I tried something new today for quiet time with the 2 and 4 yo.  4 yo almost never sleeps.  2T sometimes sleeps.  Baby always sleeps sometime in the afternoon and if the boys are upstairs for "quiet time" they usually wake baby up.  Nice "quiet time," huh?  I really need just 30 mins of peace and it's not happening because I have to keep running upstairs to discipline the boys for getting off their beds, etc. 

Today I gave them each a blanket and told them to get some books or a toy that they could play with quietly.  They had to stay on their blanket and be quiet for 25 minutes.  I set the timer.  I was right there...I could see them both.  They were in separate rooms but really just a few feet from each other.  It went great!!!  I want to gradually increase the time.  An hour would be grand!  We'll see how it goes.  I really want to this to be a daily habit for us to be quiet and apart from each other.  I think it will be essential for homeschooling.

I love my boys!

My 4.5 yo is a storyteller.  He often tells stories that begin "when I was an old man."  These stories contain the adventures of him and his ten children.  YES, 10!  Many of their adventures are the ones that 4.5 yo has experienced with his Papa.  You can't help but smile when he begins. 

Sometimes I think he sees himself as one of the adults.  He is pretty mature for his age and I do count on him quite a bit as my helper.  Tonight, after bedtime stories, he said, "Mama, we're so blessed to have children." 

When I tucked the two olders in bed, 2T lifted his shirt to give his "baby" (stuffed dog) "milk-milk."   

Moments like these make me feel like we must be doing something right.....Thank you, Jesus!

I taught 4 yo the card game "War" this last week.  He got the hang of it pretty fast and now wants to play all the time.  Grandpapa came to visit today so 4 yo hooked him into the game.  There was lots of laughter.  I noticed Grandpapa giving 4 yo all the cards about half-way into the game.  Think he was trying to make the game end sooner?  LOL 

After the game, dh, Grandpapa, 4 yo, and 2 yo put in our new chest freezer.  yay!  Now we are finally prepared for butchering our chickens this week.  Long overdue.  I hope I can still eat chicken when it's over.  I've never taken part in work like this before.

so why butcher?  I like to know what is in our meat.  I can't afford to buy all things organic, but I can afford to raise them organic.  We are blessed with a grand property.  Might as well put it to good use.  Ask me next week, though, if I think the entire process is worth it...or if I'll just find the money to buy organic.  LOL

(I had written this once, but lost it when I tried to "add new entry."  I think I was signed in too long?  oh well...from now on I will copy before I submit.  Here's the condensed version.)

My first son, now age 4, went easy on me as a two year old.  He threw tantrums, but didn't get into mischief.  My second son, affectionately known as "2T," is another story.  2T is a sweet, quiet child but I wish he would let me in on his thoughts more often. 

2T loves water so it should come as no surprise that much of his mischief involves water.  Today he was drinking a cup of water and as I blinked he carefully poured it into his (toy) metal lunchbox.  I immediately sent ds4 for a towel because the "law of 2T' says the lunchbox will leak.  I jumped up from nursing 6 mos. old ds and crossed the room to 2T as he gingerly picked up the lunchbox and the water ran out onto the couch, the floor, his clothes.

Yesterday I was doing some cleaning.  4 yo wanted to help so I set him up with a squirt bottle of diluted vinegar and an old cloth.  He wiped down the tv screen and the front of the kitchen appliances before 2T (playing in the other room w/ baby) noticed what was going on.  Of course 2T wanted in on the squirt bottle.  I involved him with a smaller squirt bottle of water and an old cloth on the vinyl kitchen floor.  He sprayed and sprayed and sprayed and sprayed and sprayed....all in one spot.  No interest in the cloth.  When his bottle was empty, he went to find brother's.

Last week he threw washcloths in the toilet.  Before the clog was fixed, he flushed the toilet after just being told not.  I watched the toilet water cascade over the bowl as he exclaimed, "Mama I flush it toilet."  I guess it was lots of fun because it wasn't too long after that he did the same thing under his Papa's watch.

Then there was the day I set the 2yo and 4yo up to play in the kitchen sink while I did some major cooking.  Of course, 2T's few inches of water could not possibly stay in the sink so he was soon naked.  I left the room to get the baby out of bed and came back to find 2T sitting in the sink.  Reminded me of the time he climbed in the bathroom sink to give his little toy duck a bath.  The sink was full and the water ice cold but he was pleased as punch!

Yes, 2T keeps me hoppin', so maybe "putzin" in the title seems inappropriate.  However, when it comes to home education, I want to be relaxed so we can enjoy life and all the learning opportunities (and water exploration) it has to offer.  I don't want it to be a race.  So here's to putzin' along as we educate our little men.