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Taking Pictures Alone VS. Taking Pictures With Children

Getting a great photo of a your children is a feat in and of itself. Getting a photo with your children takes olympic level skills! I just finished having family photos done with me, my husband, and our three children. As a photographer that has been in this situation behind the lens countless times you would think I would have it all together, but it’s different when it’s your own family.

I remember the days when I would take selfies for my myspace (yeah, it was a long time ago). Or my husband would snap a photo of me in the park out on a date. 

Here was the scene-

I think this light and this background right here would be good for a photo. I think I’ll stand here and hold this pose. Am I smiling too big or not big enough? Do you think this is my good side? Okay, eyebrows slightly raised, tummy sucked in, shoulders back, body tilted ever so slightly.

Then I look at the photo and see that my hair was sticking up in one place, or my shirt wasn’t laying flat. Oh MY! Taking a good photo is hard work. Let’s reshoot that again and again until I love the way I look.

Now let’s look at yesterday’s scene.

I think this light and this background is perfect, let’s pray that our children will miraculously stand here and look in the same direction for 10 seconds so that we can take a photo.

Okay, guys we are going to stand right here. No? Okay, let’s stand over here where baby Ezie is. No wait! Baby Ezie come back. Do you want to go on daddy’s shoulders? But you love daddy’s shoulders. Fine, let’s all sit. On the count of three say “Chuck E. Cheeeese”  Keep your shirt down sweetie. HEY! Do not pull your sister’s pony tail! Seriously, every one look at the camera. NO, don’t point at it, just look. And smile. Not like that, that looks like the Joker. Come on!  Alright, where is your sister? I think we lost her. Oh, there she is running toward that poison ivy.  Stop! Stop now! Hold onto my hand. Is this everyone? How about standing by this tree stump here. Hello? Is there anyone in this family that knows what a tree stump is? Stop pushing. If you don’t cut it out right now you might not see Mine Craft ever again! No. Don’t cry. We want happy photos. Fine, who wants candy? How much candy is this going to take? Ewww, gross. What is that smell? I think someone stepped in dog poo. Let’s check your shoes everyone. Bingo. Alright, try and wipe it off in the leaves over there. Goodness gracious! Moving on…

Not once did I ever think about my shoulders or my hair. There is no checking the preview to see how I look. No “place all your weight on your back foot” rule. Nope. If we have a photo of the 5 of us together where no one is crying or injuring someone then it’s a keeper. You don’t even have to have your eyes open. I went from having a 20 point checklist for how I looked in a photograph to just one qualification. Do I look sane? Even that is debatable. 

 

For the record out of probably 200 tries we were able to get one decent photo. 
It was sent out with our Christmas cards and after all that effort I can assure I will have it hanging on our wall. So if my family can do it, there is hope for everyone. Just say Chuck E. Cheese!!!

By |2015-05-18T05:06:37+00:00September 24, 2014|Motherhood, Uncategorized|4 Comments
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The Beginning of the School Year Mom’s Wardrobe

It’s a new school year with a  clean slate and that inspires me*. No more roll out of bed, put shoes on and show up at the school in a wrinkled frump of whatever I wore to bed or picked up out of the laundry basket. I am turning a new leaf. It’s hard to say how long it will last, but I am going on a full two weeks *gasp* of having clothes picked out ahead of time. I am actually getting myself ready in the morning. 

Last week after lining up some of my favorite combinations I noticed a trend. 
Stripes. 

Along with trying to dress decent on a daily basis I tried to get photographic evidence. It wasn’t all that easy, but I wrangled up a few pics for ya, and I am going to use all of my God given restraint to forgo dozens of disclaimers about the way I look or the way the photos looks, because ain’t nobody got time for that. 

Now then, lets see some stripes!
This first outfit is a favorite go-to of mine. 
It’s casual, comfy, and summery. 
Shirt: JC Penny Clearance.
I wasn’t even looking for clothes, but it was such a rock bottom price it grabbed me and forced me to buy it.
Shorts: Old Navy (although I bough them at a thrift store). 
They are called the perfect 5 inch short and they really are the perfect fit for me. 
Shoes: Gap (a gift from a friend who bought them used). 
These are my favorite summer sandals.
So just how practical is this outfit for a stay at home mother of 3? 
I give it 4 out of 5 stars. Even though it’s great for so many family activities, the white shorts make it less than perfect for all the messy hands I deal with. Still, not bad. 
This next outfit I wore to the parent info night at Z’s school last week. 
Shirt: Forever 21.
I bought it used of course, do I have to mention this every time? I think I should so that I can show people the variety available second hand!
Jeans: American Eagle (thrifted)
Shoes: Gap clearance center 
And just because it’s so cute, here is a shot of SJ trying to wear my shoes. 
Why the low score you ask? Well, the outfit is fine, but this score has to do with how well it fits the busy mom lifestyle. It looses points for the low rise jeans because it’s no bueno if you can’t get each of your kiddo’s shoes back on without exposing your crack to all of chic-fil-a. Even if that was still the style, I wouldn’t be interested. It’s both outdated and just uncomfortable so those jeans are probably seeing their last days. Also, the shoes will not be worn in a situation where I know I need to chase toddlers. They are extremely difficult to run in. I am cool with high heels, but the flatness of the wedge just adds another level of awkward when I walk. I still like the way they look though. #wedgesnotwedgies
Lastly, I have another combo that has gotten a lot of wear this summer. The first of the two pics was a hair selfie, but you see the shirt pattern.
shirt: Old Navy clearance
Shorts: Aeropostale (thrifted)
Shoes: (same as above) Although, normally I would wear Sperry’s with this, but it was a hot Saturday and loafers can be stuffy. 
This outfit gets 4 stars because I wear it so often (shoot, I’m wearing it now). It’s comfortable, breathable fabric, modest, and both items stretch so it’s good for postpartum and all kinds of other body issues moms have to deal with. The reason I didn’t give a whopping 5 is because it’s pretty boring. These clothes are going to have to work hard to earn a 5. This is serious stuff. 
In conclusion, I have spent a lot more time considering what I am going to wear and sometimes even taking pictures of it. I am not going to lie, it was fun. I feel womanly. Will I keep it up? It’s hard to say, but for now that’s my 
“What I Wore Wednesday”
with The Pleated Poppy


Also, linking with Pampers and Pearls.

Pampers & Pearls
*If you have read Jen Hatmaker’s essays about the beginning of the school year mom vs the end of the school year mom then you  pretty much know what kind of mom I am.
By |2015-05-18T05:07:07+00:00September 3, 2014|Motherhood, Uncategorized|5 Comments
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Thank You Teachers

I have now met all of the new teachers including a full blown information night tonight at Z’s school. I really do think this is going to be another great year for them. I loved their teacher’s from last year and I will never forget all that they did for my kiddos. I have wanted to share the love and show the two thank you cards that we made at the end of last year, but I never got around to it. I know this is the worst time to spark ideas for end of the year thank you cards since school has just begun, but I figure it’s better late than never. Here goes…


For SJ I used her recent portrait from her 4 year session and customized a Thank You message to be printed out on a 4×6. I found an endless amount of chalkboard fonts online and for the chalkboard background I went with the one from this link. I picked up some clear party favor bags from Target and filled the bag with dove chocolates.

I was so happy with how they all turned out. By all, I mean several. Z had one teacher to say thank you to. SJ has an entourage of therapists, teachers, and other team members that we want to show our gratitude to.

 When I went into SJ’s school this year I saw that the secretary had her thank you card displayed on her desk and it made me smile. 

For Z we took a different approach. I made a little book out of all the decades that he dressed up as throughout the year. I can now see that I blogged about 50’s day, 70’s, and 80’s day, but I don’t think I ever did a post about when he dressed like he was 100 years old!? What a shame. Here are some photos of that.

I can’t believe I never posted these! Anyway, back to the thank you card. This was the cover which was a phrase that was significant to the whole class.

On the inside there were a couple group photos from the Christmas party and field trip and it said 

Mrs. Baker was my Kindergarten teacher.

Then a couple photos of Z dressed in 1950’s attire (for the 50th day of school) and it said “thanks to her I had many HAPPY DAYS”. Then along with the 1970’s photos it said “she made school GROOVY”

Turn the page to the 1980’s and you’ll see that she was also “TOTALLY AWESOME”, and lastly for the 100th day when he dressed like he was 100 years old it said “Now I feel wise beyond my years”. 
I know it’s not the most polished booklet. It was just a simple little token which cost next to nothing, but I was extremely flattered by his teacher’s response. She said it was the best thank you card she had ever received and had planned to laminate it. I’m so glad that she liked it because she really is an amazing teacher. 
In fact I would like to say thank you to all the teachers that might be reading this. I have had lots of friends who taught over the years and I had some pretty great teachers growing up, but I never understood just how invaluable teachers are until my children started school. From that point on I became eternally grateful for all that you do for our children and for our future! What a calling. Whether you just started, or are about to, best wishes this year. 
I am going to try and do some link ups more often so today I am partying with
  The Party Bunch 
and 
In The Studio

By |2015-05-18T05:07:14+00:00August 29, 2014|Schooling, Uncategorized|3 Comments
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SJ’s 2nd Year of Preschool

I can’t believe this will be SJ’s last year of preschool. I never  necessarily even planned for my children to even go to preschool, but as you know SJ case is a little different. The idea that a year from now she will be starting kindergarten really shocks me! I suppose I am getting ahead of myself. One year at a time. I am so very anxious (in a good way) to see what this year will hold for her.

You may have noticed I have a page on my blog now that is dedicated strictly to SJ’s story and her current progress. I don’t have any recent updates because I feel like we have been at a stand still over the summer. I always keep a log of new words and phrases that I notice SJ saying and the last time I did an entry was the end of June. Maybe some of it’s because I have been too busy to notice, or maybe it’s because she was on vacation and out of school so she is just plateauing. Or perhaps this would be a slower time anyway. These burst of vocabulary breakthroughs do tend to happen in waves. I’ll be glad to have her back in school full time though, and not because I want to be away from her because I don’t. 

It’s just that I can tell a difference in her progress when 
they are purposefully working towards speech compared to the incidental learning that usually happens at home.




She has two new teachers this year. One is for academics the other is speech. I hate change and having school age children has forced me to adapt to new people on a regular basis. Bleh! However, I LOVED her therapist in Louisville, I loved her teacher in the toddler program, and her therapist last year, and I am sure these two lovely ladies that she is currently paired with will be just as nice of a fit. I already have a good feeling about it since SJ received a card addressed to her personally with a hand written note inside. It told SJ to her to let her mom and dad know that she will be in the classroom on a certain day and time and to come by to say hi. In other words, meet the teacher.

Last year’s teacher and this summers therapists. She will forever have a special place in our hearts!

I do have one little prayer request which isn’t really hearing or CI related, but it kind of is. SJ has always had huge tonsils. She snores like a 50 year old man and she has since she was a one year old. Seriously. However, we have had many experienced Doctors and Pediatricians take note of this fact without showing any concern. My mom brings it up a couple times a year because she just wants to make sure SJ is safe and her airway passages are clear. Then SJ’s team of therapists brought it up at our end of their meeting and told me to talk to her ENT about it at our next appointment so last week when I saw her Otolaryngologist I did just that.

He said that her tonsils are a 3+, and that is on a scale that ranges up to 4. So they are in fact big, but without frequent strep throat or sleep apnea (neither of which she deals with) there is no reason to remove them. In fact there is some kind of a cautery tool that they would normally use for surgery that cannot be used on SJ because of her implants. An alternative procedure would affect the coronary bleeding which is an added risk to consider when weighing how valuable this surgery would be to her. Once again it doesn’t mean that they are ruling it out and don’t want to do the surgery, but he is going to reevaluate in a year and see if she has grown into them at all. He said sometimes these things correct themselves with time. I don’t know why there always has to be another hand, but on the other hand he said there are advantages to doing the surgery while the child is still young. It’s easier on them, so we don’t want to put it off if it is inevitable.

Sheesh. Don’t quote me on all the details of that because I wrote down what the Doctor said, but I don’t have the paper in front of me. I just remember him saying to not worry about her for now because there is space in her mouth, so she is fine. It would be my heart’s desire that she would not have to go through another surgery if we can avoid it. I pray that this situation will be cleared up without any medical intervention. In the grand scheme of things it is not an earth shattering concern and I do believe God’s hand has her covered head to toe.

So that’s what is happening with the girlie. She has had a wonderful summer.

 I am sure she is going to be bummed to realize it’s over, but happy to be reunited with her friends. One week to go!

By |2015-05-18T05:08:53+00:00August 12, 2014|Hearing Loss, My Life, Special Needs, Uncategorized|1 Comment
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Breastfeeding in a dress

Breast is best, but can it work in a dress? See what I did there? First of all, about the breast is best, it’s a slogan I’m quoting and it’s scientifically proven, at least for now. Some people can’t breast feed their baby. Some people don’t want to. I don’t care how you feed your baby. This particular post is about breastfeeding, but please don’t be offended if you’re path looks different than mine! I have been the first to admit that the thing I would miss the most if I couldn’t breast feed would be the freebies. Not the nutrition, not the bonding, but the flat out frugality of it. The second favorite is getting to eat all of those bonus calories! How noble of me. I am such a sacrificial lactavist.

I have breastfed for 4 and 1/2 years between my three children over the course of 7 years. I started out like most new moms, kind of awkward and self conscious, but now I am comfortable enough to breastfeed on an airplane with the toddlers head resting on the arm of the male college student sitting next to me. I prefer not to be in that position again, I am just saying I don’t give a rat’s patootie anymore.

I used to think there was no way of breast feeding in a dress because you would have to pull the whole garment up so I would choose my outfits accordingly.

Since then I have learned that I could gear my shopping toward dresses that I could nurse my baby in simply by pulling the neck line down. Whether sporting buttons, a crisscross wrap style, or even strapless most styles these days are very accommodating.

Here are just some of the dresses that I have to choose from.

 

 

 

This is an instagram I posted of the dresses I packed for my trip to New York and I have easily nursed in all three outfits.

Here is one that I cannot wear while breastfeeding! It’s super form fitting and really high up in the front.

Although, one time I witnessed a mom wear a shift dress like this for her babies dedication and then when it was time to nurse she went to the cry room and had someone help her unzip the top of her dress  so that she could feed the newborn. That’s quite a bit of effort, but I guess it shows that it can be done if you are really set on a particular outfit.

The point is, if you are breastfeeding, don’t be afraid to branch out. I recommend layering with nursing tanks and nursing bras. Those are my go to for wearing under everything. It just makes life simpler during this season. My advice to new moms that are just starting out, wear what you feel comfortable in and when in doubt practice at home first to see if you can nurse your baby with ease in a certain ensemble. I promise you I have done this on many occasions before I have determined what to wear. You are better off giving it a go in private before you are at a restaurant and realize the material isn’t as stretchy as you thought all the while trying to console the hungry screaming baby in your arms.

By the way, it is World Breastfeeding Week (or at least it was) so to all the women out there that are feeling exhausted, embarrassed, or the many that are just in love with the whole experience I hope you are encouraged that you are doing a great job. Hooray for the normal, beautiful, natural thing that it is!

By |2015-05-18T05:17:50+00:00August 10, 2014|Babies & Toddlers, Motherhood, Natural Living, Uncategorized|4 Comments
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More Than Words Can Say

*This was originally written over a year ago. Sometimes I just need to write even if I keep it to myself, but today, on the 2nd anniversary of her diagnosis, I am ready to share.*

In the world of hearing loss I feel like the label “Late Identified” is a big red stamp across my daughter’s forehead. These days most deaf children are diagnosed through a brief newborn hearing screening before they even leave the hospital. Since SJ wasn’t born at the hospital we never had any testing done until she was over two years old. 

SJ at two years old, a month after she was diagnosed.

SJ’s birth was perfect. It was hands down one of the most amazing, beautiful, and spiritual moments of my life, but if I could change the past then I would have had a screening test done after the home birth.


The first seconds of SJ’s life!

 As with any treatment plan, like with cancer or autism, the earlier you can diagnose and intervene, the better. There are so many benefits to getting started at a young age when it comes to language, and we lost two years of valuable time. However, having those years of not knowing did have some benefits. 

When I blogged for the first time about SJ’s hearing, Amanda (from Oh Amanda) left me a link to a woman she called her hero. That woman was Rachel Coleman of Signing Time. I read her story, got several of her videos, and she soon became my hero as well. Her daughter Leah was also late identified because the hospital had taken a break from newborn screenings for a brief time before they became mandatory and that was when Leah was born. Here is what Rachel said about her daughter being late identified.

 “Was it meant to be? I don’t know. I wonder how over-protective and lame I would have been if they had handed me my newborn baby and said, by the way she’s profoundly deaf. Looking back I can see the blessing it was that we got to know Leah for her first year with the complete expectation that she could do anything, she was limitless. When we did hear her diagnosis “severe to profound hearing impairment” when she was 14 months old, we mourned. We cried. We felt silly. We couldn’t believe it. We thought there was a mistake. We hoped it would go away. We felt all of that and more at once! Finally we looked at Leah and she was still her happy beautiful self. And we recognized that for Leah nothing had changed. Nothing was wrong.”

Boy do I relate to that! When we first came to SJ’s school, one of the advisers had commended me on how well I’ve done at communicating with SJ despite her hearing loss. She told me that many parents have a hard time just talking with their deaf children and unknowingly tend to turn their conversation toward someone that is listening to them. I’d like to take credit for being so loving, but I didn’t know she was deaf.

 Another therapist was astounded by SJ’s cognitive abilities and said she had never worked with a deaf child potty trained at such a young age. I’d like to take credit for that too, but once again I didn’t realize I was potty training a deaf child (and besides that she initiated it). For over two years I treated her like any other baby/toddler. We didn’t fret. We weren’t trying to protect her. We weren’t taking action. We just loved her as she was, and in the mean time she loved us back and proved to be a very capable, thriving, joyous little lady. 

I know now more than ever how vital communication and language is. However, in those years we “lost” by not starting therapy or using hearing devices we also gained a lot and I learned a valuable lesson. She understood me. She may not have understood my words, but our love transcended all of that. Our hearts spoke to one another. I have always told my kids that I love them more than words can say and for SJ I’ve lived that truth. 

By |2015-05-18T05:19:43+00:00May 5, 2014|Hearing Loss, Motherhood, My Life, Special Needs, Uncategorized|10 Comments
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Kindergarten and Common Core

If you somehow stumbled upon this blog post looking for a deeper understanding of what Common Core is, I am not your gal. I still don’t totally get it. I was told it was the new national content standards and not a curriculum, but it seems like there is curricula attached to these new content standards in some form or another. 

When I went to meet the teacher night at the beginning of the year I am pretty sure that Z’s Kindergarten teacher talked about it, but I just remember her saying that they were going to be expecting a lot more this year and they would be packing a lot of information into a short amount of time. I personally was excited to hear that because I wanted Z to be challenged. 
I admit that I had some issues at the beginning of the year regarding Z being in Kindergarten instead of 1st grade, but now the school year is almost over and I haven’t regretted the decision to place him public school at all. In fact, I have felt like he has had private school treatment. I won’t go into all the details right now, but one reason I know that they have customized his assignments is because the first week I showed up for the parent orientation night they had these projects hanging in the hall and while all the other children dictated “David’s instructions” Z wrote his out himself.  
It’s hard to see because it’s in pencil, but his is the 2nd down on the right column. At the beginning of the year Z was tested on some basic kindergarten skills and he exceeded the year-end goals in every area. Even then, he still has learned so much more than what he went in with! Here I was concerned that he would become stagnant or bored, and it turns out that I had nothing to worry about. When SJ is mainstreamed she will have an IEP which will include some pull-out sessions. So she need special attention as well, but in a completely different way. Needless to say I have a vested interest from both ends of the spectrum, believe me. 
As far as Common Core, I have heard a lot of controversy. I don’t even watch the news, but it’s kind of hard to avoid the viral math problems that have been circulating. Z’s school had a seminar for parents to attend and learn more, but it was on a night that I could not come out. Fortunately they had a webinar later which included participation via live messages. I was impressed that the school would facilitate an option like this and I tuned in the entire time and I did ask a few questions. I still don’t understand the ins outs of both view points regarding the political hot button, but it’s boiled down to one thing for me, my children. When I see things like this on the internet I cringe. 
Then I read one article after the other of parents choosing to take their kids out of public school because they suddenly started doing poorly. If it was just here or there I wouldn’t think anything of it, but there must be a legitimate cause if it is happening at an alarmingly increased rate across the nation.  
But at the end of the day my son is excelling and he has a very loving teacher that makes learning something to get excited about. I don’t know what this means for each and every public school, but I don’t have the energy to fight for the all of the students of the nation today. Although, I am grateful for those that do. I consider myself an involved parent that makes informed decisions to the best of my abilities and I have not seen any evidence of this controversy having a negative impact on my son’s education so far. In fact I saw this homework assignment posted online under the title “Epic Fail- Parents Reveal Insane Common Core Worksheets” 
The complaint in this case was that common core homework makes it necessary to keep a supply of brass fasteners on hand. The funny thing is, my son had the exact same worksheet with a brass fastener taped to the front. People are circulating these so-called atrocities that really have more to do with individual teachers, schools, and even students, but not necessarily a reason for a revolt. I am not saying that there is nothing wrong with the system. I have seen red flags myself, but I am completely satisfied with how Z’s school is handling everything at this point and I have been assured that they are using local curricula and teachers are teaching with the same liberties they have had. 
With that said, I am prepared to keep tabs on everything, but I am also pleased to announce that we have had a very successful first year. I am grateful that Z is getting started now because by the time he is doing some of those wacky math problems hopefully they will have worked out all of the kinks. Anyway, I know plenty of people that didn’t have their child’s first year go so smoothly so I consider myself very blessed to be in this place at this time. What a relief. 
By |2015-05-18T05:19:58+00:00April 19, 2014|Schooling, Uncategorized|2 Comments
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Healthy Outlets

We all have different ways of letting off steam. Some people de-stress by knitting, others like to take it to the gym. I personally have always found writing to be therapeutic (surprise), for J it’s playing guitar. Not that it’s limited to one activity, but I think it’s important that we find ways to connect with our emotions and clear our minds every once in a while.

Z has been at an interesting stage lately. He still has meltdowns, but he’s the only one I don’t have to worry about throwing an uncontrollable fit when it’s time to leave the park. It’s a beautiful thing to watch this level of control develop. Some days are better than others, but it won’t be long before he catches up to J in terms of temper tantrums (okay, I’m kidding). Besides just managing emotions, I have noticed something else. He is finding his own unique way of self expression.

Several months ago (Just before Z turned 6) he began to secretly write some of his frustrations out on paper when he was mad or upset. I know a lot of children do this, but as far as my observation among my friends it’s especially common for girls. The one that made me cry was when his grandparents were in town. It was time for them to head back to Texas so we walked down to their mini van and said our goodbyes. Z seemed totally fine, but after a while of not hearing a peep out of him I peeked in his room. I noticed he was drawing and I asked him about it.

He showed me a picture of the family crying in-between the van and the apartment building. I said, you miss grandma don’t you? That’s when the big tears that had been forming became too heavy to hold back anymore, and he just broke down. We called grandma and she suggested he count down the days until our Christmas trip to Texas and mark them off daily.


November-February were taped together like a calendar on his wall.

Z responded well to that idea. Later we printed December off the computer and he drew a car on the day that we were leaving and returning and put happy faces on the days we would be there.

 This wasn’t the only time he used drawing/writing to express his emotions, but it’s not always this sweet. Sometimes when Z is mad at me he will disappear to his room and write something like “I wish I was never born” or “dad is bad” or one time I found the words “I don’t like mom” crumpled up on the floor after we had a big argument. I picked it up, flattened it out and read it, but he very defensively said he was joking. I told him that I didn’t believe that and I was sad that he felt that way, but if he was ready we could talk about it. Then he said “Well, I didn’t mean it. That’s why it’s trash.” We talked about it and everything was fine. Even when it is hurtful I encourage this type of outlet because we all have to vent, and he is finding a healthy way to decompress at a very young age. How awesome is that?

I get it, because it is JUST LIKE ME. I received my first journal when I was in 2nd grade. It was a Secret Garden journal from my aunt in California. I got it for Christmas and it even had a lock and key! Then when I was in high school I started writing poetry. I have a little notebook full of pages of poetry. Poem after poem of all of my hopes, fears, and pain. Some of them were really dark. Thank goodness I used journals to cope instead of drugs right? Actually, I was never offered drugs. Still, I like to believe I chose to stay away from them (wink wink).

Yesterday after being told he was done playing the wii for the day, and then throwing a monstrous baby fit about it, he was sent his room. Moments later a paper airplane crashed just short of me with a message on it.

With broken spelling it said “If you treat me that way then I guess you don’t care about me and I see you don’t love me either” on the back it said “read and then sign here _________”. So I signed it and wrote “I will always care about you and love you no matter what, in good times and bad”. Then he signed it and wrote “thanks for the note” We had a talk about whether his behavior was respectful or disrespectful and he recognized his poor choices and that was our big melt down for the day. It was dramatic for sure, but a lot of maturity has happened in the past two years.

Z showing off the first time he tied his shoes.

I mention this because Z, as the first born, has been quite the pioneer in teaching me when to expect what as far as age appropriate development. When babies are too young to talk we understand that they are frustrated because they cannot communicate with us. Then around two, three, four (you know that blissful  stage of cooperation) they can talk and so all should be well, right? First of all we are always a work in progress so there is never a certain point that you arrive and no one ever has to deal with your crap anymore, but beyond that let’s go back to the first paragraph. How do three year olds de-stress? How do they cope? They can’t blog, they can’t go shopping, or go for a hike. They can jump around and scribble. I am sure that helps, but my point is, what if the the thing that they were inherently born with that allows them to feel a sense of relief and self gratification is not developed or discovered yet. It makes it a little easier to sympathize with them instead of just getting frustrated that they are so frustrated so often. I know there is a lot more to it than that, and I am no psychiatrist, but in the mean time I can have some grace and patience for these little bitties (and bigger kids too). In the same way that I don’t demand that a 10 month old “use their words”, a can’t expect my two year old to have a mature sense of self expression.

I would encourage you as your child gets to be around the age of 5 (according to The 5 Love Languages of Children) to see if you can recognize what activity, hobby, or interest is their healthy outlet. What can you do to nurture that God given desire in them? Or maybe you are still in search for that thing yourself. Either way we all get cranky, we are all progressing, and we all need grace.


One of Z’s first stories- The dog is red. The sky is blue. The sky is cool blue. The dog is red. I love the dog. He is my pet. The end.

By |2015-05-18T05:20:25+00:00April 10, 2014|Schooling, Uncategorized|3 Comments
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Hope For Homeschooling In Small Spaces

 One of the things I have learned along the way in this journey is how you can homeschool in a very small space. When we had to pull Z out of school last year I just began working with him in the parent lounge in the upper level of SJ’s school, and I was amazed at what we accomplished.

 It made me realize that you can homeschool almost anywhere.

If I had to share one tip for someone homeschooling with limited amount of “classroom” space I would say to become best friends with your local library.

 

I know every library is different, but even the most basic of branches have books, that much I can guarantee. This is a great way to get some free resources and not have to keep them stored. Just use, learn, and return. Our library even had “learning packs” that you check out according to themes like rhyming, manners, music, etc. Each big duffel bag included toys, games, flash cards, books, videos and more that were all focused on that one subject. It was awesome.

Now, I am not a homeschool expert by any means. I just happen to be curious about it and interested in learning more. So I asked some friends of mine to share their input about homeschooling in small spaces.

Jen and her husband have 4 children and have lived in a variety of different apartments and rental properties which all would qualify as small. She is the one that sent me the poem that I posted yesterday and she is the first one I asked to help me share tips on homeschooling in small spaces.

Her number one piece of advice was to keep things simple. When it comes to supplies and curriculum Jen likes to make sure she is using what she has and if not then get rid of it. She also says that their family table is multipurpose. They use it as a dining table, but it is also where they do school.


With three small boys at least one of them has to be running around half naked right? 

Jen not only tolerates having a smaller home, she actually appreciates it. She says “Everyone has varied reasons for homeschooling. However, usually a common denominator regardless of reasons is a desire for togetherness. Small spaces certainly provide that! Yes, some days are hard, but I wouldn’t trade it. I like being able to hear and see what is going on from my perch in the kitchen and I like that it gives us ample reason to choose an intentional lifestyle.”

Lastly Jen pointed me to a great blog resource, Raising Life Long Learners (which has tons of info on homeschooling in small spaces), and Philippians chapter 4 (an encouragement for moms in the thick of this stuff). I will definitely be checking those out.

I also want to introduce you to another friend of mine. 
Andrea is the lady I called up when I began teaching Z. She has tons of helpful advice, especially when it comes to homeschooling boys, because she has 6 of them.
That’s right, SIX! 
Andrea and her husband made do with 1,600 square feet for the longest time. They did eventually add on, but she said there is still not a ton of room to work with. I can imagine. When I asked her advice about homeschooling in small spaces she talked about using the dining room table too.
She likes to buy educational place mats (including the ASL alphabet, which makes me grin), she then covers the table with a clear table cloth she buys by the yard at Hobby Lobby.
Andrea has lots of little organizational tips like keeping art/school supplies in an over the door shoe pouch hanger, or having a “locker’ for each child which she uses crates for.
One thing I thought was neat about both ladies is that they are not trying to duplicate the traditional school environment. If you want to have a desk or a locker in your home then that might be fun, but I like the idea of learning in the home environment and just embracing that.
Let’s talk about one more friend. Ashley and her family are always on the move because of her husbands job. 
This pic of Ashley has nothing to do with homeschooling. I just wanted to show it because it’s cute.
This means small and temporary living quarters. 
It would be difficult, or impossible to switch school districts non stop, so they have chosen to homeschool on the go and it’s worked out extremely well. They use an online program called k12 which brings the virtual classroom to the student, and because it is a charter school it is completely free!

Her boys have been able to learn about the world while traveling through it!

If you are waiting for the ideal space and the perfect situation to start taking charge of your children’s education then consider some of these stories. Homeschooling isn’t for everybody, but if it is something you desire then be encouraged that there is lots HOPE, even for the littlest homeschool.
Check out my index page for more of this series
By |2015-05-25T23:15:56+00:00October 29, 2013|Lifestyle, Schooling, Simple Living|35 Comments
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My Peek at the Homeschool Life

I have always said that I would never EVER homeschool. Many of my closest friends do. They do it well and I respect them all the more for it. So, it’s not that I am against it, it’s just that I never felt like I was cut out for it. I have done a lot of homeschooling research lately since we had to pull the 5 year old out of Pre-K. It’s a slippery slope I tell ya. The more I get into it, the more I am intrigued and start to picture myself getting lost in the creativity of new ideas and rewarded by the delight that comes when you see a child’s eyes light up with discovery. Then I snap back to reality. I am not saying that it could never happen, but I would have to hand them over to a tutor or a DVD teacher by 3rd grade. I am so bad at math. No really, I am not talking about trigonometry, I am saying that I am intimidated by fractions.

Regardless of whether or not homeschool is even part of the equation (Equation. Yuck.) I will still always be involved in my children’s education in the most hands on way possible. I think that all parents should be. I have learned so much since embarking on this new academic territory. Some of the most enlightening advice I’ve received came from one of Z’s teachers. She was seeing signs that Z may be gifted and talented because of how quickly he picked up on things and eagerly wants to learn more. Counting to a hundred was never enough so she challenged him with counting in spanish. She told me with GT kids your goal is to broaden and expand the level they are on rather than just have them scurry off to the next one. The key is learning not just vertically, but horizontally. That’s when I reached up and pulled the chain that turned on the light bulb over my head.

I have been able to apply this method when teaching both of my kids together when they are not only different ages, but completely different learning styles (SJ’s pertaining to her special needs). I’ve been doing this all along, but it’s clicking and making more sense now. Let’s say you are working in the garden together. The baby may be experimenting with soil and learning that it does not taste good while the preschool age child is learning that seeds grow into plants and healthy foods. The parents and elementary age child may be working together to understand the science behind germination and life cycles.

Lately I’ve been trying to increase the amount of reading time I have with my kids. Z is learning to read along and SJ is learning to listen. One of the books we read on a daily basis is First Words.

I know it’s a book for babies, which I only have one of, but even though SJ is 3 her hearing age is 3 months. We have to be able to go back to the BASICS for her to be able to listen and speak. When we go through this book SJ is able to practice saying AHHHH for airplane and her imitation of watermelon is totally unintelligible but she gets that it has 4 syllables and makes 4 grunts. At the same time Z is able to read some of the words in the book and enjoys helping me work with his little sister. In the meantime Ezie is like whatever. He likes to watch them though and I just keep on learning more and more from all three of them. It’s like a mutualistic symbiotic relationship. Okay, I had to look that up, but I couldn’t resist adding a little science. There it is.

By |2015-05-25T23:15:04+00:00March 16, 2013|Lifestyle, Schooling, Uncategorized|3 Comments
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