Christmas Newsletters and Our 5 Faves

It's newsletter week.  No, not my Faith and Home Times edition (check the bottom of this post if you are interested in that one!)  No, the annual family Christmas newsletter writing week.  With ALL of our family and the majority of our friends living long distance, this is a critical part of catching up we all look forward to each year.  Print AND pictures help us 'see' each other grow and go♥️ (we don't all have/use Facebook or Instagram)

I know some of you may have already stamped and sent your yearly correspondences but I am a bit behind the game this year... and I suspect others might be as well!  So, to inspire my fellow stragglers out there and get our creative juices flowing  I thought I would share our top 5 favorite annual updates from years past!

17 Stats From 2017

... was an homage to my oldest's university graduation with double majors in business and economics.  We re-capped the ups and downs from the year, ranging between graduation travels, book publishing, formal dances, new jobs and my step-dad's cancer diagnosis along with various other in-betweens! It took one page, front + back, and family loved the details!

"The Jones Family 2008 In 150 Words or less!"

... was actually a time and money saver resulting from my husband's lay-off during the recession!!  I could fit TWO color copies on ONE page printed from my home computer!  Short, sweet and garnered many emails and phone calls from family I hadn't heard from in years.  They were desperate for more details and I loved the unexpected opportunity to catch-up!!  We broke the updates down by family member and included a favorite picture from the year of each of the kids.

Top 20 of... (year)

Inspired by popular Late-night T.V. lists of the time, we highlighted highs and lows from the year.  Similar to the 17 Stats from 2017, but different in that the top 20 list was more incremental; building to big praises from the year. It took one page, front + back and included updated pictures of the kids.

The 12 Months of Christmas

 

My personal favorite as we looked back at the year with the focus on pictures captioned with brief descriptions.  This letter took just ONE page (front only) and really helped all of our long distance family SEE life from the past year.  I ordered copies from the printers in quality gray scale (a small handful of color prints for grandparents, aunts and uncles) since the heavy picture load didn't print well at home (and likely cost less in ink from a printer!)

"The Jones Family By the Numbers..."

 This was an all-time extended family fave.  Years after it's issue I had relatives tell me how they STILL had their double-sided bookmark style family update tucked into favorite books/Bibles to this day!!  The idea was found in a Family Fun magazine article.  I don't remember if it was originally a 2-sided bookmark but that is what I went with (pictures on one side, stats on the other)!  I printed them on my home printer using card stock.  I think I fit 4 on a page and used a paper-cutter to separate them.  Each was mailed in regular letter envelopes with Christmas Greetings.

So now for 2018...

• Another graduate (only one left now)
• Adult "children" with not a ton of pictures or news to report on them.
• Travels to highlight
• Some interesting 'news'

Still not sure where to begin with this year's missive!!

How are you doing (or have you done) your newsletter this year?  What has been your favorite family Christmas newsletter from the years?

Merry Christmas Blessings,

You can click here to see some of the great blogs I am linking up today ...

In case you haven't heard, I put together a HUGE printable package for December's newsletter which I would still love to share with new subscribers!  It contains information and an array of helpful worksheets to get all the tidbits of your holiday season organized including pages for tracking names, addresses, and Christmas card correspondences by the year.

Anyone who signs up for my newsletter by December 20th will receive this month's issue which includes "The Homebody's Guide to the Christmas Season" and MORE!  Details below...

*Are you subscribed to my newsletter?  You might want to be.  Why?  Well, the newsletter contains bonus material you won't find on the website... not to mention, in those busy months when I can't get regular blog articles up, you can count on this periodical popping up in your email in-box each last Thursday with all new content!  What exactly does the newsletter contain?

• Encouraging articles on Faith, Home(making), and Homeschool
• Free printables under different themes each month
• Insider info on the latest goings-ons with all things on my blog and writing related

You won't find all this great bonus material on the blog so be sure to sign up so you don't miss out!  It's Ok, hop over real quick, right there to your right, see it on my sidebar where it says, "Subscribe to my Newsletter" with a  picture of the "Faith and Home Times" logo above it?  Ok, now enter your email in the box labeled "email address" then click "Subscribe"....(don't worry, it doesn't hurt and I promise not to spam you!). You should receive a confirmation email from me.  

Also, with your new subscription, I will send you December's newsletter which includes a FREE printable Advent Bible Study and bonus PDFs to help you organize and enjoy your holidays more!

The Art of Housewifery: More Balancing the Clean

Monday morning.  What would normally be English from the Roots Up time in front of the dry-erase was filled with.... snoring?  Our mini vacation from last week spilled into Monday.  Feeling almost completely refreshed but definitely not on top.

Our extended weekend of downtime opened up some dialogue with some of my young students.  Something that has been itching my brain has apparently been itching theirs too.  They didn't know what to call it... but I did:  CABIN FEVER!  Yup, that time of year where the weather is moodier than the Israelites in the wilderness!  That time of year where you wonder where the sun went and when it does pop out... always seems to be right in the middle of a lesson.  How to break these hum-drums?

Well, I explained to my young pupil how some subjects and their seemingly monotonous context are unavoidable if we are to lay good groundwork for future material.  However, I also recognized how other subjects have the freedom of being stretched into a more exhilarating frame of study.  All the while I am also becoming more aware of a need to start on some spring cleaning, something I am not able to do ALL in one day as I did when I was younger.  I admitted to myself, in light of last week's article on balancing clean, that I need some sort of master list and general rotating plan to keep the grime out of the corners and the cobwebs off my book shelves and window pains. But how?

We already have a full week with school and blogging and volunteering.  Weekends come and it is our time to sort of.... crash.  Together.  How do we fit the clean into the creases of our day.  FlyLady always comes to mind.  Her time saving strategies and nuggets of quick-hits on key spots.  With a team like I've got here, we can cover four-times the space in a fraction of time!

So, tonight, I tackle the pile.... the pile of papers and school books which I have been quite neglectful of over the past week.  Sorting the pages I have been procrastinating on handling and set a plan for managing them right away.  The books are subjects which are due for their mid-year review on effectiveness and assessed for any strategies or changes necessary to make them more applicable.  The extra filter this time will be how to make them more engaging.  I need to re-visit our school schedule and see where we can move from hum-drum into actively engaging our texts.... bring history to life, live like a real scientist or observe health from the astute perspective of a doctor in-training.

Most importantly is my planner and notebook.  They double for articulating both school and chores. Once upon a time I kept a large binder with all the break-downs I needed for each room when it came time to do their deep cleaning.  I put them in a page protector I could use dry-erase markers on and away I went, cleaning and checking off my to-dos.  That was many years ago and in a house many counties away!!  I am now not only faced with a need to find routine in DEEP cleaning a different house well... but also in decipling my children on this task lest they wonder why rodents and/or bugs always want to invade!!

Tonight, and perhaps throughout this week, I will turn to a fresh page in my spiral notebook and begin:

• to list out each room and each aspect of those rooms which requires attention
• I will also jot down a map-of-sorts of our daily NEED-tos and the hoped for want-tos  

With all this information spread out before me I can begin to maneuver each element into a routine.  With the room break-downs I can develop a new working list to print and put in sheet protectors for deep-clean time and with the week overview I can develop routines that work, leaving time to breath and 'play'/adventure in life!  We are already working on adding an adventure afternoon on Fridays to wrap up our week and get out and about.  Visit the Audubon nature preserve, local parks, museums and even sneak in some art walks!  We will learn our new city yet!!!  And, hopefully, come home to a cleaner house where a dropped utensil doesn't draw our eyes to a neglected corner or a lost pen in the couch cushions doesn't reveal the depravity of furniture vacuuming!

I will keep you posted on our progress, in case it helps you with yours!  I know the testimonies of other housewives' routines certainly helped me to find mine back when it seemed hopelessly lost!!

I pray you have have peace as you balance the clean in your home!

Blessings,

Linking up today with some of these...

The Art of Housewifery: Balancing the Clean

We walked through the door, 4 kids in tow, elementary age and younger.  One was a guest, a special treat for my oldest daughter, a friend making a rare visit.  She was raised by house-mama extraordinaire: good, clean, Christian home with financial security and the routine that only comes with experience and self-discipline.  The first I was gaining, the second I deeply lacked.  Our little friend stopped, smiling and gaping, almost visibly struggling between manors and the obvious statement she longed to say.  Seeing her demeanor I mentally formed the words, 'This house is TRASHED'!

To be honest, I didn't see it clearly at first.  It took the rustle and movement of something... something which wasn't a pet (we owned none at the time).  "What was that?" she squealed and laughed.  We all scattered to see as a large mouse darted from under a crumbled piece of paper on the floor and shot down our hallway.  We could have tracked it better had we managed the clutter and junk of daily life with multiple small children.  Instead, the floor was riddled with clothes, shoes, toys and paper.... paper seemed to be everywhere from drawing projects the kids left scrambled on the floor... even an empty Coke box which had doubled as a boot during a game of pretend earlier that day. Traps were set that night and the intruder was eventually dispatched.

I was appalled at myself though.  How on earth did my house get so messy and, what was more, how did I not NOTICE it?!  I wasn't raised that way.  I grew up an only child until the age of 14.  I had no concept of true MESS until I accumulated young children myself.  I had no real understanding of balancing clean.  Until then, cleaning was a routine I learned.  Every Saturday we each did our part.  Dust, vacuum, wash.  The house stayed relatively neat between sessions.  But that was before children.  I was in uncharted territory. I was overwhelmed and I didn't know where to start.

Thankfully, one of my weaknesses at the time was women's household magazines.  I liked the economical Woman's Day and Family Circle best.  It was while browsing one of these publications, desperate for ideas to order my chaotic life (I couldn't afford fancy solutions, giant dry-erase calendars, storage contraptions and such) when I found her:

FlyLady.net

She saved me from myself!!  An answer to prayer for help from above, God guided me with this REAL, down-to-earth lady (not the hard-to-obtain Martha Stewart type).  She showed me I could be comfortable in my own skin while helping me to see the toys, crayons, discarded coloring papers, clothes and shoes as, yes, a part of life with wee ones but not a vice I must endure until they all grow older.  She showed me how to balance the clean and still have plenty of time to rock my babies and play dolls and read books.  Within weeks the embarrassment of a floor we couldn't even walk 2 feet on without stepping on something was just a distant bad dream!  I began to gain confidence and drive to get-on-top of all that needed my attention.

Did or does my house always stay perfect now?  No.  But the balance I learned has become a core part of all I do as a housewife now... even if I don't still need a control journal... I do still keep my own version of one so life doesn't get as out of control again.

Are you struggling with the Art of Housewifery, balancing the clean?  Save your money on books and magazines and check out FlyLady's website for FREE.  Take baby steps (as she readily cautions), be patient, forgive yourself and embrace a balance of clean one.step.at.a.time!

This isn't a plug as part of a promotion.  Rather, I considered sharing balance in clean on the blog today and many of my core practices generate from FlyLady, so why not plug?  She and her ideas have been so profound in my life... perhaps someone out there is needing this profound change too!

Consequently, I tried to find an old dingy picture for the blog today, to show how bad it use to be.... but my computer files don't go back that far!  Her method has lasted that long!

Blessings,

Linking up today with some of these...

The Lord of My Time

I use to be one of those frantic moms... you know, the one trying to hold it together as the world falls apart.  Trying to get done the 50 things that will make me look like I am really on the ball when I barely have time (or energy) for the 10 things which would at least make me look like I had some measure of control.

It was always at the height of setting order (which was really always just out of reach) when the children or a friend or a family member would call on me... an interruption.  With others I would grin and comply but with my children... well, that was another story.

I wasn't a mean, nasty, ogre... but I would put them off, respond through gritted teeth, or (in the most frantic situations) I would snap just give me a minute.

Bless those poor little hearts.

How did it change exactly?  I can't say for sure.  But somewhere in the midst of the chaos and the pitter patter God reached into my life and drew me close to hear the steadiness of His heart beat.  He opened my eyes to the fleeting moments with my loved ones which became lost behind my pile of to-do and the stress which often ensued.  He reminded me of what.really.mattered.  And He called me to just let go and let Him take control.

I realized... it was never my time to begin with... it was always His and when I stopped trying to stuff my agenda into His plans... somehow things got easier!  I slowed.way.down.  I am still reminded from time-to-time to simply breathe in and out.  To recall where I was and what the changes were which delivered me from there:

1. Recognize the flow of time God has designed around me.  It may seem like chaos, but the truth is, if we stop pushing our agenda, we can often see the natural flow of the day.  WE may want to clean after lunch while kids have free time but baby wants cuddles and a rock for nap.  WE may desire some book time in the evenings but the neighbor kids are knocking on the door or Betty Sue stops by to chat.  Welcome all these and more!

2. Pray over and re-define my need-tos vs. want-tos.  It is amazing how much, we as moms, will heap onto our pile of to-do.  All good intentions but much of it is often details which don't make-or-break the peace of the day.  I use to fret over how much baking I got done while schooling the kids AND dusting the living room....and all my husband wanted to know was why I hadn't cleaned the toilet in recent history!!  I felt affronted at all he didn't notice but the truth was, God was showing me what truly mattered... even if it was just a clean commode! Which brings me to...

3. Truly listen to my family.  It is amazing how simple a joy can be when we stop complicating the process!  Whether it was my husband and clean toilets or my kids and just taking time to play a game or read a book... most often my family wasn't concerned with the same things I was when I presumed what was needed to make a happy and peaceful home.  Why focus on what is not fruitful!

4. Give up the glamor and the glory.  Magazines lie... so do many designing t.v. shows.  Real houses really are NOT immaculate and don't let the vloggers fool you... I am even guilty of cleaning the area my camera will pick up and leaving the rest a mess!!!  Life.happens.period.  Kids walk through with messy hands or crackers spill on the carpet.  Last night's Uno game was forgotten in the shuffle to get ready for bed and cards fell under the table next to last week's marbles.  Accept the mess.  It is a fact of life.  My rule: I want people to come in, be able to sit down on a [clean] couch, use the toilet and kitchen without fearing disease and... on a good day... not stick to the floor!  It is amazing how much peace this alone will bring!

5. Accept help.  Children are never to young to help with chores.  Even the toddlers can feel purpose and learn responsibility if you give them a dust rag and show them how to swipe a low shelf or have them help clean up stray toys and run trinkets to other corners of the house.  You are not alone and you are no-less a 'super mom' if you have help.  After all, even Batman had a side-kick!

These are just some of my nuggets of peace God revealed to me... some through my husband's encouragement and others simply through the whispers in my heart.  Accept His plan for your day and revel in the grace and peace which will result (once you get use to letting go of YOUR way!!)

Blessings,

You can schedule that?!

I am happy to report, my chaos is mostly ordered!  Next step: implementation!

The list method I was doing in my to-do/ta-done journal (as shared in Order From Chaos) was great as a brain dump but it required refinement.  I went into Microsoft Word and printed a daily calendar with itemization down to the hours in each day.

Here I must pause to ponder the fact; days on the Word calendar start at 5 a.m. and end at 11 p.m.  At least the virtual world acknowledges the need for 6 hours of sleep!  My daily schedule recording grinds to a halt by 9 p.m.  Maybe I am just getting old!  (Or just older than being young enough to make it on 6 or less hours of sleep!)

I wanted to share pretty pictures of my new schedule... perhaps another day (can't access the required materials to do so).  Not to mention I would like to color-code.  I'm kinda crazy like that!  But the above picture was a must share!  As I work on time management (you can see my notebook on the couch waiting for my attention!), my two youngest manage their math time on the living room floor with partners.  I am curious... the cats didn't give them the answers, did they?

Beyond all these anecdotes is some insight I wanted to share.

Why do we blog?

Each person's answer may be different.  My answer is simply, to encourage and inspire.

The same reason I write articles on KOG.  But the articles there are to a general crowd.  Here, I really want to reach into the hearts of mothers/wives/homeschooling parents and inspire, transform and just simply share.  At KOG I share about God in our lives; here I share more personally about God in my heart in the hope that His light can shine into your lives.

This is my own little mission out-reach and you are my own private community I love and seek to share with and be a part of.

There is a mom whose blog I love to read (I have not retained permision to reprint so I must be vague!).  Back in November she wrote and article discussiong her need for (and reliance on) a blogging schedule.  Over the years I have written up many schedules for chores, school work, and general time relegation.  But I don't recall ever scheduling my time to blog like you would a job or important chore.

I like it!

Soooo... as part of my ordered chaos I have a schedule for blogging now, with hopes and aspirations to be sharing  almost every-other-day.  I hope this will keep me on track and I trust that God will give me powerful words to share in the more quality time I will have here on The Faithful Homeschool!

Peace and blessings to you this week as you seek to make each detail of each day prosperous and blessed!

Order From Chaos

I was reading an article with tips for bloggers recently.  One good tip was, "blog regularly"!  Is that what this guilty conscious is all about when I am away from my blog too long?!?  I think of at least an article a day I would love to share... then comes the issue of finding time to share it! 

I think all moms, homeschooling or not, can relate to the pinch in schedule for anything beyond house care, hubby and kids!  And so I sit here today to share with you some of my 'game plays' to 'tackle' the issue of time management I am up against.

Followers of my blog know I moved in January.  From a large 3 bedroom house with 2 bonus rooms, lots of yard and lots of space.... to a 2 bedroom mobile with 1 bonus room, very little yard and very little space (did I mention one of those bedrooms belongs to my mother-in-law?)

It is through our service to God as newly-entering-the-field missionaries that we gladly make this sacrifice.  We find, as God trains our minds for our calling, he is also training our hearts and understanding of even the little things.

When to do dishes?
When to do laundry?
Keep everything tidy out of respect for someone else's house.
How to homeschool in our new environment without all of our materials easily accessible?
How to manage and schedule all of the above with respect to someone else's space and schedule and our other extra-out-of-the house commitments (Like BSF Bible study, AWANAS, weekly worship with the missions base, Sunday worship, and our leading of a weekly Bible Study on the Truth Project)

Phew.... hold on, I need a breather!

Ok, I am back!

All this was easily (mostly anyway) managed when I had my own home and space to make rules for and stretch out in.  I feel restricted more often then not now.... but this is where I also see God at work; transforming, humbling, and guiding me to think outside of the box and become a better servant.

We don't know what the years ahead will hold in our ministry.  Our whole family needs to be pliable and ready for new things, new schedules, and new challenges... with a positive attitude from beginning to end!  Praise God, He finds me worthy of this task!

So last night I sat down with my new spiral notebook (having filled the old one) and thinking how ironic it was that I needed to begin a new to-do/ta-done journal in conjunction with my need to articulate a cohesive schedule for our new environment. 

Because another blog tip I received a few months ago was to use pictures often... and I LOVE that idea.... here is an up close and personal look at the rough sketch of my new schedule:

I love college ruled notebook paper... I am an addict!  There is just something about spilling my thoughts out with a black fine point Pentel RSVP pen on crisp white paper with soft blue lines and just seeing my life at least look like it has order!

I still need to take these scribbles and make a nice, neat copy with a few more details.  But it feels sooooooooooo good to have the bones set out... finally after being here over a month now!  There is a glimpse of order coming out of the chaos!

Well, to keep with yet another good blog tip, I will keep this relatively short and wrap it up here!  More another time on ordering my eating habits as well and how I hope it will help my children and their focus in homeschool... and beyond!

May your schedule have order today... or at least feel like it!  God Bless :-)

The Process of Being Organized, Part 2 Spreading Out

Are you wondering how my organizing is coming? After my declarations in The Process of Being Organized, I began thinking about one of the blogs I follow, Catholic Christian Homeschooling. I may not be catholic, but I do enjoy the things SAHMinIL blogs about. She is very down-to-Earth and a good deal of fun to read :-) Aaaand, she is from the region I grew up in! Definitely... groooovy ;-)

At any rate... to get back on track: She posted a blog a few weeks back called Instant School Room. It contains a video clip from a CBS segment showing how to convert a dining room into an instant office. SAHMinIL made the correlation to using this concept for families who do not have a "classroom" and needed ideas for doing school in their dining room without all the clutter.

I do have a "classroom" but as I have said before, it is in a dark corner of our daylight basement... getting NO daylight! I know... beggars can't be choosers! But we do always end up upstairs. I discussed this situation with my husband and his response made me feel like, 'Well, duh, why didn't I think of that!' He suggested I move math, reading, and language arts upstairs to the dining room and then relegate the other subjects to the rec room and the craft table there-in.

Enter SAHMinIL's blog and video. I could convert a portion of my buffet into storage for our supplies. The buffet....


... now serves two purposes! One side has my serving platters and the other side is housing the needed school supplies :-) No longer will I need to cart these things up and down the stairs for our work (though I could use that exercise!)

I will be using one of the drawers to keep the kids' folders and pencil boxes in.

In all the re-arranging/organizing I have done in the last few days I even cleared the craft table and SCRUBBED it shiny clean (it usually has tons of paint, marker, and tape marks on it!)

... aaand... because I am splitting the work spaces, I moved our paper sorter (which we use as a storage sorting shelf) so that the craft table above has more space to spread out on! Now when we do time lines and large posters, we won't have to maneuver around so much stuff! (This sorter was sitting at the end of the craft table, up against the wall)
I am pleased with the progress. The curriculum is sorted into subject relative boxes and I will begin the process of going through that after the in-laws leave next week. Still more cleaning to be done but at least our HOME(school) is steaming down the track to being in order!

In the mean time... check out Catholic Christian Homeschooling and SAHMinIL's blog, Instant School Room, and be inspired like I was!

Checking in

I am still here for anyone who thinks I snuck out again! Am working hard to get the house in order for family visiting next week. I was on the edge of overwhelmed thinking of homeschool organizing needing done, garage sale round up I need to do (my husband petitioned me for one next month!), and deep cleaning for family. Never mind the round-up I need to do on curriculum to prepare for our new school year starting in one month!

I know I should not worry about any of this. Where the school things are concerned, yet another beauty of homeschool is having our first day whenever we want! Hmmmmm, I will have to pray on that one! As far as the tidy place for family.... I usually abide by the adage that family visits us not our house! But DH and I agree that this brand of family might be more comfortable with a higher level of clean than we usually hold ourselves to. After all, 4 kids is not conducive to deep clean!

Sure we pick up, keep our kitchen clean, vacuum as needed, dust when the bunnies start to multiply and so on. But I am talking; clean inside and outside of cabinets, carpet cleaning, bring-the-old-toothbrushes-out-to-get-the-cracks kind of cleaning. Who knows, though. This branch of family may someday read this blog and roll their eyes or shake their heads and think.... 'What were they so worried about? We were just there to visit! Not do a white-glove inspection.'

The world may never know... or maybe they will. This body of mine is worn down and I am BEAT! My mood is beginning to suffer as well. However, I need to look at the bright side: I have focused my efforts on cleaning via homeschool organizing. After all, our 'school' is our home and where we learn seems to leak into every facet of our house! With that approach I have managed some revamping in some poorly laid-out but well used sections of our HOMEschool and I am growing excited to use these 'new' spaces!

So, to all of you chasing dust bunnies or wrecking spider homes this month... WE WILL PREVAIL! And to the rest of you enjoying your 'vacation' from teaching/learning... ahhhhh, enjoy some sun for me ;-)

Confessions of a curriculum addict

I have a confession to make: I have begun throwing away every single curriculum and school supply catalog that comes into my house.... without even looking at them! What's more... it has been rather liberating!

The other day I spoke about the organizing quandary I am currently praying through. I have been collecting items for many, many years in the hopes of using them in my own classroom someday (not realizing it would be a homeschool classroom!). Staring at the boxes and piles I have pulled and sorted from beyond many nooks and crannies I thought I would never decide on a direction. However, upon putting it into prayer, God revealed the first step to me: DON'T BUY ANYTHING ELSE! Ohhhhh how hard that is though! The catalogs have the neatest doo-dads in them and teaching would be soooo much more fun if I had this or that or.....

But God said "NO". (He says that a lot to me!)

So I have been throwing the catalogs out. It has been hard, but I am being quite strict with myself on the matter. God has spoken and I do wish to obey. I do have A LOT of stuff that the kids and I are blessed to work with. I am stepping out in trust that He will continue to reveal more steps in this process of sorting and determining.... some commands have been slowly coming to light.

Now as far as the piles around my desk right now........ God??

The process of being organized.

It has been 15 years since I was a childless woman (16 if you count pregnancy). I have come to look back on my life in two separate eras: BC (Before Children) and CE (Children Everywhere)! You might hear me say, 'I use to be a very organized person, BC. But now, CE, I can't find anything!'

It isn't even that my house is a mess... it usually isn't, beyond the toys and stuffed animals my little darlings like to leave everywhere. It is just that I can't keep track of my thoughts! Sometimes it can be because one of my sweeties thought they had a better place for something that I did know where it was (before they moved it)!

My mom used to say that for every child you have, you loose 20% of your mind. I personally think hubbies should absorb 20% as well. At least it would explain why I feel brain-fried most the time. Either way you look at it, the operating capacity of my mind has reached near operational overload!

I did use to know when someone was running out of something. Even with just one or two children in tow, I could forecast the need for more of my husband's deodorant, more of the children's milk (I drink non-fat) was always purchased before it ran out, laundry was washed-folded-put away before drawers ran empty, and I could always find the payment coupon for the water company! All of these things are a struggle C.E. I do try though.

What's more is my need to begin organizing thoughts on homeschooling for the coming school year. As if I didn't have enough in my house to muddle through.... now I have boxes of homeschooling supplies, books, and articles to discern and decide what I will/won't use! Talk about mind boggling!

I know, I know... I am preaching to the choir here. And what a joyful choir we are. Despite all these scattered thoughts and good intentions gone arye I wouldn't trade it for anything, would you? I am learning that, in the midst of this 'noise', I must take time to be quiet.


But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33




It is easy to loose ourselves in all this stuff, in all the "Mooom... ", and in all that you hope and expect of yourself and your children. We must make that time for our Heavenly Father each day. We need to kneel before Him, give it all to Him, ask His guidance, and listen to His answers. When we do this, the mangled mess in our midst will begin to seem less like Mt. Everest and more like the foothills.

For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

Isaiah 41:13

The Love/Hate Relationship of Chores

Chores can be a touchy issue with some families. One family might love them and another might love to hate them! I, personally, enjoy an orderly house... clean is a bonus... I will settle for orderly. I think chores are an important part of learning responsibility and overall contribution to the function of a household.

We use to have 'chore day' on Sunday. I hated that since it is God's day and should be reserved for family time, prayer time, church, and such. After much protest on my part we switched chore day to Saturday. This did not seem to work well though. The kids spent half the day helping pick up around the house and cleaning their rooms only to turn right around and mess them up in the 'relaxing' mode we usually take on our weekends.

Chore day has been moved to Mondays. So far so good. We all actually look forward to it... if that doesn't sound too crazy. The kids know they can relax for the whole of the weekend. I drive them pretty hard during our homeschool week so the weekend is a nice break. (It is a wonderful break for me as well).

Mondays begin with a general picking up of the house. This usually isn't too bad because the one thing I do make them do throughout the week (other than help with dishes) is pick up after themselves. But still... it seems there are always stray stuffed animals, baby dolls, and legos from "games" they played on Sunday.

We move from the outer areas to the inner areas: their rooms. I don't' make my children clean their rooms during the week (usually). I use to when I had one and two kids. But once we added #3 and #4, cleaning rooms EVERY day has sort of gone out the window! We all have more peace of mind with this. Besides, most of us can remember back to the "game" of Barbie, Matchbox or Legos that you just get set up perfectly when the parents said "Time for Bed" and you didn't want to take it down. You wanted to resume play the following morning!

It all goes mostly smoothly. My kids seem to actually be good sports about these tasks on Mondays where they fought me more about it on the weekend. I think they are secretly relieved to go from two days of no structure and no requirements to starting the week with getting things in order. I am thankful for that.

We always wrap our day up with reading time. If they do no other school projects I like them to at least read. After all, it is fundamental to all other things in life. I'm thinking of adding some "math" by ending our day with a yummy treat that requires measuring. A bonus for jobs well done.

I guess this is just my way of sharing other ways we tackle a homeschool day, keep the sanity, and manage some semblance of order in our homeschooling house! It may not work for everyone, but it works for us :-)