The Living Well

A Change of Scene

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 03:44:00 +0000

One of the reasons I love homeschooling is the ability to change things up.

One cloudy day, we decided to make a fort instead of sitting around the table.

Peek a boo!

Isn't it lovely and cozy?

I had very little trouble getting them to do their work.

I think I'll go make another.

Mom, I'm bored...

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:52:00 +0000

I have lots of children. They have lots of toys.

They still get bored.

So every once in a while I whip out some stale cereal and pasta and set them to work.

Yes, that is my son doing yoga on the wall.

Painting is optional and probably best for the 5 and up crowd. Assuming, of course, that they're doing this so you can get something else done. Like laundry, or schoolwork.

Or Facebook.

Whatever.

Free Downloadable Homeschool Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 21:19:00 +0000

Hey homeschoolers - looking for a good, easy to use school calendar? Check out CalendarLabs.com for several free, downloadable academic calendars. I just put mine together using this and it was much easier than the cut and paste I've done before!

Here's the one I used:

Love free stuff that makes my life easier!

What kind of shampoo?

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:05:00 +0000

Really?

Is that really what's in there?

I didn't buy any.

Goose Rock and The Rhetorical Child

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 20:19:00 +0000

This is the view from Goose Rock, but I didn't take the picture. These guys did.

My oldest child is entering what the proponents of classical education call the rhetoric stage. Here's what Dorothy Sayers (of "The Lost Tools of Learning") says about this stage:

"The Pert age... is characterized by contradicting, answering back, liking to "catch people out" (especially one's elders)' and by the propounding of conundrums. Its nuisance-value is extremely high."

Anybody else have one of these? I see those hands.

Anyhow.

This summer our family took a trip north to the great state of Washington as we do every year. This year we decided to hike Goose Rock, a short hike but decently steep in places. Our city-bred kids were less than enthused at the exertion and started complaining about half way up. In an effort to bring some levity to the situation, I tried to play make believe.

"We're Francisco Pizarro! We're exploring the jungles of Peru!"

"Mom," says the pert-aged child, "That was South America. We're in North America."

Fine.

"Okay, we're Henry Hudson! We're searching for the Northwest Passage!"

"On foot?"

"Sure, why not?"

"He sailed a ship, mom."

Ahem.

"Okay. We're Lewis and Clark. Right continent, right method of transportation. They even explored close to here! You be Sacajawea! I'm Lewis and Owain is Clark.."

"Together? Mom, they split up when they got to the Northwest."

At this point I gave up.

At least I know she's been listening.

We're Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:58:00 +0000

After an extended vacation, both physically (from home) and mentally (from blogging), we're back. It's been wonderfully refreshing to get away but I'm excited to be getting back into a routine.

One of the great things about being away is coming home again. Walking into our very spacious house after 2 weeks staying with relatives we realized that it's easier to be thankful for what you have when you haven't had it for a while. It's so nice to be able to stretch out, sleep one to a bed and ride scooters through the kitchen again.

But it can make us discontent as well. My sister-in-law has a beautiful home. There are rugs on the floors, pictures on the walls, and all the little touches that make a home 'complete'. The walls are painted in coordinating colors. It's tidy. It smells nice. My mother-in-law's place is the same. My home, on the other hand, is furnished. We have couches and tables and lamps. We have family portraits on the walls, but little art. It's tidy, um, when the kids are in bed.

It's not that I don't want a showroom house, I do. I adore Martha Stewart and drool of the pictures of rooms over at Favorite Paint Colors. But I live with six other people, none of whom are particularly tidy and more than half of whom can't be expected to take much responsibility over themselves. Also I'm not exactly a natural talent at interior decorating. Organized, yes. Accessorized, not so much.

But that's okay. Looking around my house I see toys strewn about, bare walls, and fingerprints on the sliding glass door and I long for a magazine cover home. But someday, when my children are grown, I'll be looking around my magazine cover home and wishing for toys and fingerprints. We have children because they bring an unequaled amount of joy and love to our lives. There are side effects, yes. But they're worth it.

September is always a time of renewal for us; I like to set goals and make resolutions at this time of year. This year I think I'll resolve to be more appreciative of my big, messy, happy home. And also to buy some rugs.

"Parents are often so busy with the physical rearing of children that

they miss the glory of parenthood, just as the grandeur of the trees is lost

when raking leaves. " Marecelene Cox

TV Picks for Preschoolers

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:01:00 +0000

Recently I posted on how TV effects kids and why they shouldn't watch it. Just in case you need a more authoritative figure to tell you about TV and kids, here's one and here's another. Now I'm going to break my own rule and tell you the shows we watch regularly.

Yep, we watch TV. I see it the way I see dessert - a nice treat on occasion. (A caveat - I would never feed my kids rat poison, no matter how much they wanted it. I feel the same about certain television programs)

Sometimes (especially in summer) it really is fun to curl up on the couch together and veg for a while. And there truly are some gems out there - shows that encourage good character and are simply fun. Here are our favorites for the preschool crew:

Charlie and Lola. These are also a book series. Charlie is big brother to a charmingly pesky sister, Lola. Her antics are frustrating but not malicious and he is a model big brother, exhibiting patience, understanding and self control. Family values are spotlighted but not in a saccharin way - the two get into some very real disagreements that kids relate to.

Peep and the Big Wide World. I love Peep! She and her friends Chirp and Quack wander their world making discoveries. This science-based series is entertaining and educational, and includes videos of real kids testing out the 'discoveries' the animated characters have made. Bonus - Joan Cusack narrates and the theme song is super catchy.

The Original Thomas the Train. Based on the books by Rev. Awdry, Thomas and his friends help each other, striving to be 'really useful'. The stories manage to teach morals without being obvious about it. The original series was done with absolutely beautiful miniatures; newer ones are computer animated and don't have quite the same gentle tone, but are still good.

Little Bill. How can you not love a show by Bill Cosby? Brightly colored "paper" animation, engaging characters and relatable plotlines engage kids. The parents are wise and kind, and Alice the Great is the perfect grandmother. Even the older siblings get along well and enjoy being with their baby brother. Lovely.

Little Bear. Delightful characters, delightful drawings, delightful music. This program is just delightful. It's a good one for just before naps, and it's best for the youngest crowd.

A little later I'll share our favorites for the older elementary kids. I don't, however, have teenagers and I'm wondering if anyone could recommend some good shows for that age group?

Television for Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 18:32:00 +0000

Photo courtesy of parentadvicenow.com

Well, it's summer, and you know what that means!

Hours and hours of TV watching!

I'm anti-TV, and I'm not afraid to say it. There are some very frightening statistics about TV watching. Be sure to click over and take a look, you'll be amazed. But I'll highlight them for you.

The average child watches 1,680 minutes of television every week (that's 28 hours) and spends only 3.5 minutes per week engaged in meaningful conversation with his or her parents. Read that again.

I am a very strict parent when it comes to television viewing. We do not watch most shows aimed at kids, including Spongebob, Wizards of Waverly Place, Good Luck Charlie or Shake It Up (if you have tweens, I'm sure you've heard of these).

Many parents feel these are harmless, entertaining and often cute shows, and as to the second and third points, they are. And while I wouldn't always go so far as to call them harmful, they aren't harmless. Our kid's minds are developing every moment of every day. Just like we feed our children healthy food so their bodies can develop, we have to put good examples of character and behavior in front of them so their minds and character can develop properly.

Young children do not have the discernment that adults have. They don't have the ability to see something on TV and understand it as good or bad. We teach them that. Everything they take in becomes part of their base line - the store of understanding they base their life upon. If you place in front of them role models who are consumed with fashion, boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, avoiding or disrespecting authority, and placing the opinions of their peers over all else, that is what they will strive to become.

In the words of the American Psychiatric Association, "We have had a long-standing concern with the impact of television on behavior, especially in children."

For me, choosing television for my kids to watch is based on asking some questions about the show. First, and most important - "Do the characters behave in a way I want my kids to behave?" Are they kind and compassionate? Are they hardworking? Do they respect their elders? Do they treat their friends well? Do they do the right thing?

How do the characters present themselves? Any young girl in mini skirts and heels is not getting top billing with my kids.

And the question all of us Christians should be asking, "Does this show glorify God? Does it teach me to live a life that honors Christ?"

Isn't that what the Bible commands us?

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." New Living Translation

Very, very few television shows meet the standards laid forth here. Does that mean a half hour of Nickelodeon is going to turn my kids against God? Well, no. Let's not be dramatic. But I do think it's important to filter what our kids watch, and to balance the influence of TV, movies and music with solid relationships with our kids and examples of good, Godly character.

There are, however, times when that TV comes to good use around here. Like when I want to shower uninterrupted. And there are some really good shows out there. Tomorrow I'll share my top picks for preschoolers, followed by top picks for older kids later this week.

Happy Independence Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 23:02:00 +0000

We're off swimming, parade-watching and eating, but I thought I'd mention a great free resource for homeschooling families - or anybody who wants to educate their kids on the Fourth as well as shoot off fireworks.

It's the Liberty's Kids series, an animated look at our country at the time of the Revolution, and it's lots of fun. There is a website, with interactive features and behind the scenes footage. YouTube has some 10 minutes clips for free, and the whole series is available to live-stream on Netflix, so you can watch it today. I'd suggest episode 13 "The First Fourth of July", but there are a total of 40 episodes that are all fun and educational.

Happy 4th of July!

Save Money AND Give Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 19:56:00 +0000

I'd like to introduce you to the Samaritan Saver card. With it you can save up to 50% at retailers nationwide and online! Retailers like Target, Walmart, Best Buy, 1-800-Flowers, GameStop, Chuck E. Cheese, PetSmart, KFC, Southwest Airlines and about 8,593 more.

Cards are $20 and are sold as a fundraiser for non-profits. They're valid for one year from the date you activate them - so they're also great for gifts, since you can hang on to them and give them out when you have an occasion. I bought a card to support my husband's children's ministry (they're going to camp) and already made my money back by buying $150 worth of restaurant gift cards for just $22.50. I'm not kidding.

Want to see more? Check out Samaritan Saver and see how many deals you can get.

Want one? Email me with your name and address and I'll tell you how you can pay me through paypal. Then I'll mail your card to you and you can start saving! (Yes, shipping is free!)

Want to find out how you can sell Samaritan Saver cards to benefit your ministry, school, soccer team, what have you? Check out Samaritan Fundraising for more information!

P.S. Samaritan Saver did not pay me or ask me to write this review. They don't know me from Adam. I just think it's a really cool deal they've got going on.

Something to Think About

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:42:00 +0000

If you haven't seen this Kia ad, it's quite the conversation starter. Apparently it wasn't intended for an American audience, although I'm not really sure what to make of that. Americans are prudes? What? Have we seen MTV?

Also this is a very, very important article for every parent or step parent or teacher or auntie or uncle to read. Read it twice. Save it to favorites and send it to your friends. Because your children's innocence is at stake, and you have the power to do something about it. (Note: the article itself is a couple years old, but the facts haven't changed.) Here's another one.

Westyn's Story

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:30:00 +0000

If you missed the first part of the story, find it here.

The next morning I went to my doctor. I was told there was nothing we could do about the hematoma. It would either 'bleed out' or be reabsorbed. I was sent to a specialist for biweekly ultrasounds to make sure it continued to shrink.

The specialist was very, very good. He was intelligent, well informed and kind. He treated me as a partner in my care, something I can't thank him for enough. I saw him every two weeks for five months. Each time he would measure the mass in my uterus. It was getting smaller, but very, very slowly.

"The only thing I can suggest is that there is continued bleeding," he told me. "We can only continue to monitor it."

"And what if something changes?" I would ask him each time. "Are there any treatments? What can we do?"

The answer was always the same. There were no treatments. There was nothing we could do. We could only watch and wait.

I was on partial bed rest, but that isn't an easy thing to follow when you have four children and keep an additional four part time. I did my best not to lift the toddler and to sit as much as possible. And I did my best not to worry, but it was easy to dwell on the possibilities; to think about all the things that could go wrong.

There were talks of steroid shots and contraction-blocking medications, but thankfully the weeks passed with little change. My last appointment with the specialist was at 34 weeks. He explained that at that point, they wouldn't stop me if I went into labor. "Your body knows what it's doing," he said. "We'd like to give you steroids (to help the baby's lung development) if you begin having contractions, so call if you do. But 34 weeks is good, your baby has a good chance." The hematoma was still there, but much smaller than it had been. I went home to rest and wait. I was confident I would carry the baby to term.

A few days later, I started having contractions.

Now. You would think, having done this a few times already, I would recognize when I was in labor. I think I was in denial. The night of June 21st I went to be early because I wasn't feeling well. I was having regular contractions but I was sure that if I went to sleep they would stop.

They didn't.

The next morning I got up and began my day as usual. The kids I tutored came over and we did our morning lessons. But by lunch I knew. I called the nurse's line and she told me what I knew she would tell me. I called my husband and my good friend Annette. As soon as the kids were picked up and the babysitter arrived, we headed to the hospital.

I knew I was having regular contractions, but I was sure they would hook me up to an IV, make them stop, and send me home. (I went in to pre-term labor with baby #2 and that's what they'd done.) I fully expected to go home pregnant.

When the nurse came in to check me, I think she thought so, too. She smiled and chatted with the Amazing Husband and I. But as soon as she checked me, she got serious. I was already at 8 cm. There was no stopping labor at that point. "You're having a baby tonight," she said, and they began prepping me to move to a delivery room.

Until that point, I don't think I'd realized just how stressful the pregnancy had really been for me. I had spent the past six months putting on a brave face and telling myself and everyone else that everything would be fine. Now I was about to deliver a baby five weeks early. He could have trouble breathing, bleeding or fluid in his brain, developmental delays, learning disabilities or trouble hearing. (Or, he could be fine. Five weeks is not that early. But at that moment, all I could think of were the frightening possibilities.) I was sure his early birth was my fault for not coming in the day before.

It was an easy labor physically, but very difficult emotionally. The room was full of people and equipment I hadn't had for my other births. The NICU staff was there, ready to whisk him off. It was quiet and tense, at least to me.

Near midnight, our third son entered the world at 5 lbs 7 oz. They took him to the warmer to work on him, but I couldn't see what they were doing. My husband could. He had trouble breathing at first, but within a few minutes he was doing well. I was able to hold him before they took him down to the NICU. He was tiny - so skinny! He seemed fragile to me.

But he wasn't. He was very resilient and strong. He spent 24 hours in the NICU before they moved him up to pediatrics, where he spent 6 days. It was a new experience for us. He was weighed twice every day - by grams. We would watch that number intently, because if it went down it meant more days in the hospital. We kept careful track of how much he ate (in milliliters!) and weighed his diapers to keep track of how much he was wetting himself. We tracked his oxygen saturation numbers and his bilirubin count.

I learned what the best cafeteria foods were (oatmeal with dried fruit) and which nurses were the best. I learned when it was okay to turn off some of the monitors so I could get an hour of sleep. And I gained a whole new level of appreciation for parents whose children are chronically ill.

(The story of how Westyn got his name is rather entertaining. When the nurse told me I was having the baby, I told her I couldn't, because he didn't have a name. I meant it. He was almost a week old before we settled on one. After much debate and consideration and polling our friends, we were at an impasse. So the Amazing Husband pulled out his iPhone and did a search for a baby name app. He found one and started reading of all the names he liked. He read out 'Westyn' then 'Zane' because it was next on the list. He liked it. I liked it. Then he Twittered it so we couldn't change our minds.)

Today you'd never know Westyn was early. He caught up quickly in height and weight, and while he has been slow on hitting some milestones (he doesn't walk or say any words yet) he's not too far behind. He's very happy, he eats like a truck driver and he loves his Mama.

And we love you, Westyn Zane!

The Story of Westyn

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 22:52:00 +0000

It's Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers. I'm grateful for a healthy, happy baby today, because we weren't always sure it would be that way. Check out what everyone else is grateful for, then add your own post!

My baby will be 1 tomorrow.

Waahh!!! Sob, sob.

Where did the time go? Somebody stop this thing, I want to get off.

Anyway. In honor of his birthday, I thought I'd share the story of Westyn.

I knew I was pregnant right away, because I started throwing up. Pregnancy and I don't get along so well. But other than the nausea, things were going well. I had an ultrasound at 12 weeks and everything looked wonderful. Then, at 15 weeks, I started bleeding. I went in to the ER at midnight, by myself because the Amazing Husband was home with four sleeping kids. He offered to get a sitter, but despite my fear of what might be wrong, I had peace. I knew God had given me this child, and I was certain that he would be okay. Besides, I didn't want anybody knowing our business. I didn't want to make more of it than it was.

The ER is a lonely place in the middle of the night. It's white and sterile, and everybody there looks like they'd rather be someplace else. Personally, I think they should paint emergency rooms the way people paint their living rooms. White is very glaring at 1am.

The worst part about the visit, though, were the looks of sympathy. When I told the front desk nurse why I was there, she said "Oohhh" in a sighing way and gave me a look of sympathy. So did the nurse who took my vitals and the doctor and the ultrasound tech. They were looks of condolence. I wanted to tell them that my baby would be okay, but I started to doubt. Maybe he wouldn't. Maybe I was having a miscarriage.

The ultrasound tech, however, was very nice. She chatted amiably as she hooked me up. But as she began the ultrasound the chatting faded. She kept staring at the screen, taking image after image but not saying a word. And I lay there, helpless and exhausted, trying to remind myself that everything would be okay.

I'm not sure I pulled it off, though, because as the tech finished she looked at me and hesitated. "I'm not supposed to tell you anything," she said. "The doctor makes the diagnosis." I nodded. She hesitated again, then she flipped a switch on her machine.

The sound of a strong, steady heartbeat filled the small room. She smiled at me. And I started to cry. Then she turned off her machine and led me back to my room.

The doctor joined us a while later and explained that I had a chorionic hematoma - essentially a blood clot in my uterus. But, he said, it was the size of his palm, the largest he'd ever seen. "Go home," he told me, "Go see your doctor in the morning, I've already called him. (at 2 am?) Complete bed rest until he sees you."

I thanked him, shook his hand, stood to leave, and collapsed. I'd lost so much blood (and was so tired) that I could hardly function. I had to call my husband to come get me, so we had to call a sitter after all. (Thank you Eric for saving the day!)

Then we went home, with questions but few answers. We didn't know what a hematoma was, or whether it was serious. All we could do was wait.

Looking for the rest of the story? Find it here.

Homemade Baby Food

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 21:59:00 +0000

The other day my Amazing Husband took some kids to work with him, leaving me home alone with two napping boys and a quiet house. And what did I do, you ask? Did I read a good book? Play Solitaire? Watch a House marathon?

No. I processed 10 pounds of carrots and de-boned a chicken.

I really let loose when I have time to myself.

Anyway. I had a 10 pound bag of carrots that was going to go bad if I left it in the pantry, so what could I do? I like to buy my produce in bulk whenever possible, and I'm learning how to prep it so it doesn't end up rotting before I can use it. Did you know that fresh, diced carrots can be frozen and used later for cooking? Use them in pot pies, casseroles or as a side dish. I chopped about half my carrots for the freezer, sliced some for snacking, and made the rest into baby food.

To make carrots into baby food, first peel and chop them. Boil until soft, about 15-20 minutes. The longer they boil, the better a puree you'll get.

Once the carrots are sufficiently boiled, spoon them into your blender. Be careful! They're hot. See the steam in the blender?

Steaming carrots, ready for pureeing.

This is my Magic Bullet. It's fabulous. Give them a good whirl.

Action shot! Yes, you can take the lid off once it gets going. You'll know it's ready when it has a rhythmic whirring sound.

I freeze my baby food in plastic zip top bags, because they're economical. That, and the ice cube tray idea just wasn't working for me. My kid can eat the whole tray in a sitting.

The easiest way to pour the baby food into the bag is to set it in a large plastic cup, like so.

And pour! Sorry about the big warning label. I tried to turn it around but that had me pouring with my left hand, and the chances that I'd end up with a steaming carrot-covered counter were too great. Pretend you can't see it.

This time I'm making mixed vegetables. I've layered frozen broccoli, squash and peas in the blender.

Add the cooked carrots on top, with plenty of the water used for cooking. The heat from the water will thaw the vegetables.

Kind of pretty, isn't it?

And here we test the iPhone's rather limited capacity for action shots.

I made carrots, mixed vegetables and peas and carrots. Allow them to cool, then seal and freeze. (Lay the bags flat on a cookie sheet and place them in the freezer.)

The vegetables I used are organic, so I got about $15 worth of organic baby food. I used 1/3 of a bag of organic carrots I bought for $4 at Costco, and about $2 worth of frozen vegetables, so making the baby food cost me about $3.25 and 45 minutes. Of course, in that time I also got six bags of prepped carrots for cooking and snacking.

Do you make your own baby food? What tips do you have?

Happy 11 Years!

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 21:02:00 +0000

Sorry there hasn't been much going on here the last few weeks... we've been on vacation!

Summer vacation, that is. We took the last two weeks or so to relax and spend time as a family. We've been hanging out with friends, going to amusement parks and completely shirking our schedules, chore charts and blogging obligations.

Also, the Amazing Husband and I took a two day mini-trip to Disneyland to celebrate our 11th anniversary. We're a little early, but it's cheaper that way.

We stayed at the fabulous Grand Californian Hotel. It was pretty pricey, but we got a discount with our annual passes. Also this is our consolation trip - we were supposed to go to London last year for our 10th anniversary, but we had baby #5 instead. Comparatively, this was a pretty inexpensive getaway.

This was the view from our room. Too bad we didn't pack bathing suits. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend the Grand Californian. Not for the room, which was nice but not amazing, but for the service and the perks such as early entry and super magical fast passes. And the tuxedo strawberries which were not only adorable but delicious, too! (The Amazing Husband had them sent up as a surprise.)

This is us, looking more like we're on our honeymoon than celebrating 11 years of marriage. Ah, well, we don't mind.

Oh, and thanks to everybody who pitched in and watched our kids for us. You're brave and courageous and we appreciate you!

My Stats Make Me Chuckle

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:26:00 +0000

I was looking at my stats recently, because I get a big ego boost when I see people read my blog. Did you know people from all over the world read this blog? I don't really believe it either, but that's what the stat counter thing says. This week I even got a hit from Iran. Just one, though. Whenever I get a solitary view from another country, I always imagine what that poor soul was thinking. "What in the world is this? This isn't American Idol! I must have made a mistake!" Only I imagine it in a very poorly done accent. Usually Russian.

Anyway. One of the features of the 'stats' page is a section that shows you what searches led folks to your page. For example, if you searched for "The Living Well" and then clicked on the blog, that would come up. This week somebody did a Google search for "picture of a sick potato". (Remember this post?) Really? What circumstances would lead you to search the internet for a picture of a sick potato? What is a sick potato, anyway?

Hahaha heeheeheehee. Gave me a laugh.

The Rule of 3

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 04:56:00 +0000

Welcome to Homeschool Friday!

I know it's summer. But summer is a great time to reflect on last year and plan for next year. So through the summer, Homeschool Friday will focus on curriculum selection, planning and encouragement.

I'm not the first person to say this, and if you homeschool you've experienced it for yourself.. getting a homeschool groove takes time. It takes trial and error and tweaking, but most of all it takes time. I like to call it the rule of three.

First, three weeks. That's how long it takes to adjust to a new schedule. The beginning of the school year is a good example, but anytime you change the structure of your day (if you're a structure kind of family), plan on a good three weeks to get into the swing. We once switched from doing bookwork in the morning and hands-on projects in the afternoon to just the opposite. It felt like running through water! We could not seem to get a handle on it, even though we were doing the same work. But three weeks in it clicked, and it was smooth(er) sailing from then on.

Three months is the length of time I give a curriculum or program before jumping ship. Much less and you risk tossing it before you have a good handle on it. Sometimes it takes time to get accustomed to a new program, or to see where it's going. On the other hand, longer than three months with a program you can't stand or isn't working is a waste of your time.

New to homeschooling? Feel like you just don't get it? Like you're still trying to figure it out? No worries, friend. Three years is about how long it takes a family to figure out who they are as homeschoolers. Not just what curriculum to use, although that's part of it, but what kind of family 'culture' they're fostering. Are you structured or laid back? Hands-on or textbook? Co-op or individual? Classical, Charlotte Mason, Traditional, Unschooling or Waldorf? It takes time to find your fit! Even after the three years there will be changes made, but you'll have a good grip on what style works for you.

Welcome Summer!

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 19:10:00 +0000

Today is the last day of school!

I hadn't actually intended for today to be the last day of school. We still have about 15 days worth of lessons to cover. But it's June. The weather has gotten nice. All the other kids are out of school as of tomorrow. It's been a long, trying, strange, chaotic year. And we're ready.

Also I have enough wiggle room next year to absorb those 15 days.

So tomorrow I will have a 4th grader, a 2nd grader and a 1st grader.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stop it, children. Stop growing up.

Anyway. In honor of the last day of school, I'm posting a 'highlight edition', touching on the ups and downs of our school year. And you can join us! Link up your end-of-school post and share how your year went. Just remember to link back here.

This year...

We started out in Las Vegas with 2 extra kindergartners and ended in California with just us. Boo.

My kindergartner read through Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. She is the sixth child I've taught to read with that book and it's now missing it's back cover and several pages. I'm going to have to buy a new one for my next round of kids. She worked through half of Saxon 1 and most of Math U See Primer. She grew 4 inches and lost her first tooth. She colored over 100 Bible pages.

My 1st grader worked through all of A Beka's Language 1 and about 1/3 of English for the Thoughtful Child. He mastered spelling with Big IQ Kids. He finished all but 15 lessons of A Beka Arithmetic 1. He cut his hair short. He got his own room. He read his first chapter book and scored his first soccer goal.

My 3rd grader nearly completed Rod and Staff Grammar 3 and Saxon Math 3. She read Mr. Popper's Penguins, The Saturdays, and The Princess and the Goblin. This is a great accomplishment because while she loves books read to her, she has a lot of trouble reading silently to herself. She overcame the challenge of moving away from her friends and making new ones. She became a tween.

Together we dove into early American history, learning about Pilgrims, Pocahontas and John Smith. We ate hard tack and made a model Jamestown fort. We built a model of the Netherlands and flooded it like the Sea Beggar's did. We did all the experiments in Adventures with Atoms and Molecules. We memorized Latin verbs, The Doxology, The Pater Noster, The Preamble to the Constitution, Psalm 23, 5 other Bible verses, 7 poems and the books of the Bible up to Lamentations.

We read A.A. Milne's poetry (both books), A Little Princess, Secret of the Andes, Caddie Woodlawn and Pilgrim's Progress.

We moved, unexpectedly, in the middle of the year and have only just (I think) gotten our feet back under us. We grew closer as a family and stronger in our faith as we learned that God is truly with us always. We were unaccountably blessed by all the wonderful people we've met here.

It was a good year.

Now it's your turn! Tell us about your year, whether you homeschool or not. Post a link to your blog, remember to link back, or just leave a comment if you don't blog.

Toys for Tots

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Sat, 28 May 2011 16:50:00 +0000

Photo Credit

My littlest baby is turning one next month (gasp! wail!) and the upcoming birthday has led our relatives to ask the inevitable question - "What should we buy for baby?"

Thankfully, we've had one year olds before, so I know exactly what a one year old needs.

Nothing.

When my oldest was a baby we were given a small grocery bag of (used) baby toys - rattles, chew toys, etc. Those toys (there were about a dozen) went into a small wicker basket in the living room. We also spent $10 on a Walmart walker. It was green plastic and had two toys stuck to the tray. And that was all she had.

Not only was she kept happily entertained by her small assortment of toys (and lots of other household items), our house stayed tidy and she grew up to have an expansive imagination. As more and more children joined the family, and our circumstances changed, we fell into the same trap thousands of parents are prone to and we bought all kinds of light-up, sing-song, battery eating toys. My current little one has a Little Einsteins exersaucer with a dozen toys, some of which light up and sing, a VTech train (that lights up and sings in three languages), some kind of toy that he pulls himself up on (that sings, counts, says the ABCs and has a bear that dances) and a playpen full of other toys.

It's ridiculous. My house has been overrun with the stuff. And to top it off, here is a list of his favorite playthings:

Socks

Empty sippy cups

Empty water bottles (especially the 'eco-friendly' ones because they crinkle)

Paper (in particular school worksheets)

A dollar store beach ball

Flip flops

Balls of all kinds

Electrical cords

His sibling's toys

Chalk

Obviously we don't allow him free reign with all of these, even if they are his favorites.

So save your money, folks. We've got all the empty water bottles and socks we need.

Quiet Time

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Wed, 25 May 2011 17:47:00 +0000

Recently I was convicted in the area of making time for daily Bible study and prayer. As Christians, most of us claim to desire this daily 'quiet time'. I even posted about a practical way I try to get mine. I'm sure you pray and read the Word daily. So why do I have so much trouble keeping up with it?

I began to think about all the other things I do in my day. There are certain things I always do I always dress my kids. I always change diapers. And I never, ever skip eating. I often plan my day around it. You'll never hear me say, "Ya know, today was really hectic and I just don't think I have the time or energy to feed my family tonight." I always make time. Even if I truly don't have time to cook, I make sure we eat. Leftovers and drive-thrus aren't nearly as satisfying but they'll do the trick.

Why then, if I can place such importance on feeding my body, do I ignore the food my soul craves?

You might say, "It's easy to remember to eat! Your body tells you when it's hungry. It's hard to ignore a growling stomach. Plus if you don't eat you'll feel sick and weak." Yes. And trust me, 5 hungry kids aren't going to let you forget it.

But doesn't my soul hunger for the things of God? Then why doesn't my soul cramp and complain when it doesn't get fed?

Have you ever seen documentaries or infomercials about starving children in Africa or South America? Those children haven't had enough to eat for weeks or months. Their eyes are sunken, their cheeks hollow, their bellies distended. They stand or sit without moving much; they have no energy. They are clearly malnourished. What they are not is demanding or insistent. They have become so accustomed to their hunger that it is no longer a sharp pain three times a day. It's a constant, dull ache that has become so familiar to them they no longer heed it's voice. They eat when food happens along but they have learned that no amount of asking, pleading or tears will make food appear, so they've given up.

Our souls are like that, I think. They long for the nourishment of an intimate, familiar, converastional relationship with a living God. But when they're denied long enough, they stop crying out. They sit, still and silent, cheeks hollow and limbs lifeless, just waiting for whatever food might happen by.

I can shut up my healthy soul, too. When it does cry out within me, I can feed it food that doesn't satisfy, but quiet it for a while. When my kids are bugging me for dinner and it'll still be a while, sometimes I give them a snack. In my house it's usually fruit, but it could easily be Cheetos or fruit snacks. Foods that fill the mouth but not the stomach, that don't do our bodies any actual good. These snack foods keep my kids quiet long enough for me to get dinner on the table, but they don't satisfy.

I can feed my soul this way, too. When I'm feeling lonely I can turn to Facebook. When I'm depressed I can watch TV. When I'm confused or angry or need guidance I can talk to friends or play online games or read books. None of these things is bad in itself, but none of these things satisfy like time with the Lord. They only distract me from my need.

So I'm making a change. I'm putting my God at the top of my priorities, not just in word but in deed. If the dishes don't get washed, so be it. If I miss out on my 'personal time' blogging or reading, I'll just have to learn to live with that. Because my beautiful, compelling, wise, affectionate friend, Jesus is inviting me to spend some time with Him. And I'm not going to turn down that invitation.

Breaking the Ice

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Mon, 23 May 2011 22:18:00 +0000

Hey there! I'm sorry I haven't posted anything lately. First we were busy, then I was lazy, and then it got to the point where it had been so long I felt like I needed to have an explanation. Kind of like when you haven't called a friend for, oh, six months or so and you feel like you can't just call and say, "Hey, how's it going?" like you talked to them last week? So you wait until you have an hour to catch up but a free hour never materializes?

Anyway. This is my 'break the ice' post. (Get the picture now?) I do promise that I've been working on some great material and rounding up some great guest posters for the launch of my NEW BLOG which I think will happen in August but maybe September depending on how the summer goes.

And I picked a name. Want to know what it is?

The Living Well.

Seriously, after all that indegestion. Truth is I couldn't think of anything better, and then my father-in-law said something really nice about it and I'm a sucker for fatherly-love stuff so there you go.

It's coming soon and I'm very excited. There will be lots of guest posters who have wisdom in the areas of parenting, homeschooling, eating, wifing (or whatever the present tense verb for wife is) and more, and best of all it'll be a community where YOU can weigh in, give advice and ask questions.

Looking forward to it! Now off to work...

A Garden Update

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Wed, 11 May 2011 21:00:00 +0000

Smockity Frocks is hosting a garden link-up today!

If you're gardening, go link up, or just check out the garden links. Most of them look a lot better than mine.

But I'm all for being ~~humiliated~~ humble, so here's how ours is doing:

These are our strawberries. I'm happy to report that all three are still alive, even the one we thought we'd lost. They don't seem to be doing much, though.

Green pepper. You can see it's being munched by something. Not much movement here, either.

Now this beauty is my pride and joy. Sweet peas that are growing so much they're hanging off their cage! Next year I'll plant them closer to the fence and use a trellis. And they're flowering so I have some hope of actual produce.

This is the other pea, that had been nearly decimated by bugs. It's starting to come back.

Oh, yes! And this is our Sugar Snack Tomato! Looking quite nice.

See? Little tomatoes! They're so cute!

Right, and these are cucumbers. In my defense they were nearly dead when we brought them home.

Now this is growing nicely. Too bad I didn't plant it.

I did plant this one, though. It was doing great until I transplanted it into this nice big pot. Then it kind of fell over and went listless on me. Any suggestions?

Ah yes. The tomatoes. I planted 6 Roma tomatoes, and they all look like this. Maybe not enough water?

I don't know.

So that's progress. Are you gardening?

Happy Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Sun, 08 May 2011 22:29:00 +0000

If I were hanged on the highest hill,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!
I know whose love would follow me still,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!

If I were drowned in the deepest sea,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!
I know whose tears would come down to me,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!

If I were damned of body and soul,
I know whose prayers would make me whole,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine

Rudyard Kipling

Okay, it's not a vase of flowers, but I really love this poem.

To me, it speaks of the endlessly selfless and persevering devotion of a mother.

But in case it's a little too dark for you, here's something cheery.

Oh, and I got a Kindle for Mother's Day! I'm so excited to go shop for books. Prodigious, expansive, epic thanks to the Amazing Husband and the kiddos!

Happy Mother's Day!

Oh, and Lynette at Dancing Again has a lovely and inspiring post for Mother's Day. She even talks about Jesus. And Jesus is better than Rudyard Kipling. So go get some.

A Year of Fun at the Happiest Place on Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Sat, 07 May 2011 20:07:00 +0000

Yes, you heard right. I caved.

I turned my back on all my frugal, crunchy-granola, classical-educating ways.

I bought Disneyland annual passes.

I have lots of excuses, don't you worry. And yes, I do feel the need to justify my purchase. After all, spending that kind of money on entertainment goes against just about every principle I hold dear. You might remember this post, in which I explained exactly why I did not want annual passes to the happiest place on earth. But then...

1. The Amazing Husband really wanted some. And it was his birthday. His 30th birthday. And people do crazy things for love, kids.

2. You only live once. And we're only getting these passes once. One year of Disneyana and then it's back to real life. I realized when we left Vegas that we never really know the plans God has for us. I'd hate to end up leaving here after a few years of thinking we'd be here forever and regret not going.

3. They didn't end up costing as much as I thought. I mean, they did cost a lot. I nearly hyperventilated when I hit "Buy Tickets". BUT. Annual passes including parking ended up costing us less than we would have spent to come for a long weekend. (We bought the cheap ones.) So this year, instead of a family vacation, we're doing Disney.

3a. We were able to pay cash. I note this because everyone I talked to around here about it said, "Hey, don't worry about the cost because you can make payments!" Now I really like these folks, but no way am I buying Disney passes on credit. We happen to believe that if you don't have the money for something, you can't afford it. If you can afford the payment you should save that money until you have it all. The only exceptions to the cash only rule are houses and medical bills. And maybe cars but there would have to be some extenuating circumstances to that one. Which is why we still drive our old blue van.

Anyway. We bought our passes last weekend and spent the whole day Monday, then we went after school on Thursday. And it has been a real blast. It's nice to go not worrying about getting it all done. It's relaxing. The kids love it. And next time we go we'll have paid for the passes.

So that's my confession for the week.

Naked

noreply@blogger.com (Brieana Smith) — Sat, 07 May 2011 03:58:00 +0000

I gotcha with the title, didn't I?

I am not an expert on marriage. Quite frankly, there are lots of people out there who do it better than I do. Two of those people are Billy and Annie Phipps. They're pastors at our church and super fun folks to boot. And they wrote a fabulous article about marriage over at Foundation Restoration that you've just got to read. If you're married. Or engaged. Because the word naked is pretty frequently mentioned. Otherwise go play solitaire or something. But if you're married you've got to read this.

Foundation Restoration is a brand-new site dedicated to helping folks have the best relationships they can. They're having a launch party and giving away lots of great stuff as well as featuring articles by several folks you'll want to learn from.

So head on over and check it out!