We are plugging right along with our Alphabet Summer. We have completed 10 1/2 letters. We need to finish Letter C tomorrow.
You can follow along with us here: Project 365.
Here is a peak of yesterday:
Letter S:
Silly String
Stitching(the kids are hand stitching their names, and we will put them on a pillow)
and Sno Cones
I hope your summer is going great!!
…since I posted a home project.
This one has been in the works for quite some time.
It has been on my to-do list for over 6 months.
The problems:
1. I really needed my husbands help to get it hung, and he hasn’t had a free minute.
2. I needed more money to be able to complete the second part.
You see.
We have a kitchen bar that I really wanted bar stools at. Those are so expensive.
Along with the bar stools, I wanted my own little version of one of these, hanging above the bar:
I spotted this rustic ladder in Pottery Barn at Christmas time last year and fell in love. The one I saw was different from this. It hung over a festive dining table, and was beautiful.
Not long after I fell in love with the ladder, I found a beat up old trellis at an Antique shop and knew that it was exactly how I wanted to recreate it.
So my hubby surprised me one day, and helped to cross one thing of my honey-do list.
I loved it, but I was not prepared to hang items from it. That is why it has taken me so long to post it. I have been playing with it for a month. Now, it is perfect. It was on my list, but I hadn’t quite figured out what I was doing with it.
The one I saw in PB had these amazing green balls hanging from it. I snatched up some of those earlier in the year. I was prepared with that, but what else?
I thought I might do some sort of lights.
I tried them for a few weeks, but the cords began to bug me.
My kids loved them.
Greenery is just to much right not, but I plan to use some at Christmas, and will add lights then.
I knew I wanted some fun lanterns, but they could not be to heavy or expensive.
Then I found these. I love them.
Just what I was looking for.
After Jonathan got it hung, I wanted bar stools more then ever. I knew that I would have to save my dough.
The day after he hung the “chandelier", I ran in to these little beauties at a thrift store. I knew that I had to have them.
I have noticed in home decorating magazines that more and more people are using unique metal framed bar stools.
I knew that these would be the perfect addition.
Plus, they were the right price. $10.00 for both.
I am so glad that I did not just buy the run of the mill bar stools.
They are a big conversation piece, and very unique.
We have enjoyed using them.
I love looking over my bar, and seeing this great shabby chandelier. It makes the space so much more lively.
As for home projects, I think I am done. No more on my list; FOR NOW.
I have to cross scrapbooks off my list. I really need to sit down and create those.
I am leaving you with a little view of my entry way. I added just a few Holiday touches.
I love the fourth of July.
America is such an amazing place to live.
After living out of the country, I can truly say that we are so blessed.
right now.
1. I am still nursing our fourth little one. I have nursed 4 kids in 8 years. All of them till about one year of age. Some a little less, others a little more. I enjoy it. I know it is not for everyone, but it is for ME!! I am not good at giving my kids bottles, but I am good at nursing.
2. I am obsessed with buying my kids clothes. Not just any clothes. Clothes that are a good deal. I love scouring racks at thrift and consignment stores. My kids have more clothes then one could ever need. At times, when I am doing laundry; I think, “What the heck.” I think it is a hobby. I enjoy dressing my kids in cute clothes for a really good deal.
Do you think Tess has too many shoes?
3. I am growing my hair out, for the bazillionth time.
4. I recently lost 15 pounds.
5. If I had extra $$$ I would spend it on some photography equipment.
6. I am enjoying reading good books with my kids.
7. I almost always check my email on my phone. If it takes me a while to respond to you, that is most likely why. My touch screen makes it hard to type lengthy emails.
8. I recently bought a pair of jeans at the thrift store. I love them, and want to wear them every day. Even though it is 100 degrees outside. I love the style, and the look; but the price makes them even more fun…. $4. You should see how cute the back pockets are.
9. I am currently re-reading “Everyday Blessings. True Stories about God’s Hand in our Lives” by Jay A. Parry It has helped my see just how abundant my blessings are. They are short stories, so it is easy to pick up and read one here and there.
10. I have let my house go a little this summer, and I don’t even care. A good friend with five children once told me that your standards go down with each child that you have. At the time, I didn’t believe her. I believe her now.
Don’t forget to check out Project 365. I have recently updated our week.
Time.
Time is hard.
There is never enough.
I want more…
…more to sleep
…more to play
…more to hobby
MORE MORE MORE.
But…
I.
am.
not.
going.
to.
get.
any.
more.
Over the last couple months, I have wondered how I can find more time for ME!!!
What I have learned…
Instead of thinking that I need as much TIME for ME as I had before children or when I had just one, or when I was 20. I have decided to just be thankful for….
the 15 minutes that I have here and there.
Time is time.
Even though I get interrupted 15 minutes in to a project.
I am thankful.
Lots of 15 minutes put together allows me to finally finish something.
I am grateful for loved ones to fill my time.
TIME.
Make the most of it and…
enjoy what time you do have.
In every thing you do.
Because it really is precious.
P.S. Here is a preview of what I sneak in when I have an extra 15 minutes.
Blog/scrapbook for 2008
what kind of personality your little ones are going to come with.
We have all enjoyed watching this little personality develop.
She is eight months now.
She laughs almost all day.
At almost every thing.
The other day, I gave her a sucker and she laughed after every lick.
The kids love being around her.
She is just so easy to be around.
She has the type of personality that draws you in.
She is entertained by kids, especially when they are being silly.
She can pat-a cake.
She has some pretty mean dance moves.
She smiles at you almost all day long.
She always has a smile to share with anyone.
She is also very silly.
She loves for you to be silly with her.
She is a great sleeper.
She loves to eat
…and can’t wait to get her hands on things.
She can also scream really loud if you don’t give her what she wants.
She has the most adorable personality.
I am glad that each one of my children have come with a different personality.
It keeps us on our toes.
We never know what to expect.
Motherhood is the most rewarding, exciting, and fulfilling job ever.
My last baseball game was last Friday.
We were visitor, so we were first to bat.
I was second to bat.
The boy who hit in front of me hit it to first and got out, so I had to get a hit.
We get 5 pitches in my league.
I struck a few and fouled a few.
I had one pitch left, and POW!; I hit it all the way to
the fence.
I got a double.
My second at bat, was in the last inning.
There was two outs so I had to get a hit.
I struck a few, and fouled a few.
I had one pitch left, and POW!; I hit the ball so hard.
Not as far as the first one, but this time for some reason I was able to make it all the way home.
I scored a home run at: my last at bat, my last pitch, my last game.
My team scored two runs that game, and I was the one who scored them.
I felt happy all night.
It was a great way to end the season.
My mom made these cool treats for my team a few games back.(sugar cookies on a stick)
I love playing ball.
Little things can be Big things.
Isaac lost his balloon today.
He snuck outside with it and let it go.
All I heard was a loud scream.
The kind of scream you hear when you think this might be the time you have to call an ambulance.
How do I react?
Several years ago, I would have just said, “Oh well.” It’s just a balloon.
But today, I remembered what my husband always says, “Those little things are Big things in their little world.”
It got me thinking about how I would feel if I lost something that was so wonderful and special to me.
I made a quick decision.
I ran outside, and lifted him up.
We watched it go high in the sky.
He was still sad.
I asked him if he wanted me to take some pictures of him with Jex’s balloon.
He said, “YES!!”, with a smile.
You see it is always important if I want to take a picture of it.
We had a balloon photo shoot.
Here he is. You can still see the remnants of the tears on his cheeks.
He couldn’t wait to look at the pictures I had taken.
Once we came inside, we talked about what happened.
He was really concerned.
Jex’s balloon wasn’t good enough anymore.
He wanted to know what happened to his.
“It went high in the sky.” I said.
“It went to evan?, he asked.
“Yes, it went to heaven.”
“To live with Jesus?” he said.
Then with tears in both our eyes he asked, “Will he hold it for me?”
“Yes Isaac, he will hold it for you.”
The he skipped off to the couch and asked me to take more pictures.
He seemed pleased to think that his balloon might be with Jesus.
I am so happy that I took the time today.
This little balloon really was a big part of his life.
It became a big part of mine as I was able to share this tender
moment with my sweet little boy.
Take the time to remember that little things just might
be a big thing. Not just with children, but with our adult loved ones as well.
When I was a girl, every 4th of July my family and extended family would make the 30 minute drive to the nearby KOA campground.
It was tradition.
As a child, I looked forward to nothing more.
Some of my greatest memories were spent camping and making memories with my family.
I decided it was time for my own family to experience this.
I found a KOA and we made the journey.
The KOA was very similar to the one that I went to as a child.
We had such a great time, I hope that our kids will remember the memories that we made.
Memories to Remember:
Cooking out
Feeding the ducks
Flashlight candy hunt
Watermelon on the porch
Mini-Golf
Pool Time
HEAT HEAT and more HEAT
Nature
Morning walks
Games
Train ride
Air Hockey
Time spent together.
I heart my family.
As I began thinking about what I wanted for my kids this summer, I knew it was reading. I wanted them to read to themselves, and I also wanted to read with them.
So in order to achieve this, I set out to discover the best ways to accommodate to all of them. They are each on a different reading level.
I knew that I wanted to read a novel with Jex and Stella, or several novels.
I knew that I just wanted to read with Isaac and Tess.
In order to focus on reading this summer, I made sure that I was armed with a plan:
1. We turned off our cable. Now there is no excuse.
2. I asked the expert, my sister in law JoDean.
3. I put good books within their reach.
4. I made a plan of when and what I would read to each child.
My SIL JoDean is really the source for all my knowledge. What she has taught me is what I want to share with each of you on What I have learned Thursday.
A little background. JoDean is Jonathan’s oldest sister. She is amazing. She home schools her two youngest children. They are bright and beautiful. As is her oldest who goes to public school. JoDean is a walking dictionary. She is library of knowledge. Once she has read something, she remembers it. She is where you go if you want the facts about something.
I knew that when I wanted to find out more she was the one to call. I was not so much concerned with what to read to Tess and Isaac. I have been there done that, and I have a great reader in Jex to show for it. I was concerned with what to read to Jex and Stella. I wanted their books to be something worthy of my time, and also something that both the kids would enjoy.
JoDean came through.
Not only did she share some great ideas, but she also sent me a box full of books. She shared some from her own personal library that are more on Isaac’s level. Then she went to her local thrift store and started a hunt for my first classic book collection. What a fun thing to collect.
They are old and tattered. Some pages have started to yellow, and it makes you wonder how many hands have turned the pages and feasted on the words.
It made me so excited that I went out the next day and found some more. I found classics like: Charolette’s Web, Black Beauty, Little House, and Treasure Island for .25 cents a piece.
I can’t wait to keep adding to it.
Honey, I think we might need more bookshelves.
Once I was armed with books, I set them out within their reach. Books for Tess and Isaac are next to our reading chair. I read to them before their naps.
Books for Jex and Stella are on their shelf in the play area. This way, I can grab and read or they can. I find Jex in the morning reading, and I feel pure delight. I read to them when I don’t have distractions from the younger two. Nap time seems to be the best time.
JoDean recently sent me an informational email. It is full of valuable info that I didn’t know. This is the kind of knowledge she learns and shares. The stuff she reads and remembers. This is what every parent should know about the importance of reading to your children.
I wanted to pass it along to you. With her permission, I am sharing her email.
JoDean says:
“Did you know that reading aloud to your kids past the age of their being able to read independently is still very important? Hearing language is more important than seeing language to develop consistently correct, reliable, sophisticated language in children, both for speaking and writing ability. Even kids that read a lot to themselves need to hear language as they don't often audiate during reading, or "hear" the words in their head.
So keep reading to your kids! The advice I've heard is read two years above the level of your oldest kid that is listening. You might find you need to have two read aloud times during the day so you can tailor the selection for your youngest listeners. For example, Isaac probably won't want to listen to what Jex does, but Jex and Stella could likely enjoy the same book.
My kids just like to sit and listen to me now, but they didn't always. I used to have things to keep their hands busy that were used only for read aloud time, like: coloring, beading, knex or lego, pattern blocks, knitting, folding laundry, etc. Things that are quiet and don't take a lot of brain power so they can listen.
Since my kids are older now, I've decided that I'm going to really jump up the level that I read to them, no more kidsie books for them. They can read those on their own.
As a general rule, I would stay away from much of what is currently being written for kids. Not only are the messages lame at best and harmful at worst, the writing isn't very sophisticated. So, not much on book orders, the best sellers lists, or most checked out at the library are good choices. Notice, I said most, not all of popular lists.
Henry David Thoreau said, "Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all." This goes along with the good, better, best ideals that we use to make our daily decisions.
If you want your kids to be able to understand complex language, say Shakespeare or the Bible etc. Expose them to the good stuff now. They are able to develop the neural pathways for language much easier than adults can. A good intro to Shakespeare is Lamb's Tales of Shakespeare, by Charles and Mary Lamb. The Lamb's were contemporaries of Charles Dickens, so the retellings are in wonderfully sophisticated Victorian English. We've loved this book!
I've spent a lot of time reading about reading and reading list after list of booklists and just want to share.”
Here's one of read aloud books:
http://www.ldsehe.org/sites/default/files/pdf-file/2010/katiebooklist.pdf
http://www.hbook.com/pdf/childrensclassics.pdf
There are good ones on this list:
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content/timeless.html
Isn’t she full of wonderful ideas?
She suggested the book The BFG by Roald Dahl, and even picked it up for me. That is what we are currently reading. My kids are loving it. They can’t get enough and ask me to read all the time. BFG stands for The Big Friendly Giant. You might recognize the authors name from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Isaac spent two hours in his room today just looking at books. He is fascinated. In fact, he ended up taking a late nap, because I didn’t want to disturb him. He was being so quiet and still which is so unusual.
I am thankful to JoDean for her help and preparing me. I feel armed and powerful. She helped me take reading to the next level. She helped me understand where to go next. I feel like I can help my kids love books. More then anything she helped me pick GOOD books.
Thanks JoDean for being a guest on J&Aand Co., and letting me share your marvelous ideas and thoughts.
I hope you find them as powerful as I do, and make time to read to your children.
We have a favorite grocery store here with the most amazing bakery. When we go there, we can’t help but stop and pick out a goodie.
The rule is that you have to eat all of your lunch before you can have your bakery treat.
I think it took Stella until 5:00 last night to get her cookie.
Isaac did not like my rules.
This is his story:
I am so mad. I am going to throw my lunch on the ground.
My mom makes me pick it up.
After I pick it up, I think I will hide in the corner.
Maybe she won’t see me over here, and forget about my lunch.
“Mom, please just let me have the cookie?”
After a long battle he realized that I am not going to say yes.
He screams with excitment when he has finished his lunch.
“MOM, I did it, can I have my cookie now?”
I smile when I see him squatting down eating his cookie.
He is so happy.
Who wouldn’t be with all that frosting?
Can’t wait to shove that in my mouth.
The reward really is sweet.
Don’t forget to check out Project 365. I updated last weeks pictures.
