Welcome to our little space in cyber space! I am a Christian wife and homeschooling mom of two blessings. We live in the beautiful Golden State, California. This is a place where family and friends can keep up with all the happenings in our lives as well as a place where I can post my thoughts and experiences in this adventure of being a homeschooing family. Make yourselves at home and feel free to post comments. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mama2Ways/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Thu, 8 Jan 2009 21:01:00 -0600 Thu, 8 Jan 2009 21:01:00 -0600 New Years....an opportunity to make a fresh start. I don't usually have New Years Resolutions because I'm a dismal failure at keeping them. But after Christmas vacation I want to start fresh and new. Creating a new schedule is  just what we need to keep us productive and going till we're done with the year. So I sit and plan. I even wrote it all down. Simple enough on paper. Monday morning came and I got up 1/2 hour later than planned. No big deal we actually managed. Tuesday, got up on time and managed to stay close to the schedule. Pretty good! Wednesday,  got up on time, managed to get a little "creative" with the schedule. Not bad. But in our "creativity", I lost my temper and yelled at the kids. Not pretty....... Confession time: I get impatient and when I get impatient I often yell. Yes, I'm a yeller and I have come from a long line of yellers. Not a good excuse but I do get it honestly. And I really hate my yelling. But how do I stop? Yesterday afternoon I dropped off T at his writing class. My friend K was there dropping of her daughter and I asked her how this week was going. She admitted it was just awful at her house. She even told me that yesterday she also yelled and even broke down in tears. That's a really bad day! We started talking about bad attititudes in kids......and moms. Then she told me this:  When the schedule or our ideal of our children's education becomes so important that when it doesn't go right we sin then it's an idol. Ugggghhhhhh....an idol. I get that people thinking their houses, cars, bodies, toys and such are idols. But my attempt at organization and educationg the kids an idol???? Wow! But I'm thinking she is onto something here. It's slowly sinking in. How convicting!!!!  I needed that. Anybody else?       http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mama2Ways/643107/ Thu, 8 Jan 2009 21:01:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mama2Ways/643107/ When Thansgiving weekend ends, it seems that we have this huge expanse of time to get all the things done that we need to do for Christmas. And we chug along, getting our stuff done. But maybe I'm not chugging fast enough because, ta-da! it's going to be here in just two days. (We celebrate Christmas Eve two so that day counts) The tree is up, the gifts are on their way and will be wrapped once I can sneak away. Cookies and baking for gifts still needs to be done and I still have the gifts for my brother's family to complete and I'm having a hard time with that. The house is done, the menu is planned, the kids are excited. Even the weather is cooperating by being very cold and rainy. (We won't get snow) Tonight we even celebrated Chanuka, since we studied the Jewish Feasts this year. And tonight is the last Sunday before Advent. But my heart........oh, I need to find some time to really reflect on God incarnate. The idea that God came down as a little tiny and helpless babe just baffles me. He left His Glory in Heaven to be among us. And then He didn't just walk among us, He loved us. He loved us in His life and His death and then again at His resurrection. I'll never forget the first time I walked into a Russian Orthadox Church. There, in the front, were two large icon pictures. One of Jesus and Mary and the other of Jesus alone, in all His glory. The priest told me that their church looks at these icons each Sunday and remembers Jesus's first coming, as fully God and fully man who came to save us from our sins. The second  picture is the picture when He comes again. What a beautiful thing to see each Sunday morning. Our church does not have those icon pictures, but my heart does. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mama2Ways/635211/ Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:48:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mama2Ways/635211/ FOR TODAY, November 3,2008 Outside My Window...is 56 degrees. It's cloudy and will rain again tonight. After weeks of horrible dryness, this rain is very refreshing.  I am thinking... I am so done with this election! Everybody is on edge. I'll admit I'm a bit worried about it but I know that come Wednesday morning, God will still be on His throne. I am thankful....for the wonderful rain we had this weekend. From the kitchen...dinner is over and it's all cleaned up. Lots of candy lurking in there from this weekend's festivities. I am wearing...jeans and an orange sweater I am creating...a gown for this weekend. It's a deep pink taffeta with eggshell colored trim. I am having so much fun making this gown for the ball. But pleating 148 inches certainly has been a challenge. I am going...to go to bed early tonight. I am hoping...that God's will will be done tomorrow with the elections. I am hearing...Monday Night Football down stairs and the kids getting ready for bed. Around the house...threre are little pink threads from my creation. A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Finish up the gown and get everything ready for this weekend's re-enactment. I can't wait. We will also be studying more about Egypt, Moses and the Israelites. Daybook Monday is hosted here http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mama2Ways/614173/ Mon, 3 Nov 2008 22:55:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mama2Ways/614173/ FOR TODAY, Ocotber 26, 2008 Outside My Window...is 88 degrees. The sky is clear and it is very dry. Indian Summer.  I am thinking... that I need to vacume and get a few chores done. And in one hour I have to take the kids to Tai Kwon Do, but I'd rather spend time here blogging. :-) I am thankful that we had a relaxing weekend and a wonderful day at church yesterday. I am also thankful that school went well today. Much better than last Monday. From the kitchen...My mom gave me a whole bunch of brussels sprounts. I blanched and froze them and it does not smell very good, even though I put a candle. I tried. But the kids and I enjoy brussels sprouts. I am wearing...jeans and a coral colored top. I am creating...well I need to create a cat costume for the Harvest Party this Friday. I also wanted to create a ball gown for the Civil War re-enactment in two weeks. I don't think I have enough time and expertise though. I am going...nowhere I can think of right now. I am hoping...that these elections will be over soon. They have so many people on edge. I am hearing...the kids quiet play while they relax in their rooms. Around the house...it is pretty clean and quiet. A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Study more about Egypt. I think we'll make mummified apples. It's going to be a pretty relaxed week. I am very thankful for that. Daybook Monday is hosted here http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mama2Ways/610870/ Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:02:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mama2Ways/610870/ My birthday was last Friday. I would have blogged sooner, but my computer has been having fits.  I know I need to also write about our trip up North. I need to get those pictures in the computer. Well, my birthday was a busy one. My mom took the kids and me out to lunch. That was fun spending time with her and the kids. We also had gelato for dessert. Then I took the kids to the park. That evening DH and T had a Cub Scout meeting and AG, Mom, and I went to a pot luck put on by our homeschool group highschoolers. It was an Italian theme and they did a wonderful job. They even sang Happy Birthday to me. Saturday, the kids had a Tai Kwon Do tournement. AG got second in both Korean Wresting and Fencing. T got second in High Kick and first place in Fencing. I did not expect them to place very high at all. There are other kids, especially in T's class that are way better. I just wanted them to have the experience and have fun. I was so proud of them for doing their best. Saturday evening DH and I went to the Cheesecake Factory for a romantic dinner out while my mom had the kids spend the night. It was nice to spend time together and to catch up and make some new plans. It's been a long while since we went out and the Cheesecake Factory is a huge and rare treat. Today a present from DH came in the mail. I know most women would not think it was so great. But I had told DH a few months back that I would love to have a weather station so I can see how windy it really gets here. DH was really thoughtful when I had dropped the hint. Tomorrow is supposed to be windy so we'll test it. We don't get very extreame weather here, but it will be fun to play with it and compare it day to day with the kids. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mama2Ways/608259/ Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:51:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Mama2Ways/608259/