Ordinary Days

7 Quick Takes: Meet My Best Friends...who haven't ever met me, because I'm a stalker

2015-07-17T15:28:00.000-04:00

Well, hello there. Yes, it's been a while. Figured I'd better dust this thing off and see if it still works.

Let's do a 7 Quick Takes, shall we? Why the heck not!

1. So the second Edel Gathering just happened and I found myself watching from afar (via Facebook, The Jennifer Fulwiler Show on SiriusXM's The Catholic Channel, and instagram). And I was all, "I MUST go to Edel next year to hang out with all of my best friends! So, that's my goal. Edel next year or bust!

2. Oh, and I should probably let my best friends actually know that they are my best friends because, well, it's more of a stalker/stalkee relationship at this particular moment in time. So there's Jennifer Fulfiller who I pretend stops by after the kids are in bed and drinks a glass (or bottle) of wine with me while we swap stories about being moms of six.

3.Then there's supermom Kendra, who I pretend is standing next to me when I'm feeling lazy and is all, "Do the things, Sarah! Do the things!" She's the imaginary kick in the pants I need from time to time.

4.Then there's Haley, who doesn't know that I pretend I'm hanging out in her yard while she does her StitchFix fashion shows giving my thumbs up and thumbs down to all of her clothes. We have so much fun just laughing and laughing and laughing.

5. And of course I can't leave out my bestie, Mary. She is so silly and smart and amazing and inspiring. We're pretty tight... even if she doesn't know that we are.

6. I just had to yell, "If you move it, you lose it!" because my ten-year-old and my three-year-old were fighting over a couch cushion. That's pretty much my life. It's quite glamorous. This is why I get along so well with my other BFFs, Kelly and Dwija. Crazy kids, ya know.

7. Here's a picture of me in what I wore to Mass last Sunday so my best friends (who don't quite know we're best friends) can recognize me (or give it to the police to complete their restraining orders).

Happy stalking, I mean, weekend!

7 Quick Takes: I'm Back On The Bloggy-Block!

2015-01-02T09:29:00.000-05:00

Hello, Lovelies!

Yes, it's me! I miss blogging. Oh, how I miss it! So dag-nabbit, I'm making time for blogging. And that's that!

Let's play catch-up, shall we? Or maybe we're meeting for the first time... or maybe it's been so long since I've posted that you're like, "Who's this Ordinary Sarah chick? I mean, she sounds kind of familiar, but in the sea of the blogosphere, I have no clue who I'm looking at here."

Well, then... (tiny wave and nervous smile) I'm Sarah. Allow me to introduce myself with some bullet points!

~1~

I'm Catholic. Yep, really Catholic. It's kind of my number one thing in life, ya know, because God is pretty important. It affects my whole life, which is awesome. You'll learn more about this the more you visit. Stay tuned, kiddos!

~2~

I'm married to Mr. Ordinary. And, as of this past Easter, HE'S CATHOLIC TOO! (Each and every one of those capital letters were completely appropriate and called for. Nothing in the world makes me happier, since I'm kind of responsible for his mortal soul and all.) We met in the Army during Basic Training (when I was but a wee 17-year-old baby, mind you) and have been married for twelve years. He's from Albania and he's awesome in every way.

~3~

Hold on to your horses, 'cause here comes a whopper. We have six kids and we're open to more. (I'll give you a second to compose yourself.) Yep, we're THOSE Catholics. As Jim Gaffigan says, "There's no goalie."

~4~

Another fun one: We're homeschoolers! This is our sixth year and we love it. I could go on for paragraphs, and possibly chapters, here. But I won't. We love it. It works for us. The end. (I'm always happy to answer questions, though! You can comment here or email me at ordinary(dot)days(at)hotmail(dot)com!)

Those are the basics, but I'll finish up with some random stuff about me.

~5~

I've delivered newspapers and worked in a dry cleaners (both in high school), then I joined the Army and worked at a hotel's front desk. All very interesting ways to get to know people and get a kind of "Downton Abbey, below stairs" type of behind the scenes view on people's lives. I've got a million stories from those jobs. I've told a few before and, who knows, maybe I'll tell a few more in the future.

~6~

I've got a dangerous love for Talenti gelato. It's a problem.

~7~

I take boardgames, trivia, charades, karaoke, and the like very seriously. Don't cheat, bring your A game, and prepare to be annihilated.

So, yep. That's me. If you're an old reader (I love you!) or new (I love you, too!), grab something from the fridge (Let's see. I've got eggnog, beer, and Sierra Mist) get comfy (This is my imaginary bloody-land, so I'm going to say I've got beanbags, bearskin rugs, and waterbeds) and settle in. I'm back on the bloody-block and so happy you're here with me. :)

I'm linking up for 7 Quick Takes.

7 Quick Takes: The "This Is My First Time" Edition

2014-07-18T14:53:00.001-04:00

So there's this fun little Friday thingie called 7 Quick Takes that I've loved reading other people's entries of forever. Well, today I'm jumping in feet first. Not sure if I'm doing it right, but I'll just cross my fingers and hope for the best.

1....2....3.... WHEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~1~~~~~~~~~~~~
My sweet little baby is two months old today. Somehow I'm OK with this. She is so perfect and squeezable and soft and smiley and sweet. She's also the first baby to sleep through the night since my firstborn, lo those many eleven years ago. The four in between my two sleepy bookends were all middle-of-the-night partiers. Oh, and just because I called her a bookend doesn't mean she'll always hold that title. You know how we Catholics are...

~~~~~~~~~~~~2~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We went to an outdoor concert last night. Mr. Ordinary sat with the sweet baby an enjoyed the music and a beverage while I played soccer with the others. All the while hoping *fingers crossed* that my kids will grow up with memories of how awesome their mom was because she played soccer with them barefoot in the grass. I also attempted my annual cartwheel due-to-happy-wistful-mommy-endorphine-overload. My wrists do not thank me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~3~~~~~~~~~~~~~

alleged suspect of Quick Take #7

My next album will be kicked off with the sure-to-be-a-smash-hit, entitled Are You Going To Poop Poop For Your Mama? sung to the tune of She'll Be Coming Round The Mountain When She Comes. I'll leave the inspiration for that one to your imaginations.

~~~~~~~~~~~~4~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh my gosh. I can't believe I haven't told you yet, but Mr. Ordinary was baptized at the Easter Vigil this year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As you may guess from the number of exclamation points, I'm just a teensy bit elated over this. Seriously, you guys. Dream! Come! True! I'll have to get him on here sometime to share his conversion story. I love a good conversion story. Don't you?

~~~~~~~~~~~~5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I took the baby and 4.5yo Sunshine to Old Navy this morning where we chatted with another nice little mama while we waited for them to open the doors. (Some people love to shut down the club, I love to open up the Old Navy. Woot woot!!) This nice little mama assumed these two were my only kids and gave me all the advice about age gaps and having a third and other things I already know because, well, I have a billion more kids but they just aren't with me at the moment but keep on talking, nice little mama. I won't rain on your advice giving parade.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~6~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I got this and this and a white flowy blouse that I can't find on their website. But trust me. It's super cute!

~~~~~~~~~~~~7~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have a bit of advice for you, if you don't mind. Don't agree to let your two year old ride his tricycle all the way to and from the park down the street because it will take for-ev-er and you will encourage him to speed up so you can actually make it back to your house this year
and not have to live out the rest of your lives right there on the street, and he may just then scream "I don't want to live on the street!" as you pass in front of your neighbor, Mr. Judgy-Eyes.

You're welcome.

"Are You Going To Have More?"

2014-07-03T11:37:00.000-04:00

I realize I'm all out of order here, with being about to write about my six week check-up before even writing the birth story and all, but bare with me. I'll get the birth story on here at some point. I promise!

Six weeks ago The Ordinary Family welcomed a squishy lump of joy in the form of a baby girl. (Yes! A girl! Sunshine now has a sister! Hooray!) She is wonderful, smells delicious, eats quite often and makes all of so so so so very very very very happy.

Yep, that's right. We've now earned our sixth badge in the Crazy League of Parenthood Troop! Yeah us! Woot woot!

I had my six week check-up today and got to answer that always oh-so-exciting question. "So, what are you thinking about for birth control?" I used to sweat about this one, imagining they'd be thinking, "Oh, one of those crazy Catholics. Who does she think she is? A Duggar?"

But much like having a slew of strangers take a peek at your hoo-ha, after awhile you just get used to it.

"No birth control. Thanks."

And, thankfully, when this nurse said, "So, do you think you'll have more?" and I answered, "Who knows, maybe!" I was thrilled to hear her say, "Well that's exciting! If anyone can handle it, it's you!"

I've gotten the, "Are you going to have more?" question a few times and I always answer in one of two ways, depending on how genuinely interested the person asking seems to be:

Just making conversation, not too interested: "Maybe, we'll see."

Genuinely interested: "Well, we're Catholic. We're doing ok financially and they make us pretty happy, so probably." (If I think they can handle it, I like to throw in a little, "We're so fertile!" in there, just for fun. ;) ) #ohnoshedidnt #ohyesIdid #Catholicismdrop

And one thing I ALWAYS do, smile! Yes, the more kids you have, the more your life changes. The more selfless you have to become. The more sleep you lose. The more workload you take on.

But also, the more joy you are filled with! Share it! Let people know that these babies are gifts and much more than diapers and night feedings and potty training and early Saturday morning soccer practices.

They. Are. Joy!

Slowing Down And Almost Stopping

2014-05-12T20:37:00.001-04:00

It's been forever and yadda yadda yadda...

You've heard all that before. Let's just skip it, okay?

The thing is, I have things to say. Words overflowing from my brain with nowhere to go. So here they shall spill.

I'm due with Baby Number Six in just a few days. For some reason, there is more anxiety this time around than ever ever ever before. I don't know why. There just is.

My body said, "I give up!" about ten weeks ago. I've felt weak. I've felt worn out. I've felt impatient and I've just settled for all of that. I mean, I've tried to count it all joy and all that, but the truth is this time around, I've just needed to crawl in my cave and hibernate.

Being quiet feels good right now. Being home feels good right now. Being with my kids and my husband and just ticking away the days slowly and gently and with the least amount of plans possible feels really good right now.

I'm turning inward. I'm slowing down and almost stopping. I'm breathing and releasing and waiting.

And soon the little one will be here. And we can start things up again, start doing and going and planning and venturing again.

But until then? I'll be right here, letting God's plan unfold, completely out of my control, just the way He wants it to be.

Sarah's day in a life (with a 10, 8, 6, 4 and 2-year-old)

2014-01-28T13:39:00.003-05:00

When I was first researching homeschooling, I spent hours upon hours just trying to figure out what the heck I was supposed to do each day. Nothing helped more than blog posts about what someone's typical homeschooling day was really like. There were so many styles and variations and choices.

And, at the end of it all, I realized, I can do whatever I want. There is no right or wrong as long as you have the goal of helping your chil(ren) to live, learn, and grow in mind.

I adore the "day in a life" posts over at Simple Homeschool, so I thought I'd give you a glimpse into a typical day for us.

Please keep in mind that I have a 10-, 8-, 6-, 4- and 2-year-old. My day could look insanely different from or remarkably similar to yours.

7:00 The 2-year-old climbs out of his crib, toddles down the hall and into bed with me. For the next half hour or so, I am poked in the eye, squeezed on the cheeks and generally climbed all over as he so sweetly coaxes me out of my warm nest to go downstairs and get this day started already!

7:30 The two of us wander downstairs, me sleepy-eyed and him full of energy and not quite able to understand why I'm shushing his million decibel voice while everyone else is still snug in their beds. I get him set with a yogurt then set about making my coffee.

8:00 I can hear the three big boys awake in their room, playing with Legos of course. Sunshine, my 4-year-old lone lady, hops down the steps full of bubbling energy and telling me how much she has missed me throughout the night and couldn't wait to kiss me this morning. She kisses her baby brother and joins him for some yogurt. I fry myself two eggs and top them with some hummus to scarf down while I check in with the world of email, facebook and the blogosphere.

8:30 I call the big boys (10, 8, & 6) down from Lego play, that could really last all day if I let it, to have some breakfast and get our day started. They ask for bread with jelly and apple slices. I pour milk for them and then pass out their multivitamins. I remember my coffee, which has gotten cold. Oh well. Down the hatch.

9:00 I send the oldest four off for their usual morning routine of, "Make your beds, get dressed and brush your teeth." If I feel like I need a little more time, I ask them to clean up their rooms as well. But this morning I'm in a hurry to get school underway, so I give them a twenty minute time slot to complete their usual tasks. I dress the 2-year-old and glance at our chore chart on the refrigerator to remind the 10-year-old that it's his turn to clear the table after breakfast.

The rest of our morning is a blur. Each of the three big boys know what they need to do for school. They take turns on the desktop and laptop completing their Teaching Textbooks lessons for the day, IXL games, and the 10-year-old works with me on his Classical Conversations Essentials work. In between turns on the computer, they get comfy on the couch, at the kitchen table or sprawled on the floor to do a page or two from their Handwriting Without Tears workbooks and to copy that week's Classical Conversations Foundations memory work onto these nifty worksheets.

My boys are very independent workers/learners and need little help from me other than they occasional reminder to say focused. While they work I usually do a few things around the house that need doing, like wash dishes, fold laundry or sweep a pound or two of dog hair off of the floor. Ah, the joys of having a huge indoor German Shepherd.

The 2- and 4-year-olds spend their mornings playing together. They are as close as big sister and little brother can possibly be and enjoy building with blocks, playing restaurant and "camping" in the pop-up tent and tunnel that occupy our dining room instead of a table and chairs.

Around 11:00, everyone is dismissed to the basement playroom to go nuts for awhile until I can get lunch on the table... or, you know, sit on the couch for thirty minutes of quiet reading and then worry about lunch. Today we have Nutella on tortillas, peach slices and glasses of cherry kefir. These "Nut-tillas" (a name I just came up with right this very second) are a new creation (we were out of bread) and the kids are thrilled with them.

After lunch, I head up to put the 2-year-old down for a nap while instructing the others to do their after lunch chores like clearing the table, cleaning up the school and family rooms, and emptying the dishwasher before getting back to any unfinished schoolwork.

The afternoon is a semi-quiet whirlwind of wrapping up work, independent reading and playing for the kids and calling Mr. Ordinary to see how his day is going (and to hear another adult voice), figuring out what we'll have for dinner, basic straightening up, and fiddling around on facebook for me.

Before I know it, the little man is up from his nap. I pick an educational show from Netflix for the kids to watch and Mr. Ordinary walks in the door. He's practically tackled with kisses and hugs. Oh, and the kids say hi, too. ;) The kids are free to pick silly shows like Phineas and Ferb or Ninjago to watch while Mr. Ordinary and I head upstairs for our daily "Parent Meeting." We lock the door and lay down in our quiet room to discuss our days and unwind a bit before he heads off to walk to the dog. (Here's a glimpse into one of my favorite parent meetings ever.)

This evening involves a fire in the fireplace, some chicken and quinoa for dinner, and some card games before it's time for the little to get ready for bed.

8:00 Mr. Ordinary tucks everyone in, after an impromptu wrestling session in the boys' room of course, and then joins me on the couch where we watch some TV, eat some ice cream and he rubs my feet. We eventually turn in around 10:30.

************
I hope you enojoyed a sneak peek into our lives! I'd love to answer any questions you have and to hear about your days. Hop on into the comments and leave me a note. :)

We Only Spent $50 Per Kid This Christmas... And They Were Happy! Success!

2013-12-30T11:15:00.002-05:00

You read that right. Fifty bucks. When Mr. Ordinary and I began talking Christmas business a month or so back, he came up with the (what I thought was insane at the time) idea of spending just $50 per child for Christmas.

Now, we've never been over-the-top Santas here at the Ordinary House, but I think our typical budget has been about $75 per child. So this wasn't the easiest of feats. But we did it! And it was kind of fun! Here's how and why:

We really listened to what the kids wanted. We try our best to steer clear of commercialism, so we don't do letters to Santa or bring the topic of all that their little hearts desire all that much. But it's Christmas, so catalogs come and the topic does come up from time to time. So this year we super-duper paid attention.

I made a chart. Across the top were the categories Want, Need, Wear, & Read. And then I crossed off read and replaced it with Smaller Want because, honestly, we don't need any more books in this house and I like the library better than buying books anyway. Down the first column went their names and then we filled the thing in with ideas over dinner on date night.

I knew to make the budget work I'd have to watch sales like a hawk. Enter the wonders of Bargain Briana and Money Saving Mom. They did the bargain hunting for me and I just clicked their convenient little links. Thanks, girls!

So, what did we get? Well, I'll tell ya!

Big Boy (10) got...

a real deal kids bow and arrow set ($20, Meijer)
a snowboard ($15, Menards)
a long-sleeved, camo shirt with a hood ($8, Target)
a Transformers spin-brush ($5, Target)

Monkey (8) got...

a remote control Mudslinger Jeep (regularly $40, but I found it for $15 one day on Target's website! SCORE!)
a Z-Curve bow that he'd been eyeing ($15, Menards)
a long-sleeved, camo t-shirt ($8, Target)
a Transformers spin-brush ($5, Target)

Future (6) got...

an Imaginext T-Rex huge dinosaur toy thing he's been eyeing (usually $40, on sale for $23, Amazon)
a military set with planes and guys and stuff ($10, Target)
a long-sleeved shirt with a motorcycle on it because I couldn't find another camo shirt to save my life ($6, Target)
a Transformers spin-brush ($5, Target)

Sunshine (4) got...

a Melissa & Doug fold-n-go dollhouse (scored on sale for only $25, Amazon)
a doctor's kit, because she wants to be a "hospitiler" ($14, Target)
a sweater dress with a cute fawn on it ($9, Crazy8 <---love li="" place="" that="">
a princess spin-brush ($5, Target)

Little Man (2) got...

a Tonka bulldozer ($16, Menards)
a bike helmet because he has a thing for helmets right now ($20, Target)
a flannel shirt because baby lumberjacks are adorable ($8, Target)
an ABC spin-brush ($5, Target)

For stockings, I happened to have a gift card to Barnes and Noble that I hadn't used so I picked up some little scratch-off style hangman books for the 3 big boys, a set of colored pencils made out of actual fat twigs ("Santa" slipped a few pencils in each stocking) for $5 and some blank journals for another $5 at Home Goods.

Grand total: $247! Woo hoo!

I was nervous about the limited budget, but we made it work and the kids were absolutely thrilled Christmas morning.

How about you? Do you use a budget at Christmas or do you just go nuts?

Last Minute GIfts For Your Homeschool Wife

2013-12-20T15:22:00.001-05:00

*Quick not: Congrats to Farmwife for winning our first "What Did The Dog Eat Today?" game! She correctly guessed that he ate a Christmas ornament filled with glitter. I tell ya, it was like walking into a winter wonderland coated with a nice layer of dog saliva. Merry Christmas!

So it's a few days until Christmas and you still need to pick up something(s) for your hard-working, self-sacrificing, angel of a homeschooling wife. Here are some ideas I am just sure she (I) would love!

1. Dry erase markers. Homeschooling wives (I) go through these things like crazy. Go nuts and get all kinds of colors and tips and throw in a bottle of whiteboard cleaner and a new eraser or two if you're feeling a little crazy.

2. 2014 Planner. Your wife (I) plans and schedules and organizes your children's education day after day. Why not give her something pretty to write it all down in?

3. These mugs. Mom (I) gets coffee/tea/cocoa. The kids learn a little grammar. Win-win, right? (If you're really running late, grab a couple of shapies and a white mug and make your own!)

4. A gift card to her favorite teacher store. $50 bucks and free run of a store full of workbooks and manipulatives and posters and art supplies and educational games? She (I) will be in heaven.

5. A "Teacher's Lounge" goodie basket. Put some of her (my) favorite candy bars, magazines, nail polish, scented lotion, and other little goodies together so she can take mini-escapes throughout her (my) busy days.

Let's Play "What Did The Dog Eat Today?"

2013-12-17T16:24:00.000-05:00

You know, he used to be a good pup. But suddenly, like most people as they get old, this dog of ours has turned into a grumpy butt that doesn't really care what anyone thinks about him anymore.

This is evidenced by his new hobby of eating all the things.

I've got lemons, friends. But I'm determined to make some lemonade. Let's turn this mess into a fun game, okie dokie?

I'll give you some choices. You comment with a guess. And somebody wins a $5 Starbucks card. You sip a latte while I scoop up globs of my belongings covered in dog slobber. Fair trade, right? I'll share the answer and draw a winner on Friday.

So, what did the dog eat today?

Was it:

A. a poopy diaper

B. a glitter-filled Christmas ornament

C. a fresh loaf of bread that was cooling on the counter

D. one of the Ordinary Kids

Good luck!

Loving & Not So Much

2013-12-16T09:48:00.000-05:00

My brain is on facebook-mode topped, with a heavy layer of mid-year homeschool burnout and a nice drizzle of "Christmas shopping is almost done and, boy, are my arms tired!"

I can't quite think beyond a couple of sentences at the moment. So I thought I'd share a few one-or-two-liners with you on what I'm loving and, well, not loving so much at the moment.

Here we go!

LOVING

These boots: I wear them All. The. Time. The end.

Peanut Butter Blast Bars from Yummy Health*: (Thanks to the wonderful people at Yummy Health who sent my family a box to try out.) Finding tasty treats without high fructose corn syrup is not an easy task, so finding these delicious things has made the Ordinary Family ecstatic!

Just Jilly: I met her as Diaper Diaries, oh those many moons ago, where her writing focused on raising her sweet little family. Now her blog is all grown up and I absolutely eat up her fashion posts.

Mary's Song: Words cannot express my love for this song. If you're looking for a tune to add to your laboring playlist, this is it. Go listen. You'll understand.

This shirt: I'm wearing it today. Do we want a boy? Are we hoping for a girl? Honestly, we don't care.

NOT SO MUCH

Last Christmas by Wham!: I'm not even going to link to it. Stop playing this song. Right now. I mean it.

Yeah, that's about it. Just that song. I need it erased from the history of mankind, if at all possible. Let me know if you can make that happen for me, okay? Thanks!

So, what are you loving right now?

*Thanks, Yummy Health, for sending my family of your tasty treats to try out.

Finding My Way Back

2013-12-04T11:27:00.001-05:00

I feel like I was once walking down this pretty trail in the woods, surrounded by tiny saplings and boulders of all sizes carved by time and towering trees full of fluttering birds and tiny pouncing furry things, when all of a sudden something shiny distracted me and pulled me off of my path.

I don't know what it was or why I followed it, but all I know now is that my boots are back on the muddy trail, happily crunching over fallen pine needles and skipping over big roots.

TV, facebook, suburbia, hstle and bustle... just fine in small doses, but it has overwhelmed me lately.

Mr. Ordinary and I escaped to the woods recently and I was immediately revived when I didn't even realize I'd been knocked out for quite a while.

And I was reminded that wrting and sharing and visiting with you is like a chest full of fresh air, too. Ahhh. This space. Why do I ever leave it alone so long?

Well, my fellow hikers, let me catch you up just a bit.

The Ordinary Family is happily anticipating the arrival of our sixth little bundle. He or she will arrive mid-May.

I feel like I've run into an old friend I haven't seen in years and I just want to hug you and tell you so many things. I'll leave it at this for now, though. But let's do this again? Soon, okay?

How To Homeschool... When You Have No Clue Where To Begin

2013-08-28T16:04:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year. The time of year when all of the new homeschoolers want to know ALL! THE! THINGS!

First of all, let me offer a HUGE welcome to the club! I'm so excited that you're here. Seriously, I'm doing The Dance of Joy a la Larry and Balki from Perfect Strangers. Did I lose you there? Maybe this video will help:

I was in your shoes five years ago. I know all about feeling like you know nothing and that there is just so much to learn. Let me offer a bit of friendly advice:

There is no right way! There is nothing that you HAVE to buy! Your one and only job is to make sure your kids get interested in a variety of things and actually want to learn more about them.

And most importantly, please listen carefully to this.

You love for your children is enough!

Workboxes? File folders? Time blocks? Eclectic? Unschooling? Curriculum? Charlotte Mason? Standards? Unit studies?

Is all of the vocabulary causing a tornado of confusion to form in your brain? I know it did in mine!

Here's an idea. Write all those words down. Do hours of research and compile a spreadsheet defining the terms, include websites that offer advice on them, and list all of the expensive curriculum, manipulatives and supplies you'll need. Now take that spreadsheet, crumble it in a tiny ball and use it to wipe up the mushy cheerios smooshed into the corners of your toddlers highchair tray.

Seriously, it's too much.

Here is what you need to know.

Love them.
I mean it. If nothing else sticks from their years at home, they way their mama treated them will.

Read to them.
It can be about dolphins or ancient history or Paris or just some silly poems. Find something that sparks their interest and see where it goes.

Take them to the library.
Let them see that it's all there at their fingertips. Not only books, but classes and music and friends.

Explore nature with them.
Let them stomp in creeks, build dams, find crawdads and wonder what they eat. Let them chase butterflies and wonder what the black and yellow ones are called and how they are different than the tiny white ones.

Encourage these questions and find answers together!

These are the basics. And if you do nothing else your first year, it will still be enough.

****************************************

I plan on answering more concrete questions from new homeschoolers over the next few weeks or so. Please leave any questions you may have in the comments!

Keeping LIttles Busy While Homeschooling

2013-08-22T14:02:00.000-04:00

This be my fifth year of homeschooling, and every one of those years I've had teeny ones under foot to keep entertained while I try to hammer some kind of knowledge into my older ones squishy little brains.

I've learned a trick or two in this department over the years. One of them is to stick them in front of some colorful cartoon with mesmorizing songs and dancing animals. But hours upon hours of that is frowned upon, I hear. Let's save that for moments of absolute desperation, shall we?

A much more accepted practice is providing these wee ones with quality toys to engage their ever-growing minds and... ya know, keep them busy for a few minutes.

Want to know my favorites? Okie dokie.

Heck, let's put it in a list. Lists are fun, right? Here we go!

1. Anything from Melissa & Doug

Seriously, anything. This is my favorite toy company on Earth. Some of our time-tested favorite are the Farm Cube Puzzle, the Stack and Sort Board, and the Deluxe Latches Board.

2. Alphabet Magnets

Pick a pack of these puppies up at the dollar store and you're good to go. My little ones have spent hours arranging and rearranging these one cookie sheets, the refrigerator door and even the metal fireplace grate while their older siblings get my attention during schoolwork. And I hear you score extra "Awesome-Mommy Points" if you occasionally tell them the names of the letters and the sounds they make.

3. Board Books

I'm big on instilling a love of reading, and the earlier the better! We got this Green Start Book Tower set as birthday gift a couple years back and the cute pictures, excellent durability and the fact that it's made from 98% recycled materials has made it a favorite in The Ordinary House.

4. Indoor Trampoline

As much as it would help our homeschooling day, little ones just can't sit still all day long. That's why I'm thankful Santa brought along this wonderful thing many years ago. It's a life-saver, seriously, I think I'd sell my wedding dress before I'd get rid of this puppy. And if you're little ones are too little for a trampoline, think ball-pit or little indoor play sets and jungle gyms .

5. VTech Map

I love toys that cover a wide age-range. This map from VTech does just that! For babies, it makes noises when they bang on it. Toddlers might actually understand that those noises are names of states and interesting facts about them. And older kids can test their geography with its interactive games. Win-win-win!

Your turn!

What are your favorite toys for tiny homeschoolers?

(These links are just links. I forgot how to do affiliate links long ago. I'm lucky if I remember to change out of my PJs before we leave the house.)

This Nearly Perfect One

2013-08-07T15:10:00.001-04:00

This is the tree that my coffee cup and I stare at early in the morning. It's blurry and out of focus because, well, so am I early in the morning.

Growing up, we moved every four years or so. Not far, always within our tiny town wrapped up inside our big city. I could still ride my bike to all of our old houses from any of our new ones. I'm not sure why we moved. Fluctuating family size, maybe? Maybe my parents were old school flippers? Could be. Perhaps my parents were just the restless type. I don't know.

But now it's in my blood, this occasional pulling up of roots and planting them somewhere else. We've been here less than a handful of years and the combination of this blood condition and the fact that HOA people get a little power hungry and like to tell you just where you are and most definitely are not allowed to put your trashcans sends me searching real estate websites for that perfect one.

I haven't found it yet. Nothing worth leaving this nearly perfect one, that is. This one where the kids have different nooks and crannies in the huge backyard for hide and seek. This one where the loose board in the hallway is in just the right spot to tell me if someone is escaping their room at night. This one with huge closet that doubles as a fort for the boys complete with Lego displays and a box of Halloween costumes that are used year round. This one with that tree to stare at early in the morning while baby bunnies hop out from under the bushes and mama ducks take their ducklings for a swim just feet away.

This one with the trashcans where we want to put them, no matter what those silly people say.

Ordinary House Rule #873

2013-08-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT bother Mama while she is putting the baby to sleep unless someone is puking, bleeding, or on fire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your turn. Tell me one your house rules!

The Rain Says Shh

2013-07-31T11:17:00.002-04:00

We slept late this morning. Being out way past bedtime, braving a constant drizzle to dance at our town's last outdoor concert of the season, will do that to you.

We woke up to fresh bread, baked and wrapped in a warm towel by the wonderful Mr. Ordinary before he headed off to work. I got my coffee going while the boys set the table and Sunshine looked out the window for birds with the (oh-my-gosh-is-he-really-closer-to-two-than-one) baby. He calls the birds nonnies. So now I call them nonnies, too.

Our fresh bread was smeared with lumpy jam and then gobbled down piece after piece until the loaf was all but gone. The last slice went to the dog, offered by the hands of the (oh-my-gosh-is-he-really-closer-to-two-than-one) baby.

It's rainy and gray outside and we've got nowhere in particular to go and nothing in particular to do today.

The last days of our summer break are slipping off of the calendar, one by one. Plans are being jotted in a spiral notebook for the upcoming school year. Shelves need cleaning off and reorganizing. List of supplies are waiting to be checked off. We still need ink, markers, some workbooks and more shelves. There are never enough shelves.

But a glance out the window tells me what to do.

The gray says, "Slow down."
The clouds say, "Be still."
The rain says, "Shhhh."

One, Two, Three

2013-07-03T14:53:00.001-04:00

I traveled back in time today. For the past few hours I've been a mama of two. Just me and my three year old girl and one and a half year old boy. One, two, three.

I spent a good chunk of the morning under the dining table vroom-vrooming little toy cars across the floor.

I made lunch, far too much lunch actually. I'm used to a larger crowd. We feasted on bread and cheese and tomatoes. Leftovers are in the fridge.

We closed the curtains and sprawled out on the little girl's bedroom floor to devour our pile of library books about babies and princesses and barns.

I nursed the sleepy boy to sleep and the little girl and I decided to make blanket forts on the deck. We pretended to doze in the shade until the dog came to lick us one too many times. Inside we came and turned on some old cartoons that I remember from when I was her age.

She's watching them now as I sit here and type this. The big, hungry, noisy boys will be home any minute. I miss them. But I'll miss this too.

Getting Up And Doing

2013-07-01T17:39:00.002-04:00

Doing. Making. Cooking. Loving. Cleaning. Reading.

Oh, it all feels so good.

It happens every year. We end school just before our annual Florida vacation and, when we get back, my mind tells me, "Do nothing for awhile. It'll feel so good!"

What a lie! Sure, it's nice to lay on the couch for a few days and not do much of anything. But then you (I) get frustrated with the piles of dishes and dog hair and lack of plans and the sitting and staring and blah-blah-blahing.

So, we got up and did.

We joined the thing I've wanted to join forever. I gathered lavender from the front yard into sleepy little bundles to hang in bedrooms. I learned what plantain was, taught the boys about it and played a game to identify it ("Find 20 plantain plants and we'll make cookies!"). We gathered wild sorrel from our back yard and added it to our cabbage salads.

Oh, and I wore flowy skirts. Life is better in skirts. Trust me. Or don't. Go ahead and put one on. You'll love it.

So, here's to getting up and doing! Because it just feels so good.

What have you gotten up and done lately? I'd love to hear!

Yay for YummyHealth!

2013-06-17T12:02:00.001-04:00

Right now, my kids are playing in the back yard. I put a jug of my famous watermelon water (water with a bunch of frozen watermelon chunks floating in it to keep it cool and tasty) and a handful of mugs on the deck. They love the stuff.

And I love that they love the stuff.

You see, we try our darnedest to be extremely careful with what goes into their little, and not-so-little (the almost 10-year-old is getting huge!) bodies.

Our garden, planted in organic mushroom compost, is coming along great and will soon be supplying us with tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, onions and beans that will be about as fresh and clean as you can get. It takes time and effort and money to plant and care for a garden like that. But it's important for our health and our health is important to us.

We sacrifice to be able to shop at a more expensive grocery store where we load up on organic fruits and veggies, grass-fed beef, and things without the hormones and corn syrup and insane amounts of non-food items on their ingredient lists that you'd typically find at other grocery stores. Yes, I cringe a little when the cashier announces our grand total. Yes, I remember the good old days when our bill was half that at our old grocery store. But, I'm also happy knowing that we're trying our best to do what we can to get our kids off on the right (healthy) foot in life.

So when the people at YummyHealth contacted me to see if my family would like to give their Yummy Snack Chips and Yummy Snack Bars a try, I was so excited! From what I quickly read on their website, I saw that all of their products were right up our alley:

...you won't find gluten, hydrogenated oils, trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, artificial flavors or preservatives in any of our YummySwap products.

Yippee! We try our best to steer clear of processed food, but sometimes having a bag of chips or a candy bar is really handy and a nice treat for the kiddos, too. Still, I was a tiny bit apprehensive. Would my kids actually like the taste?

I decided to test them out at a weekly outdoor concert we go to during the summer where we listen to music, kick around a soccer ball and, when the kids get worn out, enjoy some snacks on a blanket in the grass.

Well? Did they like them? No. They LOVED them! Each bag of Yummy Snack Chips (we had one each of nacho, cheese, and pizza flavors) were devoured in nano-seconds. We concluded that the nacho flavor was our family favorite. And the chocolate blast snack bar? I saved that one for myself. So! Good! Dark chocolate filled with yummy coconut bits, all gooey and delicious and wonderful... it was a tiny mom-dream come true in a yellow wrapper.

Be sure to check out their website, and see for yourself why these snacks make better options than conventional chips and candy bars.

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Yep, they sent me the stuff. Nope, I wasn't paid. Yep, the opinions are all mine. Nope, I don't like pina coladas or getting caught in the rain.

Homeschool Mom Confession

2013-05-29T09:33:00.001-04:00

It's coming. Summer break. My kids are ready for it. My oldest, the awesome fourth grader, is the only one with a little bit of 'school' left to do.

Visions of days spent romping in the yard, hiking on trails, bicycling to papaw's and sprawling on blankets at our town's outdoor concerts and movies are flashing in front of our eyes. We can't wait to have even less on our normally itty-bitty to-do lists than usual.

But there's one catch.

The local schools have two more days. Two more days until all those wonderful kids run screaming from the school bus one last time, ready to soak in the sweetness of summer freedom for a few months. Ready to rollerblade to the park, go fishing in the neighborhood ponds, throw towels over their shoulders and head to the pool.

Ready to... (Oh, do I dare say it? Here goes....)

Ready to pop our magical, wonderful, majestic homeschool bubble.

Don't get me wrong. I love the all the traditionally-schooled little sweethearts. I really do! We have some of the most wonderful little neighbor-kids you could ask for. The share toys with my kids, play basketball with them, come lend a helping hand when we try to completely cover our driveway with sidewalk chalk.

It's just that, well, all of our places are suddenly overrun with all these newly-released tiny people.

Our once quiet weekday library where my boys and a couple of homeschooling friends spend hours in the military section, drooling over tanks and rocket launchers, will now be filled to the brim with eager summer reading program members.

Our quiet park picnics where I can chat with a fellow homeschool mom without fear of losing track of a child because, well, no one else is at the park at all will become frenzied outings consisting of me counting five little heads over and over and over and every few minutes muttering to myself, "Where's Sunshine? I can't see her in this sea of children. I think she was wearing a blue dress. Or was it a yellow shirt with purple shorts? How in the world do 18 kids fit on the monkey bars at once?"

A rainy weekday lunch at Chik-Fil-A won't offer my kids a playground to themselves while Mama sips on lemonade after walking from the car right up to the counter. Instead, we'll be fiftieth in line, there will be no empty tables, I'll lose a child in the playplace, someone will have to pee and the bathroom line will be so insanely long that we'll risk an accident on the way home instead of waiting and everyone will cry because "We only got to play for 4 minutes and I want my brother back!" and I'll scream "Well, your sister has to pee and only losing one out of five ain't too shabby! Your little brother will find his way home someday!"

My kids? They love the extra play buddies all over the place during the summer months.

Me? I don't do crowds. They kind of make me hyperventilate.

Happy summer break, to you. I'll be hiding in the basement until September.

Sun-kissed Cheeks and Sweaty Hair

2013-04-30T17:36:00.001-04:00

Today was good. The past couple of days, too, as a matter of fact.

It could have something to do with the fact that we can enjoy our dinners outside in the shade of a blooming tree again. Or that the swings on our swingset haven't stopped swinging accompanied by an oscillating flow of laughter. Or that I've decided that at this moment in my life, my house just won't be clean all that often. It just won't.

Today the boys took library books about ninjas, black holes, and a haunted house out to their clubhouse while Sunshine and Little Mister kept those swings going. I sprawled myself in the sun on the deck, a pillow behind my head and a book in my hands. (This book, if you're interested.) Little Mister eventually got brave enough to try the slide and Sunshine ventured off to fill a jar with dandelions.

Everyone came in with sun-kissed cheeks and sweaty hair.

I can't guarantee that the library books will make it back into the library basket, mainly because I haven't seen it in weeks. And I'm not making any promises that those sweaty heads will get any where near shampoo tonight.

But we do have steaks ready to go on the grill and a few more hours of daylight.

And all of that sounds fine to me.

I Need A Cabin

2013-04-12T10:29:00.001-04:00

Ahhhhh.......

I miss this space.

Inhale.....

Hello, readers.

Exhale....

I keep feeling like I have nothing to write, but I'm going to do what all the wise Bloggy Swamis say to do. I'm just going to start typing and see what spills out.

So, here's the thing. Skinny jeans. I'm the last human on the planet to jump on the bandwagon. And I haven't even jumped yet. I mean, I feel kind of like jumping. But then all I can think about is Holy moley, those things look like sweat machines! I mean I think I can pull them off because I'm pretty darn happy with my weight and thigh circumference. But I just think I'd actually die if I wore them on a hot day.

I think I'll just pick up a few maxi skirts instead.

Anyway...

I spent last weekend with the girls of my family in a cabin in the woods. And it was glorious! There were lots of fun beverages, a hot tub and a fire in a fire pit that I spent hours upon hours just poking with a stick. Poke, poke, poke.

I did miss my babies and Mr. Ordinary.

And my b00bs missed Little Mister. He's 16 months and still nurses like crazy. I'm OK with this. Someday, even though it really feels like never, but someday he will stop.

Anyway, back to the cabin. There was a little bit of hiking, some board games, ghost stories and then some more poking the fire with a stick. Blissful, I tell ya. Completely and utterly blissful.

Ugh. I need a cabin. Don't think for a second that I didn't check the real estate listings as soon as I got home.

Now I just need to win the lottery.

Mary Met Me in the Bathroom

2013-03-26T22:39:00.001-04:00

I was getting the baby out of (yes, out of) the dishwasher while on my way to fill the six-year-old's cup of water during my fifteenth attempt to do the dishes.

The eight-year-old was still working on the same worksheet he had been staring at for three hours. Three. Hours.

The nine-year-old was called away from reading a book in his cozy spot on the couch to help wrangle the baby so I could finally fill the dishwasher with actual dishes instead of, you know, children.

The three-year-old suddenly had to go potty, even though I had just taken her, like, a billion times in the past hour.

I gave up on the dishes and took my little lady to the potty. After she was done, I scooted her out the door, shut it with myself still inside, turned off the light and sat down on the floor. And prayed.

Hail Mary...

I need my Mommy!

Full of grace...

I'm so glad you are full of grace because right now I need a ton.

the Lord is with thee...

You're in such good company.

Blessed are you among women...

You're my mentor!

and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus...

from one (horribly imperfect) mom to (a completely perfect) another

Holy Mary, Mother of God...

It's me, Ordinary (not-so-holy) Sarah, mother of those five banshees in the next room.

Pray for us sinners now...

Right-this-very-second-now-'cause-I-feel-like-I'm-gonna-lose-it, if you don't mind.

And at the hour of death.

Ah, the constant reminder of what this all really about. You're right, this moment isn't that huge of a deal. Thank you.

Amen.

I gotta go. I'm pretty sure someone is bleeding out there.

Ash Wednesday and Lent

2013-02-13T10:24:00.002-05:00

It's Ash Wednesday! Woo hoo! Technically, you shouldn't be celebrating today. After all, Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, a season of quiet penitence.

But me? Well, I get excited. It's the beginning of a challenge, a time to stretch ourselves in order to grow closer to God, a time of increased prayer and focus on attaining life beyond this world.

It's a time set aside to call attention to doing better.

Call me crazy, but I think of the season of lent as a great gift and I'm ripping off the wrapping paper like a little kid at a birthday party, excited to see what's inside.

What's inside for me this year? Here's what I've come up with to grow closer to God this Lenten season:

I'm going to bed earlier. I've become quite a night owl lately. Hitting the hay before midnight has become a rarity for me. And it's not like I'm up late doing dishes or folding laundry. I'm watching movies or reading blogs or fiddling around on facebook. This, as can be expected, doesn't make for the prettiest of mornings.

I'm getting up earlier. The ability to sleep in is one of the perks of homeschooling. But not having to get up at 6am doesn't mean waking up at 8, or occasionally 9, makes a whole lot of sense. For the next forty days I'll be climbing out from under the covers while the kids are still snuggled in their beds, quietly sneaking downstairs and starting my day off with a real purpose.

I'm going to read the daily Mass readings. During those quiet moments by myself each morning, I'll head over to www.EWTN.com, click on Today's Mass and spend some time reading that day's readings, psalms and Gospel. {A Catholic reading the Bible! But they don't do that! (/sarcasm/) }

I'm going to fast. Not every day, but today (Ash Wednesday) and on Fridays. Technically, I don't have to because I'm still nursing. But the nursing right now is more of a comfort than a sustenance thing so I'm choosing to fast this year. I'll be following the "one main meal and two smaller meals that, when combined, do not equal more than the one main meal." Here is what I'll be eating today:

Breakfast: 1 cup of coffee, one plain pancake
Lunch (main meal): salad, garlic bread, pear, milk
Dinner: one bean burrito (no toppings), water

I've got loftier goals. Goals, though, that will have to wait for a different season of my life. When the kids are older, I'd love to have a Lenten season filled with forty Masses. And when they've left the nest, I foresee a Lent with forty days of praying outside of an abortion mill. And when Mr Ordinary is retired, I picture a Lenten pilgrimage to The Vatican.

But for now, these are my plans. This is what I can do. And I'm excited to begin my Lenten journey.

It's All Making Sense Now

2013-02-06T07:39:00.002-05:00

Friday: Cried after watching Meet Joe Black because, "Why do people have to diiiiieeeee?????"

Saturday: Completely lost my patience because Mr. Ordinary took too long to talk with someone.

Sunday: EAT! ALL! THE! FOOD!

Monday: After two years of being M. I. A., Happy Fun Girly Time returns. Suddenly everything makes sense.