Learning from Mistakes

I love working in the kitchen. Cooking, baking--I love it all and often make our meals from scratch. There's something therapeutic about kneading a batch of dough or creating a delicious pie or concocting a comforting soup. It's a creative outlet for me and relieves stress. It's also a way I show love to my family. Just watch the way their eyes light up when they see a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies or fall-off-the-bone bbq ribs. It's magical.

But I don't cook like that every day. 

Wednesdays are busy. School, chores, church. Leighton gets home from work, jumps in the shower, gets dressed, and we're out the door. There's no time for major clean up before church, and there's not much time afterward either. Rush in, snack, pajamas, brush teeth, bed. To save time in both preparing and cleaning, we opt for simple meals. Leftovers, sandwiches, homemade pizza, pasta, fend-for-yourself night. Something. 

This particular Wednesday was no different, except that I wanted to try something new. Well, not a new meal, but a new way of preparing it. 

The Instant Pot has been hugely popular with home cooks lately. Since I have a thing for kitchen gadgets and tools, I was won over by the lure of this magical pot a year ago. I had read rave reviews about this appliance and was excited when the box showed up on our porch. The kids and I tore open the box and carefully pulled out the pot. We oohed and ahhed. 

And then the pot sat there. 

I was intimidated by this thing! It's completely different than other cooking methods and can have a learning curve. There's no way to check doneness without stopping and restarting again. And how long do I cook things? Which setting do I use? Look at all these functions! And you have to decipher all sorts of jargon. QR. NPR. PIP. HP. 

I am trying to use it more, because it actually is convenient once you figure it out. Not everything has been fantastic though. The first time I used it for hard boiled eggs, I ended up with green rings in the yolks. The first time I cooked a pasta dish in it, the meal was a big pile of mush. I've also made under-cooked, crunchy rice and dry, over-cooked pheasant. Impressive, right? Not very appetizing. But those issues were a matter of following someone else's directions and not because I made a "mistake."

 

This Wednesday though, I wanted to use the Instant Pot for macaroni and cheese. When I bake the dish in the oven, I typically make it in the same basic way each time, but not by following a recipe. I change up the shape of the noodle and types of cheese. I never measure. A little of this seasoning. A little of that. But making it in the Pot was completely different. I found a promising recipe and gathered my ingredients. 

The oldest had spent the night at my parents, the toddler was napping, and the middle 3 children and I were playing a rousing game of Sequence for Kids. I was trying to multitask. Not a big deal, I mean, I have 5 children--multitasking is my life. I played a card and walked back to the counter to add an ingredient to the Pot.

"Mom, it's your turn."

It's a fast-paced game. Play a card. Add an ingredient. Play a card. Add an ingredient. Repeat. 

Despite their pleas, I finished up that game and called it quits so I could start getting ready for church before having to complete the next step of the meal. 

A little bit later, I heard the chime signaling that it was time to add the heavy cream and shredded cheese. Easy. Turn on the saute function. Pour, stir, dump, mix. I filled bowls for the kiddos and passed them out. I took a bite myself.

Whoa, is this salty!

My thoughts were mirrored on the faces on my kids. "This is really salty, Mom. Do I have to eat it?"

Well, let's see. We leave for church in 30 minutes. I have no time to cook anything else and you're not even dressed yet. That's a yes.

And there I was applying eye shadow and explaining to Leighton (er, grumbling) how I just have a hard time with this silly appliance. I know how to cook! Yet here I am, still having to look up cooking times and whatnot and following recipes and not liking the outcome anyway. I almost never follow recipes exactly, because I never like how it turns out. And why was it so salty? Do people really think that tastes good? I mean, I followed it exactly! It called for 2 teaspoons--

And that's when I stopped completely. Shock took over. And then laughter.

An image of the measuring spoon I grabbed out of the drawer was not a teaspoon . . . but a tablespoon. Oh. That's right, instead of 2 teaspoons, I used 2 tablespoons, which is the equivalent of 6 teaspoons. SIX. No wonder it was so salty. Huh, I guess it wasn't the recipe's fault after all. 

And I guess I wasn't doing so well multitasking during the game either.

We all gulped down the nearly inedible dish. I bribed the kids to eat faster by offering a piece of chocolate for each of them once they finished. You know, to compensate for the salt and balance it out. Big smiles. Empty bowls. Chocolate. Happy kids.

When we got home from church a few hours later, I was still laughing at myself. I grabbed both a teaspoon and a tablespoon and used my error as a teaching moment with the kids. I explained why it was so important to pay attention in the kitchen. Read the directions. Read the labels. Pay attention. I'm often pointing stuff like that out on Mondays when the kids cook, so this was nothing new. They were standing there listening intently, nodding their cute, little heads. And then I explained my mistake, and they visually could see the size difference and could mentally remember the taste of dinner. And their sweet, little faces broke into huge smiles. 

We all laughed, because, really, what else could we do?

All of a sudden, Alyssa stopped. "Wait. Did you do that on purpose to prove a point?"

Why, yes, yes, I did. 

 Ha. No. I made that mistake honestly by being rushed and not paying attention. But pointing out my fault to my little ones became a perfect example. These teaching moments are what I'm focusing on this year. And if they learn from my mistakes, then it's worth it.

Ok. Eating that much salt may never be worth it, but you get the idea.

These kids need to hear me admit when I make mistakes. Adding too much of an ingredient may not big a major issue, but if we're not willing to admit small faults, how we can ever expect to own major ones. Our kids like to put the blame on others when some mistake is made. It's a human flaw that dates all the way back to the Garden of Eden. We're trying to teach them to admit their mistake, accept the correction, and move on. Learn from it. 

I've since made macaroni and cheese in the Instant Pot, and wouldn't you know, if you don't add triple the suggested amount of salt, it's actually quite tasty, ha. 

We're never going to reach a point in life where we stop making mistakes. The important thing is to learn from them. And don't be afraid to humble yourself, so others can learn from them, too.

Also? Don't use 2 tablespoons of salt for mac & cheese. Trust me. Learn from my mistake.

Word of the Year: 2017

A new year is a good time for reflection and to reevaluate priorities. For the past couple years, I've chosen a single word to focus on the entire year. Instead of resolutions, this Word of the Year is a reminder to me of what is needed most--in my life, in my home, in my family. 

2015 was purge. I worked on purging our house of unnecessary things. I was tired of spending my days organizing and maintaining and just wanted less stuff. Clutter is stressful to me and I needed less of it around. It so happened that my sweet friend Michele from Family, Faith, and Fridays hosted a 34 Weeks of Clean challenge during that time. It was fun cleaning, organizing, and purging with friends, even if they were hundreds of miles away, ha. We shared each other's misery as bigger messes were made (it always gets worse before it gets better, right?) and shared in the joy of completed tasks, as well. (She's getting ready to revisit the series again, starting this week. Join us! It's been two years and I'm in need of purging again. And it's always more fun with a friend.)    

I didn't write a post for 2016, but my word was praise. I wanted my focus last year to be thanking God for our numerous blessings. Instead of getting frustrated with the constant laundry, praise God we have clothes. Instead of getting annoyed with the mess (because I couldn't bring myself to purge absolutely everything, ha), praise God the kids have toys. Instead of getting overwhelmed with responsibility, praise God we have the opportunity to homeschool. Instead of being bothered that my husband has to work so much, praise God he has a job that provides our needs (and so many wants). I've always believed that your attitude--not your circumstances--determines your happiness. Praise God.  

What is my word for 2017?

TEACH.

That may seem like an odd choice for a homeschooler. I mean, isn't that my main job already, especially with a house full of littles?

teach, verb:

1. to cause to know something
2. to cause to know how
3. to accustom to some custom or attitude
4. to cause to know the disagreeable consequences of some action

For more than 2 years now, my life has been more about surviving, than thriving. Sure, there have been periods of time where I felt accomplished, but over all, things have changed. It started with a difficult pregnancy and continued with a baby who never wants to sleep. Getting only a few hours of broken sleep every night for years will take its toll on your body. And living in a constant state of exhaustion will hinder what you can fulfill. The kids and I rarely did projects, crafts, science experiments, and games because once I'd finally get the baby to nap a little, I utilized that time to catch up on housework that couldn't be done while he was awake. I read the kids only a few lengthy chapter books like biographies and classics, because once I'd sit on the couch and stop moving, it was nearly impossible for me to stay awake. I rarely asked the kids to help me in the kitchen, because it is so much faster (and easier and less messy) to cook by myself--even with a baby on one hip or hanging on my legs--than it is to walk little ones through the process step-by-step.

I'm not saying that we stopped those things, but instead of weekly and even daily occurrences, they became every-now-and-then events.

And I've felt guilty. 
   
2017 will be spent getting back to those things that have been overlooked and set aside. I always said that homeschooling is a way of life for us. It's not just doing schoolwork during certain times of the day (though we do that, too), but incorporating learning activities into every area of life.

Teach.

1. To cause to know something: As a homeschool mom, the complete education of my children is my responsibility. Lately, I've found myself relying more and more on workbooks and textbooks. It's much easier for me to hand each individual child his papers for the day, than to make time to sit with them all and learn together as a family. A boxed curriculum is a great choice for many families, but it has never been our main style of learning. It fit a need for a period, but now it's time to get back to our tailor-made education. This year we will teach using unit studies and living book read-alouds. Learning together and immersing ourselves in a topic will replace sitting at the table and filling out worksheets.

2. To cause to know how: I've always been a firm believer in teaching kids how to do things at a young age. Life skills is an important part of our schooling, and working in the kitchen is near the top of the list. The older children can follow a recipe and cook and bake without my help. In fact, Jake was only 6-years-old when he invented his own cake recipe completely by himself. As I said though, the kids are helping in the kitchen less and less. 2017 will change that. Every Monday, a child will be responsible for dinner--choosing the menu, gathering the ingredients, prepping the food, and preparing the meal. I will be there to teach new kitchen skills and help them improve their abilities.

3. To accustom to some custom or attitude: Children are messy by nature. (Shocking, I know.) And they don't naturally want to clean up and do chores. I do have one that is really great about cleaning up after himself most of the time, but the others are perfectly fine waiting until Mom makes them do it. Cleaning up after yourself and completing chores without being told should be habit. This year, my goal is to teach them responsibility through consistency. 

4. To cause to know the disagreeable consequences of some action: Everything has a consequence, whether good or bad. We have punishments in place for various offenses in our family. Not every wrongdoing requires the same response. In fact, not even the same misbehavior will necessarily warrant the same punishment for two children. Our kids respond to different things. One child couldn't care less about losing electronic time, but is devastated if he can't read in bed at night. Another child doesn't mind if you make him do extra chores, but cringes at the thought of writing an apology letter. Finding consequences that match the violation of rules for each child is important. I admit, I have been lax with this lately. Some of our punishments no longer have any effect. Instead of finding something to work, I've resorted to simply reprimanding wrong behavior. Sometimes, reprimanding--teaching right from wrong, and why--is the best response. Other times though, a harsher punishment is necessary. Not only is my goal to find the appropriate consequences for my little ones, but to teach that it's better to obey than to suffer those disagreeable repercussions.    

Teach.
 
I'm going to be intentional about my time in 2017. Instead of just surviving the days, I'm going to use my energy to teach my little ones. These five kids are my greatest responsibility and teaching them is my first priority.
   


Did you choose a Word of the Year for 2017? Share it with us so we can be an encouragement.

Lessons from Geocaching

Here's another catch-up post that I started all the way back in April! It was a fun day, but, more importantly, one in which Daddy and Mommy learned a few lessons from the kids.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The weather warming up means one thing to our family: geocaching season begins! 

Sure, we could go out any time of the year because the caches are in place year-round, but we're not quite ready to trek through the snow and cold with our little ones just yet.

That Saturday was a beautiful day, so we decided to pack a lunch and head out to a park to find some caches. Since Tyler is a big fan of "gucks", I wanted to make sure we went somewhere we could feed them. Everyone was very excited about the plans we made.

And then the plans changed.

And changed again.

And again.

Leighton had to work a couple hours in the morning. And, as it usually happens, a couple hours turned into a few hours. I was left with antsy kids at home who were itching to head to the park.

When's Daddy coming home?

Soon. He should be leaving in a couple minutes . . . Oh, he just sent me a message. Nope, it'll be another hour or so.

I wanted everything ready to go, so when he got home, we could walk out the door.

Water--check.
Snacks--check.
Sandwiches--Ugh. we're out of lunch meat (even though I had gone grocery shopping the day before and should have bought some then.)

I sent Leighton a text and asked him to pick up some on his way home.  Oh, and bread, too, since I had forgotten to buy a loaf for the ducks. Oops.

He got home. I made the remaining sandwiches. We gathered everything and headed out. Finally.

We unloaded at the park and decided to have our lunch right away because it was already 2:00 pm. The picnic was nice and uneventful, except for the runaway sandwich bags. The wind had picked up quite a bit and was blowing things around, much to the delight of our little ones. They laughed as they chased the bags.

As soon as we packed everything up, Alyssa informed me that she had to go to the bathroom. We headed over to the building.

Locked.

It was still early in the season and the park wasn't "officially" open yet. Now what? Do we make her hold it? Do we leave? Do we find a secluded spot and have her go in the woods like we're camping?

Leighton and I asked her to try to hold it for a little while, at least long enough to find a cache or two and feed the ducks.

She agreed and we started walking down the path. The boys were trying to run ahead, Alyssa was whimpering and hobbling along, and the ducks were no where to be found.

On top of that, the GPS wouldn't pick up any coordinates, so we couldn't find any caches either.

Nothing was going as planned. We drove all the way to this specific park, only to cross off eating lunch from our list of things to do.  

I was cranky.

Having kids has taught me to be more flexible. Things don't always go as planned. This perfectionist has grown a lot these past 9 years, especially once we started homeschooling.

But this day? I was having a hard time keeping my attitude in check.

I did not want to load up all the kids again already, especially since we hadn't done anything. I was crabby that we were leaving. I was frustrated that the GPS wasn't working. I was annoyed that Alyssa kept reminding me how badly she had to use the restroom. I was upset that the bathrooms were locked. 

I was cranky.

I told Leighton that we needed to go somewhere with a bathroom. The problem is that there was no where near the park we could go, except the library. I said we needed to go there, but he was against it since we weren't actually going to the library for the books. It seemed wrong to him to go just for the bathroom. He just wanted to head home.

I snapped. No, we were not going home. We were not going to forget all this planning just to go sit at the house and do nothing. We were going to have fun! Whether we liked it or not.

The kids sat in the back of the van happily chit-chatting, while Daddy and Mommy were upset in the front. We weren't fighting, by any means, but we certainly weren't seeing eye-to-eye.

He decided to stop at the library, after all. Poor Alyssa wasn't going to make it much longer. I took her in while the boys waited in the van.

As soon as we got back, Zac decided he had to go. (Why didn't he realize this 5 minutes sooner?) Now it was my turn to wait while Leighton took him in. It was starting to feel as if we were never going to actually begin geocaching. 

It was at this point I realized how foolish I was being. All these circumstances were beyond my control. The kids weren't bothered by them; they were still enjoying the outing. Why was I so cranky?

I apologized to Leighton when they got back. It wasn't his fault, and he certainly didn't need or deserve my attitude. Thankfully, he's an understanding guy. It's one of the many reasons I adore him.

He found another spot with multiple caches that wasn't too far away. We headed there, this time with better attitudes.
 

And then, in typical fashion for the day, the area was closed off by a police car. There was an event taking place later that day and everything was blocked except for the main road. We got stuck following the path into the event area until we could turn around the head back.

Geocaching spot #2--denied. Again. But this time it was more of a frustratingly funny situation. Your attitude determines how you will respond, not the circumstances.

Leighton suggested trying 1 more spot before heading home and giving up. This is a strip with tons of caches covering miles of trails. This area has never let us down. We found a spot we'd never searched, park the van, and began our excursion.

Finally.

r

It ended up being a great day. We found multiple caches, the kids had fun playing and climbing in the woods, and we enjoyed spending the day together as a family.

It was humbling to me to see how my little ones reacted to the mishaps of the day. They remained positive and delightful. And me? I acted like a little child who didn't get her way. As parents and adults, we're supposed to be teaching the kids; we're supposed to set the good example. And yet, it was my children who were acting more mature than I. I'm generally a positive person, but I let undesirable incidents cloud my judgment and affect my actions.

Once I got my attitude back in the right place, it didn't matter when something went "wrong" or not according to my plan. I determined to keep my mindset positive.

And once I relearned that lesson from my kids, I had a lot more fun the rest of the day.

10 Things and Many More

I have been blessed with 2 people who are my absolute best friends. One is the man I fell in love with many years ago, the one I pledged my life to, the one I am building a family with. My husband and I are one. He is my best friend. I chose him. (Though I do believe he was chosen first by God for me.)

The other, I did not choose at all.

Or rather, I did not choose to be born into her family. I did not not choose to be raised in her home. I did not choose to be her daughter. But I was blessed to be.

My mother is my best friend.

I am sitting here, trying to put my thoughts into words. The ideas have been swirling around in my head for days, yet they are getting lost on the way to my fingers. I can't help but to sit here as my eyes fill with tears and my vision blurs.

My mom.

My wonderful, loving mom.

It would be so much easier to let you look into my heart and see for yourself just how amazing she is. But that's not really possible, is it.

So I'll just have to give you a little glimpse, though I know I won't do her justice.

Here are 10 things I've learned from my mom. Some I learned as a child; others as a mother myself.

1. To Be Supportive - My mom has always been my biggest supporter. When I was young, I was a Girl Scout. She helped me with any projects I needed to do to earn my badges. She volunteered when we needed parent helpers. She helped me sell, organize, and deliver 500-600 of boxes of cookies each year. She watched my volleyball games for 5 years. She attended the games when I was a cheerleader for 6 years. She helped me with school projects. She printed and helped me cut tiny strips of paper full of desciptions when I needed to make display boards and wanted them to look professional. She attended every piano recital, watched each concert and play from elementary through college, listened to me practice, practice, practice. Now, she comes to my kids' soccer games, watches their performances, cheers them on. There are times when she has other plans, but ignores them to show us her love. When I have faltered, she's helped me up. When I've questioned my decisions, she's strengthened my resolve. When I have gotten overwhelmed, she's encouraged me. She has supported me in every way possible.
 

2. To Be Committed - I played basketball in 8th grade. By the second week I'm sure, I wanted to quit. I can vividly remember a game in which I was dribbling down the court and a fan from the opposing team yelled to me to shoot the ball. And I did. I wasn't even to the 3-point line yet. And it wasn't pretty. He and his friends thought it was funny; I was thoroughly was embarrassed. I missed the majority of the shots I took that year. While I've always been fairly athletic, basketball is not my thing. I've admitted before that I do not like doing things I'm not good at. My perfectionist personality does not like failing. And though I get that trait from my mom, her desire to keep commitments is even stronger than her desire to do things perfectly. I wanted to quit. She wouldn't let me. "You made a commitment," she said. I had to finish the season. As a 14-year-old girl, I thought it was awful that she made me continue when she knew how much I hated playing! As an adult, I'm thankful she's always taught me that if I give my word and make a commitment, that I need to follow through. 

3. Rules Are Rules - I have heard my mom say many times that "rules are rules." It doesn't matter who you are, you are expected to follow the same guidelines as everyone else. There are no exceptions because you're someone special. It didn't matter that my mom worked in the school I attended; I had to follow the same rules as everyone else. She taught the computer classes for many years. They were some of the easiest classes for anyone to take. She said exactly what was going to be on the quizzes and then used those quizzes as written to make the tests. My classmates commented that I was getting 100% consistently because my mom was the teacher and she was showing me the tests. She sternly informed them that it didn't matter that I was her daughter; if I were caught cheating I would get a zero, just like anyone else. Rules are rules. Even when you don't want to obey, rules are rules. Even when you think it doesn't apply to you, rules are rules. Even when it's hard, rules are rules. Rules are rules.

4. How to Clean -  As a child, I can remember our house always being just about perfect. Everything was in order. Everything was clean. Everything was uncluttered. My mom kept the house "perfect." One of my chores as I grew older was to clean the bathroom. I hated it. The floor was tiny little tiles that collected hairspray in the grout and was a pain to clean. I'm pretty sure my mom had to tell me every week to do it because I did not take the initiative to do it on my own. Many times after I finished, she'd send me back in there to do it right. I thought it was awful to have to re-do the portions that didn't meet her standards. I learned though (probably after getting a house of my own) that she was teaching my how to keep a home. She didn't make me clean the bathroom because she just didn't feel like doing it herself or because she wanted to punish me because she knew how much I despised those tiles. She was teaching me valuable life skills that I would need the rest of my life. And I (and my family!) am grateful.

5. To Be Faithful - My parents started attending church on Sunday mornings when I was very young. As I grew older and my mom grew closer to God, she and I started going on Sunday nights and Wednesday nights, too. I've watched her go to church for 20 years, by herself. I know it's not easy. It's not easy to go back on Sunday night after a busy morning while your husband stays home. It's not easy to head to church on Wednesday night by yourself after not seeing him all day. Every now and then, Leighton works late and I have to take the kids by myself. It's hard. I do not like being without him. My mother has known no other way. Yet, she's always been faithful. She's taught me that you serve God when it's not easy. You serve Him when your flesh doesn't want to. You serve God even if you do it alone. You always remain faithful.

6. How to Cook -It's no secret that I love being in the kitchen. Many women do not know how to cook before getting married and their husbands lovingly endure the process while they learn. My mom made sure that was not the case for us. My parents cook together often now that my dad works only 3 days a week, but while I was growing up, my mom did all the cooking. I have fond memories of her stirring spaghetti sauce, sautéing mushrooms for beef stroganoff, and mixing together meatloaf. I loved helping her make chocolate chip cookies - always a double batch - and sneaking tastes while she wasn't looking. I have many of the recipes from my childhood in my collection now. I don't ever remember her ruining dinner or making something I didn't like (except for rabbit and we still talk about that, ha.) It's fun cooking and baking together (like this past Christmas when we made 12 different kinds of goodies.) Now, I enjoy teaching my little ones. I have no doubt that all of my children will be good cooks one day. Do you remember when they made a from-scratch cake by themselves, creating the recipe and everything? I'm so thankful my mom took the time to teach me to cook.   

7. To Follow God's Will -  My mom was a full-time homemaker when I was a child. She eventually volunteered her time to teach a woodworking class twice a week at our private school when I was in elementary. After teaching it for 4 years, she switched to teaching computer classes there instead. God flooded her with a wealth of computer knowledge in a short amount of time and opened a door for a position in a computer store. She worked as the purchasing agent for the store for exactly 27 months (divine approval) before she felt the call of God to work full-time at our church and school where I attended high school. It was evident that God sent her to the computer store so she could learn valuable skills that she would need for her position at the church and to help many people with their personal computers. I remember her talking about how God used each situation to fulfill His purpose in her life. She was sensitive and obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit. My mom never worked at the church to make money. She did it for many years because it was God's will for her. 

8. To Show Discernment - My parents never argued in front of me. My mom never undermined my dad's authority. They did not talk about adult issues or situations in my presence. In fact, I learned many things over the last few years about the past. I've told my mom "I never knew that!" and she's replied, "Of course not; you were a kid." She made sure to show discernment of things they allowed me to see and hear. Because they never discussed their disagreements when I was listening, I knew that dad and mom were one and unified. There was no playing one against the other. If dad said no, mom said no, too. They worked together for my best interest. They protected me from issues that did not involve me and that I had no business being a part of. Not only did she show discernment in what she allowed me to see from them, she was careful of what I saw on the television as well. There were many shows and movies I could not watch. If I could not say the words or go to the places or mimic the actions, I could not watch them either. This post on the eternal describes this in more detail. To me, this lesson on discernment is one of the most important of all.

9. How to Give - My mom and dad are givers. They give of their time, their money, themselves. They have helped us countless times and want nothing in return. They've let us borrow money when we struggled financially. They watched our 3 kids for nearly 2 weeks when we were back and forth in the hospital with Tyler. They bless us continually. But what's more impressive is that they are like that with others as well. I could tell you story after story of times my parents gave to others, times when they openly blessed someone, and times when they paid a bill discreetly and the receiver of the blessing never knew who to thank. They don't live this way for recognition; this is who they are. Givers. 

10. To Love Unconditionally - I know there were times I let my mom down, times when I disappointed her. There were choices that I made that broke her heart. Yet, she loved me. Really, truly, wholly loved me. She cried when I cried, even when my tears came because I didn't heed her counsel. She blessed me, even when I didn't deserve it. She spoiled me, but wouldn't let me become a brat. She loves me, no matter what. Neither Leighton nor my brother's wife will tell you that she's a "typical mother-in-law." She's Mom. She loves them like her own. It's evident how much she loves her grandchildren too just by watching them. Every time my kids see her at church, or when we go to her house weekly, or when she comes to ours, they have the same reaction: "Gramma! Gramma! Gramma!" and they run into her arms. It makes me smile and brings tears to my eyes to think about how much love is in my life. I am truly, truly blessed.  

My mother has taught me much more than just these 10 examples. I could go on to explain more lessons that I have learned including Mom Knows Best, How to Be a Friend, and To Do My Best, along with countless more. The older I get, the more I learn. When I questioned her ways, she used to tell me "You'll understand when you have kids." That was one of the wisest things she's said. More and more, the applications behind the lessons are evident in my life. I am reminded again of Ezekiel 16:44, “Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.” I am proud to be like my mother. I thank God for giving me to her. And I love her so very much.


Happy Mother's Day, Mom! Thank you for diligently teaching me when I was young, for continually teaching me now, and for being my very best friend. I love you.

Kids Say The Funniest Things: Part 4

We are planning to construct a new schooling room for next year. I am so excited! We're transforming what used to be our computer/craft room but is now our throw-everything-in room into a brand new space for learning. This process will include knocking out walls and closets and painting. Right now, it involves  organizing, purging, and sorting. Fun stuff. 

Today while digging through a box, I found a journal that my mom gave me my first year teaching, seven years ago.  I read through all the funny things my innocent first graders said. Memories of these precious children came flooding back. I can remember the exact spots where each situation took place, the faces they made, the tone of their voices. These kids are in junior high now, yet I still picture them as sweet, little ones.

Here is a sampling of their quotes in my book. All of them were said by six-year-old boys. In fact, I have only one quote by a girl in my book. Apparently girls aren't as funny as boys. Or is it that they don't make as many mistakes as the boys??? Either way, I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I enjoyed rereading them. I'm so thankful my mom encouraged me (forced me?) to preserve this keepsake.

"How am I supposed to get blood separation with these shoes on?"

"If I got hurt like that, I would scream like a girl . . . not that I'm saying I do."

"I wish this sucker was made out of tarter sauce."

Boy 1: "I love swami!" 

Boy 2: "It's not swami. It's slami."  (salami)

"I'm so sweaty I could slip out of my pants!"

"I think I'm half pilgrim."

Boy 1: "My stomach feels like I had a birthday party."

Boy 2: "My stomach feels like I threw up an animal."

After being told it was cold outside: "Lucky for me, I have a bulletproof vest on."

"I'll just crack my fingers goodbye."

"It ain't over until the fat lady sings." (looks at me and says worriedly) "Which ain't anyone in here."

"Dads make a lot of money. That's why I can't wait to be one when I grow up."

"Is tomorrow today?"

"Ugh! I don't know how you got a license when you have a brother!"

After learning that there are 20 countries that speak Spanish: "Yeah, that's why there are so many words."

In response to receiving an assignment: "Ugh, I think I need to go on a diet!"

"I don't know very much stuff because I'm only a little bit Indian." - said by the palest boy in class.

"That was fun getting down and dirty with bubbles!"

"Ladies are gooder than men at puzzles."

"My grandpa told me that if you swallow gum, you'll blow bubbles when you poop."

"How old do you think I am? I look taller than I am." - said by the shortest boy in class.

and last but not least . . . 

"Calcium? That's a rock? I thought it was just something you put in your cereal."

Want to read the first 3 installments (all said by our own kids)?
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

School Days

Jake started Kindergarten. I’m not quite sure how we got to this point. After all, wasn’t he born yesterday? 

First thing Jake said when he woke up was “Mommy, we start school today!” He has been excited for weeks. I, on the other hand, have felt so many different emotions: excitement, fear, eagerness, nostalgia, self-doubt, anxiety. We are homeschooling. We’ve been planning this for years. Now that it’s here though, it’s almost surreal. It’s been fun pulling out all my old teaching supplies and setting up our “classroom.”  Then I start to think about the schooling part and realize that it’s a lot of responsibility. If he doesn’t learn something, it’s my fault. I question my ability to do this. Yes, I have a teaching degree. Yes, I have taught before. Yes, I can do this. I wonder though if he’d be better off in a regular school or if he’s missing out on the experiences. I’ve been reading The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling by Debra Bell. In it, she says:

“Our conviction must be borne out of prayer, study of God’s Word, and godly counsel. It is imperative that we take the time we need to hear God personally. These convictions are the foundation for appropriating the faith and grace we need to complete the task.

 “Otherwise, when discouragement comes and disillusionment hit, we will dig a deeper hole by questioning if we should be doing this in the first place. Constant doubts such as Am I really the best teacher for my children? Am I cheating them out of fun and opportunities? Is this going to be worth it in the end? will wear us out.

“The writer of James said a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Without this bedrock of faith that God said, “Do it!” we’re in for some rough seas. Firmly rooted convictions will be the source of endurance for the course.”

I finished reading that and cried. It describe me perfectly. I had just finished voicing those same concerns to Leighton. I realized then that I actually had been doubting God by doubting myself. I know one hundred percent that I am supposed to homeschool. We, as a couple, determined years ago that it was God’s will. Who am I to question Him? He will give me the ability to do His will. I saw a sign on a church the other day that said, “God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.”

We are using an adapted version of the Robinson Self-Teaching Curriculum. One of the advantages of homeschooling is that you have a tailor-made education. Jake can already write his letters and numbers, knows simple addition and subtraction, can read short vowel words (on own) and long vowel words (with help), and can spell aloud just about anything he can read. This child is like a sponge and loves to learn. He is constantly asking questions and trying to figure things out. He will do great homeschooling. If only I had that much confidence in his teacher.

Pancakes for breakfast

Excited to start our day

Some of our supplies

Our classroom