A Nothing Day

Today was special. Brian went fishing and the kids and I got to relax at home after a long wonderful, but too busy, week. One of those weeks that I was sure...we did too much. Today we did "nothing". No school, no schedule, no intentional anything, yet it was a peaceful happy day. The ones I live for. This week, in addition to our normal school, work, and housework, we had two dance lessons, two swimming lessons, three play dates, and choir/bells. I think that may be a run on sentence and it was definitely too much on the kids. I had more tears this week from them than I've seen in a long time. That's how I know. Although everything we did was fun, the tears and difficulties in between let me know I over scheduled them. Lesson learned.

Today when I woke up I told myself I wouldn't interfere, if I didn't have to, with whatever they wanted to do. I guess I was apologizing to them and in need of recuperating myself. Today I watched my five year olds from afar, unless they wanted or needed me. Wow is all I can say. It was beautiful.

This morning we had biscuits with jelly for breakfast. After the first one I made them, I let them go back for seconds and thirds while I drank my coffee on the couch. They buttered their biscuits and added jelly. They poured their milk. Then they played outside for a while... Silas and I worked on laundry. When they were done they came in and put the tv on. They turned on this kids crafting show can't remember the name but it's cute. After a short episode they were ready to craft. Honestly crafting is not my thing. I like painting and drawing. Construction paper, googly eyes, pom poms, nope. But I have it all. And as part of my let the kids do what they want nothing Saturday, I pulled it all out all over the table. Scissors, glue, glitter, paint, paper, etc.

I asked them to keep it on the table. And they did. After about 30 minutes they were really settled in so I went to check out their progress. Eden was working on a cute figure of some sort and Pryscilla - started making Valentine's cards. Way to know your holiday girl! I didn't hear from them for an hour. Then they were ready to show me.
Eden had made a beautiful glitter picture. It was blue and green. Very earthy and sparkly. Pryscilla blew me away just a bit with her cut out heart that had it's own stand. Very creatively designed! They continued crafting while I made sausage wraps for lunch. I set their plate next to them to eat whenever they felt like it. As I walked away and into the other room I heard them praying. After Silas was finished I went to put him down for a nap. Pryscilla wanted the Beatrix Potter books down from the shelf to look through. When I got back from getting Silas down she had chosen two and asked me to read them. The first was Two Bad Mice and the other Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle.

Eden couldn't get comfortable or find the spot she wanted to sit, before we read, she began to get frustrated, tears almost, and then she caught herself. She asked me to hold on. She came back with three blankets and positioned them all over herself until they were just right. We gladly waited until she said okay. We read the two stories all the way through commenting and laughing as we read. I was sure looking up to Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle as my laundry piles had grown this week. After stories the girls went back to crafting and I took a nap.

I woke up to barking dogs, giggles, and Brian's return. Him and Eric cut up the fish they caught for the fish fry. I ran to the store while the girls rode bikes. When I got back I found them in mismatched costumes and crazy socks. Each with multiple hair bows. Silas was awake. I needed to make one more trip to the store, so I took Silas with me and the twins hung out with the guys. When I got back from that trip they were playing outside. We all had fish, listened to music, the kids visited with us in between playing and baths. After our friends left, Silas and Brian went to bed. I asked the girls should we just clean up this huge crafting mess tomorrow? Honestly that was my plan. Their answer... no mom we should really do it now. We will help. Yeah!! Habit training paying off right before my eyes. They helped and did...pretty much all of it. I swept the floor. What a team. I couldn't believe they were still impressing me at 9:30 at night. 2 hrs past their normal bedtime. Proud mom here.

Today they asked for two big cookies each throughout the day, it may have been three...and I said sure every time. Tonight at 9:30 they asked if it would be okay to brush their teeth in the morning because they were very tired...and I said sure...just this once. We had no tears today, so many lovely smiles, and no arguing from anyone. No shouting, no whining, and lots of sharing. A gift to watch my children growing in so many ways. Happiness and peace. Every day can't be a "nothing" day, but I am sure looking forward to more of them.

Plans For The Year, Paper Dolls, and Sunshine

Today

We are so happy today. After many cloudy days the sun has come out! It's still a cold January day, but we got out of the house for a long walk. When we got back the kids painted the rocks they found, we made grilled cheese sandwiches, and then Silas went down for his nap. The girls and I got out their flower fairy paperdolls to play with. They are dressing them for a flower fairy ball now. Tonight they start 12 sessions of swimming and tomorrow they start choir and bells! Lots of new beginnings in 2015. You may want to scroll and skip to pics now!!! What's below is a special yearly post and it's super LONG. :)

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I've decided to do a "Plan For The Year" post this year. This is really a place for me to easily come back to anytime to check in on how my "plans" are going, to find tidbits of information I may have included here, and a place to come back to at the end of 2015 and see how things stacked up for our family. What changed, how I changed, and just a place of focus for me. So it's long and personal - not a normal blog post. Scroll past the pics if you're interested. 

I plan to blog more this year about the kids, what they are doing in our homeschool, and our activities. My goal is to share with the few family members who may be interested and more so than that to use this blog as sort of a record of what we're doing. I'm trying to move away from so much facebook and blog more (2015 goal)! Ultimately I'd love to turn our blog into a book for the kids to have later in life. 

I've been working on this post for over a week now. I'm taking my sweet time with it. (Taking my time in everything I do is another goal for 2015.) I've been stuck in this mentality of a go-go-go lifestyle. There are reasons why I think this happened, but I won't go into that here. I'm just trying to slow down now. Live in the moment, focus on what we're doing and WHY we are doing what we're doing. :) I want the kids to learn to take their time in life, not rush around. I need to be the example. I've noticed by slowing down things are just overall more authentic and memorable. This is isn't rocket science... I should know this, but "education is a life" and I'm surely learning everyday. 

I've had this quote on my fridge now for months. Literally months of looking at it everyday. I'm going to write it here now, and erase it today. It's time to use that dry erase board for other things. 

"Prepare, plan. Resist rushing about the day: hurry has ill-effects. I desire to be peacefully going about doing the next thing." 

Another quote I just fell in love with, thanks Ruth! 

"Life is not an emergency. The dirty underwear, the bowls with dried oatmeal hardening by the minute, the dusty lightbulbs… it will all remain for any old time. The daffodils and forsythia blooming right now, along with my children… the chance to hunt for birds’ nests being built, or watch the peas pop up from the dirt… that stuff will be gone tomorrow." ~Ruth 

It reminds me of this quote

2015 Generalized As Much As I Possibly Can:

Brian continues to work at LGM. I will be homeschooling Eden & Pryscilla using a combination of Ambleside Online Year 0 and Mater Amabilis. The girls officially start Kindergarten in the Fall of 2015, which for us just means continuing AO Year 0/MA Prep Level, which we are currently doing. We also plan to join the Holy Trinity Co-op in the Fall, which meets every Thursday for classes. We are blessed because the co-op in influenced by MA, a catholic Charlotte Mason curriculum. So even our co-op will match up to what we are doing.

Silas will keep on learning and playing right along with us. In addition to dance 2x a week with me, the girls have started 12 swimming sessions with Brady and PGM Bells and Choir! I'm so excited about both of these new activities for them.

I'll continue my work at Preemie Prints and graphic design work for Texas Fit Chicks. I'll continue teaching my dance classes two times a week until May. I also have a looming map project for Oakhorn ranch to finish (I want this done by end of February). I was well into it and had to start over during the hectic pace of December due to a change in maps. I'm very behind and want this map to be done exceptionally well, since it will hang in a very prominent place at our ranch. I think I'm a little intimidated by the project, but am challenged and inspired. I know it's going to turn out to be really great! Although, it's taking lots of time it will eventually be done and hang on our wall for years to come.

A Few Specifics for the months ahead: 

February - complete map, Ash Wednesday is on the 18th which will begin Lent. I'll be preparing activities for the girls for this liturgical time of year.
March - Silas and Grey's 2nd birthday - we plan to have a party in Kingwood. Complete our St. Lucy wooden peg dolls for the Saint doll swap we're apart of.
April - is a big month. Easter. Brian and I will celebrate our 10 year anniversary and my sister and her hubby will celebrate 5. We want to do something special to celebrate. Not sure what. Party? Getaway? Not sure... have to think on this. This month is also the Holy Trinity information meeting. Very important for me to attend.
May - we will have a small dance recital and I'll need to prepare for this show, Volbeat on May 28th.
June - family vacation
July - LER trip? Oh how I would love to go!! Most likely not this year but you never know!
August - school, dance?
September
October - LM5K and Halloween at our house
November - Thanksgiving, Brian's birthday, and the twins 6th birthday at the ranch this year. Also would like to get more shopping done this year in November.
December - Celebrate Advent and Christmas, anniversaries, and more birthdays!
This year we are having a New Years Eve party at the ranch, since it falls on a weekend!! YAY!

General Family Goals - Pray more, read more, cook more, eat healthier, exercise more, be more organized (already ahead on this. I've organized almost all of the places that needed it. Still have a little more to do though).

Have more ME time! This year in between all of the things listed above and below I want to take more time for myself. I've already gotten two massages this year, been out with a good friend for drinks and dinner, and have made time for personal reading. So I think I'm on a good track!

Homeschooling Research - Now & In the future
I've started reading Charlotte Mason's volume 1 "A Home Education" and I'm really enjoying it. Ive already read a few books on her methods written by other moms, including: Charlotte Mason Companion,  For The Children's Sake, and Consider This. All three of which I would highway recommend. I'm so glad to have read those first before tackling CM's writings. I feel I have a really good base in understanding her philosophy already, so its making the reading easier and more enjoyable than maybe it otherwise would have been. After I finish volume 1, I'm going to take a break from CM's writings and move to reading The Living Page: Keeping Notebooks with Charlotte Mason and When Children Love To Learn. After I finish those, I'll delve back into Mason's writings. I have lots of other non-CM related books on my education-research list as well. I personally feel they all are still in some way linked to the CM Philosophy, but not directly. This year I just hope to finish volume 1 and Keeping Notebooks along with 1 or 2 from my list. I'm not sure it will happen this July, but attending an LER retreat is on my to-do list as well. 

For Me Personally
I've joined a book club with some local friends which is just for fun! Friends, books, wine, and cheese. Some things I want to do this year... for me ... go to see Volbeat in Houston. I love concerts and haven't been to one in forever. I can't even remember really. That's too long to forego something you love so much. Plant a garden. A real garden. Last year I started with a few potted plants but now I want a real in the ground garden. I have a good friend ready and willing to help me get this going - just need to prepare. I have the planter built. Need dirt and a compost pile. Having a garden will also be a wonderful learning experience for the girls, science at it's best! I also want to celebrate my 10 year anniversary by going to stay at a neat place in Texas that's on my bucketlist. (Texas travel bucketlist post to come). Will link here. :)

Home
I am almost done redecorating my room. Lamps, rug, decorations, all done! I need the painting to go above our bed - Driftwood by Winslow Homer and a chair. Also two cut glass pieces for our night stands. Get organized. I'm already on a good track! We've organized multiple closets and made lots of progress in the garage. I don't know if we'll get to it this year or next but a deck to extend our back patio is on the horizon and a screen door (maybe the door will happen this year!). 

Family and Homeschooling
After the holidays we all seem to be getting back into our schedule and its comforting! We are all eating better, exercising, and school is back in session. Well a little school anyway, really we mostly just play. But we are starting a few new things when it comes to our little homeschool. You can learn more here (coming soon) about what we will be doing from now until August of 2016. (Aug of 2016 we will be officially start AO Y1/MA 1B - which is 1st grade and our 1st official school year) Until then we're focusing on routines, habits, spending lots of time outdoors, reading the bible, reading great stories, and a little structured learning each day. We're using alpha phonics (we're finished with lesson 1 and 2), we've started the Winnie the pooh book series, we'll continue to do some fun nature studies, a little handwriting, lots of fun painting, and some counting, pattern, and number activities. We've also squeezed in a science and history lesson in the past week. We've cooked together, had dance classes, visited the library, and have spent much time outside - as much as possible in the cold anyway! 

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Budding Artists

We finally got our easels out. Thank you Noni and Kpaw they are very nice. Sturdy and will hold up!  I know we're going to enjoy them! Here are a few pics from recent art projects/natured studies/watercolor paintings.

We found red berries growing on a tree in the winter. Now sure what kind they were. The tree is a post oak tree. Maybe a vine somehow growing around it? It was so high up we couldn't ger really close. But the girls spotted them.

Epiphany Sunday

Eden, Pryscilla, and Silas made crowns today in honor of the three kings and Epiphany Sunday. They also performed a little play where they dressed up and took gifts to baby Jesus while we sang the song "We Three Kings". Afterwards we finished taking down our decorations and ended our Christmas season for the year! It was a wonderful Christmas filled with so many blessings!