Okay, I am so excited.  A friend of mine started these "chore charts" at her house with great success, and I just had to try it.  She said it was an idea she got from me, but I just don't believe it.  As a matter of fact, I believe I saw this idea on the Turansky's newsletter that we both subscribe to.  I am so proud of how they turned out, now if they will just work!  My hope is that it will make my kiddos more independent in doing their work and completing it.

I took clip art to illustrate each job and inserted it into name badge holders.  The name badge holders attach to a lanyard for each child.  Each of the older 3 kids have 4 chores on their lanyards: "Make your bed," "brush your teeth," "bring clothes to the laundry," and "clean breakfast dishes."  Then, I have extra weekly jobs that will be rotated among them and attached to their lanyards for the week.  They are: "Pass out Vitamins," "Swish Potty," "Swipe sink and mirror," "Kitchen Helper," and "Laundry Helper."  I am so excited about the revolution coming at my house!

If you are interested, the Turansky's site is www.biblicalparenting.org.  They have fabulous Parenting Tips!

Signing off...

Praise the Lord!  The fog has lifted.  I pray for the joy of the Lord to continue to fill my heart and mind and that I will be mindful of His generous blessings. 

What is it with routine and scheduling?  It is like a magic potion.  I have found that if we do Bible first (that part makes sense) and science or history, our day runs much smoother.  When I think I can save time by asking the girls to work on Language and Math first (their seatwork), they take all morning to get it finished and I am rushed to get in the "teaching" or reading subjects.  I'm not sure what that mental block is, but I'm just going to go with it.  Now to get the little ones occupied so it is quiet for the seatwork. 

Today, I hope to break things up and surprise the kids with a trip to Callaway Gardens.  If you are ever in the West GA area, plan to visit the gardens.  We have a pass this year, so I want to make sure it pays for itself.  It is supposed to be 75 degrees on this winter, February day, so we are going to take advantage by going to walk and see the butterflies and such.  I think it will lift all of our spirits to get some fresh air.

Off to catch up on the laundry to "earn" my outing!

Signing off...

That song is at the front of my mind today as I crave some genuine communion with the Lord. ...Would you pour down like rain?...Just yesterday, I was thinking I should write something on here, and was a little down (in the writing sense) because I had nothing to add.  As frustrating as little things can be - the oldest one (2nd grade) all of the sudden has no idea why we have place value and the younger one (1st grade) does not know how to make a rhyming word - I have been pretty understanding and cool about it.  "Get through it, it will click," I keep reminding myself.  At the same time, I look for the stressors.  Are they hungry?  Tired?  What?  We have been having a great time though.  Work has been accomplished.  Laundry is caught up.  Groceries are in the pantry.  Now, today, I found myself on my bathroom floor begging for God's help and forgiveness.  What is it that triggered a total bottoming-out?!  Is it my Father pruning me or is it low blood sugar? (I started Weight Watchers last Saturday.)

This confident, busy, ex-cheerleader of an aging girl suddenly questioned everything in her life in one second and felt like her mind was fighting with itself inside her head.  I have so many questions and concerns of the bubble that surrounds me.  In the middle of this searching on my cracked, dirty ceramic tile floor, it smacks me in the head that I have just probably scared my children to death and brought guilt on them that they don't deserve.  In comes more begging for help and forgiveness.  It can be overwhelming when a 4 year old cries if someone looks at him wrong, and a 2 year old cries and climbs on you through an entire history lesson.  Pair that with the blank stares of the children that were prodigies yesterday, and it was the little push that sent me toppling down the mountain. 

Enough for excuses.  Is that you Lord?  What are you trying to mold in my life?  Is it basic patience and compassion or are you weeding out a major sin that I have a blind spot to?  I'll be honest, as smooth as things have run around here, there is a seed of discontentment.  When you think you desire something that is the Lord's will for your life, but the opportunity to follow through is not there, is it not His will?  Where do you find contentment?  There are issues of obedience to Him for our family that I am not in charge of.  Do I carry that burden?  Whew. "For we wrestle not against powers and principalities..."

It's interesting that our sight is so tunneled that we think if Math goes well, the kid can read, they sit still for Bible, and enjoy some learning along the way, life will be great.  No worries.  Where do the new thought come from?  Is it Satan's temptations or the Lord's refining?  Do they hurt the same?  I'd rather credit any of this to the Lord for then there will purpose - method in the madness, if you will.  I am in a rich, meat-filled Bible study.  Am I missing God speaking to me or should I truly be yearning for more?  If anyone is still reading with me, you may be screaming at me through your computer monitor.  I understand.  I do the same.  I also know what I am supposed to "do."  The way I should do it is unsettling to me right now, and can only be worked out by personality preferences.

I AM thankful.  I'm thankful for the clutter around me that says God provides.  I'm thankful for the loud kids that tell me that God gives blessings.  I'm thankful for my problem-less life, full of health, prosperity, abundance, and joy.  Should I want more?  Dare I?

I hope to be back with some insight from God's Word, and won't despair at monotony again! 

Signing off...

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say

[CHORUS]
Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak

I'm finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise
All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet hear Your voice

[REPEAT CHORUS 2x]

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay

I'm overwhelmed with the options of this blogging stuff.   I'd like to be blogger savvy (or is it saavy?), but it just makes me feel dumb!  If any one has the cliff notes to adding links and tickers and blinkie bars and all that neat stuff, send them on, because if it is up to me to figure out templates and that sort of thing, y'all are gonna be looking at this green grass on a navy page for a long time - which is fine, mind you, but not personal.   Any info would be so appreciated (in simple terms!). 

I sure am enjoying nosing around other peoples blogs!

Scratching my head as I sign off...

Mandy

Well, this is new for me, and I hope I can keep up.  I am so excited to start reading others' testimonies and stories, but I will start by introducing myself.  My name is Mandy and I have 4 chillins, 2 of which are officially homeschooling, one on the threshhold and one in the wings.  My oldest daughter is 8 and in 2nd grade.  Number 2, also a girl, is 6 and in 1st grade.  Our lone ranger (read, son) is 4 but has a late birthday so will officially be PreK in June (more about why June later), and the baby, a diva princess girl, will be 2 in about 2 weeks.

We started back to school after our Christmas break with a bang.  I think the main component of the smooth sailings has been sticking with a schedule.  I know that many homeschoolers are "anti-schedule" but for now, with little ones, it really helps me to have one, however loose it has to be during the day.  My kids seem to thrive knowing what is coming and what is left to do. 

Also, I made a decision after a hectic and disappointing holiday season that we would officially school through the summer and take off November and December.  This has been an exciting prospect for me even though I know it is going to take LOTS of prayer and perseverance for those summer months.  It makes sense to me though because the summer days are somewhat of 22 hours long, it seems, and (1) they need something to fill some of those long daylight hours, and (2) it is so hot, some days we find ourselves inside hiding from the 100+ temperatures!  We might as well make it productive, huh?  My main drive was so that we could take time to slow down during the holiday months and do more family oriented, fun, seasonal activities.  I know that can be done even when doing school, but my brain seemed to be preoccupied with "getting school in" and I couldn't focus on planning the good stuff.  I had grand plans of special Christmas devotionals and giving activities, parties, and seasonal "field trips," but my drive crashed when it was paired with the obligations of the days and seasons.  I just thought this might be a way to free up more brain space - atleast for me!

As you can tell, I am more of a traditional homeschooler, but I use an eclectic mix of curriculum.  I probably gave the impression that I can be somewhat rigid, but I think I may fall somewhere between structured and relaxed.  I do like to do things different and natural from time to time.  The more comfortable I get with the whole "homeschool thing" the more relaxed I am and the more at peace I am with what we do, what we accomplish, and where my children are academically.   I truly love my life!

Well, if you've hung with me this far, thanks, and I hope to be back soon!

Signing off...