Elementary Round Up

Time is short today . . . and typing one handed is hard . . . . so our past two weeks will be like watching an old fashioned silent movie . . . without captions.  (Leave a comment if you want to know what we are doing in a certain picture or where to get the printable we used.)

Oh, and we also have played in the snow a lot.

 

 

 

  

What has been going on in your school room – and if you don’t have a blog to link up with . . . leave a comment and tell me what your family did in the Learning Room!

Guidelines: 

1. Write a blog post about your elementary aged child(ren), first through fifth grade, comprising the activities you did the prior two weeks.  You can include pictures, bullet points, tools used, learning gained, God moments, etc.
2. Be sure to include a link back to my blog.  By doing so, other like-minded readers can hang out in a central location if they are looking for Elementary School ideas.   Publish your post and then head back to my site. 
3. Provide the exact link (URL) of the Elementary Round-UP blog post you wrote, not your blog’s home address, through the provided MckLinky.
4. Optional:  For now, I would love it if you grabbed my blog button over on the side.  At some point, I may get creative and create a button specific to this meme . . .
5. You can combine this with other meme’s if that helps you to save time (as long as it is OK with the other blog owner). 

BIG IMPORTANT HEART MOMENT:  This isn’t a blog post to WOW other moms . . . the point of this is to help YOU document on YOUR blog what you and your child(ren) are learning.  My link-up is only to provide some accountability.  I won’t come and leave nasty comments on your blog if you don’t link up. 

 

Getting Real: Snowmelt in my Tears

As the blanket of sparkling white snow tickled and covered our world this past week (and hopefully tonight), I found it melting into tears on my face.

It has been a hard week in the snowstorm of motherhood.

The first inch of snow to melt came from the heat of emotions when we learned the reality that we probably have one to two more weeks left with our furry pet, Mussoorie, who is somewhat infamous on this blog. (That was an unusually long sentence for me.)

The second snow instantly melted into many puddles all over our family room floor with the thud of a certain two year old.  Our normally smiley boy took a disastrous fall that impacted his front teeth.  His face has subsequently swollen twice its size, which warranted an emergency visit to the oral surgeon this morning. 

(This picture doesn’t even do justice to the swelling in his face.) 

Thankfully, God designed our bodies to self heal . . . and it appears that in children (and often in adults) the injured tooth will shimmy down in due time.

The blessing in this experience has been the unveiling of my little’s boy true personality.  I know it is often said that the real person emerges in times of trial.  Despite the horrid injury and pain that Gabe must be feeling, he has been delightful, loving, affectionate, patient . . . trusting.

And the third and fourth inch of snowmelt occurr(ed)(s) as I survey my surroundings, in reality my blessings and my greatest teachers.

For the first time I understand the skits portraying the frazzled moms at those frou-frou women’s conferences. 

I understand now what my pastor’s wife meant when she claimed to only get in a sentence or two in of scripture each day during her child rearing years.

I have never struggled to do my quiet time in the 6 years of having children . . . until now.

I know the grey snow melt (and stench) of not changing my clothes for 48 hours.  Being embarrassed to be clad in my pink pj’s as the Hottie walks through the door looking amazing in his work attire.  (No picture available at this time.)

I have desired to climb out of my skin recently.  Climb back into my mother’s womb or at least a tight ball in a dark room.  I have struggled to accept the reality that I can’t “get things done.”  (Yea, yea, yea, I know I blogged about accepting this whole reality but that is far easier said than done.)

I wonder is the decibel level in our house from six people . . . safe?  Normal?

Almost daily I fear, question, research if I am severely damaging my children emotionally by how I parent – causing them to need Biblical counseling 20 years from now. 

The vet commented to me that she thought I was a good parent.  Really?  I got mad at my kids in the waiting room.  I knew what I was thinking in my heart with said granola children.  Oh, if that kind veterinarian only knew.  I do know that other parents get mad at their children . . . but still.

Am I REALLY teaching them how to have an authentic relationship with the Lord?  Is my walk with my Savior contagious?

And then like the silence of a thick snow on a Sunday morning . . . I wonder . . . am I alone in this thing called motherhood?  this thing called the insanity of four children . . . I mean seriously homeschooling all these fabulous minds?

What are we thinking?  What were we thinking?

And you don’t even have to have four kids to feel the weight of such a task . . . a gift to bestow upon your kids.  I felt this way with one, which I find quite humorous.  I only thought I was busy then.

Just when I began to go to that dreary place that resembles the sky before a snowfall, I received an email from a dear friend.  (I have changed her name to one of my favorite names {Trinity} to protect her heart.)

But I wonder . . . are there others of you out there who feel this way in your motherhood? Sometimes?

Here are the raw, poignant, and transparent words of my friend . . .

Galatians 6:9
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest IF we do not give up!”

Don't give up
God says so
Some days it's hard.
The end seems nowhere in sight
Cling to those words Trinity
I'm quiet but very stubborn and determined
I can accomplish a lot
I know
I've done it
But some times that question of why still creeps in
I do all the 'right' stuff
I follow all "the rules"
I do what I'm "supposed" to do
But some days I still think what's the point
I don't stand out.
I actually fall into the background
Don't lose heart Trinity
You will reap in due season
It's hard
I struggle
I don't have ' it' together
None. of. it.
Wife. mom. daughter. sister. homemaker.
Don't lose heart
Don't lose heart
I struggled with depression some this year
I'm already a 'homebody' but I turned in even more this year
I blog but I don't share even a peak of what's inside me
I don't know how
I don't know if I want to.
Ever.
Simplifying this year has been a real eye opener
I make thing so complicated
12 months if simplifying and I still have miles to go on this road
Don't lose heart Trinity
You. Are. So. Blessed.
So so so blessed
I gave up on publically sharing my 1000 gifts
I was so down for awhile I didn't want to even think about being
thankful. I knew ppl going through some very tough times, places I
wasn't even close to, and I hurt so bad for them and I didn't know how to be thankful for my perfect
little life. Without a trace of struggle, nothing like what they were in yet I was
so blue. And I was the one with the good life.
I am thankful.
For so much
I really do feel like I have my own little pocket of almost perfect.
So why do I have such trouble finding joy.

 

Can you relate to my friend, Trinity?  Are you there?  Have you been there?  Has your snow been grey?

As I shovel through my postpartum thoughts I have been dwelling upon a verse from 1 Peter 5:10,

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of Grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

I thought living in India was hard.  India prepared me for motherhood.  Motherhood with baby #4 has taken me to a whole new level of introspection, change, and remolding. 

This season of insanity with so many people dependent on me will pass.  And not only will I have kids who are independent, but God will have transformed me when this winter of hibernation passes.  I will grow along with my children’s heights.  God will confirm, strengthen, and establish me.

Little ‘ol me.  Little ‘ol you.

Yet the blizzard of events including the reality of my diminishing dog, a child significantly hurt,  and the fear of how this all will affect my already tumultuous hormones. . . makes me think . . . ponder . . . pray.

God will this let up?  I know it will.  I have heard other moms speak who have reached the other side.  They have kids who want to be with them.  Their children love Jesus.  These children can go to the bathroom by themselves.  They can even do their own laundry.  They drive!  They even help others.

I wonder . . . can they make their mom a latte?

Don’t get me wrong . . . I don’t want to wish this time away . . . because there is growth in this season.  I have a chance to be transformed even more through my “suffering” (if you can really call it that) to be like my Savior . . . and isn’t that what we want?

But like Trinity . . . I want joy through it all.  Abiding joy.  Transforming joy.  Joy that uniquely falls upon every situation like the snowflakes out my door.  Joy that brings delight at first site.  Joy that is contagious.  Joy that makes my children feel loved and my husband proud. 

And so ends my reflections from what I am learning from mothering 4 children, grieving the end of an era in my life, and slowly working my way through Beth Moore’s study, Living Beyond Yourself.  (I’m really making you want to do this study . . . right?  NOT!)

Two questions for you . . . talk with me . . . my friend, Trinity IS reading this post.  She knows that I was going to write it this week.  She NEEDS you to reach out.

1. Do Trinity’s thoughts echo yours?
2. How do you sustain your joy in motherhood . . . in everything really? (And you can’t just say . . . spending time reading my Bible.)

I thank you in advance for dialoguing with us.

Wordless Wednesday Wordless Sled Instructions

 

      

 

Wordless Wednesday @ 5 Minutes 4 Mom

Tummy Time Tuesday: Root Vegetables

Root vegetables are the best models. 

Seriously.  They are knockouts on the runway called a knife. 

They pose elegantly for still shots. 

God was just so creative with some of the things He decided to grow in the earth. 

This recipe is easy . . . but the Hottie claims it took me 45 minutes to cut up all of the vegetables.  (No wonder I don’t seem to get anything done around the house.)

Ingredients

• 1 lb sweet potatoes (cut into 2 inch chunks)
• 1 lb potatoes (cut into 2 inch chunks)
• 2 large carrots (guess what? cut into to 2 inch chunks)
• 2 parsnips (peeled and cut into 1.8 inch chunks)
• 4 turnips (scrubbed and quartered)
• 1 head of garlic (I separated the bulbs and skinned them.  Yes, you will have BAD breath from this dish.)
• sea salt
• rosemary (fresh, if available)
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil

Directions

Make sure you have time, a sharp knife, and a good cutting board.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  You can line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Or if you are like me, simply place the chopped root veggies on a well-used stone . . . or plane ol’ cookie sheet.  Actually, a 9x13 glass pan will work.  Simply put, don’t be a slave to the recipe.

Once you have your veggies ready to go, have a party in a bowl with them.  Add the olive oil and sea salt and toss this colorful bounty.  (This would be an excellent time to add dried rosemary if you don’t have fresh rosemary.)

IF you are a prepared chef, after pouring your roots onto the cookie sheet, lay the rosemary springs on top. 

Roast vegetables for 35 minutes or until they are golden brown and soft. 

An artisan loaf and grilled portabella mushrooms accompanied our meal.

Easy Painted Globe Ornament

Let’s pretend that you need an ornament and you need it fast.

It has to be homemade.

And . . . your kids have to make it. 

All of your kids.  The youngest, well, second to youngest, included.

 

Not you.  The adult.  A kid.

(Not that I am remade our Christmas ornaments for the ornament exchange my sister hosted or anything.  Not me!  Ahem.)

Hurry. 

Drive to a craft store and purchase a clear, plastic, round ornament, or whatever shape you like.  There are also hearts and ovals. 

Make sure you have some paint.

That’s it. 

Kind of. 

I told the Granola Boys that they could choose three colors. 

Take the metal top off of the round sphere, and drizzle as much paint into the globe as you feel comfortable with – knowing that gravity sometimes can be especially strong in little ones’ hands. 

The next step is the most fun for the kiddos.  (Make sure you put the metal top back on the ornament!)

Let them roll the paint around. 

I did set some boundaries with the younger ones . . . like you can’t turn the globe upside down.

Though there was a close call.

Stay tuned; I will show you what I did make for the ornament exchange!