Three Glimpses...

Morning, Noon, and Night ... three glimpses of an ordinary day

Morning, forget the hour , my orchids saluting the sun from my new desktop (another day, another post...stay tuned)

Mid Afternoon - finding a rocket ship ready to launch, the pilot and copilot missing. It looks so proud doesn't it? 

Then, just before bed, the sun beginning to set and these two clowns catch their "second wind" ...or maybe their 15th wind of the day (who's counting?) and a game of soccer ensues in the backyard complete with jumping, finding their heads for no apparent reason except it seemed fun. 

 Heartbreakers...

Real Heartbreakers. 

This post was inspired by a new lovely blog I found ... Mothering With Mindfullness...link up if you want to play too. 

Tuesday Learning...And a Bird

My goal for homeschooling this year - simple yet a rather elusive concept for someone like me - TO BE ORGANIZED. Yes, I admit ... even though I love structure and scan pinterest for every type of organizational system known to man, whether it be where to keep your toilet paper or hanging your gift wrap from your closet ceiling...I pretty much stink at organizing kids laundry, cleaning schedules, homeschooling, and so on and so forth. Okay, I don't so much stink AT organizing, it's keeping it organized that I have issues with. You should see my dresser drawers ... if I was in a car wreck and my clothes were mangled and a friend needed to go to my house to get me some clean pajamas...

1. They wouldn't be able to find them

2. They would be shocked and dismayed

3. They would things that weren't clothes where my clothes should be

This is ACTUALLY a scenario I think about at least once a week - and yes, I refold, relocate, re envision my life as a clutter free soul ... and after a few days, chaos returns. 

But not this year. I am going to say for myself and for the record and for my children and for the blogging community - Alyssa will be organized this year. She will keep learning fresh and fun. She will be creative ... she will take long time outs when overwhelmed and she will eat chocolate ( not too much chocolate.) Yes, this I decree...I will be organized therefor making more SENSIBLE time for everyone...including myself. 

“An idea can only become a reality once it is broken down into organized, actionable elements.” 
― Scott Belsky, Making Ideas Happen: Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision and Reality

So without further ado, our Tuesday home school :

This year I have put together a State Study for the kids. Trinity and Brady each got a three ring binder and we are doing a state study in alphabetical order, one state per week. Last week we learned about Alabama, today was Alaska. I do NOT have a curriculum for this ... just the handy dandy Internet, a printer, and some craft supplies. We read interesting facts about each state, I find free printables for the state bird, flower, fish...those kinds of things. Easy Peasy but generally takes about an hour to read, maybe watch the State Song on Youtube and then color all of the printables. 

So far, the kids have loved States Day. I figure this will be excellent for a "first time lesson plan mom" because it will take us exactly 50 weeks to finish (no school breaks around here yall guys.) There are tons of resources online ... we printed off one of our coloring pages here. 

Also, you can find my board on Pinterest for some of my home school activities.  

Totally off topic but HAS TO BE SAID...I got a bird!!! My very own little zebra finch. 

Kids : what are we going to name it?

Me : Do you mean what am I going to name it? 

His name is Sweetie and has the cutest little song you ever did hear, and the rosiest cheeks you ever did see. He's a darling little gray fluff ball of energy and I loves hims so muches and I can't talk to him without making the "baby voice." His name is Sweetie just so I can say it in a rather annoying high pitched voice and get a reaction from him. He is 15 dollars of pure entertainment and a friend while I cook ( I keep him in my kitchen under a window so he can get fresh air.) I love him. Everyone needs a bird.

Back to homeschooling...

 Tristan's "education" is rather simple ... I read to him, we play learning games, and he has a couple of workbooks so he can become comfortable tracing letters and numbers. 

I have really enjoyed the freedom of mixing and matching curriculum for certain subjects...keeps things spicy around here. 

What little boy wouldn't want to help Han Solo and Chewbacca find the path of 2's ? 

The kids also did their math workbook pages and Chapter books and we called it a day (I had a rather grumpy three year old underfoot at the time and had hit a wall. That's fine.) 

We made some pineapple mint  iced tea...

...then I labored over the mountain we call laundry...

...and rewarded my mothering self with this little piece of comfort food heaven. 

Feeling blessed, and I give thanks...

*~Alyssa Spring ~*

Where Angels Live...

You know you live with angels when...

  ~ You find two little barefoot souls, cuddled up...crayons scattered, quietly being creative, enjoying each other's presence and "end of the day sunlight." 

~ You see their faces delight in simple things...bubbles, smores, climbing trees, finding the moon in the sky, birds eating their seed offerings...

~ when they love color, gravity, textures, sounds ... we don't know much about the angels but I'm pretty sure they delight in creation...as my babies do. 

You know you live with angels when they make funny faces, when they squirm and climb and jump and bounce. I'm pretty sure angels fly ... so do my littles, in spirit, in bravery, in good character. My babies can fly so very high. 

You know that your children are growing in character when your oldest son offers to make breakfast (and you know you are growing in good character when you let him, and don't mind one bit if it's a little bit crispy. )

You know your children are angels when you come home from grocery shopping and find them barefoot in the kitchen, every dish scrubbed, a little tongue sticking out of the corner of their mouth as they concentrate so hard on the task at hand...then your husband comes in and says "I didn't even ask her to help, I just found her this way." You know you are loved through their service, and you thank them and offer thanks to God for their sweet spirits. Angels do indeed live on Oakland Street, and today they were ever so busy in my ever so messy kitchen. 

You know you are loved when you find your portrait on the kitchen refrigerator and the artist made sure to clothe you in your favorite color. 

I love the moments in my life when I look around me, and gratitude for what I see is bursting through me at such a fast rate I could laugh, I could dance...and I do. I love the moments in my life when the day is cooling and the sun is sinking and my kids are playing in the backyard and they are content. I feel hope at these moments - because I know that regardless of what our life has brought us we are normal even though we aren't "typical." We are a family that is pursuing one another, we are a family that enjoys a good tamale dinner and a game of soccer and building fairy lands in Tristan's little dirt pile (did I tell you the birds come every evening and fluff their feathers in the dust of Koala's little trenches?) I have hope because I can feel love, I can feel it in my spirit. It's not always, it's not every moment of every single day...but when I do feel it I know I'm blessed...and when I don't feel it I'm learning that I am STILL blessed. 

The reason why I know that angels live here is because I have changed over these last "almost" nine years of parenting. Only something sent directly from God can bring such change to this world...such simple yet so very complicated good change. Only someone or "somebody's" sent from Heavenly Father could make me know such tremendous grace, such wonderful mercy...such beautiful creativity...such contentment in myself and in who I am...and then in excepting who my children are. Only The Ultimate Artist could achieve such beauty in a family so ordinarily human. 

I know angels live here...and I give thanks. 

Good Bye Summer, Hello Purpose and Planning

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” 
― Marcel Proust

 Our summer was very good...one of the best we've ever had as a family. I think part of this is due to the World Cup and our son Brady finally being able to truly bond with his daddy. Brady is obsessed with countries...Zac is obsessed with soccer. When the two come together...magic happens. :) Several weeks later and the bond is still going strong, so much that Brady and Zac actually went to a soccer field this morning and exercised and did drills together for over a hour! To some families, this may be just an ordinary Saturday. For us, it is kind of a miracle that our son was outdoors that long, that he was having fun, and that he was truly connected with another person, and that he was joyful doing something that was outside of his "box."
 I give thanks.

Our school year started last week and I'm really excited about the opportunity to refocus on creativity and learning and getting out of myself and into my littles more purposefully. Pinterest is coming to my aid in a whole new way. My blogging break is done....I hope to be able to share photos and what we are learning very soon.

~Alyssa

Summer...in Photos

June...and Roses

It's June...oh my...and what a lovely June it has been so far! 

The flowers are in full bloom...

...and so is my squirrel's smile. Nothing makes her happier then a fist full of flowers. 

June has brought us...

~ afternoons of crafting

~ a not so rigid homeschool schedule (not that it usually is)

~ mosquitoes that are DYING thanks to my new bug zapper. I got one that works for 1.5 acres...that ought to do it boys. 

~ afternoon thunderstorms and gorgeous evening lightening displays

~ an amazing deal on some blackout curtains

~ tornado sirens and awesome cloud formations

~ snacky lunches on the couch

~ the kids first viewing of Honey I Shrunk the Kids!

~ watermelon and more watermelon

~ Costco's awesome blueberries

~ Ice Cream!

~ You Scream!

~ We ALL scream for ice cream!!!

~ inventions

~bare feet

~ shaving cream smearing with sticks

~ pool time! 

~ roses... lots of roses

~ starting the mornings off the right way...with coffee and my Bible

~ David Nevue and his gorgeous piano music filling our home

~ loving our church more and more

~ new books

~ finding ways to give

~ enjoying today but smiling at the future

~ anticipation of meeting the cousins in July!

~ sundresses

~ sunscreen

~ long runs on the treadmill

~ cereal just because we are bored of oatmeal

~ ponytails...even for all of our boys!

~ bonding as a family

~ Papa John's Pizza of course

~ shades of pinks and reds and cream

~ rearranging our house as usual

~ mowing the lawn weekly

~ monarchs flying through our yard

~ Father's Day!

~ Big packages!

~ The WORLD CUP!!!

~ guacamole

~ soccer in the yard

~ ladybugs

~ learning about new things

~ seeing friends that we haven't seen in ten years

~ canopies in the yard

~ soccer goals made out of leftovers...one creative husband

~ bubble chasing

~ gnomes

~ fresh mint

~ chugging water on a constant basis

~ feeling content because I am loved and know the One that created me and mine

~ loving my husband more than ever

~ knowing that my kids are beautifully and wonderfully made and feeling hope for them and their future

FOF

I'm a few days late with my FOF post - my apologies. 

I finished my two week "no grocery store stops" successfully. My husband gets paid bi weekly so I made a goal to grocery shop on his pay days, then also put money on a gift card to pay for fuel for the next two weeks. I'm happy to report...we made it the two weeks with only one ice cream run (we simply couldn't help it... it was raining and we needed gelato and waffle cones) and we actually still had a third of our set aside fuel money left over! 

Last Thursday I scoured the internet for coupons and sales flyers, made up my two week menu plan (I make a list of meal ideas...and am flexible on which day I make which meals) and then took the stores with my envelopes of papers. When I go to the store I most definitely look like a "woman on a mission" (or a completely crazed person.)

Other ways I saved and spent this past week...

~ lined dried our clothes on all of the sunny days

~ ordered Zac's Father's Day using a coupon code

~ printed out my blog from January of this year until the beginning of May using a coupon code (I've been wanting to do this for awhile but have always been overwhelmed by the cost ... I decided that if I break my blog down into 6 month increments then I can make a way to afford it. I don't want to miss out on the opportunity to save precious memories for my children.)

~ Trinity finally had enough allowance saved to buy her first "amazon wishlist item." We have started giving our kids a small allowance each week so that they can learn to give and to save. I helped Trinity find something that she would like to save for...and she has worked extra hard the last 7 weeks to save up. I was proud of her accomplishing that goal!

~ we helped a family with a small grocery item purchase, donated our used stuff at the church thrift store and then also purchased some books and some children's clothes there (100% of our church's thrift store purchases go towards helping widows and orphans and is ran completely by volunteers. We LOVE knowing that we can donate our belongings to a really awesome cause. It's just a simple way to give when our wallets are rather empty.)

~ we stayed home almost all week and made crafts with what we had on hand

~ used a red box rental code for a free movie night

~ I ordered some supplements for the boys to try .... they were rather pricey but I found a way to get free shipping on them and also use my Citi points to help pay for them. This was one of those iffy things where I felt a little guilty about buying it from a cheaper source rather than the distributor. I had to pray about it honestly because I wanted to do the honest thing...but also what was good for our family. I love to support local businesses and try to buy handmade as often as possible...but this was one of those times I really needed to save as much as possible. I feel comfortable with our decision (I talked to Zac about it probably more than he would have liked haha.) I hope that the supplements will work well for our little dudes along with their gluten free diet. 

~ I included picnic foods in my grocery list for the next two weeks so that I would have easy lunches to pack if we are going out...that way we aren't tempted to stop off places for a bite to eat

~ Found Trinity her backpack for her "one day a week" of school next year... I got it 50% off and thankfully it has no "character" on the front so she should be able to use it for years 

~ uploaded some free children's apps

~ printed off free homeschool worksheets

That's how I did .... I also forgot to mention that Zac had the opportunity to work a lot of overtime this last week so God provided for our savings account. When he works overtime it is kind of hard on our family but I try to just tell the kids "daddy is a hard worker and we pray that God will provide for us and extra work is one way He does that!" The littles are being real champs about it. 

To link up to FOF go to  Rebecca's Blog ....it's a lovely place. :) I guess this is her last FOF post...I'm not sure if I will continue or not.