Sometimes It's the Little Things

Last week was pretty frustrating.  Though my laryngitis was all cleared up, my back had gone out and was super achy.  Plus, I had apparently pulled a leg/groin muscle, so I found myself limping around.  On top of all that, my week started out with dental work bright and early Monday morning.  The dentist had numbed the left side of my mouth/jaw/lips, and it took several hours for the numbness to wear off.  It then took several days before my jaw stopped aching and I felt like chewing again.  I think my men were tired of soft food for dinner all week.  :)

Danny had also just gotten his driver's license, so I no longer had to accompany him to school three days a week.  I had all my time at home again!  I was able to spend time with Joe and Thomas, able to do laundry, and bake bread, and blog, and just be in my home base again!  But, although I was home, I was terribly limited.

I decided to at least take pictures of things I needed to do throughout the week, and then do them--even if they were piddly things, they still needed doing.

First, Fernando had asked me to fix a rip in his shirt.  He had said it was along the seam, so I thought it would be quick and easy.  Well, it had ripped along the seam but also into both sides of the seam.  I got creative with the needle and thread, and thanked the Lord that it was near the armpit so no one would see it!  (It was a brand-new shirt, too.)

I also cleaned off my project desk, which had gotten piled up with, well, stuff.  Our master bedroom is the "black hole" of the house, collecting stuff that has nowhere to go.  No before picture, but the after shot makes me feel good.

I also cleaned off our dresser, which also tends to get piled up with stuff.

One day, I decided to tackle the laundry.  I don't usually let it mound up, but it had gotten bad last week!

My "daily docket" (below) really helps me prioritize my day.  It is where I write down a rough "sketch" of the day, hour by hour.  I list all the items I have to do.  My docket allows for ten to-do items--I never get them all done, but I list the top three items under MITs--Most Important Things--to make sure at least those three get done.  This also helps me see, day by day, that I'm accomplishing things!  (I created my daily docket based on Tsh Oxenreider's example in her book, Organized Simplicity.  Excellent book, by the way.)

The last thing I actually accomplished was the filing.  Yep, it stacks up in a pile on the bottom shelf of our bookcase, right on top of the books!  At some point when I'm tired of looking at it, I file it.  At least the stack was small this time.  Paperwork seems to be my nemesis.

The filing got done, as did the laundry and other items above.  Even though some of the to-do's were everyday chores, I was glad I had gone around and photographed things, even if it was just the "before" photos.  I feel better now.


Back to life,
Christine

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Family Date Night!

Labor Day weekend started out with a two-day multi-family garage sale in our driveway.  Temps were in the 90s and it was very humid, but we survived.  Barely.

And everyone made money!  We celebrated having a great garage sale by having a family date at Andy's on Sunday.  Isn't this a wonderful sign to see?  It beckons us to come on in and have some yum.  :)

Now this is what life is all about:  family, together, and ice cream.  A great combination.  This is tongue-in-cheek humor, of course.  And tongue-licking lips, and lip-smacking good.  :)

Sun in their eyes

Our yum-yum, waiting for us behind the window...

Fernando thinks he has to look at the camera whenever I take a picture.  Jacob is simply goofing off.

See?  Lots of fun, laughter, and yummy in our tummy.

Thomas paid for a root beer out of his own money so he could make his own root beer float.

Best brothers and buds, sharing a seat.

This is what frozen custard does to our boys.  They're pretty normal otherwise...

The more serious-but-still-slightly-goofy brother picture.

I love my family.


Back to life,
Christine

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Sow, Reap, Break Up, Seek

Our back yard has things in it that I'd rather it not have in it.  Rabbits, for instance.  Yeah, okay, they're cute and all, but really--they're rodents.  They eat the tender, young vegetables in my garden.  Because of the damage these "cute" critters wreak, we have constructed a chicken-wire fence around our garden space.  Problem solved.  We still need to be diligent in checking the fence to make sure there are no gaps, since those rabbits know that if they can sneak under, there is a good reward waiting for them on the other side.  Our fence keeps them out, and our plants have a chance to grow without hindrance and produce good veggies.

One thing the fence doesn't keep out is dandelions.  Our back yard resembles a sea of yellow, with some white fluffy blobs here and there.  Although the flowers are "pretty"--they really do make good subjects for my macro lens!!--they are pesky weeds and crowd out the grass.  And after a while, they look plain ugly.

We have to be careful in getting rid of these prolific weeds.  Care has to be taken not to get "weed and feed" or other chemicals near our vegetable garden.  Fernando is always diligent to keep away from the garden area when he is doing battle with these pesky plants.  We try to hand-pick the weeds near the garden, so that everything stays nice and the garden is kept chemical-free and healthy.

Baby mesclun mix for yummy salad

Diligence in our back yard produces a beautiful lawn where we can run and play.  And of course, diligence in our garden produces healthy veggies for keeping bodies healthy and strong!

I also need to be diligent with my relationship with the Lord, making sure my heart is open before Him, guarding against "weeds" and "rodents" that can creep in and destroy my spiritual health.  I like gardening season; when I weed my garden, I'm reminded to also weed my spiritual garden.

Sow with a view to righteousness,

Reap in accordance with kindness;

Break up your fallow ground,

For it is time to seek the LORD

Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.

Hosea 10:12 NASB

Back to life,
Christine

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Tested

Another chemistry experiment under his belt, Danny is marching through his curriculum.  He's working so hard, and I'm proud of his efforts.

In a science experiment, a theory is given, then tested using an experiment--or many experiments--to see if that theory holds up.  In the chemistry curriculum, it's all laid out and easy.  The book explains every detail of the experiment, plus what should happen and why.

Even though the book explains everything, students are required to complete the experiment to "see it for themselves."  They could simply read and believe what the book tells them, but they are encouraged and usually required to "prove" those words.

Danny has been a pretty good scientist this year, detailed in his reports and observations from the experiments.  For the most part, he has "proven" the theories and explanations in his chemistry book.  He knows he can rely on the definitions and explanations in the book, since he has tested them and shown them to be true.

Just like chemistry and other science curriculum, God's Word can also be tested.  And since we know that God does not change, and His words are true and everlasting, we don't even have to put them to the test!  We can stand on them as standing on a rock, and we will be made secure.

Every word of God is tested;

He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

Proverbs 30:5 NASB

And we know that the Son of God has come,

and has given us understanding so that we may know

Him who is true;

and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.

This is the true God and eternal life.

1 John 5:20 NASB

Back to life,
Christine

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Afternoon at the Pond

On the way home from church this afternoon, I glanced at the thermometer in the rear-view mirror.  71!!??!!  With the breeze, it didn't feel like it.  But if it said 71, then goodness, we were going to be outdoors this afternoon.  Danny suggested a bike ride, and Fernando agreed.

The three of us left the others at home and pedaled off around town.  We ended up at a pond behind a friend's house (since our friends weren't home).

I am proud to say I carried my own camera pack on my back (I had removed a few lenses and the flash to make the pack lighter).  It was so nice to relax and feel the breeze, with its barest kiss of warmth and the promise of spring.

My Bear on the bench

I had fun snapping photos and relaxing with my Bear, while Danny waited patiently until we were ready to go.  He really wanted to just ride, ride, ride!

Mallard in the water

Cormorants taking off

Checking to see if we had any bread

Canada geese buzzing the pond

Rocks on the shoreline

Mama spent the whole time preening!

So long, seagull!

Now I know spring is on the way!  It's supposed to be colder again this week, but it's coming!  I'm hanging on!!

Back to life,
Christine

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It's Not All Academics

A few weeks ago, a short conversation was hopping around my circle of blog friends.  We all pretty much agreed that we don't post much about our homeschool.  For me, this blog contains the chronicles of our lives together as a family, a written heritage, if you will, of our family's life, including everyday life, special events, meals shared, recipes we've enjoyed, stories of joy and sadness.

I think the reason that I don't post much about our homeschool is that it is such an integrated part of our lives.  It's just what we do.  The school subjects are there every day, and they get done.  I don't really want to blog about what Thomas studied in history today, or about the essay paper Danny has to write for English Composition.  I guess that school is such a seamless part of our day and our lives that it doesn't seem important enough, or momentous enough, to blog about.  Don't get me wrong--it's important!  But it is as natural as someone going to work each day, or even as someone going to an actual school building each day.  It's just what we do.

Homeschool life is everyday life.  It is a lifestyle dedicated to these goals, in this order:

• Discipling our sons in His Word, and living out our lives with Him before them, that they would in turn become followers of Christ.
• Living our lives together, working on character training, building each other up in Christ--as iron sharpens iron
• Fostering a love of learning, and of books, and of curiosity
• Taking care of academics

Christ is the Preeminent One in our lives and in our home.  Academics are secondary.  This is the way it is.

I do have lots of images of the boys studying, doing school, and participating in activities--especially science experiments.  And every now and then, I'll post an image, or write a post, about what we're doing.  This post, then, serves as proof that we really do cover the academics!

Great are the works of the LORD;

They are studied by all who delight in them.

Psalm 111:2 nasb

Back to life,
Christine

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