Re-post: 1 Corinthians for Homeschool Moms

I posted this link a couple of years ago, but I still love it and need to be reminded of these truths quite often. Take a minute and be encouraged to focus on the lasting stuff in the midst of your homeschool.

Friday Pics and Today's Goings-on

Last Friday I awoke with the desire to change things up a bit. I encouraged the kids to stay out and play longer, I arranged a tea party for us girls, I let Noah spend time tinkering with his new lawn mower, and I leisurely prepared for the guests we had over for dinner that night. It was a nice day.

I took about 20 pictures of these two on the trampoline together. It was so much fun to see them having such a good time. Try not to notice that huge saggy diaper on Sam. :)

Noah asked Kevin if he could take apart the lawn mower last week. Kevin's response? "Um, no." How exciting to find, two days later, a $5 lawnmower at a garage sale! It needs a new carburator, but that does not detract from the fun of dismantling and playing with it, apparently.

Today we interspersed cleaning/organizing/preparing for a showing that was scheduled for 5:45 this evening with school. We got the house in shape and even managed to get everyone fed and the kitchen cleaned up in time to pull out of the driveway exactly at 5:45. When we returned an hour and a half later, it looked like the realtor never showed! Lights all still on, no realtor's business card on the counter. Frustrating! However, we did enjoy a nice drive south of town to look at a beautiful property, and were able to pet the owner's goat and mule and admire the goldfish and chickens. (Loved the property, but the house wasn't quite what we're looking for...) Oh well, let's just hope they don't call to reschedule in two days when the house is a wreck again... :)

Seven Things

1. I've been reading a lot lately, and have pretty much eliminated t.v. from my evenings altogether. Not that we usually watch much. A tivo'd episode of Shark Tank or Jeopardy, or sometimes, if I'm alone, America's Next Top Model. Don't be too disappointed in me...it's my guilty pleasure. Anyway, I've recently read To Kill a Mockingbird (for the first time) and am almost through Jane Eyre (also never read that one--can you believe it?) I wanted to preview To Kill because Keely will be reading it soon, and I knew it had some mature themes. What a great book. We'll definitely be discussing it together as she reads it, though. And Jane Eyre ranks right up there with my favorite Jane Austen books.

2. Over Sunday lunch, Kevin always has the kids take turns telling us all what they learned in their SS classes. Last Lord's Day, Rowan was telling us about Jezebel, and after she finished with "...she was a really bad lady" Joseph chimed in, "Yeah, but she sure had a pretty name!" We were cracking up.

3. Sam and Joseph and I went to visit a little friend in the hospital today. She's Joe's age and had surgery yesterday, that praise God, went very well. I'm always reminded to hug my littles and thank the Lord for their health when I see all the sick children and weary-looking parents at the children's hospital.

4. Due to my 'advanced maternal age' --I'll be 35 when the baby is born-- a 'level 2' sonogram was ordered for me this time around. It was Monday, and basically the only difference I could tell was that it was performed by a doctor instead of a sonographer. Everything looked healthy and we had the pleasure of seeing our beautiful little one again. We didn't yield to the temptation to 'find out' and turned our heads away when the doc was looking in the area of the baby's business. It will be fun to be surprised!

5. Speaking of 'advanced maternal age'....I am experiencing 'advanced maternal weight gain'. I can't believe I'm going public with this, but I have gained 15 pounds already! And the baby weight 6 ounces! Shame on me. I'm trying to get it under control.

6. Last weekend we took the kids to the county fair and carnival. Since we are on a budget, they were only allowed to ride a couple of rides each, but it was really fun to watch their faces from below--especially Row and Lily on the ferris wheel. You'd have thought it was the gut-wrenching tornado of death the way they were screaming! The older kids rode things that you couldn't pay me to get on. I'm actually really happy that they inherited their Dad's fearlessness instead of my boring-ness.

7. I'm so thankful for the friendships of other godly women. This truly is a gift. I've recently sought advice and council from one friend in particular, and have been blessed by her faithful and honest words, love and prayers for me. I aspire to be that kind of friend.

Blessings to you all, and say 'hi' if you have a minute to spare!

Preparing Daughters

two of our four (or is it five?) girls

I read a helpful book recently called 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter. It covered topics relating to sexuality, body image, culture, and marriage and family from a Christian worldview. Though there was a lot in the book I wouldn't feel comfortable sharing with my 13-year-old, there was lots of good information, too. I think the most helpful thing about books like this is that they inspire me to actually make it a priority to have pointed discussions. It's so easy for me to put this kind of thing off, or wait for the 'perfect' moment. I was convicted that I need to be intentional to meet with Keely (I don't feel the younger ones are ready for this particular 'conversation', though the book does suggest adaptations for different age groups of girls). Last Friday, Keely and I got up early and over coffee (for me) and hot chocolate (for her) we spent some time talking through the notes I'd made from the book. It was a great time of discussion, and I'm looking forward to our next meeting.

What books have you read that you've found helpful in training your daughter?