We are one day away from a week off for the celebration of Christmas, YEAH!! We are so looking forward to a week off.
The week in general has been pretty full of extra curricular activities. We have taken a very relaxed approach to school this week. Lovely has actually worked far enough ahead that she has a very light day tomorrow. Sporty however has about 3/4 of her usual day to do tomorrow. We have been doing our days in increments this week due to other activities such as craft making, roller skating and a school program for Baby Girl.
Allow me to fill you all in on the details of that!! Baby Girl does not like to be in the spotlight, not surprisingly, none of my girls have enjoyed this role. I am okay with that, however I am beginning to wonder if it is my parenting that has created this. I am half serious here folks! All three of my sweet ladies have had a difficult time with performing for a large group. Lovely actually turned her back to the audience at her first Christmas program. She wanted nothing to do with singing or playing the triangle. I think she thought if she turned her back we couldn't see her.
Next came Sporty. I didn't send her to school at the age of 3. I thought she would benefit from not going and being home with me. She did go at age 4 and she did not like the performing thing either. She didn't turn her back she just stared off into space with a complete dead pan look. No smile, nothing!! What is a mother to do?
Baby Girl... My last chance. She looked the part, red dress, red bow and shiny shoes. She had not been singing her songs at home ,and when I asked her too she declined. As her class entered the room yesterday she looked a little nervous, but not upset. Good sign. The older girls and I were hanging out on the side opposite of Baby Girl. The music started and so did Baby Girl! YEAH! She is doing it. The excitement I had was overwhelming. I really thought she was going to participate. Then it all changed. She made eye contact with me, I gave her the thumbs up sign as I so often do, and she lost it! I put my camera down and ran to get her. WHAT JUST HAPPENED? I questioned my decision to let her see me. Is it me? Do I just stress my kids out with my presence? Am I critical of them? What?
Well I have distanced myself from it and concluded. I have know idea. I just have to laugh it off and realize Baby Girl is only 3! I am confident she will out grow her fear of performing, or maybe not. I am confident in saying performing in front of people is not my spiritual gift either.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Giving
Mondays can be rough, but today was pretty good.
The girls got right to work this morning and stayed on track up until about noon. The girls started losing focus for a couple of reasons. One was that we had Baby Girl home all day. SNOW! The second reason was today was our day to do our shopping for our Red Cross Angel names we picked. The girls are finally at the age were they are understanding what we do and why we do it.
I have to admit most times it can be hectic. I typically pick 3 names off the tree, one for each girl. I love to let the girls pick out something practical, an outfit and then something fun, usually a toy. The children we had this year had pretty simple requests. We actually had 2 boys this year, this typically takes me out of my comfort zone for the obvious reasons. I often wonder who these children are and what their lives are like. I had a chance to talk with Lovely and Sporty about it a little bit, but I am hoping to discuss it more tomorrow.
The girls understand they are not allowed to purchase anything on this shopping trip..it is strictly about others and not ourselves. They usually are okay with that, but we had some slight problems this year. Lovely was insisting she needed model magic to make an ornament for the lady who would have been her teacher this year had she stayed in school. WHAT? I was a little confused, and my answer was still NO! Sporty had a small melt down after I picked up a nail painting kit that she wanted. I told her some little girl will love it. I got an angry glare and a grumbling response. I hope you all don't think I am torturing my girls. I really want them to understand the desires of others can and should be met before our own.
The Christmas season sometimes brings with it a sense of entitlement. I don't like that! To me it is such a joy to know that someone in need will be blessed with a small gift. It gives me joy to know that GOD uses me to help others. I am humbled to be a part of making someone else happy. I am so trying to teach these girls that we have been given the greatest gift in our SAVIOUR! Jesus came as a sweet baby and died as a humble sacrifice. How do you top that? My prayer for the girls is that they will find JOY in giving and JOY in knowing JESUS!
The girls got right to work this morning and stayed on track up until about noon. The girls started losing focus for a couple of reasons. One was that we had Baby Girl home all day. SNOW! The second reason was today was our day to do our shopping for our Red Cross Angel names we picked. The girls are finally at the age were they are understanding what we do and why we do it.
I have to admit most times it can be hectic. I typically pick 3 names off the tree, one for each girl. I love to let the girls pick out something practical, an outfit and then something fun, usually a toy. The children we had this year had pretty simple requests. We actually had 2 boys this year, this typically takes me out of my comfort zone for the obvious reasons. I often wonder who these children are and what their lives are like. I had a chance to talk with Lovely and Sporty about it a little bit, but I am hoping to discuss it more tomorrow.
The girls understand they are not allowed to purchase anything on this shopping trip..it is strictly about others and not ourselves. They usually are okay with that, but we had some slight problems this year. Lovely was insisting she needed model magic to make an ornament for the lady who would have been her teacher this year had she stayed in school. WHAT? I was a little confused, and my answer was still NO! Sporty had a small melt down after I picked up a nail painting kit that she wanted. I told her some little girl will love it. I got an angry glare and a grumbling response. I hope you all don't think I am torturing my girls. I really want them to understand the desires of others can and should be met before our own.
The Christmas season sometimes brings with it a sense of entitlement. I don't like that! To me it is such a joy to know that someone in need will be blessed with a small gift. It gives me joy to know that GOD uses me to help others. I am humbled to be a part of making someone else happy. I am so trying to teach these girls that we have been given the greatest gift in our SAVIOUR! Jesus came as a sweet baby and died as a humble sacrifice. How do you top that? My prayer for the girls is that they will find JOY in giving and JOY in knowing JESUS!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Snow Day
Our first day off due to the weather was Thursday. A beautiful snow storm left us home with no where to go and no work to do.
Thursday was scheduled to be our field trip to see The Nutcracker, but the snow changed that. Everything here was either closed or cancelled. I had thought about doing school that day, but Lovely had a friend over, she too is home schooled, and the girls were really enjoying their time together. I didn't have the heart to break up the fun to do school. There is a small crack developing in my hard shell. I chose fun over school, what am I becoming? Relaxed, even if ever so slightly.
The girls played in the snow and colored most of the day. It was actually a very relaxing day. .
Friday was pretty uneventful. We didn't start school until 11:oo which is sooo late for my controlling little mind, but I went with it. The girls were for the most part cooperative. We have been working very hard the last couple of weeks so we can take a little time off for Christmas. We are looking forward to my mother coming to visit. The girls love her and miss her so much. They really enjoy her visits!
We are awaiting another snowstorm...not sure what it will bring.
Thursday was scheduled to be our field trip to see The Nutcracker, but the snow changed that. Everything here was either closed or cancelled. I had thought about doing school that day, but Lovely had a friend over, she too is home schooled, and the girls were really enjoying their time together. I didn't have the heart to break up the fun to do school. There is a small crack developing in my hard shell. I chose fun over school, what am I becoming? Relaxed, even if ever so slightly.
The girls played in the snow and colored most of the day. It was actually a very relaxing day. .
Friday was pretty uneventful. We didn't start school until 11:oo which is sooo late for my controlling little mind, but I went with it. The girls were for the most part cooperative. We have been working very hard the last couple of weeks so we can take a little time off for Christmas. We are looking forward to my mother coming to visit. The girls love her and miss her so much. They really enjoy her visits!
We are awaiting another snowstorm...not sure what it will bring.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Not looking for Perfect!
Today was a very good school day. You may wonder what qualities I look for to call a day "very good". I will tell you!
Lovely and Sporty came to breakfast in good moods, no one complained about breakfast, we started school on time, give or take a minute and we finished in good moods. I will tell you that Sporty went to her room several times for a bad attitude. Lovely whined a little over some work that she didn't feel like doing, but she managed to pull herself together and finish . Please note today was not perfect, but as close as it gets. My goal most days is that there is resolve to our conflict in a quick and pleasant manor, and we had that today. The girls are such good kids and they really are trying their best. I really cannot expect everyday to be without its challenges, totally unrealistic. I myself am not perfect. How can I expect my children to be? They are still learning there coping skills. I should already possess some of those skills,RIGHT?
Baby Girl is coming down with a little cold so she is not being very pleasant. She has developed a bad habit of growling and hissing at us when she is angry and doesn't want to do what we have asked. We are working on not acting like an animal and using our words to communicate. I will let you know when we have succeeded.
Our school day is over and we are looking forward to a great rest of the week.
Lovely and Sporty came to breakfast in good moods, no one complained about breakfast, we started school on time, give or take a minute and we finished in good moods. I will tell you that Sporty went to her room several times for a bad attitude. Lovely whined a little over some work that she didn't feel like doing, but she managed to pull herself together and finish . Please note today was not perfect, but as close as it gets. My goal most days is that there is resolve to our conflict in a quick and pleasant manor, and we had that today. The girls are such good kids and they really are trying their best. I really cannot expect everyday to be without its challenges, totally unrealistic. I myself am not perfect. How can I expect my children to be? They are still learning there coping skills. I should already possess some of those skills,RIGHT?
Baby Girl is coming down with a little cold so she is not being very pleasant. She has developed a bad habit of growling and hissing at us when she is angry and doesn't want to do what we have asked. We are working on not acting like an animal and using our words to communicate. I will let you know when we have succeeded.
Our school day is over and we are looking forward to a great rest of the week.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
"C" is for COOKIE
We had a great day! Thank you LORD! The girls were quick with their work and didn't complain much at all. They always have a little grumbling, but today's was a whisper compared to some days.
We finished all of our lessons..didn't skip a one and we ended our day at 12 for Sporty and 2 for Lovely. This is the schedule I had expected from the start. We finished school and did what I had planned. We made peanut butter blossom cookies. YUM! Sporty got the job of measuring and mixing. Both Lovely and Sporty have a desire to learn to cook. I love that! My problem is I am not always super patient with them in the kitchen. I know I can make it faster and tend to want to do that, but not today. I am getting better. I have always wanted to have girls who loved to cook and bake. Baby Girl and Lovely had the job of pealing Hershey Kisses.
The process was fun and the girls are proud of their cookies. I am trying to remind myself that the process itself is what is most important, not the end result. I laugh as I say that knowing Baby Girl sneezed on the sugar that was used on the last batch of cookies. DO NOT worry I will not offer them to anyone...except family...haha.
We finished all of our lessons..didn't skip a one and we ended our day at 12 for Sporty and 2 for Lovely. This is the schedule I had expected from the start. We finished school and did what I had planned. We made peanut butter blossom cookies. YUM! Sporty got the job of measuring and mixing. Both Lovely and Sporty have a desire to learn to cook. I love that! My problem is I am not always super patient with them in the kitchen. I know I can make it faster and tend to want to do that, but not today. I am getting better. I have always wanted to have girls who loved to cook and bake. Baby Girl and Lovely had the job of pealing Hershey Kisses.
The process was fun and the girls are proud of their cookies. I am trying to remind myself that the process itself is what is most important, not the end result. I laugh as I say that knowing Baby Girl sneezed on the sugar that was used on the last batch of cookies. DO NOT worry I will not offer them to anyone...except family...haha.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Refocusing
Tuesday here and I feel like it is Friday. Not because of any one or thing in particular...just the movement of daily life.
School today for the most part went well. Ever since last Tuesday we have avoided major conflict. The minor conflicts are still there, but they are easier to deal with. I am going to get into one of my pouring out sessions here in a minute. First I will share that Baby Girl is just in love with scissors right now and she just refuses to hold them the right way. She does try, but its as if her little body won't do what I am telling her to do to hold them correctly. The older girls and I just laughed every time I tried to get her to do it right. I guess you had to be here.
Well here goes. I really have been struggling to not be so tough on everyone here at Owlschool. I am including myself in that sentence. I have a very difficult time not sticking to my agenda...I have said that before...but I feel like something is missing. I want so badly to bake cookies with the girls, but won't stop until school is done. Our school days have been long and have not allowed the time. In a way I feel like I am cheating them. So often in life we try to teach our children to follow all the rules for work before play and quite frankly I believe in that mind set. I am however learning as a 30 something that I can't relax most of the time because I feel like I always have something to do. Clean a bathroom, pick up toys, do laundry...the list goes on. In so many ways I want to teach my girls more than just what the textbooks are teaching, but I am having a hard time.
I am going to try and refocus on the importance of having fun with my girls. To some of you that is not something you have to work at, but sadly I do! I love my girls and would do anything for them, but I tend to be a bit "uptight"...stop laughing MOM!! It is my prayer in the coming days that we will do our work, but also we will stop to have some fun enjoying the Christmas season.
School today for the most part went well. Ever since last Tuesday we have avoided major conflict. The minor conflicts are still there, but they are easier to deal with. I am going to get into one of my pouring out sessions here in a minute. First I will share that Baby Girl is just in love with scissors right now and she just refuses to hold them the right way. She does try, but its as if her little body won't do what I am telling her to do to hold them correctly. The older girls and I just laughed every time I tried to get her to do it right. I guess you had to be here.
Well here goes. I really have been struggling to not be so tough on everyone here at Owlschool. I am including myself in that sentence. I have a very difficult time not sticking to my agenda...I have said that before...but I feel like something is missing. I want so badly to bake cookies with the girls, but won't stop until school is done. Our school days have been long and have not allowed the time. In a way I feel like I am cheating them. So often in life we try to teach our children to follow all the rules for work before play and quite frankly I believe in that mind set. I am however learning as a 30 something that I can't relax most of the time because I feel like I always have something to do. Clean a bathroom, pick up toys, do laundry...the list goes on. In so many ways I want to teach my girls more than just what the textbooks are teaching, but I am having a hard time.
I am going to try and refocus on the importance of having fun with my girls. To some of you that is not something you have to work at, but sadly I do! I love my girls and would do anything for them, but I tend to be a bit "uptight"...stop laughing MOM!! It is my prayer in the coming days that we will do our work, but also we will stop to have some fun enjoying the Christmas season.
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