Schedules and Transparency

One of the hardest things to do is to set a schedule and blog about it then have an off week right after 🤣😩

I know I could have kept this to myself but why give the impression that I never struggle? That creates unrealistic expectations and allows you set unrealistic expectations for your family. The best thing I could do is show you that while I usually have a pretty solid plan, everything doesn’t always go according to the plan. And that’s okay.

While I struggled this week, I even had a moment of wishing to live how we used to, separate from my mom somewhere where there’s very little disruption. But how do we grow if not for the disruptions in life? How do we learn to handle the disruptions gracefully? So instead for wishing for an easier life, I simply asked the Holy Spirit for self control and help. I can’t do this alone, so I employ THE helper. He who gives what we ask.

So that’s my advice. When the days get hard, don’t tap out but tap in the Holy Spirit to come into your day, into your home, into your heart and to help you. To guide you. That’s where the true strength lies.

Update

So with February has come a move. We spent the last two weeks moving from North Dakota to Illinois. It has been hugely busy and at times overwhelming but we’re here and getting settled. Working out the kinks in getting new license so we can start back our weekly library visits and start going to the museums at least 1-2 times a month (there free days every month and some museums are free for Illinois homeschoolers).

I’ve been taking stock of our learning and realizing just what we need to hone in on to ensure mastery of certain topics. So we’ve been working a bit more in Khan Academy to help with math and using Crash Course on YouTube this week science and history review.

Next week we’ll go back to introducing new concepts and working towards mastery. And with us going on vacation at the end of the month, those concepts will be few so that we can achieve full understanding. And keep a look out as I plan to share some of the curriculum that I will be reviewing on my social media for the Homeschool Review Crew.

But for some excitement. Here’s a few photos of what our homeschool space in the basement looks like.

Excuse my appearance as I captured our homeschool table and you can see my desk in the background

Our library corner. The totes have more books and the boxes hold tons of magazines (that we’ll use for vision board parties).

And last my desk and favorite recliner (it rocks! So nursing and naptime is easy).

Preparing for Christmas

Like everyone else in the world we are also preparing for Christmas. We have our Christmas tree up and we’ve completed Christmas shopping and almost everything has been delivered. But then there’s the quiet heart preparation that also must be done so that in the busyness of the season, we don’t forget the reason for the season. Jesus.

For us that starts with advent. The drawback is this tear we’ve rarely done any of the reading and candle lighting on time. Face palm 🤦🏽‍♀️. Advent is the four Sunday’s leading up to Christmas 🎄 and it is celebrated by reading the Christmas story while light commemorative candles 🕯 in honor of Jesus being the light of the world 🌍. We have an advent devotional we’ve been reading by Asheritah Ciuciu that focuses on the names of Jesus during the advent season. While some people assume advent is a catholic holiday, we as non-Catholics celebrate it because it’s about Jesus and reminding ourselves of what really matters.

Such a pretty devotional

So with this week being our last before we embark on our two week Christmas/Winter Break, we are doing quite a bit of work. And for me, it’s including preparing to plan for the first few months of 2020 (Jan, Feb, and March). I decided to use a free printable planner by Lara at Everyday Graces, it’s geared towards Charlotte Mason method homeschoolers but it suits me quite fine being that we are Classical homeschoolers who enjoy a touch of Charlotte Mason. As I’m writing this we are listening to an audio drama of Pride & Prejudice during our lunch break.

So how are you preparing for Christmas 🎄 and the new year?

A Chosen Wife

What does it mean to be a chosen wife?

It does not refer to the literal act of being chosen, as generally being married means that you were chosen by your partner to enter into covenant together.

But the chosen wife is the wife who has chosen to take up the mantle of biblical wifehood and has chosen to live out how the Bible has instructed us to as wives, as coheirs in the kingdom. There are many ways we do this from submission, to prayer, and even the practical ways of actually helping our spouses (whether its cleaning up behind them because they are exhausted or super busy with work or its getting out there are working just as hard as they do to provide for your family). The goal is always the same be a helpmeet and we choose this.

But there’s something else we need to choose and that is contentment. In this era of social media, we have these accounts on Facebook. Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Pinterest and it is SO easy to fall into the comparison trap. We compare our homes, our marriages, our children to people we know and even people we do not know. We compare our everyday life to their highlight reel. Because while we can see our dirty kitchens or messy living rooms, all we see online is their pristine clean photos that may give the impression that its always clean. But we don’t see what goes on behind closed doors. Perhaps there is heartache due to not being able to conceive OR we don’t see the tons of money they spend on a maid service. We may see the beautiful words of appreciation on a birthday or holiday but we don’t see the arguments behind closed doors. And the entire goal is appreciate and water your own grass. Don’t be so quick to wish for what someone else has because you don’t know what they did to get it or what they do to keep it.

Then, there’s avoiding the legalism trap that comes with being wife. As a wife we hold innumerable influence (generally speaking) with our husbands. We are in a position to advise them on matters that concern not only us and our household but also in areas outside the home that may affect others. And because of that we must be extremely careful as to what we say, how we say it, and what we support or do not support. And the legalist aspect to avoid is the attitude that because we do things a certain then everyone should or because we believe something then everyone should or because we are convicted in an area everyone should be convicted in that area. Some women may feel convicted about only wearing long skirts, while others may not have that same conviction. Some may feel that they should never work outside the home and for others that is not ideal nor do they hold the same convictions . It is very dangerous to push our personal feelings and convictions onto others. We run the risk of becoming the very Pharisees that Jesus denounced in the Bible.

So how to do we avoid the legalism trap? It starts with keeping our eyes focused ahead. Realizing that what the Holy Spirit convicts in us, may not be the same in the next person. And my race is my race, and it will not looks the same as the next person’s race and that is okay. Also, appreciate what you have. Comparison is the thief of joy and appreciation. So even if you need to limit your time on social media, do it. It is always for your good and God’s glory to leave comparison alone and run the race set before you.

So do you have any tips on running your race and being appreciative for what you do have? Leave them below!

Motherhood: The Struggle

Oftentimes when people talk about parenting, it’s sunshine and rainbows. We talk about our children who potty trained easily and the ones who listen the first time you give instructions. But what about behind the scenes when your three year old has absolutely zero interest in potty training and literally is not taking to it. Unless we force her on the toilet she doesn’t go and even then she only will tinkle. What about the kids that I have to do the Godzilla voice on to get them to listen. And oftentimes its never the first time I give instructions. Here’s the thing they aren’t like this all the time. With the older kids it’s usually when they’re distracted on a device. And with the littles well they’re aged five and under. And the youngest, literally only likes mama. And because she’s still breastfeeding (13 almost 14 months old) I cannot do much of anything without her. There’s rarely such an account of motherhood that’s honest about the great days and includes the tough ones as well. And as moms we need to see that even the most well put together mom has tough days and no one has got this parenting thing down to perfection. That is how we start to eliminate the comparison trap.

At times this is hugely overwhelming and tough. It’s hard not to be on social media (face palms) and not compare my everyday to someone else’s highlight reel. But that’s exactly what we’re doing when we even remotely try to compare our lives with someone else even with people we see on Sunday at church or the mom at the park. We cannot possibly truly understand what life as a mom is like for her.

For me, I want you to see the hard days so that you understand that it is still possible to have them and persevere. There are days when I am irritable and I could not even tell you why. I’m sure my sleep being interrupted several times a night plays into the irritability. But as a Christian mom, you’d think I’d know how to put a cap on my emotions, right? Nope, not all the time. I struggle in this area. But I am committed to doing better. I am committed to showing grace to everyone around me, husband included. I don’t have to have it all together, but I do need to surrender it all to Jesus and lean on Him rather than trying to do it without Him. I am committed to showing the hard days so no one sees my highlight reel and compare.

A nugget I’m learning: Just as I want my children to use their words to express themselves, I have to do the same. Yelling and having an attitude does not express anything except anger and it does not help any situation. And I’m just as guilty as my kids of doing this. Of yelling and hitting in my anger; of having an attitude when I don’t get my way. And to teach them better I have to BE better.

So dear mama, if you’re ever in or near this boat. I am with you and I am rooting for you. If you have any tips on how you show grace to your family and how you take your attitude. Comment below. 👇🏽👇🏽

This is Us

So this is us! Mama plus all five kiddos. And thankfully Dad is our amazing cameraman.

From the left

Kaylee (11, soon to be 12 preteen)

Christian (newly minted 5 year old)

Coral (freshly walking 1 year old)

Cali (sassy 3 year old), and

the only boy Caleb (7 soon to be 8 year old bundle of fun).

We’re currently homeschooling the elder three with Christian doing half days of Pre Kindergarten before full days of Kindergarten in the fall.

This is us! Doing life on one income and homeschooling on a budget. Yes it is possible even with a seven person household. Even with two people in diapers. I thank God every day that He equips my husband to provide abundantly for us so that I can have the opportunity and privilege to be home with our children and educate them.

I hope you stick around to learn more about us and the life lessons we’re learning together. Monday I’ll share how we do homeschooling on a budget. This is huge!

Like, share, comment & comeback! 🤗🤗🤗