Two Learn

It's Wednesday already! Whew! It's been a busy week and it's going to get busier :)

We have managed to get school done, in its entirety...not all at the same time, but all done, and that is what matters right?! The little one is soooo close to venturing out and walking...and with this comes an excessive state of curiosity and adventure! He is EVERYWHERE...ALL the time! He has quickly gone from my easy going, laid back, cuddly baby, to my busy, busy, never sleepy, into everything, outspoken toddler boy!! But as bittersweet as it is to let him grow, it is fun! And the big kids are LOVING it, because he can really play!!! And he loves to jam to Grayson's ABC song, it's great! Monday during school, he protested his morning nap with some really yucky sensory play (he took off his diaper, and played...while Mommy thought he was sleeping)! Did I mention school time is becoming very interesting with him?? :)

So with the little one giving up the morning nap, it has made school very interesting! We moved more to a lunch and nap, school time! But it works and we get it done! And I am really loving Kindergarten the second go round :) We finished up the sixth and seventh day of creation and today we did a fun review activity of finding and taking pictures of man made vs. God created things...he did great with this and I got his pictures printed tonight for our special project tomorrow! The only "fuss" he put up about school was wanting to know "why exactly do I have to write the same thing 5 times??"...so I guess I will change up the handwriting sheet a little...maybe the same thing 5 times is a little boring! ;) And he has also decided he likes working ON the table or floor, so we do! Why not, right?!

 

 And today, I threw in a little scavenger hunt for his name outside which he LOVED! It may be hard for some to see the letters, but I think he did great finding them! It was wonderful! And lots of fun!!

 G

 

r

 
 

A

 y

 

 s

 o

 

n

Cool, huh? He wants to make it into a poster to hang in his room! I definitely think we will :)

“When one teaches, two learn.” I have to say, I am really enjoying teaching him and through this two are learning, for sure!

Tomorrow, it's off to register the little lady for 3K...which I can hardly believe!...along with school, gymnastics, and chasing Grady! Fun! And my cup runneth over....I am immeasurably blessed!

House of Dreams

This month, four years ago was a time of many changes for Chris and I...we had sold our house, found out baby #2 was growing, and Chris ventured out (or God pushed him out) to start his own business! Talk about changing!!! Last weekend we rode by our first little house...I had never to date been so sentimental about it. Don't get me wrong I loved it, and cherished all the wonderful memories, but I had never choked back tears and remembered the years with such passion as when I passed it last weekend!

We were all of 20 when we bought that house! We were planning our wedding, Chris had just completed his college classes and I was plugging away at mine!   He had a plumbing and electrical job making $11 an hour, and he worked with all the heart he had! We didn't have much, but we had more than enough! We thought we had it all, and I would say we did! 

It was a house of dreams for us! We painted and we decorated! It was everything wonderful! :) Our little two bedroom, one bath, 900 sq foot home didn't look like much to anyone, but you better believe it was a castle to us! 

When I drove by the other day, I was just overwhelmed! Overwhelmed by our humble beginnings, overwhelmed by where we have gone and overwhelmed by God's goodness to get us there. 

That house was built in the 1950's, we bought it in 2004...it already had stories from years past deep in its fibers, but now...as we drove by...in 2013, the family living there is also surrounded by our stories. Our love story is also etched in the walls of that old, little, mill house castle! 

We returned from our honeymoon and sat right there in the floor to open our wedding gifts! It was there we lived when we delighted in eating frozen pizza, Saturday afternoon runs to Dollar General, late nights studying, rocking on the porch and our little puppy Sasha. It was there we lived when I finally earned that Nursing School diploma! It was in that kitchen we embraced when we knew our first child was going to enter the world! It was in that front bedroom where we set up the nursery for our first born...our little boy. It was in the back bedroom that we embraced when we knew our second child would enter the world. It was there, in that house, where we etched our love story, our life into the walls. 

To some, it's just a little old mill house. To us, it was our home, our first home. Where our story began. Thankful for our story and so very thankful for our humble beginnings!

Joy

"Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are."

Day 4 of Kindergarten is complete! He is enjoying it, and I certainly am! We went to Chick-Fil-A to run off steam and have breakfast with Nina (my Mom) before school this morning! That was fun, and the best part is the kids met another homeschooling family who had an older girl that attached to Ada and a six year old boy that Grayson played with! And I definitely needed that time with my Mom! :) Then it was home to get the school day started! I am loving it so far! It works well, there is no rush and we adjust and take breaks when we need to! We are usually done in 2.5 hours or less, and then it's recess (which Grayson said he really likes!) I am learning to appreciate recess, as well! It gives me time to run the vacuum, fix lunch and play with the little one! Although, most of the time, the little one....who is not so little anymore, stands at the door wanting to go play with big brother and sister...so we do :) He LOVES being outside!

I have truly been overwhelmed with joy this week. I know most people don't "get" us and how we do things, but this week has given me that feeling of satisfaction, contentment. I can't imagine being anywhere else or doing anything any different! It really is amazing how God works out all the little things just the way they are supposed to be, so that the big things come together. What an amazing opportunity this is. Being home with my three wonderful children, and better yet, even "going" to Kindergarten with my oldest! Grayson has spent a lot more time in the afternoons "working" with his Daddy. This makes him very proud. He really feels like a big kid since he gets to do this. But this has also given me the chance to spend some time with Ada Grayce and Grady. That's been fun! Ada Grayce will be heading to 3K in two weeks! I can hardly believe it!! And my baby boy will be a year old in less than two months!! So the time we spend together is cherished even more because I am realizing it just goes too fast!

I am really really enjoying our "school" schedule...so much that we may do this year round! ;) It's been good for us! It's been a smooth easy adjustment to Kindergarten so far and I hope that it continues! I am thankful for our togetherness (Chris and I) and I am thankful for these wonderful babies and the opportunity we have to raise them! So today, JOY just seems to fit the feeling.

"Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God."

Can't Stop Smiling

Smiling...it's a universal sign of happiness, delight. It's contagious. It's fun! It feels good! :)

Today was a good day! A wonderful day! And I just couldn't stop smiling. It was a good school day and lunch was a picnic and playground visit in the rain (it's been raining for what feels like forever!) and we just had to get out some! And we finished the afternoon with bubble baths, naps and gymnastics! It's was a simple yet wonderful day!!! :) I even got flowers! A rose from Grayson and his daddy and a bunch from our Papa and Rosey! What a wonderful surprise! :)

Just What I Needed...

I struggled a little on the inside today...just feeling unsure, uneasy, hoping he was going to be happy with our decision to homeschool...and with a little drawing Grayson eased my mind and reassured me. It was just what I needed. He went in the room and told me I couldn't come in...came back a few minutes later with his hands behind his back and with a "thank you thank you thank you, Mommy for being my teacher!" He gave me this! A picture of him and me, with love Grayson on the back! And then again, he reassured me during his journal time! I love him!! And I love that I have the opportunity to educate him! Step aside doubt! This little reassurance was just what I needed! :)

First Day!

We pledged, we had calendar time, we started our creation book and studied the first day of creation, reviewed letters, sang songs, and made jewelry with our completed rocks!! (Yes! The rocks did finally finish, and both the big kids loved it!) It was fun! And despite my periodic nervous jitters about the weight and responsibility, I think it is going to be a very fun, very successful year! :)

Kindergarten is Calling...Our Mountain is Waiting!

So tomorrow is the day! I have reviewed...re-reviewed....re-reviewed and re-reviewed, just to be sure I am ready! And he is bursting with excitement to see what Kindergarten is all about!
I know to some would think my nervous jitters are silly and that I have no clue because my son isn't going to public school, but homeschooling has a whole different set of worries and questions with it. But as I said before, I feel like I was called to do this (and it was absolutely NOT part of the plan when I had babies, ha!), so I must do it. And I will...maybe not perfect, but I will give it my very best.
Kindergarten, in itself, taste very bittersweet. The bitter would be the disbelief that he is even old enough, big enough, ready enough for REAL Kindergarten! Where did my 9 pound 2 ounce beautiful baby boy go....he has somehow, in what feels like a blink, turned into a 43 pound 5 year old boy!
The sweet, well it lies in the knowledge he will gain, seeing him become who God designed him to be. They can't stay little forever, so we must cherish each stage. Each milestone. Each memory.
So together, my energetic, inquisitive, playful, funny, energetic, lover of all, talkative, kind hearted, outspoken, energetic, all boy, sweet, amazing brother and big boy begin this journey. This milestone. This adventure. Together. I don't know what the future holds or what God has in store, but I am thankful for this opportunity and can't wait to see!

“Today is your day, your mountain is waiting. So get on your way.” ~Dr. Seuss

Can't wait to climb this mountain with him!

Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This

Day 2 of rain...day 5 of My Love working long hours...yep, it was one of those days...weary, emotional, rainy, lonely days. And for some reason the phrase "mama said there'd be days like this" just kinda stuck today! I have to say though, it was a much better day with the kids moods! So that helped a lot, but Mama was a grump! Ugh! I was even getting on my own nerves! Nothing like being a grump and not an adult in sight for hours to vent to! ;) Some days there's just not enough sleep, not enough coffee, not enough Diet Dr. Pepper, not enough chocolate! So today, when the kids laid down for a nap, I enjoyed a bowl of ice cream and a 15 minute nap! And yippee for a mood changer! I was much more tolerable after that! :)

My big boy spent his first night away, that wasn't with a grandparent! That was major...not for him...but for me! ;) he seemed to have a fun time at the movies and Chick-Fil-A! And when he departed this afternoon, I was inspired by another friend to make some new travel pillows! That was fun! Sewing is always a good way for me to decompress! I love going in the craft room with just scraps of fabric and coming out with something useful!! And since we are going on the three hour trip to see our Papa and Rosey tomorrow, it was perfect timing! :) Ada helped me cut and sew and stuff! She loved it and I did too! ;) And Daddy brought home supper when he came! So despite the "mama said there'd be days like this" start, the day improved by the end! :)

I cut the boys out of one of Daddy's old t- shirts and I happened to have some bird fabric left from the first sleep pillow I made her! 

Before stuffing! :)

All done! I like them a lot and she does too!! :)

Pull Your Hair Out Kinda Day...

Today has been a testy one in the House of Grayce! It's rained all day, which always makes for an interesting one! My big boy is unusually moody and testy...literally swinging from the curtains and climbing the walls...I must check the moon status...it has to be a full one!! The other two are just a little emotional and needy...which makes for a day that this mommy could pull her hair out!!! I don't like these days, but at the same time they make the good days even better! I don't like having to be tough, but I also know kids will push the limits just to make sure there is one, and that discipline is necessary for lots of reasons. One of the most important is building trust. We have to stick to what we say. It helps build up responsible little people and builds their trust in us. They WANT to know that we will do what we say, that our word can be trusted! And if there's anything I accomplish in this life, it's to build up good responsible little people who KNOW without a doubt, I am here and they can trust me.

I know its partly anticipation for a schedule and routine that  school brings, and the sweets from yesterday (they cant tolerate sugar in anything but small amounts!)...and throw in the rain, and five year old moods and it can be a mess! whew! For today, I pray that tomorrow brings sunny skies and a renewed "less testy" spirit for me and my big boy! 

Change The World

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

Our celebration day arrived! We celebrated each other and their accomplishments. We celebrated each other and our future! A fellow homeschooler, and best friend, and I planned a little back to school kick off for our babies! It was a lot of fun! I planned some water balloon activities, which went very quickly! Kids get very excited with water balloons :) Then we had pizza and homemade cupcakes and frosty! It was yummy! And it was a great way to end the summer! Just 4 more days and the official school year begins!
 I look forward to my first year educating Grayson and he said to me yesterday "I like hanging out with you mom. I can't wait to start school!", so I think he is looking forward to it as well! And Ada Grayce is equally as excited about venturing out to preschool...most days! ;) And Grady, well he will be 10 months old in 3 days, so the world to him IS education. Everything, every part is peculiar and lovely. It's wonderful and beautiful. It IS education! And with his listening ears and curious hands, he doesn't miss a thing!!
It was a super fun day, filled with anticipation...and a few wild jitters from the kiddos, but overall, lots and lots of fun! So Monday it is! We set off on the journey of discovering My Father's World.