
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The day after Thanksgiving, our family was decorating for Christmas. About half-way through decorating the tree, Ed said, "Why are there wet footprints on the floor???"<br />
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We searched for the cause of wetness - checking the usual places: Jace's diaper (the kid has serious talent) and wet socks. No dice. Then, Jake exclaims, "Dad! There's a giant puddle over there!"<br />
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*cue parent freak out*<br />
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The puddle appears to be coming from our bedroom/bathroom, so naturally Ed runs that direction. To find our bedroom carpet and bathroom floor soaking wet along with dripping water coming from our closet ceiling. :) <br />
Its beginning to look a lot like <strike>Christmas!</strike> a big ol' mess!<br />
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Ed runs upstairs to the bathroom above ours where he discovers a flooded bathroom which clearly originated from a sink that had the drain plugged (by a washcloth), the water turned on full blast (and of course, the door closed). The water ran from the bathroom to Jace's room on one side and the gameroom (AKA our school room) on the other :/<br />
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All eyes immediately turn to Jadyn. Funny (or not) how in times like that, everyone knows exactly who the culprit is. In most homes, you might assume the two year old. Cause two year olds do stuff like that. <br />
In our home, we have a Jadyn. Cute as a button she may be. But the child does not think through her actions. She is impulsive, creative and curious - not a good combination. I've decided that God has provided Jadyn to be sure I never become prideful as a parent. :/ <br />
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Long story short - the majority of our carpet has to be replaced along with the {brand new} hard wood floors in our family room as well as some sheet rock, paint & door frame repairs. Mostly a giant inconvenience at the most expensive time of year - and, y'all, homeowner deductibles are freaking high!!! I guess since Ed works in auto insurance and I think of the typical auto deductible being around $500, I just assumed it would be $500 - $1000. La la land is where I was a livin! Wish I could go back! ;)<br />
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The other biggies around here - I can't remember if I've mentioned or not, but Jordan joined a Christian homeschool choir called Joyful Sound! Amazing that she can be included in such a thing ... just another example of how God continues to open doors for her that I couldn't have imagined ten years ago! Not only is Jordan in the choir, but she is also in one of the show choirs, so she gets to do her two favorite things - sing AND dance! :) It turned out they were in need of another child in the show choir and Jadyn just happened to be in the back at rehearsal, learning the dance, so her lucky little self got to join the show choir for the Christmas performance, even though she's not technically quite old enough!!<br />
At any rate, Joyful Sound! does ministry concerts the first two weeks of December - all over Houston to all sorts of people/groups/places. We are talking about 3-6 concerts per DAY! Amazing outreach to so many - and I was beyond excited to participate this year. The girls were loving every minute of it! <br />
A couple days into ministry season, Jordan was struck by a stomach virus. Thankfully, it only lasted a couple days, but as soon as she was well, it hit me, Jace and Jadyn - and by yesterday Jake was in the mix as well :( Its been a long week, but everyone appears to be on the mend (assuming Ed doesn't become the final victim!). The worst part has been missing so many concerts. We still have the big Christmas concert this weekend and next week for ministry, so still plenty to look forward to!<br />
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I hope things are a little less eventful at your place :)Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-51081024210217685762010-10-21T14:45:00.000-06:002010-10-21T14:45:42.618-06:00Family PicturesA few weeks ago, we had our family pictures made by <a href="http://www.jheiliger.com/">Joe Heiliger</a>. He will forever have a special place in my heart.<br />
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In addition to having his own photography business, Joe is also a volunteer photographer for <a href="http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/about_us/">Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep</a> - a worldwide organization that ministers to parents suffering the loss of a baby through free professional photography services. Our family was blessed in a way I can't even describe by Joe and NILMDTS! <br />
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Getting family pictures made was bittersweet for me, but we included our "Jackson-bear." He is a favorite with the kids and it seemed appropriate to represent him. We could not have asked for more beautiful weather and the pictures turned out great! These are a couple of my favorites:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLScGuWqqKcttpQ4G3ZYN8ks13TIIXtM9BW76uXDhncRYMW8yx4cthIOW7fPG72ZKUpREzM-YvGqj7PMLts4aEexpSxfwKknjzJ700pnftkYMSr3PlMgqtXVb8IeV58FYDl8R/s1600/Family+Pix+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLScGuWqqKcttpQ4G3ZYN8ks13TIIXtM9BW76uXDhncRYMW8yx4cthIOW7fPG72ZKUpREzM-YvGqj7PMLts4aEexpSxfwKknjzJ700pnftkYMSr3PlMgqtXVb8IeV58FYDl8R/s400/Family+Pix+2010.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our beautiful family</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAxeo5Zvz6mbfPWtPMTyQb-GsGfD3aWtIrm7x3Gt4GHeaIWFXxnbgJLJFqPAKdSJi3HmmWCcxTGn_DUlwxmE73hLkaWgEO49E3v3GydQO1U_QVgNfA75YfVSsfXCOwVTlgAyp/s1600/Family+Pix+2010+Kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAxeo5Zvz6mbfPWtPMTyQb-GsGfD3aWtIrm7x3Gt4GHeaIWFXxnbgJLJFqPAKdSJi3HmmWCcxTGn_DUlwxmE73hLkaWgEO49E3v3GydQO1U_QVgNfA75YfVSsfXCOwVTlgAyp/s400/Family+Pix+2010+Kids.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adorable kiddos<br />
Jacob, Jace, Jadyn, Jordan</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Oh, how I love my family! I feel immensely blessed and thankful!</strong></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-72106117714875187852010-10-20T06:00:00.030-06:002010-10-20T06:00:12.453-06:00Six MonthsSix months can seem like a lifetime. Or the blink of an eye. <br />
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These past six months have been a mixture of both for me. It feels like a lifetime of swimming in a turbulent sea of grief ... and like the blink of an eye since I held my baby boy for the first and only time.<br />
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It sure seems like six months ought to be long enough. <br />
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It ought to be long enough that the thought of Jackson doesn't bring tears to me eyes. <br />
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It ought to be long enough that I don't get choked up writing about him. <br />
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It ought to be long enough that I don't think about every "first" without him. <br />
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It ought to be long enough that my arms don't still <em>ache</em> to hold him.<br />
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It ought to be long enough that I don't feel a lump in my throat at the sight of a pregnant mama. <br />
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It ought to be long enough that seeing my children together doesn't remind me he's missing.<br />
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It ought to be long enough that I don't still cry myself to sleep some nights.<br />
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It ought to be long enough that the sight of a new baby boy doesn't take my breath away.<br />
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It ought to be long enough that I don't flinch when I hear the joyous news of another baby's arrival.<br />
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It ought to be long enough that anniversaries don't feel so painfully raw. <br />
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It ought to be long enough.<br />
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<strong>It just ought to be.</strong> <br />
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But, it's not. At least not for me. <br />
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And that's OK. 'Cause six months have passed in the blink of an eye.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>I love you with all my mommy-heart, Jackson Erin. I will never forget you - or stop missing you. Until I hold you in my arms again.</strong> </span></em></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-6114536599053143522010-10-08T11:57:00.000-06:002010-10-08T11:58:27.836-06:00"Journey with Jordan" 2010<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4nBqXB9o-Sq4tegTZATCQ4XVgu8XTOq0VpzB1tEIo4byMfRZUNLnTEQHiTeBaPf7bUSnHDsJhRknnWtU-eCOI2OL7-CwOBRYJRSyCheXL4OXi6OnGgfQSOBwNiiBCILqeZKv/s1600/buddy+walk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4nBqXB9o-Sq4tegTZATCQ4XVgu8XTOq0VpzB1tEIo4byMfRZUNLnTEQHiTeBaPf7bUSnHDsJhRknnWtU-eCOI2OL7-CwOBRYJRSyCheXL4OXi6OnGgfQSOBwNiiBCILqeZKv/s1600/buddy+walk.jpg" /></a>October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. If you read my blog, you're probably already aware of Down Syndrome. Our goal is to make everyone aware of what is possible despite Down Syndrome. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">October is also that time of year when we start looking forward to the annual Buddy Walk!</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We had an incredible "Journey with Jordan" team <a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/2009/11/journey-with-jordan.html">last year</a> and I'm hoping we can pull it off again this year!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This year the walk is<strong><u> FREE</u></strong> to participate in! We would be <strong>honored</strong> if you would join <a href="https://www.syssolutions.com/fr/DSAH/2010BuddyWalk/JourneywithJordan">"Journey with Jordan"</a> Saturday, November 6, 2010 @ 1pm at Jones Plaza in Downtown Houston. Even if you aren't available to walk, please consider supporting our team through a donation!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Check out our Buddy Walk page here to register to walk and/or donate: <a href="https://www.syssolutions.com/fr/DSAH/2010BuddyWalk/JourneywithJordan">https://www.syssolutions.com/fr/DSAH/2010BuddyWalk/JourneywithJordan</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for supporting our beautiful Jordan and in helping us raising awareness about Down Syndrome! </span></strong>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-83328816641774292042010-09-22T06:51:00.003-06:002010-09-22T06:51:00.674-06:0010 YearsI can hardly believe it. I have a 10 year old! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSpNqxnTndReTy18-kd8FQRQoJnAcXHiRrJKu77xpzhYaQHvHNk8AyiJ-HBlUTQt66NxnYFdfBRiK4zk3S2OgV2QSiOroFT15U6emIMckDXeFAPeybuCHppRZ1RXoSRLKxQyp/s1600/IMG00061-20100723-1610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSpNqxnTndReTy18-kd8FQRQoJnAcXHiRrJKu77xpzhYaQHvHNk8AyiJ-HBlUTQt66NxnYFdfBRiK4zk3S2OgV2QSiOroFT15U6emIMckDXeFAPeybuCHppRZ1RXoSRLKxQyp/s320/IMG00061-20100723-1610.jpg" /></a></div> This beautiful, amazing, silly, wonderful, smart girl came into my life 10 years ago today and while sadness and grief reigned for the night, JOY came in the morning!<br />
She is, in many ways, a constant reminder of God's goodness. Of His provision. Of His mercies and love. When I think back to this day ten years ago, I am reminded of the immense sadness I felt about her diagnosis. But, I'm also reminded of the love for her that washed over me. A powerful love like I could not have imagined before that day. I'm so blessed to have experienced the power of that love with four more children. But, my sweet Jordan was the beginning of it all. <br />
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I love you so much, Jordan-bug! Happy 10th Birthday, Beautiful! Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-19907375861953617902010-09-20T10:36:00.004-06:002010-09-20T10:36:30.656-06:00Organized Mom Series: Part 4: Organized PlacesFirst of all, I want to say that I am blown away by the response from this series! Thank you for the encouragement and I'm so glad it is helping so many of you! I'm running low on ideas, so if you have some topics you'd like me to talk about, let me know. <br />
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Now, for organizing all the stuff!<br />
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I like the things that live in my home to <em>have</em> a home. A place to be when not in use. I know people that are far more rigid about this than I am and others that are far more lax about it. Which must make me the "happy medium." :) We are all different and just like everything else we've talked about in this series, <em><u>the important thing is finding what works for your family in a way that lines up with the priorities God has for you</u></em>. For me, its about teaching my kids to be good stewards of what we own; making things easy to find when we need them, while keeping the clutter to a minimum. <br />
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In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that cleaning out closets or drawers, organizing, creating storage solutions, etc is like pure <em>therapy</em> for me. When I'm stressed, I clean stuff out! I purge, I move things around, I reorganize, I straighten ... and then ... I feel all better. Or at least a little better. {Guess what I've been doing like crazy the past few months? ahem.} <br />
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I recognize its my way of coping with things I can't control. <br />
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Like life. <br />
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But, I digress. <br />
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Generally speaking, I like to keep 'like with like' and store it near where it is used/needed. Say, for example, dishes in the kitchen and toilet paper in the bathroom ... that kind of thing. :) Its not rocket science, but sometimes it does require some <em>thought</em>. <br />
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I also try to have a purpose in mind for each <em>room</em>. Obviously, most rooms have an implied purpose, but I try to zoom in on that a bit. Basically a way for me to evaluate what goes into the room. For example, in our study, we have a large bookcase that houses most of our books and games as well as my craft supplies and some office supplies. If it doesn't fit into one of those categories (or isn't pretty to look at it), it has to live somewhere else. I try to keep my laundry room down to things used for small storage, cleaning, laundry or getting out the door. Rooms can quickly become dumping grounds if they don't have some "ground rules."<br />
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Not only do I like tidy, but I married a man who also prefers it. He's worse than me. If he had his rathers, our house would not look like children live in it. Let's just say he's not a fan of toys-strewn-about. Or play kitchens in the breakfast room. Or playdoh on the table. Or toys out-of-place. <br />
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Fan or not, this is his current reality. But, in the spirit of happily-ever-after, I <em>try</em> to appease him as much as possible. We usually do a quick <strike>put-everything-away-that-appears-childlike</strike> straighten before he comes home in the evening. And, I've found that as long as the family room is tidy, he endures the rest. <br />
At the end of the day, I want him to find our home peaceful and relaxing; a haven. We keep our library books and video games in the family room, but otherwise, child-paraphernalia is housed elsewhere. <br />
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Which I think is sorta funny ... I mean it is called the <em>family</em> room after all! :) <br />
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And lest he sound like an ogre, Ed is a really <em>fun</em> dad. He just likes to pretend the kids don't exist after they hit the hay. :) Its how he unwinds. So, even though I may not totally understand his need, I still try to respect it. <br />
I'm up for sharing room-by-room organization/storage ideas - if anyone is interested. If there's a particular place you want details on, say the word. I'm not an expert by any means, but I do enjoy it and I'll happily share what works for me! Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-86489085615453908822010-09-20T10:05:00.000-06:002010-09-20T10:13:49.600-06:00From JacobHi, this is Jacob. My mom said I could write a note on her blog. I am selling popcorn for cub scouts. If you want to buy some click here <a href="http://www.trails-end.com/estore/home_alt.jsp?_requestid=793849">http://www.trails-end.com/estore/home_alt.jsp?_requestid=793849</a><br />
Thank you for helping me!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Mo_OOKmcqvGPiK2VlWOodSLwyUtlLjSh87hY94OgGdyKidJN7CM3MVVV9-fsjMeF0V7ZnvV_82WMggQgucYaMn1cEm6PanJ8ENKT31xC2LKimHK7bb6z1c49lrZhMad6yUaU/s1600/Jacob+scout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Mo_OOKmcqvGPiK2VlWOodSLwyUtlLjSh87hY94OgGdyKidJN7CM3MVVV9-fsjMeF0V7ZnvV_82WMggQgucYaMn1cEm6PanJ8ENKT31xC2LKimHK7bb6z1c49lrZhMad6yUaU/s320/Jacob+scout.jpg" /></a></div>JacobAngelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-64636522178166541962010-09-02T06:25:00.000-06:002010-09-02T06:37:56.549-06:00BlindedI find it interesting that things can be so hidden <em>in plain sight</em>. How, once revealed, they seem so obvious and unmistakable. Yet, they were unseen. <br />
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I think God knows how much truth we can handle. For a level of maturity, a season or even our whole lives. He knows how easily we get overwhelmed. Certainly, if he had shown me 20 years ago that <em>this</em> would be my life, I would have run screaming the other direction. I wouldn't have felt capable. I might have ended up in the belly of a whale. Or something. I am thankful He reveals little pieces at a time. Because small pieces are still a lot to take in! And, I'm grateful He is faithful to equip us for the journey He calls us to. Even though I still wanna run screaming some days! :)<br />
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There have been two overriding themes of God's work in my life the past couple years that have come into laser focus the last few months. One centers around lies about God I have bought into. Lies that I think are perpetuated by the church. By 'the church,' I'm referring to the modern, American Christian church as a whole. The other is about me. Me, me, me, me, me and me. Selfishness. Interestingly enough, God has intertwined the two and revealed just how <em><strong>selfishly I view Him</strong></em>! <br />
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The past few years, I've grown weary of church. I don't mean <em>the building or even the people</em>. I mean all the canned, Americanized answers for God. <strong>All the legalism disguised and described as faith, obedience and blessings</strong>. Everything tied up with a nice, neat little bow - while anything that doesn't fit in the little box gets ignored. The idea that if we just do it all right enough then nothing but "blessings" will come into our lives. That somehow if we live right enough, God will protect us from <em>bad </em>things. The idea that somehow we earn what we get. <br />
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The problem with this thinking is that A) Its not Biblical. Minor detail. We are not capable of doing it right enough. Hence, Jesus! B) We also have to own the reverse lie - that when <em>bad</em> things do happen, it must be because I wasn't righteous or obedient enough. And C) That <em>good/bad</em> are measured merely by how it makes me <em><strong>feel</strong></em>. If I don't like it, it must be <em>bad </em>and if I do like it or it makes me <em>feel good</em>, then it must be <em>good</em> (or a <em>blessing</em>). Because no blessing of mine would show up feeling bad!<br />
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Do you see the selfishness wrapped up in this thinking? Its all about ME!! It shows itself in the way we view and handle difficulties, inconveniences and problems. In the way we view the positive things in our lives - when we become prideful in believing that we somehow deserve the good we have. In the way we pray, asking for what makes us feel good. Even in the ways we worship - we want to <em>feel good</em> in worship, we want it to be entertaining or "right" enough for <em>our standards</em>! In the way we view the role of church in our lives. Isn't it frequently about what we can get out of it? How it makes us feel, what activities they provide for us or our children; how entertained we are during the services. How much we like the people. We expect the church to teach us all we need to know about the Lord. <strong><em>We want to show up on Sunday, have a nice time, feel good, look good and go home without an ounce of energy to expend in our relationship with God</em></strong>. All the while, expecting nothing but blessings to rain down. Because as Americans, we are into the idea of convenience. In all things. Including our faith. Our churches have bought into it as well - they entertain us, so we'll show up. They provide more and more activities so our kids will show up. They water down the Scriptures so it feels good - and we don't have to be convicted. Its a vicious cycle! When the teaching doesn't come back around to reveal the <em>selfishness</em> that grips our hearts, we end up with even more of it! And the cycle continues.<br />
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That's not to say there aren't profound blessings when we live according to God's will. I believe there are also difficult consequences that result from living outside of His will. But, being a Christian isn't so much about following rules or feeling good - its about a <em>relationship</em> with a Savior that we can't live without! Its about living in accordance with what He has called us to, as unique individuals. To live out the priorities He has in mind for us - whether they are convenient and cozy or not! About living our lives in a way that brings glory to God, even if it means something less than pleasure for us. <strong><em>About living out our faith, rather than expecting it to live out in spite of us!</em></strong> It isn't always pretty. It doesn't always feel good. I believe that God IS good and that His plans are only <em>for</em> good. But <em>good</em> in our economy is so different from God's! The Bible says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD." Isaiah 55:8 Just because something doesn't <em>feel</em> good to us, doesn't mean it is <em>not</em> good! Our emotions are fickle and untrustworthy! We cannot rely on them to guide our faith. If we trust that God is good, then we trust it when blessings overflow AND in our deepest pains. Even when our human minds can't begin to comprehend our circumstances as good.<br />
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I struggled after Jordan was born with this whole concept. That somehow Jordan having Down Syndrome and a heart defect was a result of my sins. It was all about ME. I always knew it wasn't a mistake. That God wasn't looking down, saying, "Uh.Oh!" But, it didn't occur to me until a few years later that God may have specific purposes in creating her the way He did. <em>Purposes bigger than </em><em>my wants and desires</em>. Plans to bring glory to Himself. He began to reframe it for me - to reveal that being Jordan's mom was a privilege - not just because I love her - but because I get a front row seat to see His hand at work. <br />
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I struggle again with Jackson's death. Differently this time, but still with the selfishness. I can't help but wonder, Why? Why even create him in the first place? Its easy to stand back and look at our culture and see the entitlement mentality; the pervasive consummation with self. But, to stand back and see it in <em>my faith</em>? Wow, that was hard. God has graciously given me a glimpse of His purposes with Jackson. A purpose that I could not have imagined in a million years. And, here's the kicker ... it has <em><strong>absolutely nothing to do with ME</strong></em>!!! Don't think that little revelation didn't send me into a tailspin. On the one hand, I was praising God for revealing purpose for my precious little boy. Purpose in why He created Jackson - and purpose in why he died when he did. What a gift!! An expected, beautiful gift that I wouldn't have even asked for. And yet, at the end of it, I was left with this ... How can this <strong><em>NOT</em></strong> be about <em><strong>ME</strong></em>? He's <em><strong>MY</strong></em> baby! <br />
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I don't have all the answers. I can't explain it away. I certainly can't wrap it up in a nice neat little package that feels good for me or anyone else. All I know is that <strong>not everything is about <em>me</em></strong>. Even when it feels like it should be. <strong><em>At the end of the day, its all about God bringing about His plans, His purposes and receiving His glory! </em></strong>And since God has chosen this journey for us, I want to walk it out in a way that honors Him! A way that glorifies Him. <strong><em> </em></strong><br />
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Reading is always therapeutic for me and here are a couple books that are helping me work some of this out.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">I recently finished <u>Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl</u> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">by Lysa TerKeurst - I highly recommend it. Especially if you're like me and fed up with canned, feel-good Christianity.</div><br />
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<br />
<div align="center">I've also started <u>Radical<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=the71six-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1601422210&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></u> by David Platt. This one will rock your world! Its a MUST READ for every believer!!!!</div><br />
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We need a fresh look at Christianity. At God. God has so much more in store than just US! I don't know about you, but I'm kinda tired of <em><u>ME</u>!</em></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=the71six-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0310293251&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-2517796180963805762010-08-21T15:28:00.000-06:002010-08-21T15:28:14.133-06:00Gettin' Fancy with Downloads!If you've been reading my <a href="http://www.4shared.com/document/bRMd3HJy/blanklessonplanformat.html">Organized Mom Series</a>, you may have noticed that I've done a lot of explaining about my schedules and "worksheets" I've created online. <br />
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I am happy to say that I figured out how to upload my documents so that you can just click a link and see them! If they are helpful to you, feel free to use them. You should be able to manipulate the data to make the forms work for you. Or just use them as a bouncing off point to create your own!<br />
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This is my fall <em><strong><a href="http://www.4shared.com/document/O7toNrMu/HOMESCHOOL_FALL_2010_for_shari.html">homeschool file</a></strong></em>. I mentioned that I have several schedules that revolve around our homeschool. This file contains my schedules & planners for school, <strong><u>plus</u></strong> our Daily Schedule & Chore List! Even though I call it my "homeschool" file - there are some charts that can be useful to anyone! (I have Jordan's <a href="http://www.nacd.org/">NACD</a> program and a schedule for her program activities in this file as well, but they are not included in this uploaded version). <br />
*Disclaimer: Even though our days are scheduled, it doesn't mean this is what each day really looks like. We have interruptions, inconveniences and illnesses just like everyone else! This is just the goal for <em>normal weeks</em>. {whatever those are} Mainly, its my way of keeping me focused! :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.4shared.com/document/bRMd3HJy/blanklessonplanformat.html"><strong><em>This</em></strong></a> is another school planner I used a couple years ago ... when we had fewer subjects and fewer students :) I put it in a 3 ring binder so that when it was open, I could see both pages at once, side by side.<br />
This is my <em><strong><a href="http://www.4shared.com/document/zuWj3iLi/planner_-_Menu.html">menu planner</a></strong></em>. Very basic :) <br />
This is the <em><strong><a href="http://www.4shared.com/document/dXADodAU/Maximize_My_Mornings_Weekly_Ov.html">Weekly Overview Chart</a></strong></em> I created (based on <a href="http://inspiredtoaction.com/">Kat's (at Inspired to Action</a>) - in her <a href="http://inspiredtoaction.com/ebook/">e-book, Maximize Your Mornings</a>)<br />
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I put my kids' Morning Routine/Chore Charts in a page protector and they use a dry erase marker to check off as they go. Here are the different ways I do them based on age/reading skills. When Jordan was younger, I cut out a picture of each item, put Velcro on the back and she had a place to actually move the item to a finished column. You teacher-y types may know that as a "picture schedule." At least that's what Jordan's Pre-K teacher called it. ;) <br />
<em><strong><a href="http://www.4shared.com/document/JA0JcQBB/Jacobs_List.html">Jacob's Morning Routine/Chore Chart</a></strong></em><br />
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<em><strong><a href="http://www.4shared.com/document/4wg2LoaK/jadyns_List.html">Jadyn's Morning Routine/Chore Chart</a></strong></em><br />
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I love to create charts and worksheets that work for my family! Finding organizational systems online or in stores is one thing, but each family is unique in their needs, so many times creating your own gives you a system that works better. <br />
Let me know if you find these helpful!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-64794572120711919822010-08-17T09:00:00.000-06:002010-08-17T09:12:04.147-06:00Organized Mom Series: Part 3 ~ Meal Planning<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=the71six-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0312366256" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" />Find Part 1 ~ Maximize Your Mornings <a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/2010/08/organized-mom-series-part-1-maximize.html">{here}</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> and Part 2 ~ Schedules <a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/2010/08/organized-mom-series-part-2-schedules_13.html">{here}</a></div><br />
This one may seem like a pain in the tush, but it makes life much easier!<br />
I may be an organization-nerd, but it does have its rewards. This is one of them. I've long been a menu planner of some sort. It was rather crude for many years, but worked fine while my family was smaller. Feeding a family of six, however, requires some organization in order to avoid fast food outings and frozen pizzas. Trying to provide healthy food also requires planning. Feeding a family of 6 healthy food? Well, you get the picture.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">"She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks." Proverbs 31: 15-17</span></em></div><br />
I mentioned in the first two posts of this series (about <a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/2010/08/organized-mom-series-part-1-maximize.html">mornings</a> and <a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/2010/08/organized-mom-series-part-2-schedules_13.html">schedules</a>) that I <em>plan</em> time for planning. That may sound funny - but our days, homeschooling and meals all require a bit of planning in order for things to run smoothly. I spend five minutes each morning planning my day. Since we have <a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/2010/08/organized-mom-series-part-2-schedules_13.html">schedules</a> in place, its quick and only requires me to think about things outside of our normal routine and things on my (never-ending) to-do list. <br />
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I also spend about an hour each week planning meals. <br />
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There are many blogs that discuss in great detail how and why to plan meals. Check out my <a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/p/homemaking-help.html">Homemaking Help</a> tab at the top for some good links. <br />
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I'm sure you will be shocked to learn I use a *binder* for meal planning! {I warned you about the binders}<br />
I keep my most-used recipes in the binder along with weekly meal plan sheets - which are just 'worksheets' I created on the computer that lists each day, a space for the meals (and page # from a cookbook when necessary) as well as a separate column for prep work needed. So, if I'm making something on Tuesday that requires meat to be thawed, I add "thaw meat" in the "prep" box for Monday. That way when Tuesday at 5pm rolls around, I don't have to waste time thawing meat or thinking up Plan B! Because many of the <a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/2009/10/changes-in-my-kitchen.html">soaked grain foods</a> I make require several days to prepare (when you count making yogurt, soaking the grains and then actually cooking the food), this prep column is a huge 'think-saver' for me! :)<br />
This is the food prep I do in the mornings while preparing/cleaning up breakfast. I also *try* to prep lunch and snacks then as well. I've found it saves time, keeps clean-up throughout the day to a minimum and just generally makes the day run smoother. <br />
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The menu isn't set in stone - I frequently move things around based on time, mood, etc. But, if its planned, I know I have all the necessary ingredients on hand and conveniently, I don't have to think as much. Which you may have noticed is the driving force for me! :) {I'm pretty sure that babies suck brain cells - and do so at an increasing rate the further down the birth order they are, so after 5 babies <strike>& turning 40 in December,</strike> my brain cells are in short supply!!} It also makes it simple for Ed on the weekends to jump in and help out with meals. Most Saturdays, he makes breakfast for the kids - 'cause he's <em>dreamy and</em> <em>amazing</em> like that - and our meal plan makes it easy for him to know what to prepare.<br />
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As I'm scheduling, I keep my calendar handy and consider our schedule for each day. We generally go to the 8:30 service at church on Sunday mornings, so Sunday breakfasts are fast & simple. Tuesdays this fall we won't be home for dinners, due to kids' activities, so I will be planning take-along meals (using <a href="http://www.easylunchboxes.com/?AFFID=41571">Easy Lunch Boxes</a>! These babies are a homeschooler's dream, cause I don't know very many homeschoolers that spend all day at <em>home</em>! Go figure.). If we are entertaining or going to someone else's house for dinner - that is reflected on my plan. And you can bet, I schedule <a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/2010/08/snacky-lunches.html">snacky lunches</a>!! I also plan to use left overs. Once the plan is in place, making a grocery list is a breeze! {The shopping, on the other hand ... well ... that's a whole 'nother story ...}<br />
All of this planning takes about an hour. But it saves me much more than that throughout the week by not having to think about what to do for every.single.meal, by streamlining food prep, not spending more time or money than necessary at the store, and by not hitting the drive thru more often than necessary. <br />
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{Funny just how often Chic Fil A is necessary} <br />
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I've found planning a week at a time works best for me - and my meal plan runs from Thursday to Wednesday (because Wednesday is my grocery shopping day). I know some moms that like to plan two weeks at a time or even a month at a time. There are lots of moms who cook once a month and use food from the freezer for meals. There are whole <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Once-Month-Cooking-Revised-Expanded/dp/0312366256">cookbooks</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=the71six-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0312366256" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.once-a-month-cookingworld.com/">websites</a> and <a href="http://onceamonthmom.com/">blogs</a> devoted to that idea! Some moms double everything they make and freeze the extra for another meal. Its not double the work, because you are already cooking. The important thing is finding a streamlined process that makes feeding your family <br />
easier!<br />
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Choose a plan and see if it doesn't save you lots of time and energy! {And by <em>energy</em>, I mean the kind that requires your noggin}Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-60136207343065827912010-08-15T13:00:00.000-06:002010-08-15T13:00:00.162-06:00"Jell-O" ShapesI avoid artificial colors as much as possible. Jell-O, unfortunately falls into the <em><u>avoid</u></em> catagory for our family which bums our kids.<br />
<br />
But, I recently noticed this recipe on the back of the Knox Gelatin box:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7L4WuLMndEyaZql3jvtu7FhEbeosxGDvZXyHNLLP0D-Wc9xosYd9pJdBWtryimX_MZj_YxoJTmkieAcp5_q2Rd-MMjx_PjvHBPm5qJu9Yi1E5qiNTcmx5WlPOA45IJwUNKMyu/s1600/DSC03424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7L4WuLMndEyaZql3jvtu7FhEbeosxGDvZXyHNLLP0D-Wc9xosYd9pJdBWtryimX_MZj_YxoJTmkieAcp5_q2Rd-MMjx_PjvHBPm5qJu9Yi1E5qiNTcmx5WlPOA45IJwUNKMyu/s320/DSC03424.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So, we used it along with these:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmZYc-49K6z6AT23CdB2598bVhJ73thZ6AGZVTaw05RTHw14ZOZVUu2F61DxVueM_EE4LiK3KQvM9HlFh2HrzSD80g61vz13LSdKyTYzGKAM3e8OLywqIfTA_RnwDir_Rqz_i/s1600/DSC03422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmZYc-49K6z6AT23CdB2598bVhJ73thZ6AGZVTaw05RTHw14ZOZVUu2F61DxVueM_EE4LiK3KQvM9HlFh2HrzSD80g61vz13LSdKyTYzGKAM3e8OLywqIfTA_RnwDir_Rqz_i/s320/DSC03422.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"> To make these:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgnbOxfNgvTc9pbFtxicWGM2E-yZIFp_BlquJtcqNrCGvmWEJkxWHl2QgW1k3G5soak4P-GkOjhhQ5V7gI5UAAUfiZ2x-3ITKTtNCwWiQav-jm3dgl3UpoBITsa8ujYwAxlN7/s1600/DSC03425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgnbOxfNgvTc9pbFtxicWGM2E-yZIFp_BlquJtcqNrCGvmWEJkxWHl2QgW1k3G5soak4P-GkOjhhQ5V7gI5UAAUfiZ2x-3ITKTtNCwWiQav-jm3dgl3UpoBITsa8ujYwAxlN7/s320/DSC03425.JPG" /></a></div><br />
The shapes didn't turn out that great but the kids had a blast - and that's what it was all about!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-32204773147033730542010-08-14T10:00:00.006-06:002010-08-14T10:55:37.741-06:00Snacky LunchesA few months ago, I started giving my kids "snacky" lunches. These are the easiest lunches on the planet. Basically, anything goes - and typically its void of food that requires preparation. Some things we use: crackers or chips and hummus, tuna salad, veggies, fruit, cheese ... basically snacky or finger foods. Its a hit! I usually like to add a smoothie to the mix as well. Recently, I've seen some moms in blogland doing <a href="http://michellesjournalcorner.blogspot.com/search/label/Muffin%20Tin%20Monday">lunch in muffin pans</a> (complete with themes) - using each muffin cup for a different kind of finger food. Its a cute idea, especially for the preschool crowd. But, I'm not washing four muffin pans after lunch. I'm just lazy like that :)<br />
<br />
A few weeks ago, I found these divided trays at HEB for $1 and knew the kids would love them for snacky lunches (especially since they haven't seen the muffin pan idea). This is all the rage for lunch time around the Sustala house!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVqsi6lV2P93nCE4kfWGkONQMObjUT90jtwwhE4jYsaUdmD1xz3qvl198LZTP8tMtVKYaQrf6KBfTzV5unJsCeaKtNHLFZZUL2PNa7HopX8LbK2H2Uyqgo8zpZOSUFVPLGxPK/s1600/DSC03430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVqsi6lV2P93nCE4kfWGkONQMObjUT90jtwwhE4jYsaUdmD1xz3qvl198LZTP8tMtVKYaQrf6KBfTzV5unJsCeaKtNHLFZZUL2PNa7HopX8LbK2H2Uyqgo8zpZOSUFVPLGxPK/s320/DSC03430.JPG" /></a></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-17885712504321548962010-08-13T09:22:00.004-06:002010-08-21T15:07:49.578-06:00Organized Mom Series: Part 2 ~ Schedules<div style="text-align: center;">If you missed <a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/2010/08/organized-mom-series-part-1-maximize.html">Part 1: Maximize Your Mornings - check it out here</a>. </div><br />
Please keep in mind my heart about this. I want to help - not burden or frustrate. This is not about condemning anyone. Just about helping organize life in a way that works for me ... and can hopefully help someone else!<br />
<br />
Does the word "schedule" make you feel secure and confident ... or frustrated and restricted?<br />
<br />
I'm sure you can guess where I fall. I've admited, I like systems and routines. I think schedules fit into that. But, schedules only work if they work <em>for you</em>! I look at schedules as a guideline. A routine. A direction to head in. Even a goal to shoot for (in terms of what can be accomplished in a day). I always build in flexibility and "down time." I don't always get everything accomplished, but I get far more done than when I don't have a routine to follow! <br />
<br />
My theory on schedules is a bit like Dave Ramsey's theory on budgets. He says to budget every penny so that you are <em>telling your money where to go</em>. Even without a budget, your money still gets spent. The question is, was it spent wisely? The same can be said of the hours in our days. If we don't "budget" (or schedule) our time, <em>it will still get spent</em>. But, was it spent wisely? Ouch. Even with schedules, I still spend far too much time unwisely! <br />
<br />
As moms, we generally have <em>a lot</em> to accomplish. For me, managing a home, raising four children, homeschooling and commitments outside our home can only get accomplished with a schedule. Without one, I'm frustrated and constantly feeling like I can never get it all done. <br />
<br />
Sometimes those feelings creep up because I'm doing more than God intends for me. I would encourage you to pray about the priorities God has for you. There are SO many things - many very GOOD things - that our days get filled with. <u>But, if they aren't the things God intends, we will always be frustrated</u>. If this is an area you struggle in, I would encourage you to spend some time working on a mission statement. <strong>Being a mom is a position of leadership and as such, we need direction</strong>. I'm a huge believer in being <em>intentional</em> in our roles! I don't want to spend a lot of time on this, because it could be a post all its own, and there are others who have written about the benefits of having a mission statement and how to write one. If you are interested, go <a href="http://inspiredtoaction.com/2010/02/purposeful-motherhood-how-to-create-a-mission-statement/">here</a> and <a href="http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com/2009/07/14/writing-a-family-mission-statement/">here (family mission statement</a>). <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21</span></em></div><br />
Once you have a handle on what your priorities are, its easy to make a list of all that needs to be accomplished in a week. For my days to be productive, I need things planned out, so that when I've finished one thing, I can move on to the next without getting distracted!!! That doesn't mean I don't stop and play with my kids or read them a book - it just means I don't get distracted by the four gazillion other things that need to be done around here. <em>The work will never be <u>done</u></em>. So, rather than focusing on trying to do everything, we need to focus on being as productive as we can <em>today</em>. <br />
<br />
Since I quite like schedules, I have several! You schedule-haters probably see that as a wee bit OCD, don't you? ;) For me schedules are a way to squeeze more time out of my day, to be more productive than when I try the fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants approach. I use one schedule for the week, one for the kids' chores and several that revolve around our homeschool. <br />
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I'm going to break them down - for those of you who want more detail (Lord, help you!) :)<br />
<br />
If I was a fancy blogger, I would download my schedules, but alas, fancy is not a word that describes me in any area of my life, so you'll just have to work with a description. Lucky you :)<br />
<br />
My weekly schedule is basically the routine for the kids and me. It is broken down into days: Mon - Fri. I don't include Sat or Sun because those days tend to be less ... {ahem} ... scheduled - or at the very least <em>differently</em> scheduled week to week. I don't change this schedule based on things that comes up - it is just our normal routine for ordinary weeks. Basically, it keeps me focused on the priorities!<br />
<br />
I use an Excel spreadsheet that lists my entire day in time blocks. Notice I didn't say minutes or even hours. Its in chunks, because days with kids rarely go as "scheduled." <em>IthinkyouknowwhatImean.</em> If you schedule every minute, you'll end up with a schedule that's blown by 8am ... and frustrated, blaming it on the schedule when you should, in fact, be blaming the schedulER. Did I just say that out loud? <br />
<br />
My time blocks change as seasons of life change. I list my morning routine (which I shared in <a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/2010/08/organized-mom-series-part-1-maximize.html">Part 1</a>) - but in my 7-8:30am slot, I list not only making breakfast, prepping food for the day and fixing my girls' hair but also my chores for the day. (I'm pretty sure hair fixing will not be listed on boy-mom schedules - consider yourselves 15-20 minutes ahead of us multiple-long-haired-girl moms ;) )<br />
<br />
To determine my chores, I figure out what needs to be done each week. Then decide what can be done by children. Cause I'm a big believer in child labor like that. :) I break the remaining things down, making sure to take into consideration what else is going on that day. So, for example, I just finished creating my weekly schedule for the fall. Mondays and Tuesdays are going to be busier than other days with outside activities, so I scheduled fewer chores for those days. <br />
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I schedule in school time and break it down by which kiddo I'm working with one-on-one, even though I have a more detailed school schedule separate from this. The other thing I do (which probably does inch into the OCD catagory) is color code my kids. This started as the easiest way to avoid fights over who-got-what-cup in the toddler years. Jordan has always loved green and Jake, blue. Those became "their" colors years ago. Jadyn has adopted pink (which is really quite fitting for her) and Jace pretty much gets whatever is left over - usually orange or red. Since he's not in my schedule, I haven't nailed down a color for him yet :) Jordan's activities are highlighted in green, Jake's in blue, etc. I use this on their chore lists as well. Everyone in our family can glance at lists and know immediately who has what. That might be over the top for some of you, and that's ok. You can still be organized without color coding your children (even if I don't see how) :)<br />
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Speaking of children, let's chat about their schedules.<br />
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My oldest 3 each have a "Morning Routine and chore list" hanging on their wall in their rooms. I have the 'master' copy (so to speak) of the chore list hanging on the inside of our pantry door (so I alwasy know what they are supposed to do). For their "morning routine" - they each: Get dressed, make bed, brush teeth and clean room. <br />
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Then, they each have chores to do. Everyone puts their own clothes away and helps fold laundry. Yes, I've had to give up the days of perfectly folded (and neatly placed in drawers) laundry. But, I try to remember that one day there won't be any little kid clothes to fold neatly and I'll be sad about it. At least that's what I hear. In the meantime, I just avoid looking in their drawers. :)<br />
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They also take turns being the Kitchen Helper (or 'Sous Chef' as Jakey likes to refer to himself ). This basically means that they are my helper in the kitchen for the day - helping prepare meals, loading/unloading the dishwasher, setting & clearing the table, etc. I find it simpler than trying to schedule turns for all those things individually & it provides them a chance to learn some kitchen/cooking skills. Each one of them has 2 days/week - except Jadyn who has 3 (because she has Saturday and Sunday, which tend to be less-time-in-the-kitchen days).<br />
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As for their chores: sweeping, cleaning toilets & sinks (I do tubs & mirrors), dusting and cleaning glass tables, watering plants, trash, cleaning out the car, cleaning up the backyard, etc. These are divided up among them, so none of them have all that many to do. I try really hard to give them chores they don't totally mind. For example, Jake doesn't prefer dusting and the girls actually enjoy it, so I try to balance things out like that. And, we switch them around as necessary and as abilities warrant. Jace has no "official" chores yet - but he's a rockstar when it comes to cleaning his room!! Probably because he's number 4 and wants to be like the big kids. <br />
My schedule includes time to plan and prep school stuff, quiet time for everyone and free time. All necessities! :) Being a homeschool mom, one thing that is hard to come by is time without children in your face (or on your leg) ... so during Jace's naps, the other kids have quiet time in their rooms. They can play quietly, rest, read - I don't really care. As long as I don't hear or see them :)<br />
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School schedules: I shared about a lot of our school stuff in <a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/2010/07/our-homeschool-2010-2011.html">this post</a>. As for scheduling, I have a binder! {*shock*} I have a wish list and these dividers: Daily Plans, Weekly Plans, Monthly Plans, Annual Plans, Curriculum.<br />
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Seems like overkill, I know. But, it gives me a place to jot down ideas - whether its a unit study or lapbook idea, a curriculum I want to research, goals, needs, etc. Having everything in one place keeps things streamlined when it comes to planning. The main sections I use on a regular basis are Daily Plans & Weekly Plans. In my daily plans, I have a list of all the subjects I want each of the kids to cover on each day of the week. This is the routine of schoolwork, not a list that changes daily. I also have a schedule for Jordan that has her NACD program broken down into time chunks.<br />
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In my Weekly Plans, I have a copy of my weekly schedule along with a master copy of our weekly lesson planning sheet. So, when its time for me to work 1:1 with one of the kids, I can look at my planning sheet to see what I should be doing with them. It sounds more complicated that it really is. Basically I created a sheet that lists the subjects to cover with each of the kids, then each week, I write in the page #s or lesson #s to complete. This list also includes sections where I write in prep work that is required for the week and library books we'll need. That way, when we start the week, we (ideally!) have everything we need!<br />
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For Monthly Plans, I just have a calendar with extra space to write. I fill in days-off from school and list priorities and goals for the month. Because things are always changing, this keeps me focused on their individual needs and things that need extra focus. I also jot down ideas for unit studies, lapbooks and books to read that I think of.<br />
Annual Plans has my calendar for the year with our plan for school days. Scheduled breaks for holidays, etc are filled in. <br />
The Curriculum section is where I jot down ideas I want to look into for the next year.<br />
None of the sections are more than a page or two, but it still gives me a place to keep all of our plans and ideas together.<br />
I think that covers the schedules we keep. Another very long post but I hope it helps!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-59250077228209231782010-08-13T07:37:00.000-06:002010-08-13T07:37:20.849-06:00Shout!Have you seen the commercials for the Shout Color Catcher sheets? For moms with a gazillion loads of laundry each week, it looks like a dream come true. No sorting? Better yet - no single item load for those new brightly colored clothes that bleed all over everything like crazy? Call me sold!<br />
I gave the Shout sheets the ultimate test yesterday.<br />
My mother-in-law bought my girls some hot pink jackets. Nothing says, "Wash me ALONE" like brand new hot pink clothing.<br />
I followed the directions for my front load washer - placed the sheet in a mesh delicates bag and placed that in the back of the drum before loading clothes. I also used 2 sheets, as recommended (and in hopes of better protecting the whites I was bravely tossing in).<br />
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The white Shout sheets that went into my washer came out looking like this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVN1aGIxB9XaBlAxDYxkpwdtsica5m2OqS6gDeHVPYfM7A-yFlGKk0WLo09INp5FhzFz2a_9U_ddyP3KY4KmPUqT8uRbkTM6rYyasC5o_nQm9SFLEajO74HaZcvLmDUmIgfTYU/s1600/DSC03444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVN1aGIxB9XaBlAxDYxkpwdtsica5m2OqS6gDeHVPYfM7A-yFlGKk0WLo09INp5FhzFz2a_9U_ddyP3KY4KmPUqT8uRbkTM6rYyasC5o_nQm9SFLEajO74HaZcvLmDUmIgfTYU/s320/DSC03444.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That's a good sign!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Several white socks came out ... white!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But, others came out like this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIGqC8HhoZPNTQnjwuw1dSAzBM6zXUTSg8_O7vTsj4gIW_t-n-LR0FOc0yXKD72kQWN795Hz2kuhR7Ut-oLAcaz4ZRyAqiqk29wLECdwci6aG49NWksmSVLCGyDqUVdDEafIfw/s1600/DSC03445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIGqC8HhoZPNTQnjwuw1dSAzBM6zXUTSg8_O7vTsj4gIW_t-n-LR0FOc0yXKD72kQWN795Hz2kuhR7Ut-oLAcaz4ZRyAqiqk29wLECdwci6aG49NWksmSVLCGyDqUVdDEafIfw/s320/DSC03445.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSF8uUrIZJiFC2K8CmeiqfiNzt0GT58ZbRmcQb3IRGPJ09fBDkPLjyn956tknIBGKZ529wtUJfTNtXrjJUQlQp0HfrRpBWsSd08AnI100ZIdSU5yzMz9rPtnwnLVJrWaR9lIsb/s1600/DSC03447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSF8uUrIZJiFC2K8CmeiqfiNzt0GT58ZbRmcQb3IRGPJ09fBDkPLjyn956tknIBGKZ529wtUJfTNtXrjJUQlQp0HfrRpBWsSd08AnI100ZIdSU5yzMz9rPtnwnLVJrWaR9lIsb/s320/DSC03447.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And, the ultimate disappointment:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-JJAyrmaIeZsHGMvTFm-_xz1ZMw89TrJzMneU1liV2Ql3QyApADpa_PhuZhcjC_juw9DAFguIcW0utGZKoVqAFXMIoYNdcSm3ItDays-YxrlbeszdejQtkK8Xmj8xfObmd5a/s1600/DSC03446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-JJAyrmaIeZsHGMvTFm-_xz1ZMw89TrJzMneU1liV2Ql3QyApADpa_PhuZhcjC_juw9DAFguIcW0utGZKoVqAFXMIoYNdcSm3ItDays-YxrlbeszdejQtkK8Xmj8xfObmd5a/s320/DSC03446.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pink splotches on Ed's under shirt. Something tells me he's not really gonna dig that. :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thankfully, its nothing a bleach pen can't take care of, but what a bummer. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Obviously, the sheets absorb color - and I did include (*gasp!*) one of Ed's pale blue Polo shirts. I'm telling you, I had faith in these babies! :) {Honey, your shirt is splotchless!} </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My advice? If you want to give them a try, and you're washing the brand-new-hot-pink stuff (or red!), maybe skip adding the whites. But then, that sorta defeats the pupose, doesn't it? </div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-55383822506545935752010-08-07T09:34:00.027-06:002010-08-07T09:34:00.134-06:00Organized Mom Series: Part 1 ~ Maximize Your MorningsAlrighty - here we go! I thought we'd start with the first part of the day ... mornings!<br />
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As I said in <em><a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/2010/08/series-by-me-oh-this-should-be-good.html">this</a></em> post, I'm sharing what I do to keep my home organized and help things run smoothly {most days :)}. In hopes that it may help someone else. Not because I think I've got all the answers. This isn't about the right or wrong. Just about what works for me. What works for me <em>right now</em>. Its ever changing! My hope is that we can all learn from each other. If you have tips or ideas that work for you, share them! I'd love to see some discussion happening in blog-land and/or in the comments! <br />
As we work through this series, you'll learn that I don't have a lot of original ideas. Just keepin' it real. :) I try to learn as much as I can from other women - so as to not waste time "reinventing the wheel." Some things I do, came about through trial and error. Other things just evolved over time. Many things I've copied from other women and tweaked to work for me :)<br />
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This generation of moms has a huge advantage with technology. We can learn from women we've never met and get inspiration and ideas from friends that are thousands of miles away. There are a gazillion resources online for women. So, take advantage of those! But, be careful as well. Being online can consume an outrageous amount of time. I know. I've wasted more hours than I care to confess on the computer. Find a way to control the time you spend online so that it doesn't take away from the priorities God is leading you in. For me, getting a blackberry did the trick. I can still check email (and facebook :) ), but without getting sucked in for hours. Then, I can use my desktop during planned times. <br />
Also be mindful of comparing yourself to other women. <strong>Again, we are all different. <em>On</em> purpose and <em>for a</em> purpose!</strong> Focus on who God wants <em>you</em> to be - using <em>your </em>strengths and gifts. Measure yourself against what God is calling you to do not against what you see as perfection in the online (or real) world. I'm reminding myself of this as well. Its way too easy for us as women to feel like we are falling short if we aren't doing what Suzy is doing. But, God doesn't call us to be like Suzy. He calls us to be like Him ... and to do the work He has set before each of us as individuals. Don't lose sight of that!<br />
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The most important aspect of organizing your home, is making sure you are seeking God's will. Ask Him to align your priorities with His will. He will be faithful to do so! <br />
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Back to the topic of Mornings. For some of us, we love mornings. We get more accomplished before 10 am than other people do all day. Yes, we are morning people. Others cringe at the mere mention of morning. The word should not be included in the English language. Or any other language, for that matter. The day should never, ever begin before noon. :) <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtG8UJraSFnGHsJqb5lcC5gIcRa7K6LBK_YJN5wCQdBYDWeXCxvKlGN73GsE5j0COUKYgwYGnP4l1xteO_Nf3H7uFcbP1Gpu3Uet41SHWFuTlhFLqRHGNx8j1ByaE7LygrYCz4/s1600/MYM_S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtG8UJraSFnGHsJqb5lcC5gIcRa7K6LBK_YJN5wCQdBYDWeXCxvKlGN73GsE5j0COUKYgwYGnP4l1xteO_Nf3H7uFcbP1Gpu3Uet41SHWFuTlhFLqRHGNx8j1ByaE7LygrYCz4/s200/MYM_S.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>For all of us, I recommend an amazing resource called <a href="http://inspiredtoaction.com/ebook/">Maximize Your Mornings</a> by <a href="http://inspiredtoaction.com/">Kat at Inspired to Action</a>. It is a <strong>FREE</strong> e-book. I would encourage you to download it and read it right now! Whether you are a morning person or a night owl, I think it offers very real benefits to being up in the mornings as well as a very simple plan for making it happen. She also offers simple planning ideas for Bible study and organizing your day and to do list(s). I'm a list maker, so I dig that. :) Kat has also written a <a href="http://inspiredtoaction.com/resources/maximize-your-mornings-blog-series/">blog series about Maximize Your Mornings </a>that is worth reading as well! And, just for you night owls, there is another blogger who is hosting a <a href="http://inspiredtoaction.com/2010/07/join-the-maximize-your-mornings-challenge/">Maximize Your Mornings Challenge</a>! Check it out if you want some accountability as you get started!<br />
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I used to always get up early. I was showered and dressed before my kids got up. Due to life events of the last nine months, I got out of the habit. I developed some undesirable habits. Like using my children as my alarm clock - only dragging myself out of bed when their begging for breakfast kept me from sleeping any longer. Like spending whole days without a shower. Days without ever cracking open my Bible or whispering a prayer. I wasn't living the priorities God had for me. I knew it had to change - and <a href="http://inspiredtoaction.com/ebook/">Kat's book</a> was the <strike>kick in the pants</strike> inspiration I needed! <br />
<br />
The first week, I just made myself get up at 5:30. I didn't do a bible study or work out. I just got up. And sat in a chair. I was training my body clock. I made myself do it even after I stayed up late the night before. I highly recommend going this route. I tend to be an all-or-nothing person so this went against my grain. But, I'm glad I did it this way. I think the habit (there's <em>that</em> word again!) will stick rather than fizzle. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I have created a binder for my mornings, based on the <a href="http://inspiredtoaction.com/ebook/">e-book</a>. {You will find binders to be a recurring theme with me. I *heart* binders!} I have 5 tabs: Weekly Overview, To Do, Fitness, Bible Study, and Prayer</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUXFYkuha7u6nLWx2zyDGbFdRosXx0gMLezZHBbnNM1QKhmaA4XZsToRzBu2eHwW7z37wKFpW4exNCTd30l9FKzA-vCyT2_OI7vzWWlebKBPjjT02VsSqeH6xZseTcNEx72Ad/s1600/DSC03431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUXFYkuha7u6nLWx2zyDGbFdRosXx0gMLezZHBbnNM1QKhmaA4XZsToRzBu2eHwW7z37wKFpW4exNCTd30l9FKzA-vCyT2_OI7vzWWlebKBPjjT02VsSqeH6xZseTcNEx72Ad/s320/DSC03431.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">My purdy little cover</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I used some of Kat's forms and made some of my own. I included a spiral notebook in the Bible Study section for journaling. I use a blank calendar to track my fitness/weight loss goals. I also track the water I drink and my vitamins because I tend to forget both those things!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1-AgEtYxFoeYFy-e_OxsxJhf-6RAT5wLKqHUki7Tff0AjXOwLdCOnF3DXFpEzY_mAXf1gcn42aZ1_AfJ8avzl8_oUEgR5CmGu-iBPblhL4JiHCv4OezDl0T2GykZFK_DI_tl/s1600/DSC03434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1-AgEtYxFoeYFy-e_OxsxJhf-6RAT5wLKqHUki7Tff0AjXOwLdCOnF3DXFpEzY_mAXf1gcn42aZ1_AfJ8avzl8_oUEgR5CmGu-iBPblhL4JiHCv4OezDl0T2GykZFK_DI_tl/s320/DSC03434.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a form I made because I needed more space to write. Who, me??</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I've only been using this system for a few weeks now, but I love it. It makes my mornings streamlined - and I can get a lot accomplished. This is what my basic routine looks like:<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">5:00 ~ wake up, get dressed in work out clothes, read email (This may sound strange, but its the easiest way for me to wake up so I'm not yawning through my bible study. I'm pretty sure my friends don't mind if I yawn through their emails at 5am with half a brain ;) )</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">5:15-5:45 ~ Bible study, prayer, plan (I wish I was in a life stage where I could pull off a Beth Moore-type study, but I'm just not right now. If/when God leads me to do something more in-depth, I'll do that - and I'm sure it will require more time. For now, I'm doing short devotions I got from church.)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">5:45 - 6:00 ~ free weights, push ups, etc. at home</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">6:00 - 6:30 ~ gym (we have a little work out facility in our neighborhood that is "free" for residents, so Ed and I have been taking advantage of that, but I have to be home at 6:30 so he can go to work, so I mainly use it for cardio)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>6:30 - 7:00 ~ shower/dress<br />
<br />
7:00 - 8:30 ~ Breakfast, clean up, chores (more on that later), prep food for day as needed (more on that later)<br />
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8:30 ~ start school (with a big ol' cup of coffee in hand!)<br />
<br />
I will cover what my children do during these times in the next post. <br />
I think that covers mornings. At least the earliest parts of them :) Read the <a href="http://inspiredtoaction.com/ebook/">e-book</a> and see if you aren't inspired to get up a little earlier to include Prayer, Exercise and Planning into your day before it really gets started! <br />
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I'd love to know what you think of the <a href="http://inspiredtoaction.com/ebook/">e-book</a> ... and what <em>your</em> morning routine looks like!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-20122917241123943872010-08-06T08:28:00.001-06:002010-08-15T16:30:59.412-06:00A Series? By Me? Oh, This Should Be Good ...OK, y'all ... here's the deal.<br />
I'm an organizer by nature. Its just the way God made me. I consider it my spiritual gift. Don't laugh. :) Sometimes I feel silly thinking (much less <em>saying</em>) it, but it just seems to be the truth for my life. <br />
I like tidy (notice I didn't say <em>clean</em>...so don't come to my house with any expectations). I like systems and routines. Its just ingrained in me. I'm hard-wired that way. <br />
Now, mix that in with being a homeschool mom with 4 kids age 9 and under at home. Yeah ... doesn't really lend itself to tidy and organized. But, I'm also a competitor, so lest these munchkins get the best of me ... organized and tidy it WILL be! ;) <br />
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I've noticed the last couple years that some of my friends are intrigued by this. Interested in how I run my household. As a woman who loves to help other women - especially when it comes to organization or making things run more smoothly - I dig it. I've shared some of the things I use for running my home with several friends, but I haven't shared much here because I don't want anyone to think that I'm smug about it or a know-it-all in any way. Far from it! I'm constantly tweaking things and trying new systems to find what works best for me and for our family. And, on THAT point, let me just say that I'm a HUGE believer in every family doing what works best for THEM. God didn't create us to be the same. Not in our spiritual journey, not in the way we raise our children, not in the way we run or organize our homes (all within Biblical guidelines, of course). We are different <em>on</em> purpose and <em>for a</em> purpose. <br />
<br />
All that said, I've decided to do a series of posts about organization, running a household, etc. I feel totally presumptuous and completely ill equipped to be offering this for all the world to see ... but that's how I know its God's prompting. I also know that there are lots of moms who read my blog and if it can help someone, then by all means, I'm on board.<br />
<br />
I don't really know what its all going to look like yet - I just know I feel led to do it. The "series" may be two posts. I don't know. I know I can't sit down and put it all into one post and I know its going to take some thought and a lot of prayer! I'm just sharing from my heart. So, take it for what its worth! :)<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God." Titus 2:3-5</em></span></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-20909100248983088482010-08-03T17:45:00.000-06:002010-10-18T09:44:33.748-06:00Due dateSo, I'm back to Jackson ... <br />
Any guesses as to what occupies a good portion of my thoughts? :)<br />
<br />
Tomorrow is my due date. Was, actually. <br />
<br />
August 4, 2010 is a date I started looking forward to in November last year, when we learned we were expecting our little guy. Then I started dreading it in April, when we learned our baby was gone. The date didn't change. Only the circumstance. <br />
<br />
I haven't felt like tomorrow would affect me much. Mainly because I feel like Jackson "should" be here - I've already given birth to him. My grief is centered around not having a three month old in my arms. <br />
<br />
But, as is typical with this crazy beast of grief, it blind sided me today. As I was scrolling through updates on facebook, pictures of someone's baby boy hit me like a ton of bricks. I was surprised because pictures of others' babies haven't affected me much up until now. Being <em>around</em> babies is extremely difficult, but pictures haven't been a big deal. So, I'm not sure how tomorrow will hit me. Though I'm guessing it will be a bigger deal than I thought a few days ago. <br />
<br />
Today I find myself wishing I were complaining about all the discomforts of late pregnancy. And, for a girl who does NOT enjoy being pregnant, that's sayin' something! :)<br />
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God is still faithful. I cling to the truth that He is in control, that He does have a perfect plan and that He is, above all else, GOOD. <br />
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I would appreciate your prayers for tomorrow. Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-60345796407429042802010-07-25T17:15:00.000-06:002010-07-25T17:15:21.511-06:00Our Homeschool 2010-2011I get <em>so</em> many questions and emails about how we homeschool, what curriculum we use, how it's set up, etc that I decided to post it all here in one spot :) Count yourselves warned ... its gonna be a long one! <br />
I'm always happy to answer questions or help other moms figure things out (as so many other moms have helped me along the way!), so feel free to continue asking!<br />
<br />
2010-2011 will be my 5th year to homeschool. <em>What?!?!</em> In some ways, I feel like I've got this thing figured out, but in other ways, I still have a lot to learn! One thing is certain - I still love it as much if not more than when we started! It is the most rewarding thing I've ever done. It's not easy. Some days aren't pretty. There are sacrifices. But, I wouldn't trade the relationships I have with my children, the relationships they have with each other or the time I get to spend with them. The days can be long, but the years are short! I know I won't look back on this time and wish I'd spent less time with my kids! :) (though, <em>there are days</em> right now ... lol!)<br />
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This year I have three "official" school aged kiddos as Jadyn starts Kindergarten! <br />
<br />
Our educational approach is fairly eclectic - Leaning heavily <a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/WhatIsCM.shtml">Charlotte Mason</a>, with a pinch of <a href="http://www.welltrainedmind.com/classical-education/">Classical</a> and <a href="http://www.unitstudy.com/articles/unit_study_101.htm">Unit Study</a> approaches, while maintaining a biblical worldview. I'm not a big fan of recreating the classroom at home, but I am making things more structured this year. Due to an assortment of life happenings, our last two years have been rather chaotic and UNstructured, so I've spent this summer swinging the pendulum the other way, knowing we'll swing back to <em>our</em> center as this next school year goes along. The fact of the matter is <em>we</em> get more accomplished when we have structure. That's not true for everyone, but it is for us.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Here is what our school space looks like (for now). It gets moved around frequently! :) </div><div style="text-align: center;">(Unfortunately for my poor husband, who I drive batty with my incessant moving of furniture! Sorry, honey!)</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">This is the view as you walk into the game room (AKA our school room)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYaVSFhJ-mNJidIsVW_pze-SLbwMBjIYPYOAjc-8z40L9oHgDXmVGVvqJGVct2emQO1bGvCKFnsAxvlxppoFo1aSc4cKDCBCqxvcABfcUqIahDGKT0knx9KYq6d4_vdzAMP_D/s1600/DSC03403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYaVSFhJ-mNJidIsVW_pze-SLbwMBjIYPYOAjc-8z40L9oHgDXmVGVvqJGVct2emQO1bGvCKFnsAxvlxppoFo1aSc4cKDCBCqxvcABfcUqIahDGKT0knx9KYq6d4_vdzAMP_D/s320/DSC03403.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is our space for "group time" (see below)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWl0TkDIT9agsY0z-w4E2fUvbTWGjgjGAsJQJgMftRVVt2xn-zETta13Ot7dNjIRw2c6eRt1KTRAn0vjwJWSoEbs6sk0zbiCMJtVCWeEH3Na7RGlCMC0O-qRoFtuDBX8YcOus/s1600/DSC03404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWl0TkDIT9agsY0z-w4E2fUvbTWGjgjGAsJQJgMftRVVt2xn-zETta13Ot7dNjIRw2c6eRt1KTRAn0vjwJWSoEbs6sk0zbiCMJtVCWeEH3Na7RGlCMC0O-qRoFtuDBX8YcOus/s320/DSC03404.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jacob's desk, curriculum and workboxes in the drawers on the left.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I write all of his assignments for the week on the dry erase board, </div><div style="text-align: center;">so he can work ahead or be prepared to work on the weekends when needed :)</div><div style="text-align: center;">He also has his spelling words and memory verse on there as well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Idkrm_93OIo8_Y-_8iH6u6KyPaBB-FHLfd0A1n9618JI5RgYWZ97rpMzGDXVhZLJrMIdmHYcPR4VloLIOGMkQfGyhKO_ird8mGzcwvyb9AyJ4pefAJJfU9R-O-EINA4xVm2w/s1600/DSC03406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Idkrm_93OIo8_Y-_8iH6u6KyPaBB-FHLfd0A1n9618JI5RgYWZ97rpMzGDXVhZLJrMIdmHYcPR4VloLIOGMkQfGyhKO_ird8mGzcwvyb9AyJ4pefAJJfU9R-O-EINA4xVm2w/s320/DSC03406.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jadyn's desk and workboxes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The files on the wall are file folder games & various worksheets</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6KTUgzTOFpZYXLqLlNuvXI8qOFfB3Zq-_DbTDujmyLBzdZ50qAtmixvSf1cspkNVYWMWB4x2Bm2GHY0KVW5jlE_UWTHkjCyfgnsQSSxT1WjPhSTvtYD2-tqt2sh1ByNlX9cu/s1600/DSC03419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6KTUgzTOFpZYXLqLlNuvXI8qOFfB3Zq-_DbTDujmyLBzdZ50qAtmixvSf1cspkNVYWMWB4x2Bm2GHY0KVW5jlE_UWTHkjCyfgnsQSSxT1WjPhSTvtYD2-tqt2sh1ByNlX9cu/s320/DSC03419.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jordan's desk on the left (Jake's is on the right)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQ-4noOn22mTIvwvxnJIXbmD-S4uitn-Z7MAfApOIwgX1hq1_A7quneMjA3uXix9T7t89SWhN-rXcUrggH8eTK4jfwJEp7rh1knB1Y61Tgwu7npi8-YYJSIe9JqXCQnbdfdAZ/s1600/DSC03405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQ-4noOn22mTIvwvxnJIXbmD-S4uitn-Z7MAfApOIwgX1hq1_A7quneMjA3uXix9T7t89SWhN-rXcUrggH8eTK4jfwJEp7rh1knB1Y61Tgwu7npi8-YYJSIe9JqXCQnbdfdAZ/s320/DSC03405.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My desk and our table for crafts, games, etc.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The blue chair is our "listening center" for books on tape, etc.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">**The quilt was made for Jacob by my great aunt and I love it :) **</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoe2UvX0r7faR71I3F6C6IJGGAe5rFusTGBXUqEBrutEXWrjdqvm9-KxNhikG1pIMkZjHzbwQ9MlzzKOKc_YjyFxWq5xCNK1_Zl6bCFNizsZbhKLi67zLwVBh1PW91oaF36F5H/s1600/DSC03410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoe2UvX0r7faR71I3F6C6IJGGAe5rFusTGBXUqEBrutEXWrjdqvm9-KxNhikG1pIMkZjHzbwQ9MlzzKOKc_YjyFxWq5xCNK1_Zl6bCFNizsZbhKLi67zLwVBh1PW91oaF36F5H/s320/DSC03410.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jace's "workboxes" - </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">basically quiet toys for him to play with while we are doing school</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(and NO, it doesn't always work that way! lol!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvedH363EyOA0mWlC9AMqbHeLTUMS0s_COIx78dol74f0F3THvh-JEZHboBJnMC9CYJkXKuvftyg5jNeMDPbPNLPzC0j7mI7MnRoGWH3GTaMDb9s6OlKohML8JzbRtGmcfr04A/s1600/DSC03414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvedH363EyOA0mWlC9AMqbHeLTUMS0s_COIx78dol74f0F3THvh-JEZHboBJnMC9CYJkXKuvftyg5jNeMDPbPNLPzC0j7mI7MnRoGWH3GTaMDb9s6OlKohML8JzbRtGmcfr04A/s320/DSC03414.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Obviously, we like <a href="http://www.workboxsystem.com/">Sue Patrick's workbox system</a> - and her book: <span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Patricks-Workbox-System-Users-Guide/dp/0981896847?ie=UTF8&tag=the71six-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Sue Patrick's Workbox System A User's Guide</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=the71six-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0981896847" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span> - it has made homeschooling multiple children so much easier! I love that I can mix in fun activities with their curriculum work. It also gives the kids a visual for what they have accomplished as well as what they have left to do. Most importantly, it keeps the kids working independently for nice stretches of time so I can work 1:1 with each of them.<br />
<br />
Our curriculum plan for this year:<br />
<br />
*<strong>Group Time</strong>: Obviously, all of them at once ... <br />
~Bible: This summer we started memorizing the verses on <span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Songs-Saplings-Dana-Dirksen/dp/B000NQ2A9U?ie=UTF8&tag=the71six-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Songs for Saplings</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=the71six-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000NQ2A9U" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span>, so we'll continue that until finished & move on to other memory verses. We'll also use <span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Leading-Little-Ones-God-Teachings/dp/0802851207?ie=UTF8&tag=the71six-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Leading Little Ones to God </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=the71six-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0802851207" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span>and our curriculum will have verses and Bible stories we may use as well. Plus, we memorize the books of the Bible.<br />
~Lapbooks: Biblical Obedience, Books of the Bible, Jesus Loves the Little Children, Easter, May Day and Jace will have some of his own :) <br />
~Pledge of Allegiance<br />
~Address & important phone #s<br />
~Calendar (Date, Months, Days)<br />
~Shapes, Colors, Weather<br />
~Math (Counting, Skip Counting, Place Value, Money, Graphing)<br />
~Letter of the week (with activities from Jadyn's curriculum, <a href="http://confessionsofahomeschooler.blogspot.com/">Confessions of a Homeschooler</a> & <a href="http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/index.html">1+1+1=1</a>)<br />
~Craft (Art: <span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Art-Anything-Weeks-Using-Everyday/dp/0876590857?ie=UTF8&tag=the71six-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Art with Anything</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=the71six-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0876590857" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span>, <a href="http://amommysadventures.blogspot.com/p/start.html">stART activities</a>, etc)<br />
~Read Alouds: mostly taken from My Father's World curriculum<br />
<br />
*<strong>Jordan (age 9, 4th grade, Down Syndrome)</strong> - <br />
~<a href="http://www.nacd.org/">NACD program</a> <br />
~Main Curriculum: unit studies and she will be included in some of Jadyn & Jake's curriculum when appropriate for her. <br />
~Reading: <a href="http://www.phoenixlearningresources.com/cart.php?target=category&category_id=437">New Practice Readers</a> and <a href="http://www.sterlingpublishing.com/catalog?section_key=21-52&limit=10&section=&offset=70">I'm Going to Read books</a> (plus, she reads to Jace) <br />
~Math: Hayes Math Drill books<br />
~Misc: <span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Care-Keeping-You-American-Library/dp/1562476661?ie=UTF8&tag=the71six-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">"The Care and Keeping of You"</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=the71six-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1562476661" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span><br />
~Extra Curricular: TBD <br />
<br />
*<strong>Jacob (age 8, 3rd grade)</strong> - <br />
~U.S. History & Geography, Science, Music: <a href="http://www.mfwbooks.com/adventures_my_fathers_world.htm">Adventures in My Father's World</a> (I purchased it last year, but we only got through the first 6 weeks. Thankfully, its designed for 2nd <em>or</em> 3rd grade, so I didn't totally waste my money but I am going to have to tweak it a bit to keep him interested).<br />
~Math: <a href="http://saxonhomeschool.hmhco.com/en/products/default.htm?level2Code=M0006">Saxon</a> (We started Saxon 54 this summer to see if we liked it and we do, so he'll finish that and move into Saxon 65).<br />
~Reading: <a href="http://www.phoenixlearningresources.com/cart.php?target=category&category_id=437">New Practice Readers</a> and <a href="http://www.phoenixlearningresources.com/cart.php?target=category&category_id=340">Reading About Science</a><br />
~Spelling: <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/cms_content/?page=1185653&sp=86691&kw=spelling_power&event=PPCSRC&p=1018818&cm_mmc=Google-_-Homeschool-_-spelling%20power-_-spelling%20power&gclid=CKygpIDah6MCFUxZ2godyUEgZw">Spelling Power</a> <br />
~Art: <a href="http://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl.php?id=002202">I Can Do All Things</a><br />
~Handwriting: <a href="http://www.areasonfor.com/article.php?id=19">A Reason for Handwriting</a> or <a href="http://www.rainbowresource.com/prodlist.php?sid=1271703851-16215&subject=9&category=2046">Cursive Connections</a> ... still undecided!<br />
~Misc: "<a href="http://www.exodusbooks.com/details.aspx?id=18349">Oops, Your Manners are Showing</a>," plus a few fun unit studies (and he works with Jace on his colors, shapes, etc)<br />
~Extra Curricular: Cub Scouts (he'll be working on his Bear rank this year) and Soccer (he will be playing in the <a href="http://www.dynamossoccer.com/JRDynamosAcademy/tabid/287/Default.aspx">Jr. Dynamos Academy</a> and is very excited!)<br />
<br />
<strong>Jadyn (age 5, Kindergarten)</strong> -<br />
~Main Curriculum: <a href="http://www.mfwbooks.com/k.htm">My Father's World Kindergarten</a> (Reading, Science, Literature)<br />
~Math: We'll start with <a href="http://store.mathusee.com/IW_Products.m4p.pvx?;MULTI_ITEM_SUBMIT">Math U See</a> and see how she likes it (because I already have it)<br />
~Handwriting: <a href="http://www.areasonfor.com/article.php?id=19">A Reason for Handwriting</a><br />
~Music: <a href="http://www.kinderbach.com/atHome/index.html">KinderBach piano</a><br />
~Misc: fun unit studies<br />
~Extra Curricular: Gymnastics<br />
<br />
We'll use various other resources as we go along - most of which you can find in my "<a href="http://angelasustala.blogspot.com/p/homeschool-faves.html">Homeschool Faves</a>" tab! <br />
Whew - I think that covers it! Makes me tired just typing it all - good thing we have a whole year to get through it!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-91145811245130353772010-07-20T11:01:00.000-06:002010-07-20T11:01:18.443-06:00"I do..."Fourteen years ago, <br />
<br />
I <em>said</em>, "I do..." <br />
<br />
I <em>said</em>, "For better or for worse..." <br />
<br />
I <em>said</em>, "In sickness and in health..."<br />
<br />
I <em>said</em>, "Til death do us part..."<br />
<br />
For fourteen years, by God's grace <br />
<br />
I've <em>lived</em>, "I do..." ~ Not perfectly. Just committed. To Ed. To our marriage. To the <em>work</em> of loving him. No matter what. And, I still <em>do... </em>:) <br />
<br />
I've <em>lived</em>, "For better or for worse..." ~ We've had our share of <em>worse</em>. But, we've had more than our fair share of <em>better</em>. I'm thankful that God has given us the opportunity to live out this vow in such a powerful way. I've said before, its the <em>worse</em> that has brought about an intimacy that I could not have dreamed of fourteen years ago! Its the <em>worse</em> that's made the <em>better</em> so much better. Walking in the valley makes the hilltop far more precious. <br />
<br />
I've <em>lived</em>, "In sickness and in health..." ~ Thankfully, its mostly been <em>health</em> with the two of us - but we've sure had to deal with <em>sickness</em> in our children. Down Syndrome, open heart surgery and death aren't the ideal picture of <em>health,</em> for sure. We've walked these roads as a team and we've learned so much about each other along the way. I'm not at a place where I can<strong><em> </em></strong>honestly say I wouldn't trade it, but I can say I wouldn't trade the growth and experiences we've enjoyed in our marriage because of these on-going journeys.<br />
<br />
I've <em>lived</em>, "Til death do us part..." ~ I think this is the most important one of all. Our journey hasn't always been pretty, but it is very <em>beautiful</em>. And, there <strong>is</strong> a difference. I pray God will allow us to live this one out for a long time. I would say until we're old and gray, but those seem to be coming sooner rather than later :)<br />
<br />
<strong>"I do ..."</strong><br />
<br />
Just two words. But when said as marriage vows, they are some of the most powerful words that can be spoken. I highly doubt that most people realize the power of those words when they say them. I know I didn't. But, I'm so thankful to have had the opportunity to figure it out. With a man just as committed.<br />
<br />
I love you, Ed! Thank you for choosing me. For <em>continuing</em> to choose me. For loving me - and showing it. Even when I make it hard. :) Thank you for sticking it out. For staying. For being you! Even when you annoy the stink out of me!! :) We've lived an awful lot of life in the last 14 years. And, I'm looking forward to the next 14 with you. But, I vote for a little less drama, mkay?? ;)Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34412242.post-86656418057156183432010-07-13T13:55:00.000-06:002010-07-13T13:55:07.476-06:00Jace's First HaircutI think this is the most emotional I've ever been for a first haircut. Partly because I'm just emotional these days :) but also because this is the first one that had some real baby curls. Not many, but certainly the most of any of our kids!! I hated the idea of cutting them off, but it was time! <br />
<br />
BEFORE - front<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXONucwjYQSqunsA01YR_25MMx1FC8TYu4Eb_8_QlMPsi3EZJ8JA0BHvZlLWNgLqTeUl33Eq8z8PpdeMeI2qVz-GyM_nObnq5xz16aatrY3GPfOiMX_8-Y03Jl5pTMkpJVv8vc/s1600/Jace+1st+haircut+before+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXONucwjYQSqunsA01YR_25MMx1FC8TYu4Eb_8_QlMPsi3EZJ8JA0BHvZlLWNgLqTeUl33Eq8z8PpdeMeI2qVz-GyM_nObnq5xz16aatrY3GPfOiMX_8-Y03Jl5pTMkpJVv8vc/s320/Jace+1st+haircut+before+front.jpg" /></a></div><br />
BEFORE - back<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6HdtCSeCZf6tZf-FIZlwyRWsLDgDKopKB3r9ACya1fU6T3oQJm1As3WlgESD5I6u1XbMDoKAWmJ9RgE3X2VZq-RiXbOGRmTS9xCgTOvXcT6ZQ3UggHFZMEEfg_9TN9Ju-KjE/s1600/Jace+1st+haircut+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6HdtCSeCZf6tZf-FIZlwyRWsLDgDKopKB3r9ACya1fU6T3oQJm1As3WlgESD5I6u1XbMDoKAWmJ9RgE3X2VZq-RiXbOGRmTS9xCgTOvXcT6ZQ3UggHFZMEEfg_9TN9Ju-KjE/s320/Jace+1st+haircut+before.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
AFTER - front<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQigBP_NVu7-Crsi8AiN9UnV1m10EkL0HjvxKMepYnV69ey34p-5LTFmtLSXSM7k5G2lNnoZ1Mkv15j1jUjPBZSgM0I430e8vD3q2rOFHH08jQPj35wlENGssTnXQQW2qW5XLG/s1600/Jace+1st+haircut+after+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQigBP_NVu7-Crsi8AiN9UnV1m10EkL0HjvxKMepYnV69ey34p-5LTFmtLSXSM7k5G2lNnoZ1Mkv15j1jUjPBZSgM0I430e8vD3q2rOFHH08jQPj35wlENGssTnXQQW2qW5XLG/s320/Jace+1st+haircut+after+front.jpg" /></a></div><br />
AFTER - back {sniff ... sniff}<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLS7zbRdkSDKAyLXT4b3hp75YfL_BblmplGBawNUGXx1pUULNEa8vtdy6g9ip9Rbk7fMdDmxePAH_xwysgWgH3eMQPhiPAR6gMsblpFlTCeW47Xk_Kkh06Fr6RuISp8Torxgg/s1600/Jace+1st+haircut+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLS7zbRdkSDKAyLXT4b3hp75YfL_BblmplGBawNUGXx1pUULNEa8vtdy6g9ip9Rbk7fMdDmxePAH_xwysgWgH3eMQPhiPAR6gMsblpFlTCeW47Xk_Kkh06Fr6RuISp8Torxgg/s320/Jace+1st+haircut+after.jpg" /></a></div>His daddy will be very happy :)Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03693272279810327321noreply@blogger.com0