Here we are!  From the left the children are Dorothea and the Jaylsyn is on my lap followed by Tirzah and Kiernan.  We are so blessed!!

Ok, yes, it took me awhile to think about....So I came up with a top, say, 5 reasons why I blog and especially why I blog here:

5) So that my family and friends can come here and see what we've been up to.  Hopefully they will have a chuckle and hopefully they will be inspired or encouraged in some way.

4) Accountability.  I can tend to really just muck around some days and I know that if I have to report in somehow--even if it's once every few weeks, then I'm more inspired to stay the course with school and working with the girls

3) Sometimes it's just really good to hear myself think.  I'm currently reading a wonderful book called "A Pocketful of Pinecones" By Karen Andreola.  This is written in first person in journal form about a woman who is homeschooling her kids in the 1930's according to Charlotte Mason philosophies.  At any rate, I love her narrative and the way she thinks.  She seems as well at times, just to write to hear herself think.  Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of my day that can be hard!  ;)

2) It's helpful for me to be able to write what I'm doing....to see it in writing makes it more "real" somehow.  I don't know if that makes any sense at all but sometimes I can go through my entire schooling day and feel like I've accomplished nothing....but onceI've written down all the little things....I realize that I've done more than I realize and it instills confidence again in my mothering abilities!  lol

1) I am so proud of my kids and their achievements that I just want to share.  All of our kids are doing amazing things right now and I love being able to be a part of that each and every day. 

Ok, as much as I love my family and am blessed by them I am now happy to say that we are no longer expecting any company in the near future and how schooling schedule can really take off.  We have been on a really good routine and I find that we all do so much better that way.....busy is good to a point. 

After some prayer, we have decided that since the kids are young and thrive on routine the way they do we are going to continue schooling through the summer.  We currently are doing our "writing work" (Math, handwriting and phonics) in the morning and our read-alouds before lunch.  After lunch we've been doing some PE and gardening which is our current science and physical ed.  (Yes, it DOES count!  Have you ever tried towing a patch of land by yourself with just a cultivator and hoe?  Not to mentian the squats you do weeding!)   We have planted carrots, asparagus, peppers, corn, pumpkin, tomatoes, squash, various herbs, green beans and peas.  That requires lots of maintenance to keep going.  We also have seed to plant some flowers and we have a large bed up front that requires lots of weeding and maintenance.  It's really funny.. I have actually heard our 23 month old sigh and shake her head and say "more weeds again, Mama....."  I'm training them well.  lol

It is getting hotter, though, so I'm thinking we may have to move our gardening time to the AM to hit the ground before it gets too unbearable.  Jayslyn is getting bigger so I think it's time to start putting her in the baby snugli so she can go out with us.  She seems to like that.  So, time to tweak that schedule again!  lol

Here's a prayer concern....I haven't seen it so much but Carl is concerned that I may be dealing with a mild form of PPD like I did with Tirzah.  I will need to go to the dr this week for my 6 week pp check-up so I'll ask her.  I think she'll be able to give me an honest assessment of what she thinks.  Am I crying?  Not a bit....but I'm am feeling like I'm barely keeping my head above water just in trying to keep up with the work-load.  I know, for the 4th time in a row that it does get better.  Carl is an amazing help.  So much in fact that sometimes I feel a tad guilty because I know how hard he works at the office---and I feel like I should be a little more on top of things so he can come home and relax a tad.....I know......Wilma Flintstone, right?!  I'm working on finding a balance there.....

On a good note, I have been invited to play my flute with the worship team at church.  I am so excited about that as it's truly my area of strength while still providing a challenge.  My real talent is singing  but they are filled up with vocalists so I'm happy to just be able to serve in this way.....and it's something for ME--not about the kids at all.  I can hardly wait to get started. 

Ok, for the next post---I have to think about this one......TOS magazine prompted me to ask myself WHY I blog.....good question.....Please stay posted for the answer to that one.....;)

Blessings, all

I've been hearing these comments lately about how I am together and organized and what-not.  Well, upon reflection, I Realize that this is the time in which I must confess and tell all of you that you are WRONG!  This is all a major facade that you see.  I do try, honestly, I do.....but I forget so many small details.....like how to have fun.  I have become SO no-nonsense these days and I find that I rarely smile at people like I used to.  Sure, we get everything done in a day that we need to (usually) but the days come and go without us doing any real connecting.  I hate that!  Carl and I are becoming like the butler and the maid that share a house and a bed because I'm simply too tired to take the relationship any further. 

So, here's the question.....how do we connect beyond survival in this stage of the game?  There is so much demanded of us these days between Carl's work and my work I'm doing with the kids.  It seems, like I remember from that wonderful play, "Our Town" that we just live, day in and day out and we just forget to really look at each other.  How do we do that and do it well?  It seems sometimes like there is so much to do that we forget to just "be".  Does this make sense to anyone else?

All I know is that I don't want my kids to grow up and to have regrets that I didn't invest more of myself in them......But even the thought itself overwhelms me.....

So, to those of you who think I have it together.  Please pray for me.  I would like to say that I do......but really, in what's really important, I know I have a LOT to learn.

Blessings, all

I am not sure what it is about life changes that make one re-evaluate everything but that is what I've been doing lately.  Maybe it's even spring cleaning of sorts--I don't know.  One thing I do know, I am in a good place right now.  I honestly can say I have no complaints. 

We are in a good routine now--you can scroll down to see a sampling of it although we have tweaked it a bit here and there ;)  Such is life, right?  I'm having a VERY hard time keeping up with my personal exercise as it's hard to get up so early when the baby isn't sleeping through the night yet and, try as I might--I cannot get comfy in bed with my boppy pillow so I can rest while she's nursing.  She slept last night--you know why?  She was on my chest ALL night long.  lol  Today, I am rested---albeit a little sore.  ;)

I have a friend that just started blogging on here that has made a really good point--and one that I fully agree with--we are all homeschooling--even if we do send our kids to school--if we work with them at home in any way, shape or form we are homeschooling and doing what is best for our families at this time.  I am bothered with the exclusivist mentality that I sometimes see among homeschoolers.  I was glad to see some others who agree with this idea.  As for me, I do keep my kids at home and I have been prompted to ask myself just why and I wanted to list some of my reasons here: 

1. I love working with my kids and being with them

2. I love knowing what they are learning and involved in so that I can be a part of it.  It's not a control-freak sort of thing but I just like knowing where they are at any given time and how I can be involved with it as well.  For instance, in history we just studies Martin Luther.  Kiernan was bored STIFF with it at first but when we expounded on it here at home throughout the day she has suddenly developed an interest.  Where would it have gone if I hadn't known what she was learning?  Nowhere--she would have just found it boring. 

3. When I was in school I was constantly bullied and harrassed because I was a little eccentric as a child (ok, I still am ) but the fact that I was a little different made me a target.  What made me different?  I loved to read, read, read.....I loved to sing and be dramatic and I had a very active imagination.  I was also very sensitive.  I find it sad that so many of the things that make us who we are also make us bully fodder.  I want my kids to be who they are and noone else.  I spent WAY too much of my life trying to be who everyone wanted me to be because of what some kids said in the second grade.  My thoughts on socialization?  Highly over-rated.  Do I shelter my kids?  No--they have friends the they play with from church and homeschool group.  They also have little friends in the neighborhood.  Our focus, though, is on family relationships and the ones that are lasting.  I hope that makes sense.....

4. Individual tutoring and attentian to different learning styles.  If they don't get something, I can present it in a different way rather than just pushing them on.  We teach to exellence in understanding....that is different than perfect, I promise!  :lol

5. I am not freaked out about them learning things that are opposed to our values.  My thing is that I want to be the one presenting them to them and then being able to teach into it and help them understand WHY we beleive what we do.  Otherwise when they are old they just may turn from it.  They might anyway, but there is nothing like a good solid foundation..... 

6.  I don't have to get 4 kids up and ready for school every day--'nuff said!  lol

7.  It is a calling from the Lord.  This in no way says that everyone needs to do this or that it's for everyone but it is something that has been pressed into our hearts and therefore we obey!  Can I re-emphasize--this is not for everyone! 

8. As much as we move--it's a bit of stability that we can provide for our kids.

9. I get to pick and choose what curriculums work best for what child.  I still remember really boring history textbooks!  History is wonderful--if it's taught in a way that can be understood! 

10.  I like to be able to celebrate all of their accomplishments--not just the ones that the schools deem worthy of celebrating. 

Ok, wow--long post today!!  I guess I had a lot on my mind and heart I wanted to get out.  It's time to go get breakfast ready.  Blessings, all! 

We are using the handwriting curriculum "Handwriting without Tears" and we have really liked it.  However, the name is misleading.  Kiernan has been teaching herself some rather unorthodox ways of writing certain letters and there are times that she has to go back and unlearn what she's taught herself and that can be painful.  Thankfully the reward of correct learning far outweighs the frustration of learning and unlearning but in the meantime it's so hard to see her cry over it.  I have offered to allow her to leave the table and go play or something but she is so determined to "get it".  Bless her heart.  I am so stinkin proud of her and she tries so hard.  The look on her face when she finally figures it out is just priceless so that keeps us plugging along. 

I have been able to spend some time with each child today as Kiernan is becoming a little more independent with her lessons.  She did a whole page of counting today without my immediate presence and I was singing the halleluiah chorus.  I have so much else to do sometimes it's hard to sit right there and walk her through.  Not only did she do it, but she did it correctly.  She did need help writing the numbers but she still did really, really well.  Tirzah worked on shapes today and she knows them all.  I pretty much just let her and Thea play these days although I do try to monitor what they play with and today was playdough and then they went outside and played with bubbles.  That made them happy and it was good to hear them laughing while Kiernan was inside figuring everything out.

For anyone who wonders......I realize that Kiernan is young.  I would not do school with her like we do if she was not directly interested and if she didn't truly desire it.  She loves to learn and do lessons so I'm just going with her. 

That is my most common sentence these days.....Thea is my 22 month old and while we are thrilled that she loves her sister, she can't keep her hands off of her!  Poor Jayslyn is constantly being assaulted by her while she's trying to rest, eat, what-not.  Last night I was nursing her and Thea pulled her off of me--talk about ouch!  lol 

MUST. FIND. BALANCE  :D

Ok, i've been reading Managers of their homes and while I don't think I can honestly micro-manage everyone in my household QUITE like she says to, I decided to start by putting a schedule in writing for at least the basics of what we do when.  Here's what I came up with:

	Daily Schedule
5:00	Checking e-mail, laundry, nurse Jayslyn
5:30	Katrina exercise and quiet time
6:00
6:30	Clean-up
7:00	Wake up kids/Fix breakfast/coffee/reading
7:30	Breakfast/get kids dressed and fed/morning chores
8:00
8:30
9:00	Start School--Awana and bible
9:30	Math with Kiernan, Shapes with Tirzah
10:00	Phonics and handwriting
10:30	Read-alouds
11:00
11:30	Lunch (Fridays leave for homeschool group)
12:00	Leave for Ballet (wednesdays only)
12:30	Clean up from lunch
1:00	PE
1:30
2:00	Rest time
2:30
3:00
3:30	Afternoon Snack
4:00	Read alouds
4:30
5:00	Carl home/get dinner going/ Kids play
5:30
6:00	Dinner time
6:30	Dinner clean-up
7:00	Playtime
7:30
8:00	Fold Laundry/ tidy house
8:30	Kid's bedtime routine--book, teeth, bed
9:00	Internet/ reading time
9:30	Internet/ reading time
10:00	Bed time

I guess for me it's really good to be accountable to something--even if it is a piece of paper.  It also helps me to realize that I can do all the things I need to in the course of a day.  We'll see how it works, though.......

Wow--finally after 4 1/2 weeks we are able to work on resuming some sort of normal life and routine.  We have greatly enjoyed our company and they have been a ton of help but we really, really needed to get into a workable routine.  I have been really praying about it as well and realizing that if I'm to accomplish all I need to during the day, I HAVE to get up early and start off with exercise and some sembalnce of a quiet time--probably both at one time.  As for school and such, I think we're going to detour somewhat--Kiernan wants to do a unit study on Easter so I'm going to look around for something suitable for the next couple weeks.  The Saturday before Easter we have more company and they will be here a week so after that maybe we'll start on sonlight--that's the plan anyway.  We're still reading the pre-K books and enjoying them.  We're also finally starting some much-needed work on the lawn and gardens here.  It's amazing to me how one little bitty person can work such havoc on a routine!

Today is going to mostly be spent simply catching up on things we've let go of while we had company here so it'll be a busy one.  Have a great day, everyone!

Check out our webshots album (see links) for some new pictures of the kids and our visit.  It'll be under March 2006

I know it's been a bit since I've blogged.  I did want to report, though, that things seem to somewhat be returning to some state of normal since my sister and her daughter headed out.  My mom and dad are here now but they are staying at a hotel so that's good.  We've enjoyed our visit with them, though and they have been great help with the yardwork and the kids.  It's been a blessing.  Jaylsyn is doing well and her sisters adore her.  She is revealing more of her personality to us as we get to know her little quirks and I'm reminded once again how unique each of God's little gifts to us are.  She is fussy at night, for instance and we've learned that she likes to be swaddled and can't STAND to be even the slightest bit wet.  She only gives me a little bit of nursing on each side per session and then isn't interested anymore--meaning she's wanting to nurse more frequently.  A routine and schedule will be welcome in her case.

I'm getting ready to start exercising again and the motivation lies only in looking at the mirror at my post-partum body of many kids.  I really need and want for my own psyche to get back in some semblance of shape so I'm looking forward to doing that.  I am also ready to get back into schooling full time again although Kiernan is walking herself through her reading lessons now and reading everything she can get her hands on not to mentian street signs, etc. 

Went to the USS North Carolina Ship today and looked around.  It was very interesting.  Carl actually spent most of the time with the girls explaining things and I spent some wonderful quality time with my mom just catching up.  It was really nice.  The girls really liked the ship and Kiernan was most struck that the bathrooms on the ship were only for boys.  She couldn't fathom that back then there weren't any girls on board.  Times have definately changed......and I'm not sure for the better!  Tirzah kept waiting for the ship to start moving and was a little disappointed when she was told it wouldn't.  Silly girl.  Thea impressed us by her ability to stay with us and hold our hands.  She's getting so big.  We were also impressed by her love and affection she has for her little sister now.  She can't keep her hands off of her and I think the affection is mutual.  Jayslyn lights up when she's around.  Thea has that affect on people.  She is so precious.

Time for bed---tomorrow is picture day and I'll try to post the results.  Until next time.....:)  Blessings, all!!

I tell ya what.....I took a personality test not long ago and it classified me as a type A- personality and I laughed.  I have always thought of myself as a B completely and 100%.  However, in the past 2 1/2 weeks since we've had company my type A has shown through strong and true.  My house is a literal zoo and it's making me nuts.  It's not only always messy but also very noisy.  We have my sister and her 2 year old daughter along with my own 4 children and let's jsut say, things are CRAZY.

As for school, Kiernan has gotten through her first hooked on phonics box in spite of the chaos so we're excited about that and she's already earning stars in level two.  We're so proud of her.  She is, as usual, longing for some more structured schooling and I am trying to give that to her when I can despite the craziness of our home situation right now.  Our sonlight K just came in and she goes in and drools over the box every day anxiously awaiting our official start.  I have told her that we will not start on that until after all of our company leaves but in the meantime we're reading through the pre-K books and they are enjoying that.  I'm very glad that I'm getting this craziness out of the way in terms of adding family members and pregnancies and what-not while they are still so young.  If I had to be really stringent with school right now I'd really be in a world of hurt.  lol

*Calgon, take me away"

Jayslyn Sue!  Jayslyn finally decided to come and join her family 9 days late on the 13th of March at 10:06am.  She weighed 8lb, 6oz and was 21 1/2 inches long.  We are all so happy to have her here finally!  Thank you to all of you who prayed for my patience and endurance during these exhausting last few weeks!

Check out my webshots album for pictures:  http://community.webshots.com/user/thedouds  Under March 2006

Blessings, all!!

I have been given a total of three due dates:  the 4th, the 9th and the 12th.  2 of the three are now come and gone and still I poke along with my tummy!  lol  My dr informed me today that I can't go on Sunday either because she goes to church a ways away so I think I may have to wait even longer yet.  As I think about it, it might be fun to have a St Patrick's day baby.  That will only put me at 13 days past my earliest due date and it's only 8 days away.  Totally doable.  Can you tell God is working on my attitude right now? ;)

Things are going well right now albeit a little crazy.  My sister and her young daughter are still here and she has been an AWESOME help but we are all a little worn out from the sheer business of two more people--one of whom is another toddler.  It's doing VERY good to get my mind off of my forever pregnancy, though.

School is really unschool right now--which I fully expected and that's ok.  I figure that somehow it's acceptable and it may remain that way until all of our company is gone in April sometime.  The girls are watching a minimum of TV and spending lots of time playing outside and just enjoying being kids.  They are loving having their cousin and they are learning some valuable skills in sharing and just learning to play with other people besides each other.  Kiernan is still keeping up with her reading, though, and is almost done with Hooked oh Phonics.  As much fun as this all is, though, I will be somewhat glad to return to a normal schedule but until then I am enjoying this crazy busy life I lead.

Blessings, all

Ah, and yes, I'm still pregnant but I won't go into that right now. 

But Kiernan is now reading her little books without having to sound out words.  I've heard that's another milestone in the reading journey so YEA, KIERNAN!!!

She is almost done with the first hooked on phonics box and we're trying to remember where we put the second one!  lol

Well, today was the big due date and, as customary with this one, I went to bed thinking that *perhaps* my body would kick start and go into labor.  But alas, here I am, up at 3:00am once again crampy but not laboring by any stretch of the imagination!  Oh well!  My mom said that I did this to her for weeks on end so I don't know whether to tell her "thank you for the genetic tendency to go later" or "I'm SO sorry--can you ever forgive me?!"  lol

My sister and her daughter came in yesterday and although our house was like a zoo with all the kids running around, they had a blast and I think this'll be a really good visit.  She is a good person with a good heart--and she picked up blocks off of the floor so that's always a plus!  Kiernan did stop and ask me at one point why I wasn't going to the hospital yet--she thought that as soon as Faydra came I'd be going right then.  I did some age appropriate explaining to her and I don't think she understood a word a said, but at least she knew one thing....it's all in God's timing.....so last night she prayed again that the baby would come soon.  Bless her heart!

Well, back to bed--today is another day!  Blessings, all!

Ok, let me preface this by saying I am terrified of fire ants and with good reason.  When I was pregnant with my first child I decided to go out and mow the lawn for dear Carl while he was gone on a TAD.  So, therefore, at 22 weeks pregnant and clad in my flip-flops I head out on a sunny florida day and proceed to mow our lawn and get barely one lap around when I step squarely into a fire ant's nest--not with one feet but two.  Ok, long story short, I end up in the hospital with HIGH blood pressure and a racing heart....and a lesson learned. 

Ok, fast forward to yesterday.....  On Fridays we have homeschool group at our church and after the kids have their little planned activity we head outside to play.  My kids love it and I love hanging out with the other moms who are as busy as I am with their homeschooling routines.  Well, yesterday Kiernan was off playing with her little friend Savannah and all of a sudden they run up and S is FREAKING out.  Kiernan hollars, "She's got ants on her!"  Well, the lady I'm standing there with and I proceed to ATTACK this poor little girl in 50 degree weather and strip her down to her skivvies looking for the little demons.  We're sitting there, fighting over her socks and yanking her pants off, etc.....to find ONE black ant that is, consequently....dead.......  Just then S's mom looks over and sees her daughter laying on the grass tutto Nuda (well, in her skivvies) with myself and this other lady on top of her (mind you, I'm 9 months pregnant) and says "What is going on over here?!"  We just start laughing and get S dressed and she skips off .  singing.....Kiernan close behind.......  So, lesson learned.....unless you're hot, don't ever hollar "Ants" around me!  I'll strip ya down!!  lolololololololol

I've had a bit of an epiphany lately.  In the beginning of this pregnancy there was some drama--enough to have the dr tell me in so many words to go home and wait to miscarry.  That week I spent my focus on two things......praying for God's will first and foremost and that I would be able to trust Him no matter the outcome and secondly, that if it is His will, this baby would just STAY PUT!  Thank you for the answers to prayer, Father......I'm ready for her to be a little less "sticky" now, thank you very much!  ;)

I went from days of visible signs and cramping to nothing so I have a feeling she's going to just, as I asked, stay put.....Oh well, today is my due date....according to my history I have at least a week or two to go so I'm back to my original prayer:  contentment and an absolute trust in His timing and will......:)  Praise the Lord! I have decided that this baby is going to have to be crowning before I'm really going to believe that I'm actually in labor.  This one is keeping me guessing!  So, once again, God's perfect timing.......

Well, on to school and other matters:  we got in our Handwriting without Tears a few days ago and I'm anxious to jump in with both feet.  It looks like a lot of fun for all of us and I'm always a sucker for manipulatives.  Kiernan is a talker and went on for 20 minutes last night about how much she likes "hooked on phonics" and then went on to talk about her favorite books and I was happy to hear that she is not only reading them but also conprehending them--hard to tell sometimes!  She is getting to the point finally in which she is no longer having to sound the words out.  She had a bit of an epiphany of her own, though....She realized the other day that she could read more things than little books with the HOP label on the back.  We were are Sams for our weekly 5 gallons of milk run and she is looking around and all of a sudden she said, "Mom, I know where we are!"  I said, "Where, honey?" and she pointed to the sign and said "We're at Sam's club!"  I read that!  So, now we're reading signs everywhere we go and sometimes she asks me to slow down while driving just so she can figure something out she sees on the side of the road!  lolololol  Gotta love that learning!  As for math, she's doing well there too and although we haven't gotten out the workbook in a few days, she's starting to show some interest in basic addition and subtraction and she's reading prices on items at the store. 

It's neat--Tirzah is picking up so much from her sister as well--I can already tell that I won't have to work with her so much as I do Kiernan and Thea, well, she scratches a line with a crayon and has to come and show me her "T" that she drew.  I think maybe I can do this......

As soon as our tax return money comes in we get to finally order our Sonlight K and that, we're all really excited about.  We are reading through the pre-l books right now as we can and our favorite is this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039553349X/sr=8-1/qid=1141475687/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-2180216-0503906?%5Fencoding=UTF8  Ok, I have not figured out how to deal with links but it's the Children's treasury of literature and it's chock full of lovely stories and amazing illustrations.  Every night we snuggle up and read a couple stories out of it and they go to sleep dreaming of gingerbread houses and porridge and Rapunzel's prince and his poor eyes.  Definately a must-have!

My sister and her two year old daughter are coming in a few hours for 3 weeks so we have a few things to do to get ready for that.  We're looking forward to the visit but we have never had someone that long before.  It should be a really nice time, though, of getting to know her better and developing some really nice memories.  She is bound to be quite a help as well and the girls are beside themselves excited to see and hang out with Jovie for a few weeks!  Jovie is quite a fun little girl!

Well, on and on I ramble again.....have a wonderful weekend everyone and we'll keep you updated on any "new" developments

I'm 2 days from the big day--I'm having definate signs that things are progressing as well so I'm hoping that it continues.  If not, well, it's all in God's perfect timing, right?  Today was an absolutely BEAUTIFUL day here in NC and so we went to books a million and picked up some wanted children's books and then we went to a park we'd never gone to before.  The kids thought they were in heaven with the play equiptment and the other kids there.  I was very, very happy to see, though, that they really hung together and looked out for each other.  Asking Kiernan about it later she said, "but I really wanted most to play with my sisters!"  What a blessed thing for a mom to hear....  So we played there for most of the day and then went for ice cream at the Cold Stone.  We then came home and stretched out in our hammock and read books.  I promptly got my huge self stuck and it took all three kids to help me out--we were all laughing until we had tears after that!  All in all, though, what a lovely, lovely day.......

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Pattycake/  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HeartSchooling

I don't know this family or anything but please be in prayer for them as they deal with this loss.....