Okay, husband made a liar out of me this Valentine's Day. He brought home 12 ounces of Ghirardelli Luxe Milk Chocolate for me, which he found at Walgreens on the way home....before midnight even!
I usually eat semi-sweet baking chocolate, so this is tasting devilishly good.
I'm sure I'll regret it.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Weekend doings and Happy Valentine's Day
Saturday morning found us making bird feeders for our backyard. The kids spread peanut butter on pine cones, then we rolled them in black oil sunflower seeds or cornmeal. We tied string tightly around the center of the pine cones and hung them from our trees.
Do yourself a favor: Do this in the morning in pajamas. Who needs an extra outfit change?
We also cut large circle holes on two sides of milk jugs (you'll find raised circles already on the jugs). Next, we made two small holes right below the larger ones, and threaded a stick through these two small holes, for a perch. You can also use wooden dowels. Lastly, we tied a string around the top of the jug, securing it there by putting the lid back on. You'll find a far better explanation and a diagram here.
We've made three milk jug feeders so far, placing one in the front yard and two in the side yard.
Next up, egg carton feeders. We will cut the top off of an egg carton, use a hole punch to punch one hole in each of the four corners, tie a string to each hole, and then tie the four strings together at the top. Lastly, add seed to each egg compartment, and tie to a tree.
None of these are weather resistant, of course. The birds will appreciate them nonetheless--especially in winter--and you'll earn yourself some regular visitors.
You can also spread peanut butter on a paper towel roll, roll it in seed, thread a string through the center, and tie it to a tree.
While you're waiting for birds to find your goodies, put stale bread all over your yard. It might help them come sooner.
The kids looked outside all three windows every few minutes, waiting for birds--taking breaks for all manner of silliness in the playroom.
My girlies helped me make cornbread on Saturday and again today. I keep my recipes in a back bedroom to cut down on counter clutter. Beth, upon hearing me say we're making cornbread again, rushed to the bedroom, grabbed a recipe and brought it to me. It happened to be the right one, since it was the last one we used. I had no idea she even knew where the recipes were, or that she paid much attention to my following them when she helped. She continues to delight me!
Yes, Miss Mary did put her dress on backwards. :)
We were all delighted this morning to find that our resident squirrels found the teaser bread and seed we put out. They fought over it and put on quite the show!
The boys seemed to have lost interest in helping with recipes. My girls are still faithful, though. It makes me smile to have them along side me! That is, until they spontaneously decide to add water to the mixing bowl--from Momma's water bottle! I'm learning to never turn my back on the mixing bowl!
Nice paintings produced this Valentine's Day.
These were formed from tissue paper wrapped in pipe cleaners, which were then poked into those spongy flower thingys, and wrapped with foil.)
Valentine's Day gratitude:
- for our penpals, who blessed the socks off my kids with an awesome care package, and delighted me with my own copy of Ann's book! If only these kids would let me read it! I haven't been able to get past chapter one (which was a magnificent chapter).
- for hearing my nine year old talk to his stuffed animals as he was placing them on his bed this morning
- for the sparkling delight in my children's eyes, as they found their Valentine bears and their small boxes of chocolate.
- for hearing a thousand times between Saturday and today, "When will the birds come, Mommy?" I know the longer it takes, the more delighted we'll be when our first feeder friends visit. We've seen a flicker in one tree and a blue jay in another, but they didn't see our feeders!
- for this luscious honey cornbread and navy bean soup and chili to go with it, these past few days
- for that husband of mine, who keeps meaning to buy me something for Valentine's Day, and for Christmas, and for my birthday. :) I think it's been a good five years since he's gotten around to any gifts. Neither of us has gifts as a love language, so I find it amusing more than anything else. Few people hate shopping as much as my hubby does. This probably seems strange to some, but no significance comes from gifts--other than thankfulness--if they aren't your love language.
- for God's faithfulness in growing me. He has spoken to my heart about being faithful in the small things, like performing the chores I don't care for, in order to bless my family. Now that my littlest one is more independent, and I'm not overwhelmed every second, it's time for some serious spiritual growth. I feel God moving in my heart. And I'm so glad He times his lessons so as not to discourage us! Even two months ago, I wouldn't have been able to receive, willingly, these current lessons.
I hope you got blessed today, friends, in one way or another. :) Happy Valentine's Day!
I am blessed by your friendship!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
What can I do? Give thanks!
There were wet sheets to contend with this morning.
I'm used to it. Regular things like this, that my kids can't do anything about, barely register on my annoyance meter.
Not thinking, I started the hot water in the washer, put in soap, and dumped the load.
I would live to regret my eager housekeeping gesture, at so early an hour.
I am someone who loves a shower and takes it in the morning, no matter what. I also get dressed down to shoes, because my feet are always cold in the winter, and because.....I just feel better in shoes. No, it isn't because the FlyLady suggests it.
Husband tries to get up early enough to watch the kids so I can shower before he leaves, on his school mornings, or busy work mornings. If that isn't possible, I either bring Beth in with me, or put out table activities and strap her into her booster, which she can no longer get out of. The older children earn some pennies for staying with her while I'm in the bathroom.
I'm usually alert enough to do only dark loads in cold water in the mornings.
My shower, half-way through, turned ice cold, due to the hot water used up on the sheets. Getting the soap off each area of my body was a most unpleasant experience. I couldn't just stand in the water and rinse all at once. That was too shocking. Instead, I put in one limb at a time, one side of my back at a time, as though I were doing the hokey pokey.
We're having a cold snap here, so it took awhile for me to warm up after this fiasco. Shivering, I thought of the ladies and mothers in third-world nations, who walk five miles for clean water. They probably don't ever feel really clean. Physical discomforts, such as my chills, are a daily reality for them.
Why, Lord? Why do I get a shower every morning, usually nice and hot, while they have to feel dirty?
Later in the day, I finally stole a few minutes to read. I read this and this, about grieving, written by Dana, the mother who lost her toddler to the dresser accident.
Why, Lord? Why is Dana's mother-heart broken, while mine brims with joy--delighting in the beautiful toddler in my midst?
Yes, we know God is just, merciful, loving. These differences......we just can't understand them. They don't seem fair, from our perspective.
What can I do?
Firstly, I can make it more just, more fair, by being more grateful...more mindful of daily blessings...never letting complaint dirty my heart.
I am thankful, Lord!
For......
....the chapter in the Backyard Birdfeeder's Bible on economical bird feeding. We visited a feed store, at the suggestion of the author, and found that small sunflower seeds and scratch corn and cracked corn are reasonably priced, compared to the packaged birdseed bags--which can run $30.00/week for the avid bird watcher. We are all excited--Peter most of all! When that boy develops a new passion, watch out!
...my sweet little Beth, who enjoys brushing her teeth and going potty....many times a day. For fun. She does it all independently, which is a sharp contrast to her brothers and sister, at the same age. Independence wasn't on their radar at all, at 26 months old.
...my Mary's new interest in drawing.
...money to finally get the drains cleared. When the water softener runs, water backs up into the tub. Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle. This is more complicated than getting the usual bottle of Drano Gel.
...a house still clean.
...the will power to continually ask you tonight, "Lord, help me do what is needful first, before my writing. Help me put my family's needs first." I had to pray this so many times, to get through the needful tasks first! I did the dishes, put on some crockpot navy bean soup, finished folding socks and underwear, put the last load into the dryer, wiped down the table and counters, and got completely ready for bed, in case Beth woke up and left me waiting for a washed face and brushed teeth.
...the reminder to savor this time with my toddler, rather than mourn the baby years already behind me. You want me to be content always....to notice the beauty in right now.
...the sweet, tiny baby bottom running through my house nowadays. She's never in a hurry to get that training diaper back on!
I'm used to it. Regular things like this, that my kids can't do anything about, barely register on my annoyance meter.
Not thinking, I started the hot water in the washer, put in soap, and dumped the load.
I would live to regret my eager housekeeping gesture, at so early an hour.
I am someone who loves a shower and takes it in the morning, no matter what. I also get dressed down to shoes, because my feet are always cold in the winter, and because.....I just feel better in shoes. No, it isn't because the FlyLady suggests it.
Husband tries to get up early enough to watch the kids so I can shower before he leaves, on his school mornings, or busy work mornings. If that isn't possible, I either bring Beth in with me, or put out table activities and strap her into her booster, which she can no longer get out of. The older children earn some pennies for staying with her while I'm in the bathroom.
I'm usually alert enough to do only dark loads in cold water in the mornings.
My shower, half-way through, turned ice cold, due to the hot water used up on the sheets. Getting the soap off each area of my body was a most unpleasant experience. I couldn't just stand in the water and rinse all at once. That was too shocking. Instead, I put in one limb at a time, one side of my back at a time, as though I were doing the hokey pokey.
We're having a cold snap here, so it took awhile for me to warm up after this fiasco. Shivering, I thought of the ladies and mothers in third-world nations, who walk five miles for clean water. They probably don't ever feel really clean. Physical discomforts, such as my chills, are a daily reality for them.
Why, Lord? Why do I get a shower every morning, usually nice and hot, while they have to feel dirty?
Later in the day, I finally stole a few minutes to read. I read this and this, about grieving, written by Dana, the mother who lost her toddler to the dresser accident.
Why, Lord? Why is Dana's mother-heart broken, while mine brims with joy--delighting in the beautiful toddler in my midst?
Yes, we know God is just, merciful, loving. These differences......we just can't understand them. They don't seem fair, from our perspective.
What can I do?
Firstly, I can make it more just, more fair, by being more grateful...more mindful of daily blessings...never letting complaint dirty my heart.
I am thankful, Lord!
For......
....the chapter in the Backyard Birdfeeder's Bible on economical bird feeding. We visited a feed store, at the suggestion of the author, and found that small sunflower seeds and scratch corn and cracked corn are reasonably priced, compared to the packaged birdseed bags--which can run $30.00/week for the avid bird watcher. We are all excited--Peter most of all! When that boy develops a new passion, watch out!
...my sweet little Beth, who enjoys brushing her teeth and going potty....many times a day. For fun. She does it all independently, which is a sharp contrast to her brothers and sister, at the same age. Independence wasn't on their radar at all, at 26 months old.
...my Mary's new interest in drawing.
...money to finally get the drains cleared. When the water softener runs, water backs up into the tub. Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle. This is more complicated than getting the usual bottle of Drano Gel.
...a house still clean.
...the will power to continually ask you tonight, "Lord, help me do what is needful first, before my writing. Help me put my family's needs first." I had to pray this so many times, to get through the needful tasks first! I did the dishes, put on some crockpot navy bean soup, finished folding socks and underwear, put the last load into the dryer, wiped down the table and counters, and got completely ready for bed, in case Beth woke up and left me waiting for a washed face and brushed teeth.
...the reminder to savor this time with my toddler, rather than mourn the baby years already behind me. You want me to be content always....to notice the beauty in right now.
...the sweet, tiny baby bottom running through my house nowadays. She's never in a hurry to get that training diaper back on!
May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
all learners are unique
As a classroom teacher I didn't really know my learners. There was precious little individual time.
Now that I'm intimately involved with four learners here at home, I see the individuality. I see more differences than likenesses. It's amazing, actually, how unique God created each brain.
Paul has an incredible visual memory, with special strengths in spatial relationships and number relationships. He's technically first grade, but I teach him with third grade materials. He loves puzzles, maps, numbers, inventing, board games, spelling and crafting.
He has the shape of most states memorized, and puts a US map puzzle together just by looking at the shapes of the states.
He never did any invented spelling. His visual memory--even though he's not an avid reader--was all he needed to move right into conventional spelling. His weakness is that he's entirely a visual speller, and doesn't use sounds even when he needs to. For example, he knows the four letters he needs to spell read, but once in awhile he'll spell it raed instead--not using the sounds as a cue. He'll notice it doesn't look right, and then he'll fix it. I know better than to ask him to sound something out. That'll bring tears of frustration.
I use the same third grade spelling program with both Paul and Peter, but Paul masters the lessons in a day. The words are grouped by phonics chunks, such as choice and voice, and join and coin. Paul's brain naturally groups visual likenesses easily and quickly, making spelling a joy for him. It's like a puzzle he does for enjoyment.
Peter, on the other hand, has a very poor visual memory, but he began hearing separate phonemes very early (great phonemic awareness). He's a very strong auditory learner. At three years old he could spell three-letter words effortlessly. He was very attentive to rhyming and sounds even as a baby. He soaked in books very early, while my other three wiggled away at the same age. I remember being on couch bedrest with Paul's pregnancy and reading to Peter--him standing on the floor next to me. At 19 months old, he would pause his play for six or seven books at a time.
Naturally, I thought Peter would read early and read well. He did start early, but sight words--those nasty visual beasts--took him two years to fully master. Really nice, fast, fluent reading didn't come for him until January 2010--around his eighth birthday.
Just as he struggled with reading sight words, he now struggles with spelling them, for the same reason--poor visual memory. One would think that chanting them would help, but he has little patience for chanting.
His spelling, in general, is awful. Really awful. Oh, you can read it alright; that's not the problem. It's entirely phonetic, in keeping with his auditory learning style. He gets every syllable down accurately--just not conventionally.
While Paul reads two chapters per day, Peter reads an entire book in a day, or a day and a half. Paul writes in a journal, focusing on penmanship and accurate spelling. The topics are uninteresting, however, most of the time.
Peter composes poems, keeps a fascinating science journal, and will spontaneously sit down and start a story. He focuses on ideas--on content.
Paul loves math and rarely needs help with any new concept. How he memorized his addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts without ever studying is beyond my non-mathematical brain.
Peter struggles with math. His brain doesn't do many mathematical shortcuts--like his Momma's. He's getting through, though, earning B's or C's on tests. He can memorize Bible verses like nobody's business, but math facts--except for those that rhyme--are a frustrating beast.
Peter naturally looks for the big picture, focusing on the whole--relating his learning to the world around him. Paul focuses on the parts and how they fit together--largely missing the big picture, and even tuning out the world around him, like an absent-minded professor. Facts and figures keep Paul awake at night sometimes--mathematical insomnia, I guess you'd call it.
To outsiders, it appears that Paul is very bright, and Peter is average--even low, if you look at his spelling.
As a mother, this puts me in a hard place sometimes, at least socially. I can't be so quick to defend Peter that I downplay Paul's amazing ability to do square roots for his uncle's pleasure. He knew them at age six, after his uncle gave a few minutes explanation.
I need to acknowledge, and even defend when necessary, both their unique intelligences.
I need to give them room to soar, as well as fail. And to not be good at something.
I can't feel shame or embarrassment, or regard Peter's awful spelling as some reflection on me, any more than I can regard Paul's showy talents as a reflection on me.
I need to be their loving, grace-filled facilitator. Their cheerleader. I need to draw out and praise their strengths, and patiently assist with their difficulties.
I need to thank the Lord for their uniqueness and for the privilege of learning along with them. I need to ask Him for wisdom in the daily guiding and facilitating. Since every brain is so unique, even the best teachers need direction, from the Creator, on how to proceed.
I preach this to myself for a reason.
Last night, I foolishly suffered insomnia about Peter's spelling and multiplication weaknesses. Earlier that night, I researched why he might be having so much trouble. Little, it turns out, is written about spelling.
But I did learn a couple important things. One professor wrote that he no longer graded term papers for spelling, because spelling had gotten much worse over the years he'd been at the university. That I find unacceptable. Students need to learn to spell, even if it takes them much longer than their peers. Spell check should be a weak speller's backup, only. It shouldn't be a reason to give up on spelling.
The other thing I learned was from a homeschooling mother, and it mirrored my own instinctive prediction, in regards to Peter. She said it took her children two years of fluent reading before they began to spell conventionally. Students with average to poor visual memories might take longer than two years. Their brains, I presume, need more bombardment with words, before the sight words and phonics chunks finally sink in.
Peter has been reading fluently only one year.
I need to relax and continue to work with him consistently, but with loving kindness, assuring him he'll get there.
Most of all I need to remind Peter of God's unique design--His unique plan--for Peter. That plan includes both triumph and struggle. Our triumphs are of God. Equally true, our struggles are of God. Struggling is not failing. It's walking the path--experiencing the process--that God designed to make us Holy.
Psalm 139:14
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
Now that I'm intimately involved with four learners here at home, I see the individuality. I see more differences than likenesses. It's amazing, actually, how unique God created each brain.
Paul has an incredible visual memory, with special strengths in spatial relationships and number relationships. He's technically first grade, but I teach him with third grade materials. He loves puzzles, maps, numbers, inventing, board games, spelling and crafting.
He has the shape of most states memorized, and puts a US map puzzle together just by looking at the shapes of the states.
He never did any invented spelling. His visual memory--even though he's not an avid reader--was all he needed to move right into conventional spelling. His weakness is that he's entirely a visual speller, and doesn't use sounds even when he needs to. For example, he knows the four letters he needs to spell read, but once in awhile he'll spell it raed instead--not using the sounds as a cue. He'll notice it doesn't look right, and then he'll fix it. I know better than to ask him to sound something out. That'll bring tears of frustration.
I use the same third grade spelling program with both Paul and Peter, but Paul masters the lessons in a day. The words are grouped by phonics chunks, such as choice and voice, and join and coin. Paul's brain naturally groups visual likenesses easily and quickly, making spelling a joy for him. It's like a puzzle he does for enjoyment.
Peter, on the other hand, has a very poor visual memory, but he began hearing separate phonemes very early (great phonemic awareness). He's a very strong auditory learner. At three years old he could spell three-letter words effortlessly. He was very attentive to rhyming and sounds even as a baby. He soaked in books very early, while my other three wiggled away at the same age. I remember being on couch bedrest with Paul's pregnancy and reading to Peter--him standing on the floor next to me. At 19 months old, he would pause his play for six or seven books at a time.
Naturally, I thought Peter would read early and read well. He did start early, but sight words--those nasty visual beasts--took him two years to fully master. Really nice, fast, fluent reading didn't come for him until January 2010--around his eighth birthday.
Just as he struggled with reading sight words, he now struggles with spelling them, for the same reason--poor visual memory. One would think that chanting them would help, but he has little patience for chanting.
His spelling, in general, is awful. Really awful. Oh, you can read it alright; that's not the problem. It's entirely phonetic, in keeping with his auditory learning style. He gets every syllable down accurately--just not conventionally.
While Paul reads two chapters per day, Peter reads an entire book in a day, or a day and a half. Paul writes in a journal, focusing on penmanship and accurate spelling. The topics are uninteresting, however, most of the time.
Peter composes poems, keeps a fascinating science journal, and will spontaneously sit down and start a story. He focuses on ideas--on content.
Paul loves math and rarely needs help with any new concept. How he memorized his addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts without ever studying is beyond my non-mathematical brain.
Peter struggles with math. His brain doesn't do many mathematical shortcuts--like his Momma's. He's getting through, though, earning B's or C's on tests. He can memorize Bible verses like nobody's business, but math facts--except for those that rhyme--are a frustrating beast.
Peter naturally looks for the big picture, focusing on the whole--relating his learning to the world around him. Paul focuses on the parts and how they fit together--largely missing the big picture, and even tuning out the world around him, like an absent-minded professor. Facts and figures keep Paul awake at night sometimes--mathematical insomnia, I guess you'd call it.
To outsiders, it appears that Paul is very bright, and Peter is average--even low, if you look at his spelling.
As a mother, this puts me in a hard place sometimes, at least socially. I can't be so quick to defend Peter that I downplay Paul's amazing ability to do square roots for his uncle's pleasure. He knew them at age six, after his uncle gave a few minutes explanation.
I need to acknowledge, and even defend when necessary, both their unique intelligences.
I need to give them room to soar, as well as fail. And to not be good at something.
I can't feel shame or embarrassment, or regard Peter's awful spelling as some reflection on me, any more than I can regard Paul's showy talents as a reflection on me.
I need to be their loving, grace-filled facilitator. Their cheerleader. I need to draw out and praise their strengths, and patiently assist with their difficulties.
I need to thank the Lord for their uniqueness and for the privilege of learning along with them. I need to ask Him for wisdom in the daily guiding and facilitating. Since every brain is so unique, even the best teachers need direction, from the Creator, on how to proceed.
I preach this to myself for a reason.
Last night, I foolishly suffered insomnia about Peter's spelling and multiplication weaknesses. Earlier that night, I researched why he might be having so much trouble. Little, it turns out, is written about spelling.
But I did learn a couple important things. One professor wrote that he no longer graded term papers for spelling, because spelling had gotten much worse over the years he'd been at the university. That I find unacceptable. Students need to learn to spell, even if it takes them much longer than their peers. Spell check should be a weak speller's backup, only. It shouldn't be a reason to give up on spelling.
The other thing I learned was from a homeschooling mother, and it mirrored my own instinctive prediction, in regards to Peter. She said it took her children two years of fluent reading before they began to spell conventionally. Students with average to poor visual memories might take longer than two years. Their brains, I presume, need more bombardment with words, before the sight words and phonics chunks finally sink in.
Peter has been reading fluently only one year.
I need to relax and continue to work with him consistently, but with loving kindness, assuring him he'll get there.
Most of all I need to remind Peter of God's unique design--His unique plan--for Peter. That plan includes both triumph and struggle. Our triumphs are of God. Equally true, our struggles are of God. Struggling is not failing. It's walking the path--experiencing the process--that God designed to make us Holy.
Psalm 139:14
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
emergency gratitude
Ugh, kids! Just discovered my four year old left the water on outside the house--potentially for days! I can't remember when I caught her over there, and I didn't know she had actually turned on the hose. Usually we can hear it running out there when we're in the dining room. We were already having trouble paying the bill. I noticed today that there wasn't much water pressure in the shower or washer. Hope that doesn't indicate a problem with pipes!
Strangely, when we lived in the California desert, our bill was $40.00 to $60.00 per month, depending on whether it was watering season for the grass. Here in a heavy snow area of the midwest, our bill is $100.00 to $120.00 /month!
Time to give God thanks for something:
- praying children, two saved children
- healthy children
- reading glasses to go over my contacts
- literature to fill us with delight
- children's sleeping faces (always grips my heart)
- a house still clean (Am I entering a different season now? Seems easier to keep a decent house.)
- The water company said if the bill was enormous, they could break up the amount for us.
- Money soon to finally get a perm for my lifeless hair. (I've been waiting six months! Wish my hair would change, Margie. You're fortunate!)
- sunshine and reasonable temps, so children can play with their igloo
- husband graduating on Sunday from computer school
- husband working on getting a computer internship at one of his custodial job sites
- a boy with a myriad of interests
- my Beth playing with the dolls more (Mary hasn't much interest thus far.)
- very few wet diapers and a still-enthused potty trainer
- a house with nice living spaces
- decreasing OCD symptoms
- homeschooling
- laughter coming from little people
- siblings
- little teddy bears tucked away for my little ones for Valentine's Day
- big boys and little girls who still like stuffed animals
Strangely, when we lived in the California desert, our bill was $40.00 to $60.00 per month, depending on whether it was watering season for the grass. Here in a heavy snow area of the midwest, our bill is $100.00 to $120.00 /month!
Time to give God thanks for something:
- praying children, two saved children
- healthy children
- reading glasses to go over my contacts
- literature to fill us with delight
- children's sleeping faces (always grips my heart)
- a house still clean (Am I entering a different season now? Seems easier to keep a decent house.)
- The water company said if the bill was enormous, they could break up the amount for us.
- Money soon to finally get a perm for my lifeless hair. (I've been waiting six months! Wish my hair would change, Margie. You're fortunate!)
- sunshine and reasonable temps, so children can play with their igloo
- husband graduating on Sunday from computer school
- husband working on getting a computer internship at one of his custodial job sites
- a boy with a myriad of interests
- my Beth playing with the dolls more (Mary hasn't much interest thus far.)
- very few wet diapers and a still-enthused potty trainer
- a house with nice living spaces
- decreasing OCD symptoms
- homeschooling
- laughter coming from little people
- siblings
- little teddy bears tucked away for my little ones for Valentine's Day
- big boys and little girls who still like stuffed animals
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