Skylark

Moving....

2010-01-26T00:53:00.001-08:00

Alright, the move is official! Come visit me at my new blog!

Am I Really A Blogger?

2009-11-04T12:34:00.000-08:00

This is the question I ask myself as I read the creative,lovely encounters of internet buddies on their blogs and wonder how in the world I am ever going to have the time to post a picture...to figure out how to steal my husband's computer for 2 seconds to edit said picture and then write about anything at.all. that is happening in our family. HOW in the world do you all do it? Seriously...discuss...impart your wisdom. One small piece on the way is the transfer of my blog to Squarespace. It rocks, I can't believe how easy and streamlined it is and since my husband works there I think its about time I make an official move. I'll post a link to the new url when I wiggle that way so you can find me. I think the ease of use will be a big push for me to update and write more....pictures et al are such a breeze on the system...holy cow.

In an effort to show affection for friends and family on the web here are some cute albeit completely unedited pictures of life in our home.

This is my baby modeling one of my necklaces...she pretty much does this daily.

And here she is painting with watercolors...that smile melts me!

Jones enjoying a morning treat, complete with the cutest pajamas ever

And happily splashing at the waterslides (oh yes, we've passed over an entire season since my last picture posts!)

Halle and Maia with our amazing friend MacKenzie at our church's 80s Dance Fundraiser

Here is a typical school day, finishing up work while I make lunch

Halle teaching Lael how to ride a scooter this summer...how cute are these sisters!

Maia enjoying the grounds at my sister in law's wedding

And finally...SNOW up at our house in the first week of October! This round has melted, another has also come and gone...but we're ready for Winter and looking forward to skiing and playing in all that white fluff....here's to a new season.

Lasting oil

2009-09-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

Scents of cinnamon and coffee grounds fill our kitchen...firelight beyond small faces wakens us in the morning time. Small hands longing to be big...ask to help.

Its simple today, toast and cinnamon, fresh peaches lugged home from the farmer's market...creamy milk. Warm and crisp slices popping and little hands pull out the butter to let it soak in and melt...its never quite right until its gooey on a morning like this.

Little hands wipe quickly across a new sweet shirt...oils stain..."Oh no Mama!"

I am disappointed, wondering how to remove the oil that is always so stubborn and so lasting, smiling all the while and trying to calm a little heart that adores being fancy. And as I kiss her little head I remember when we placed oil on her brow. The promise of dedication, an annointing to be set apart by God....a lasting promise.

And we get to good stuff today...talking about laundry and lasting stains and lasting promises and the beautiful picture of oil and butter and our God's delight in story. We smile and drink and crunch on our cinnamon toast. And the air is a little sweeter and we are all covered in crumbs.

Finding Peace

2009-09-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

Ambleside England 1890

Taking in landscapes always relaxes me...I love drives, I love scenes, I love the stories they tell or what is happening in the hearts of God's people, of what wonders have been seen and lived and loved. I feel fresh and inspired and ready for whatever beckons after soaking in a view.

Lately, my soul has been in need of refreshing. My fuse seems short, tears bubble over and stay a while and I'm not ever quite sure why. Patterns develop with my children,I snap, I cease to listen fully, I forget to tie heart strings of fellowship that will remain long after my children age. Habits of response set in without much intention and I quickly find myself deep in a valley with only high walls around me on every side. No view. No perspective.

A dear friend spoke to me yesterday of practicing peace. Her words were so life giving, so true and struck my heart with clarity. Each moment, each response, each thought poses an opportunity, to continue further and further into a deep valley or to practice peace, to lay at the feet of our sweet Jesus the emotions, the fears, the bad habits. When we practice this in small ways, in interactions that typically cause stress, we begin to emerge victorious! I want to fight to follow the life we have been called to and in the thick of the battle the voice of our Lord whispers, " I will give. I will give you peace. I will go so far beyond your understanding and guard your heart and mind in the name of my Son." (Philippians 4:7) And so I am choosing today to believe him, to take the Lord at his word, to trust in the restoration of Christ in my anxious heart and to seek his peace today.

I have been chewing on the words of Charlotte, as usual, and still become overwhelmed with thankfullness at her writings, at the simplicity of her methods and how she has encouraged me on this homeschooling path.The picture above is a painting of her sweet Ambleside, her home and the place of her school. The view is breathtaking isn't it? I feel in so many ways that in our home, we trust in this view and the perspective of a treasured mentor. Today I am remembering to this blessing to, taking comfort and being so thankful for what is taking root in our little school.

When we first started homeschooling, one of the things that I loved, was a felt peace. I still relish in the days of learning and growing in our home, where babies can nap, training can happen in a safe shelter and minds can soak in exciting new ideas all throughout the day. We are being intentional as we hunker in, we aren't bustling, its slow and steady and the rhythm is one I cherish. We are cultivating peace here and I am so thankful for that work. I pray I can stay steadfast in this task, be faithful to this work and see it through. How easily I can become cumbered down and busy...even with wonderful things! I am praying that I will remember to count the cost, to have a wide view as I choose how to spend my time and invest my resources.

If you haven't read it already, please check out Anne's post on peace, it was so sweet, wouldn't a peaceful place like this be the sweetest addition to a home?

Summer

2009-08-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

It may sound incredibly clique', but summertime is so restful isn't it? I am a girl who relies on a routine...who to be quite honest can become a servant to a routine, instead of using one to meet the needs of my family. There are days in the summertime when the care-free days overwhelm me a bit...I have a hard time focusing and remembering what I am 'supposed' to be doing for the day.

The season of summer is crazy for us, we get outside lots, but its hard to see people when there is no structure, because we don't know what we are doing from day to day,so we wing it. We eat light meals and drink lots of lemonade and we simply rest. And this rest is the gift of this season, I think. I don't know if I would take the time otherwise to just 'be' with my family (remember how I NEED a schedule?). To cuddle and hike and swim or sit around until lunch time in our pajamas is pretty incredible and really not in my nature. But its here...that free flowing summer feeling and attitude, right in my living room.

This picture is right along one of our favorite beaches...

I asked the kids today if there was anything they wanted to accomplish before summer is over and they gave me quite a list! We have done lots of these things already and there are a few we need to experience in the next week, but here is our summer hit list in case you need some inspiration before Labor Day.

Spend an afternoon at Rocky Reach Dam

Bike the Loop

Play on the Secret Beach

Dinner picnic in the park

Drive in the woods

Spend a day at Lake Wenatchee

Spend an afternoon hunting tracks in the Marshlands

Walk through the Barn Beach Reserve and then play at the beach

Fourth of July Relay Races (a tradition in my parents' backyard!)

Fireworks show at Riverfront Park

BBQ with Papa and Lala (thankfully this has happened nearly once a week this summer!)

A day at Slidewaters

Spending the entire day in our pajamas and watching movies or reading stories

Having a lemonade stand

Visiting the Farmers Market

Making homemade pizza with fresh veggies

Berry picking

cherry picking or picking them up at a roadside fruit stand

Visiting the Seattle Aquarium (we busted out for a season's pass to enjoy this one all year long!)

Camping

Visiting friends at Lake Chelan

Swimming at Grandma Lily's pool

Eating popcicles for breakfast

Making s'mores

Drinking lemonade on our deck while we watch the sunset (which in July was past 9:30!)

Buying fruit and getting huckleberry ice cream from Bountiful Fruit

Hiking the ridge behind our house to check out the massive ant hill at the top

Inviting friends to dinner

Watching a movie at the drive-in theatre

Free outside play for days on end

Eating corn on the cobb

Saturday breakfasts at Cafe' Mela

And for Josh and I, enjoying afternoon dates in the month of July when my parents were off work and helped watch the children...its amazing to go out to lunch as just the 'two' of us or shop in the mid-afternoon...just heaven.

Outdoor concerts downtown

The County Fair (we are deciding on our entries as to enjoy the free exhibitor passes!)

Vacation with our dear friends

Playing endlessly in the mud

Nothing at all.....

What To Do With a Child in Kindergarten?

2009-07-24T20:16:00.000-07:00

My cutie second child, Maia,will be beginning Kindergarten this year and I am sifting through all my resources that I used, notes I had taken and lesson plans from when our sweet Halle was a Kindergartener three years ago. For those of you just beginning homeschooling, I just want to encourage you that I am amazed and stunned at how bold I feel as I am about to teach this grade for the second time. I know I will have those hard days throughout this year, but the peace of teaching what I have already taught to another child, tweaking it to fit the personality of this one and just being more comfortable with the information myself is kind of unreal. I'm hitting my groove...(knock on wood?)

For those of you who know me well or read this blog very often, you know I am a big fan of Charlotte Mason. We use her methodolgy and principles in all the subjects we teach. We have used a little of this and a little of that curriculum, but our methods and philosophy stay the same.

Charlotte had what she called "A List of Attainments for a Child of Six" which essentially is what we want to accomplish with a Kindergartener. This list is helpful in how I organize what we do, and I add in great literature, artist and composer study, seasonal art projects, Bible and history studies. More to come on those later! I thought it would be worthwhile to post these attainments here, even accomplishing one of them can be enriching for your student and for you as a mama. I got a little giddy writing this post...bring on fall!

A List of Attainments for a Child of Six

1. To recite, beautifully, 6 easy poems and hymns

2. To recite, perfectly and beautifully, a parable and a psalm

3. To add and subtract numbers up to 10, with dominoes or counters

4. To read---what and how much, will depend on what we are told of the child

We play lots of sight word games, use phonics flashcards each day and my favorite find this year is this lovely book, where Maia will actually be reading quality literature and classic stories. I think the object of teaching a young child how to read might require its own post and lots of input in the comments section!

5. To copy in print-hand from a book

We are going to be using Handwriting Without Tears and I also buy each of the children a lovely leather book to copy Scripture,poetry and pieces of literature in. There is something about the delicacy of the copybook that makes them strive to do their very best.

6. To know the points of the compass with relation to their own home, where the sun rises and sets, and the way the wind blows

7. To describe the boundaries of their own home

8. To describe any lake, river, pond, island etc. within easy reach

For these last three attainments, we have incorporated the geography outline available at Tanglewood Education Geography has certainly become one of my favorite subjects and Josh has often commented on how much he loves our children first understanding tangibly the area they inhabit, before, or in the case of our home, in conjunction with, far off lands. They can see and smell and touch to truly experience the knowing of these geographical elements and it adds such a richness to what they imagine and learn later on.

9. To tell quite accurately (however shortly) 3 stories from Bible history, 3 from early American (originally, for Charlotte's students this was English history), and 3 from early Roman history.

10. To be able to describe 3 walks and 3 views.

We place drawings and descriptions dictated to mom into our nature notebooks...they have really become a treasure for us!

11. To mount in a scrapbook a dozen common wildflowers, with leaves (one every week); to name these, describe them in their own words, and say where they found them.

We also look up the latin name of our findings. It is a simple way to begin teaching research skills and there is such reward just in the 'knowing' after searching through our field guides. We place the latin name next to the english name in our nature notebooks. This also motivates great handwriting as these books mean so much to them.
For nature notebooks, I usually purchase a simple sketchbook for each of the children, preferably with a sturdy cover. I also like for the paper to not be chinzy...and for it to be able to withstand watercolors well.

12. To do the same with leaves and flowers of 6 forest trees.

13. To know 6 birds by song, colour and shape.

14. To complete Handiwork

Ambleside Online has a wonderful section on handiwork and I have really benefitted from their reccomendations. Around here, the rule is that our crafts should be useful and benefit others. Some of the creative pursuits we have enjoyed are: knitting, baking, making stationary, a wreath at the holidays, making our advent centerpiece, candlemaking, cooking homemade playdough, baking bread and of course the list goes on and on... but we rarely keep these things in the house...its so much more fun to give them away!

15. To tell three stories about their own "pets"--rabbit, dog or cat.
For a time, we didn't have any pets, so we were graciously invited to spend time with friends and family who did. On one occastion, the children were able to feed hens and roosters, hold baby chicks, collect eggs and even enjoy an omlet! We also made some serious stops at our local petting zoo to interact with and draw some of our favorite farmyard friends.

16. To name 20 common objects in Spanish (originally Charlotte wanted her students to study French,because of the close proximity of that nation to England,we study Spanish for much the same reason) and say a dozen little sentences.

We have used Lyric Language in the early years, it is very inexpensive and easy! Just a fun DVD of songs and a CD for the car or kitchen counter. Their is also a workbook included to help with Spanish copywork and labeling around the house.

17. To sing one hymn, one Spanish song, and one English song.

18. To keep a caterpillar and tell the life-story of a butterfly from his own observations.
We are going to order a caterpillar habitat this year and watch the process in our home, in the past Halle has done this at her co-op and we have really enjoyed the butterfly conservatories at The Seattle Science Center and at Woodland Park Zoo.

Continued

2009-07-02T10:36:00.000-07:00

We are in Spokane this weekend enjoying all the snow and most of all some sweet friendships. My kids were just sharing with their friends the whip cream fight mom and dad had late last week...the one that ended with me being pinned down and having whip cream squirted up my nose! They were laughing so hard as they told of the joy they had witnessed between their mommy and daddy. Josh shot me a wink and I saw how pleased he was that they had remembered all the fun we had. Isn't this what its about? We are creating such special memories as a couple and for our kids. I love laughing with them.
So this weekend...my challenge is to find a way to laugh. Do something suprising or silly (like squirting whip cream down your man's shirt) and just laugh...its good for the soul and your man's heart.

Details

2009-06-24T15:30:00.000-07:00

Halle in her element

I've been away. I've been living and dreaming and playing...cooking and training my brood and attempting creativity as the inspiration arises. I have missed this place and my sweet friends here! I promise to be more faithful about updating...Blogging is just the first thing to go when life gets hectic and hectic is has been!

Not to be upstaged by her siblings birthday celebrations in previous posts, our Halle became an eight year old at the end of April. We are so proud of her! Here are some details about who this girl is to give you a little glimpse into her heart and mind...
~Each evening before bed our girl writes out a to-do list for the next day and then actually accomplishes all of it! She thrives on routine and schedules and could honestly probably run the show around here if I let her!
~She consumes books! It is not uncommon to find her reading an entire novel in an afternoon. And I'm talking quality novels like "Heidi" or "Stuart Little" or the orignial "Nancy Drew" books. It still blows me away!
~Halle is the family prankster...if you find yourself squirted with water,goo or are stuck to anything...Halle is probably cackling with glee somewhere nearby!
~She is Josh's official assistant on photo shoots, she carries her own SLR camera, is becoming proficient in using Photoshop and is developing her own style as a photographic artist. We are hoping this side career will help pay for college!
~Halle can cook! She loves baking and making stews and soups. She does this independently (which I never realized would happen at age 8!) and her creations taste awesome! Probably because unlike her mama, she always follows the recipes!
~She dreams of being a ballerina and loves her dance classes.
~Halle's favorite colors are purple and gold (and she informs me they always will be, even in heaven).
~Lastly...Halle reads this blog and is begging to start one of her own! I think I may just let her, as a way to journal her own homeschooling studies...I'll let you know so you can go visit!

OOPS

2009-03-27T16:08:00.001-07:00

I have no idea how to move the order of posts...but please don't miss this, the picture is just too wonderful.

Three

2009-03-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

Jones blowing out his Birthday Candles

Jones is three! We made merry by inviting friends to join us at the River Railway for some runs on the train, eating train cake and sporting some engineer hats and kerchiefs. This boy felt the full joy of his big day as we celebrated him and loved on him. My heart was soaring watching his delight.

Jones Calling out for his Buddies to hop on the Train...ALL ABOARD!

Corban, Jones and Noah Enjoy the Train Ride

Jones and Josh exploring the rails

Jones,
I love your "moves" as you call them, when you dance around in circles and shake with a serious look of concentration. I love how you delight in serving others; how you light up when the girls go first or when you bring the baby a toy to enjoy with you. I love your giggle and the way you carry on and simply can not control your laughter when someone says 'poop'....you bring such a fun-loving tone into our home! I love that you "give knuckes" instead of high fives, that you know how to make hair bands into slingshots and that you threaten to kill the neighbors dog with your wooden sword when he barks at your sisters. I love that buying bullets for your nerf gun is your cheif concern when we are at Target and that no matter what sport you are watching you try to repeat the plays you see.
I love your curiosity and your questions..."Whatcha doing there, guys?" is heard all day long as you observe others. I am amazed at your attention span and the way you soak up great literature! Your love of school lessons in our home and the energy and attention you place on your own "work" encourages the learning culture of our home and brings a smile to my face on difficult days.
I think that the way you are learning how to be a man, by watching and following in the steps of your daddy is amazing. I love watching you model after all he does, from the pomade you put in your hair to what you dress in each day....to the way to simply relish in cleaning the garage....you always remind me that " This is a boy thing, mom."
You are eager to help and protect and I will never get tired of hearing you say "good job, mom " when I am making dinner or folding laundry. God blessed us so richly in giving us a son and in the way he made you. There was something so rich about becoming a family of five when you were born, something so settling about the way we live life together began to emerge. I am thankful for you, son... Happy Birthday.

One

2009-03-26T11:25:00.000-07:00

This sweet girl is one. I am beside myself with how quickly this first year of Lael's life has flown by! She is gentle, easy-going, so cuddly and so observant. Recently when the other kids were laughing together in the back of the van, Lael joined in, just to be a part of the group....it certainly marked a change. She is officially one of the crew in her play and interactions. She and Jones talk and look at books together from their beds in their shared room, she is the first to head into a fort the older kids have created and she loves to stand and mix secret recipes with Maia in the play kitchen. She often calls out for Halle when she is in need and loves to be "dressed up" by the big girls. We have discovered a baby sister is the ultimate when it comes to dolly dress-up! Thankfully, Lael is more than willing to participate in the fun!
Whereas it may have overwhelmed Halle to have been around three big kids all the time, Lael thrives on their energy! She glows as she is cared for and doted upon by the family as a whole...she really has stolen all our hearts. Happy Birthday sweet girl...our warm blessing of Spring.

Blessings, Gifts and Provisions

2009-02-17T14:40:00.001-08:00

Well over a month ago, I wrote about blessing my husband and you know what? I did. I blessed him with my time. I have been a horrid blogger, but I committed to giving Josh my early mornings and my late nights for dates and whatever he wanted....I actually presented him with a fun blank calendar for his birthday and told him it was his to fill in as he liked. It has been awesome. We have been waking early for coffee (not too often since I hate morning), watching movies, just talking, eating yummy grown up dinners after the kids are in bed...you get the picture. Its been bliss.

There have been a few days here and there when I have wanted to blog or felt guilty that I haven't visited here, but if I'm really honest about it I really don't feel all that bad. And in all this time, my man turned 30! I know, we are babies. We had a "Mustache Revolution" Pary for him, I am not even kidding. It was so fun. We had awards for the men that grew the best 'staches and razors for the guys who well...didn't.

In other news, my kids are growing, we are enjoying our days together learning and reading and playing. Here are some highlights:

-We had a family tie-dye night after studying Joseph and his 'coat of many colors'
-Lael is trying to walk and is getting close! She also popped her two top teeth...and I cried because her smile will never be the same...I know, cheesy.
-Jones started calling everyone "little baby" when he doesn't get his way and we have to leave the room to get out our giggles before we discipline him.
-Halle and Maia are officially ice-skating princesses, they are flying on the ice these days!
-We are reading "The Indian in the Cupboard" and I love the story, but am shocked by the way the characters talk to each other....has anyone else read this aloud?
-We are actually "up to date" on our history timeline...its pretty awesome!
-Josh is gearing up to MC an '80s night fundraiser dance for the youth in our church...haha. Can't wait! We are looking online for the dance moves to Thriller so we can really get down.
-There are tid-bits of creativity happening around here. I am painting again, thinking about some sewing projects and looking at seed catalogues (not neccisarily simoultaneously).
-Josh booked a gig in Denver and we are.....wait for it..... GOING ALONE! Its not until June, but can you even believe it!? I am thinking it might be like this last month has been, just about pure bliss.

Blessin' the Be-Snickers Off...

2009-01-01T10:08:00.000-08:00

this guy.
One of my favorite people (that I would love to actually meet someday!) is Debi Pearl. She speaks rather boldly, but her words are always peppered with love and hope. She clearly has fun in all she does,she draws her children into the beauty of a life in Christ and she is crazy about Jesus.This is a quote from her that I have tucked away:
" A wise woman understands that her husband's need to be honored is not based on his performance, but on his nature and his God-ordained position. She learns quickly to defer to his ideas or plans with enthusiasm. She looks for ways to reverence him. She knows this is God's will for her life."
That can really be a big one to swallow. I think the first time I read it, I through my book in the mud. (It actually just kind of slipped out of my hand...but whatever). In hindsight and after nearly nine years of marriage, I know think that there is nothing that has transformed by life more, save for the grace of Jesus redeeming me, than this principle. It is awe-filled and truly the sweetest of mysteries!
The New Year is so full of reflection and resolution and hope for the future. As I think about what I want to focus on in 2009, I mostly want to be about helping my man. I want him to know how wild I am about him, how much I appreciate him and admire him and I want to be generous in how I care for him in my words and actions. I am going to post little challenges each day that I hope will help keep me accountable to intenionally blessing my man and that I hope will encourage a community here that can spur one another on in this. You are all such creative, fun ladies, you are certainly going to have some stellar ideas to share right? Be blessed friends and enjoy your men today!
Since its snowing pretty much everywhere right now...how about just making your husband a special hot drink as a start today. Serve it with a smile and a kiss and if you have whip cream...use it! Happy New Year!

"Every wise woman buildeth her house; but the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands." ~Proverbs 14:1

Focus

2008-12-28T15:04:00.000-08:00

This is the beautiful Valley we live in...

Christmas time is over and I am filled up and rested after so many continuous days of celebrating, eating yummy food, napping...life has been rather sloth-like and I feel a huge need to focus my attention again on the year to come. One of the biggies for me this year is being content. Content with where we live, where we play, where we worship...content with all God has chosen to give us. As women, I think that we are often discontent with what we are doing, how we spend our hours and days and how we connect what we long for with what God has for us. It is the desire of my heart to to just be still and enjoy what God has entrusted to me this coming year.

Reading in God's Word what he has for me to do has been a great encouragement for me. I remember when I first starting letting God shatter some of my ideas about what I wanted, I was so pleasantly suprised at the peace that followed. I began to see that what I had longed for all along was what had been prepared for me and I began to be settled and secure in God's plan for me in my role as a wife and mother.

So, for the New Year, this list will be on my fridge, helping me focus and remain content only by the grace that comes from Jesus. I long to focus on what he has placed before me. I pray that it is a blessing and encouragement to you and that you see just how valuable your role is and how much important work has been entrusted to you as well! What a tremendous blessing and responsibility we have before us!

These verse topics are referenced (with much appreciation) from a Mars Hill Seattle Women's Event.

My role and duties entail:
Childrearing~ Genesis 1:28 "God blessed them and said to them "Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it.'"
Training and Teaching Children~ Proverbs 27:8 "She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue."
Making sure my husband is welcomed (and I would add cared for, honored in general)~ Proverbs 27:8 'Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who strays from his home.'
Caring for the Diet and Nutrition in my home~ Proverbs 31:14-15 'She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar, she gets up while it is still dark;she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.'
Stewardship and the mangagement of our resources~Proverbs 31:16 'She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.'
The Clothing of my family(physical and spiritual through prayer)~ Proverbs 31'When it snows, she has no fear for her household, for all of them are clothed in scarlet.' I have found that this is 99% preparation and planning for me...
Home Decor and organization-creating an atmosphere where relationships can flourish~ Proverbs 31:22 'She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.'
Hospitality Acts 5:42 'And everyday, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on preaching and teaching Jesus Christ.'
1 Peter 4:8-10 'Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another...be hospitable to one another without complaint.

Waiting

2008-12-07T08:46:00.000-08:00

There is a sweet quiet in our home tonight...a hush has fallen as we wait for snow and dream of Christmas. So much of this season is about anticipation, about waiting. Waiting for the celebrations, the wonder, the gifts. Waiting for our sweet Jesus.

O, Lord, help us to let this hush linger here, help us to quiet our hearts and to wait on you.

Candlelight flickers and the Word on the page before me dances on my lap, leaping to life. The Light of the World takes a breath, puts on this flesh and is here. Let us seek you as we wait before you today sweet Word of life.

Obligitory Fall Photos!

2008-11-20T14:58:00.000-08:00

With moving,my blog has been so neglected and yet my cute kids are still getting cuter, so I felt the need to post how we are enjoying my favorite season. So much has happened this fall and we have the pictures to prove it!
Here we are enoying Smallwood Harvest for Shelly's birthday in October...
All the kids and Grandma Shelly

Jones feeding the geese (they come so close to little fingers!)

Jones and Papa feeding the goats

Lael chillin' along for the ride

Jones tromping through the pumpkins

Josh and the kids enjoying the super-speedy cow train ride

We are pretty crazy about my nephew Zeke and were able to celebrate his FIRST birthday with him!

My Sis and Z blowing out his pumpkin cupcakes

Zeke's first sugary anything ever...

Pumpkin Carving

Nothing better than celebrating at Papa and Lala's

These last pictures are from a harvest party with dear friends...we couldn't have had more fun on a great fall day. We enjoyed a hunt for candy, apple dumplings (divine!) and even a bit of nature study. We are beyond thankful for these friendships!

My angel, princess and horse are ready to go!

Showing off their costumes...Doesn't Terri look amazing as the crazy mama who drank too much coffee?

Sweet Maia, Lael and Della-Bee

The whole crew after the candy hunt

Jones and the love of his life, Della

Renae showing off her fall find

Della and MY sweet baby girl... have you seriously EVER seen a baby this cute!

Halle and Daejah enjoy their tootsie rolls

And because you have hung in there so long, here is an hysterical photo of me circa 1967 morphed together by my husband and the great people at yearbookyourself.com. Josh had way too much fun with this! It is shockingly similar to photos of my mom when she actually had these glasses and this hairstyle (sorry,mom). Enjoy the laugh!

Living out of the Box

2008-11-12T09:36:00.000-08:00

....is what my sweet family is doing right now. Until we get our home a bit more organized, the ol' blog is going to be pretty neglected. We love our new home and I'm enjoying all things domestic as I fill its rooms...see you all soon!

The Vote

2008-11-04T14:06:00.000-08:00

I'm listening to NPR as I pack up the old house today...people are calling in from all over the country with their stories of voting, standing in line, talking to their neighbors. I love stories....

My story was simple. I decided to wait until this morning to cast my ballot, even though all of Washington State votes absentee. I drank my coffee and sat by the fire, Halle watched the process over my shoulder and all the kids helped me lick the envelope. We walked to the post box together and plopped in our vote. I felt a gush of American pride and civil responsibility come over me as we flipped up the flag to alert the postman of our very important outgoing mail. Is that dorky? Its the same sensation I get before every ball game as I burst out the national anthem...or when I see the fireworks on the Fourth of July...or stand to honor the color guard in our yearly parade downtown. I love this country, I love the promise it holds and I love its people and their stories. I feel priveledged to have one today.

Quiet and Living Grateful

2008-11-03T07:48:00.000-08:00

As I write this I am sitting in my parent's home, near a wall lined with windows peeking out onto their gardens...mist has settled over our valley here and the brilliance of fall's colors seem to be a little deeper, the stain a bit more permanent and vibrant a midst the grey. I love the whispy feel of a day like this...hunkered down with a cup of coffee and books to read by the fire. Candles lit, fire blazing, the morning is blank with possibility, waiting for the richness and glory my children will bring with their questions and laughter and the occasional squabble. Life is so good.

My grandfather was known as man who counted his blessings. Each year on my birthday, I received a letter from him, typed in brown ink on his cream stationary...smelling crisp and new and prepared just for me. He would share his wisdom, his hopes and dreams for me and tell me what he experienced at that particular year in his life, his blessings and how grateful he was for all he had been given. He actually kept a list of his blessings in his wallet at all times. What a way to live...what a beautiful perspective. I want to live gratefully...I want to live quietly and soak in mornings like this.

So in honor of November and the season of Thanksgiving, I am going to keep a list of my blessings here in this place. I think I will just add a side bar and update it each day. Would you join me in this? Even just once, in your own blogs, take some time to mark your blessings and share them with us? It is my prayer that we can experience living grateful together...

Today I am so grateful for...
~this mist and the rich color outside my window
~Halle and Lael playing peacefully beside me...relishing in sisterhood
~Hazelnut Biscotti Coffeemate...(how have I never had this stuff before?)
~Family Movie Night...still talking about the new American Girl Movie this morning.
~fleece sweats and chenile blankets...all things soft really
Most importantly today...
~my amazing husband, and all the work he is doing to help me pack up the house and move into our new one. We have our first night there Wednesday!

The Toybrary

2008-10-23T22:22:00.001-07:00

Josh and I have been having so many conversations lately about living simply and quietly, about having margin and space to sprawl and play and thrive in and out of our home...Recently he pointed out to me that our children didn't seem to be benefiting from the toys in our home...they fill up a big chest and are crammed into baskets...but what are the kids doing to really engage in play with more than a handful of these that they always pull out again and again? Should we purge most of our playthings in our upcoming move?

Our decision has been a resounding yes.

What will play with? What will we do to love on our kids and stimulate their little minds and hearts? We want to fill our home with toys that are rich and lively and fun...those that implement excellent design and intelligent play.

...Enter the Will-n-Essie's Toybrary...a lending library for toys, all in immaculate conditon and ready for you to take home. My old friend Marcia Murray developed the implementation of this idea in the States after benefiting from toybrarys overseas and she has done a smashing job! Toys are donated directly from toy manufacturers like KNEX, Lincoln Logs, Schilling and others or donated or purchased from local businesses.

One of the perks of being on the local toybrary committee is getting to fill in at our local toybrary from time to time and enjoy my community. What a peaceful and sweet time I had today, signing up memebers, welcoming little ones and helping moms and grandparents pick out toys that would be just the right fit for their families to check out. My own children enjoy the chance to check out something new at each visit and to play with something different and special. They are going to learn how to share in a whole new way...with our community! They are going to learn how to take care of what they play with in new ways as well, thinking of others and stewarding well. We are beginning to live out simplicity in such a practical way through one small change...I love this place...

Check out the website to read about the Toybrarys in Wenatchee and Philadelphia and about how to bring a Toybrary to your town! www.will-n-essies.com

Rappin' with Lael

2008-10-20T15:22:00.001-07:00

This might seem increbily immature, but we are trying to make up rap songs for each one of our kids...so far, Lael is the only one who has been able to benefit from all the fun. We absolutely love hearing the kids bust out the beat box for this one and I can't get enough of Jones making an upside down "w" at the end when we all say "word".... I lost my camera, but a video may follow...so much better to hear rap you know...

Well...my name's Lael Harue-
And I'm here to rap for you (chicka wow, chicka wow wow)
I'm gonna tell you a little story-
and give my God some glory...yeah
I...am...number. 1 -2 -3 -4
Oh!... three others came before me-
Who all love and adore me...they adore me, adore me...(this is best when hands wave in the air)
Halle, Maia and Jones, that's the way it goes...yeah.
I...was... b-lessed with a really big family,
And they were sure happy to have me,
We trust the God who made me,
And I'm a really cool bab-y.
WORD.

Open House

2008-10-20T15:10:00.001-07:00

So, we've been busy lately....

-We sold our home after only three weeks on the market and we feel so blessed! We are moving on the 5th of next month and currently wondering what it will take to pack up this place...its good work though, just lots of it!

-Homeschooling four kiddos has been a tremendous blessing to me as a mom and to our family as a whole. There are days when I am exhausted (shocker?) but our days are purposeful and are simply just full...my heart is near bursting when I think of the time we have each day to read, explore God's word, study language and art and just be together. Its pretty great.

-The older girls are involved in a children's Bible study one night a week and are ablsolutely loving it! I am so encouraged to see them searching out and applying God's word with their friends. Halle is currently growing her hair out with some other gals in this group so they can donate to Locks of Love. She is so excited to comfort hurting kids this way, its precious to me.

-The older girls are also in full swing at dance class, Halle is studying classical ballet will be in the Nutcracker as an angel in December and Maia is studying ballet and tap in a combo class and working on several skills to prepare for The Little Mermaid next Spring. Can you even imagine how cute they are in leotards with buns in their hair...pictures to follow after class this week, I promise!

-Jones is no longer a regular boy: he is SUPERMAN! Gramma Shelly found some Superman pjs for him at Costco and I can not get them off my little guy. They are complete with a cape and as I write this he is "flying" complete with arms flapping around the living room.

-Lael is talking like wild...giggling and gurgling and screeching with delight at any solid food she encounters and at her toys, her siblings and her parents. She is such a joy to everyone of us...we are enjoying her even more each day as her personality as it develops.

So..what are YOU up to?

A Political Meme

2008-10-17T17:03:00.000-07:00

Barack, Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama

UPDATE: The comments section has been disabled because I am a weenie. I am so thankful for the comments I have received, both those in agreement and disagreement, but I don't think I was ready to put this post out there. I really do enjoy keeping controversial things to myself. If you have comments about this particular post that you feel you need to share with me, please use my regular email and I will be happy to respond personally. Thanks everyone!

I have had this meme sitting in my notebook for over two weeks as I have mulled over whether or not I would post it on my blog. I have been divided because of two reasons: I have a very passionate conviction that conversations that cause division are not worth my time or the time of others...there are certain things on which we will certainly never agree with everyone, even those we love deeply. That's perfectly okay with me, but to enter into a conversation with someone about our cemented differences of opinion, I believe it must be with a heart of love and gentleness and hold some benefit.

Secondly, I live in a very conservative community and whether my situation is common I don't know, but here... being a confessional christian is equated with being a Repbublican. So, thus far, the Obama mama widget to the right is as far as I have come to deliver any political opinion. This has been,to be quite honest,purely out of fear. I don't want to rock the boat...I really like quiet and peaceful waters and writing about politics is sure to make a few waves.

What tipped the scale for my indecision? Today, the McCain campaign started to robo-call undecided voters in battleground states accusing Obama of terrorism by association. I think it served to confuse potential voters and infuse fear and as I listened to the recording, I decided that I don't want fear to control my voice. I believe fear tactics are dangerous, have the potential to produce varying degrees of facism and divide our nation's people irrepairably after this election, regardless of the outcome.
I haven't responded to the 20 plus emails I have received from well-meaning friends that claim Barack is a terriorist,muslim etremist,"messaiah" for the "leftist anti-Americans", and my personal favorite, "the anti-christ" and I feel that through the barrage of opinions I have taken in, I have lost my own voice, or at least silenced it.

If my writing about this bothers you, that's fine... this is my blog, after all... I'd really love to see your own meme's and if you support McCain, jut change the meme aroud to show this. Also, please know that constucive comments of varying opinions are abslolutely welcome, but comments that dishonor others will be removed promptly.

So, here is the political meme...compliments of my friend, Dawn that I hope gives you an understanding of why I support this particular candidate for president.I write this as a human being, a christian deeply committed to living out the gospel and knowing Christ and as an American. It is a bit long...but its important.

What is your name, nickname, whatever you're comfortable sharing, your age (range),gender, occupation, income (range)? Married/Single/Divorced? Kids (How many)?
Kristen, age 29, female, married,homeschooling mom of 4 kids,some-time freelance writer, living contentedly in my income bracket.

What are the most important issues to you in this presidential election and why?
-The strengthening involvement of Americans in the national landscape, working together to solve problems from the bottom up. I believe this is important for the health of our communities and our nation as a whole in all areas.
-Energy Independence
-Healthcare
-The overall stretching of American resources at home and abroad, which limits our ability to maintain effective national security and put our troops and money to use where they/it could be most effective...ie)Darfur,Afghanistan, other crises at home and abroad and humanitarian relief

Why do you think voters should vote for Obama/Biden, what differentiates this ticket from McCain/Palin?
Based on my comments above, I think that one of the main differences apparent to me is integrity in the campaigning process. My thoughts echo those of Colin Powell today, as he grieved what has happened in the Republican campaign, and endorsed Barack Obama for President.

I think that Obama has a unique ability to communicate well and to motivate people, as evidenced from the tremendous grass-roots efforts of his campaign and the incentives for service offered in his education and economic plans. Americans have been apathetic for so long and I see this man as someone who can rally citizens to serve in their communities, to engage in the political process and to personally make a difference. I think that by motivating Americans to think of their neighbor actually has the potential to lesson the need of government as the people serve one another.

I am impressed with Obama's attitude toward diplomacy with foreign nations and his desire to restore our standing in the global community by strengthening our relationships with our allies. I think the president should get his hands dirty hammering out problems with other nations...talking! Of course, hard work must also be done before these meetings and preliminary argreements made, but I feel the president needs to be a part of talking through solutions, even face to face.

Tying in with national security, I think that energy independence for the United States is imperative. We have less than 2% of the world's oil reserve and use more than 25% of the world's oil, so drilling alone is not a permanent solution. I know that McCain has supported alternative energy sources, but it is my understanding that these sources would only be secondary to drilling. Obama does support offshore drilling, in combination with other alternative energy sources that would be able to sustain our nation for the long haul.

I think that Obama's medical plan makes sense. As someone whose family purchases their own insurance at a very high monthly premium, I understand first hand the value of being able to buy into insurance as part of a larger pool. His health plan has been accused of being "government run" healthcare, but all it truly does is provide a way for Americans to purchase health insurance if they otherwise couldn't afford it.

In contrast, McCain's plan will provide as a $5,000 tax credit that for my family, wouldn't even cover our deductible, not to mention the additional taxes we would incur that he uses to pay for this plan.

Taxes seem to be the other major difference between these two candidates. They represent some fundamental views about life and government that seem to define the differences in our nation's two political parties. McCain is proposing tax cuts, but only for the wealthy and for corporations,depending on the trickle-down effect of prosperity to strengthen the nation as a whole.
The increases Obama proposes are for Americans that earn more than 250K each year. Let's put that in perpective...if you make even 100K a year, thats $10,000 a month! 200K? $20,000 a month! At the risk of sounding socialist,if you are making that much each month, you can afford to pay taxes. You might not like to pay taxes, I certainly don't...but you can afford it. Families making 40-50K a year can barely afford to pay their mortages, feed their children, pay their utilities and save for college! And it is those making 40-50K a year that are presently paying 50-60% of our nation's taxes.

I am grieved by the fact that Americans are currently living big-booty lifestyles that they can't afford...we want to get rich and then hoard all we accumulate. I think this is part of the mess of having sinful natures.I'll be the first to admit that I am fallen and I am often discontent and wanting more.

I have spent extended time in third world countries and I am brought to tears by my memories of children without anything to eat...or any resources whatsoever. How did we become so gluttonous? How hve we become so separated from suffering? How have we become complacent about the hungry, the hurting? I am jived about a country that displays its values by defending the meek and the poor at home and abroad and whose wealthy citizens are honored by their responsibility to do this. The principle of tithing is very similar to what Obama proposes...you pay taxes in proportion to what you earn...to me this seems pretty fair. I recognize that there are some Americans who make generous personal contributions that support the poor and our economy. I am concerned about how they will be able to continue their benevolent work, but I also know that they don't respresent the majority.

If McCain/Palin wins this election, where do you see our country going in the next four years?
I see our country continuing to stretch beyond its means, both with our troops and with our dollar. I see a potential for hodge-podge economic solutions that will continue to put a strain on the majority of Americans. I see tax relief continuing to benefit only the wealthiest of Americans and corporate interests.

Economically,where do you think this country is right now, and how do you think Obama/Biden can make positive impact?
Obviously, we are encountering an economic crises in proportions we haven't seen since the great depression. I think that Barack Obama has a strong sense of what Americans are encountering and an economic plan that can strengthen the dollar by reducing our government spending line by line and pursuing viabe alternative energy.

In the past 8 years, how do you think this country has changed under the Bush regime? Have you been affected by these changes? If so, in what way?
I think that Americans are cynical about government and have lost trust in national leadership. I think that the dishonesty that went into the beginning of the war in Iraq has also hurt our global repuation. The lifting of regulations on Wall Street have devistated our economy, effecting all Americans. After 9/11, we have also seen the possibilities of Americans coming together in spirit, nuturing those in need in our communities and supporting our troops fiercly. I want to see more of this!

I have read that Palin is considered the new voice of feminism, which is offensive in my opinion-of equal concern are her views on abortion and the removal of books from libraries. I'd like to know what you think about all that and how you feel about McCain choosing Palin as his running mate and what kind of message you think this sends to women?
I certainly don't classify myself as a feminist and I am guessing that many of my views would be offensive to women who identify with feminism. I am passionately pro-life, but I am passionate about ALL life. I think that being pro-choice and being for captial punishment are equally dangerous. I think that those who are pro-life need to consider how to love on mothers facing an unplanned pregnancy and also be willing to care for those orphans!I think we need to start living a pro-life position.
I also think that christians have been polarized by this issue for far too long, not taking into account a host of other important factors when choosing who to vote for. Although Obama is pro-choice and McCain is not, in this case, both candidates have said that they hate abortion and want to help reduce the number of abortions. Obama and McCain have made statements defending Roe vs.Wade because of the way the law deals with privacy rights between doctors and patients.

I agree with my friend Dawn, that Palin's removal of books from libraries shows that she is ignorant of the workings of the U.S. Constitution, a trait that was also visible in her debate with Joe Biden when she described her ideas about the role of the vice-president presiding over the U.S. Senate, a role that has no constitutional provision.
I also confer with Dawn in my belief that McCain's choice of Sarah Palin was a gimmick, intended to stir up attention for his campaign in the press by adding a relative unknown to his ticket and as a move to garner the support of women voters and the Republican base. The only message I think this sends to women is that McCain underestimates our ability to judge a candidate based on credenitals and thinks we can be wooed to vote simply because of like-gender.

Oh, Anne (with an "e")!

2008-10-10T07:34:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know my oldest well, you know that she is a planner. She has a to-do list notebook by her bed that she writes on each evening and checks off throughout the next day, she organizes drawers and closests with great joy and she loves to plan a party! About two months ago she told Josh and I that she wanted to have a bookclub for her girlfriends and her fist choice for a good read: "Anne of Green Gables."

We jumped on board right away, and were thrilled to encourage her creativity, drive to put something together and her hospitality. We created study guides for our friends, made fun ivitations and set a date for a fancy tea luncheon. Halle came up with the menu, cooked, set the table and welcomed her guests with a giant smile. It was such a lovely time to kick off their reading of this girly classic!

This month we will be hosting a movie party to see our girl Anne in action. Halle can hardly wait and I am already stocking up on popcorn.

Halle poses for mom and dad before her guests arrive...

Here I am reading part of chapter one to a raptured audience...not a peep out of these girls!

Forever Friends

2008-10-07T16:04:00.000-07:00

We are so blessed to have so many people in our lives that have had a substantial impact on us, on the way we love and live and dream about life...on the way we see God and ourselves and eachother. We happen to think community is pretty special.

Some of our best friends, the Archers, travelled with us to the beach this summer. We met Jamie and Jewel when we (and they!) were still dating. We dreamed of our futures and our weddings together and stood with one another as we said our vows. We found out we were having our first babies just 6 weeks apart, halfway through the first year of our marriages and now we have eight children between us! We have loved being together whenever we have had the chance. We live about 300 miles from the Archers now, but when our families are together there is a bit of a spark...I think its like time just stops and even if its been a year since we've been together, its just like it always was.

Our kids love each other and I can't get enough of their gigges when they are with their friends that they have just "always had." Its a special anchor in their lives. I appreciate that they feel a sense of belonging when our families connect and I see how strings like this, and those we forge in our extended family are so vital to the richness of our family and to their identity. Looking at the pictures from our time together is a reminder of this for me and a wonderfully shameless way for me to post vacation pictures! Love you Archers!

P.S. Sorry there are no pictures of baby Lael or baby Paisley...they sleep lots :)

Halle and Kade Enjoy the Shore
Beach Picnic
Trying to Wrangle the Older Six for a Picture with the Mamas...Kristen and the Kill Kids, Jewel and Kade, Gracie and Jaida
Halle, Maia and Jones Await the Arrival of Their Friends
Kade and Halle
Jones thinks Kade is prety funny...
Grace Bjorn
Jamie and Jewel Spotted at Captain Coffee...Yes, she is holding a pop gun...

In Rememberance

2008-09-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

Its been a hard week. We lost my grandfather on Thursday after a week of caring for him as a family in his home. I am at loss for how to describe the beauty of each moment we shared with him and with one another...I am at a loss to even begin to describe the significance of his life and the love I have for him. I know that he was a rare man of great influence. I know that he loved others. I know that he loved Jesus. There is so much I want to write about this man and I hope to a bit later in the week. Today I am finding my thoughts so muddled.

Autumn was his favorite time of year and I thought this poem by Walter de la Mare was fitting for where I am today:

AUTUMN
There is a wind where the rose was;
Cold rain where sweet grass was;
And clouds like sheep
Stream o'er the steep
Grey skies where the lark was.

Nought gold where your hair was;
Nought warm where your hand was;
But phantom, forlorn,
Beneath the thorn,
Your ghost where your face was.

Sad winds where your voice was;
Tear, tears where my heart was;
And ever with me,
Oh, ever with me,
Silence where hope was.

The Harvest

2008-09-07T13:15:00.001-07:00

The bounty from the front walk...

The pumkins are still plumping in the backyard, but one of the beautiful elements of the harvest we are enjoying is the insane ammount of lavender that is produced every spring and summer in our yard. In August, the kids and I harvested the beautiful stuff for the second time and are currently finding ways to enjoy it! I think we gave more than half of it away so that other families could enjoy getting crafy with it too, but we are also making...

~dry bouquets
~lavendar sachets
~sugar scrub
~firesticks

The boquets give off a wonderful fragrance all year long! I stick them is vases or jars all around the house for color and flair...

For some added insensity, I use a pestal, or have the kids grind the blooms in the palm of their hand before filling organza bags from the craft store for the sachets. These are favorites for the girls to stash in their drawers or give away to friends at the holidays.

The sugar scrub is a combination of ground lavender, essential oil, sugar and lemon and is incredible! I can't wait to suprise my mom, mother-in-law and sisters with this at Christmas...or I guess right now (hi guys!).

Lavender Firesticks are my personal favorite because to create them, I use the stem of the lavendar, a piece of the plant that is typically thrown away, although it has such a beautiful fragrance! My friend, Yvonne shared this idea with me a few years ago and I have loved the addition it has made to making our home cozy all winter long. Simply dry lavender stems and toss a few onto the fire or even use them as fire starters... the heat will fill your home will the smell of lavender! I am planning on making some bundles of these this year to wrap and give with some special matches for hostess gifts or stocking stuffers.

I am learning so much about the healing benefits of lavendar these days. Did you know it is a natural anti-fungal and also great for helping you sleep... that is the best perk for me in the early days of the school year...

Home, anyone?

2008-08-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

We have finally done it. Our home is on the market...well... almost. Today the sign is hitting the lawn and the listing is going to hit Craig's list. But, being the avid blogger that I am, I am giving you a first glimpse into this steal of a deal! Who knows, maybe one of you wants to move to Wenatchee! I don't have a good shot of the kids' room or the laundry room, do you ladies think these are necessary?

Front of house...

View from entry way...living and dining room

Living Room...

Dining Room...

Kitchen...

Other side of kitchen...

Bedroom...

Office...

School Room/Playroom...

Storage Room...

A Book of our Days....

2008-08-13T16:01:00.000-07:00

I am a list maker. I keep track of life through pages and pages of notebooks and to-do lists and journals. Last winter I saw the idea online (although I have NO idea where...sorry if the original creator of this concept is out there receiving zero credit) to make these lists pretty. I dug through lots of old catalogs and clipped and glued into a blank journal. It was a pretty beginning that I added to with little doodles.
I leave this book out on the counter in my kitchen and record any special happenings inside...cute things the kids say, things I want to remember (make doctor's appointment...buy socks) and then I have a handy space for what tends to tumble out of my mind. Here is a close-up of a day in April:

The joy of doing this is to have something beautiful to look at,because I jot things down all day. I think we often have to choose beauty, to find interesting ways to create and surround ourselves with things that make us happy and that we feel cozy around...finding true beauty in small things is important to me.
It also keeps things together (I am famous for losing things, just ask my mother in law) and most importantly, it serves as a recored for how we are spending our days around here. I have a feeling that in 30 years, I am going to LOVE reading what we ate for dinner and who I wrote a thank you note to and that my kids played monopoly and giggled like crazy...
Life is happening with a great hum all day long and I don't want to miss the small things...or forget them when I am all wrinkly.

Cousins

2008-08-13T07:26:00.000-07:00

Well, we are back from the Ocean. What a great sigh to be able to have been with our family for an entire week, basking in the shore. I will post pictures and details of our time when I can (later today?) but for now wanted to finish posting some things I had planned before we left.

Most importantly, for the grandmas and aunties waiting out there are precious picture of my two favorite baby girls. This is Lael and Madeline at a recent playdate. I can not even begin to describe the joy of having cousins in our home.

Long Beach

2008-08-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of where we will be spending our week and this...

is a view from our beach house.

Best intentions have had to be laid aside for the blog as packing and organizing have decended upon the house the last few days. As I hurry around this morning packing suitcases and tidying up, making sure we have enough sunscreen, water, books, games...underwear... I am relishing in the thought that in a few hours I will be on the open road with my husband, enjoying his company as we drive and listen to ABBA. It will kill him that I know all the words to every song and will sing my guts out and then he will play punk rock and our kids will giggle and bob there heads like only children of a punk rock loving father can.

When we arrive we will smell the shore, there is nothing quite as uplilfting and refreshing that makes my heart sing like the ocean. I'm looking forward to a walk on the beach tonight alongside Josh as the kids forage for shells and bring us long lengths of seaweed and driftwood. I want to wiggle my toes in the sand and face the tide with my toes. Games and quiet and play...all week long. This is vacation!

We will be back next weekend, see you then!

The Wave

2008-07-31T22:55:00.000-07:00

There are three fun posts in the hopper... all to be completed before we head off on vacation Saturday. In the meantime ~ a little update on life without our van.

The one and only downside has been that Lael is too little to travel in the bike trailer and so we can't go super long distances with her like we can with the other kids...that would be because we are walking and I just am not that into pushing a stroller over a mile or two at a time.

I think the older three kids and I have biked nearly 15 miles since my last post. My second trek to swimming lessons was much less grueling and I can not begin to express how good it feels to be building endurance and to actually "feel" strong. Ironically, there is something very freeing about being forced to get out and excersise. I am realizing the benefits of this as we bike and walk and I love it...I am beginning to wonder how to incorporate part-time car use into our norm throughout the year.

I knew from some of our nature study walks we incorporate into our science education, that walking allows you to take in your surroundings in new ways, to really "see" what is before you and enjoy it through smell and touch and observation that isn't available in a vehicle. This has been true of our time out of doors this week. The beautiful piece that I didn't expect was the interaction this type of transportation affords with other people.

Everywhere we walk, we greet others along the way. Neighbors in their yards, other walkers or bikers... And when we are biking, we get waved to by nearly every car that passes us! Sometimes people double take and then smile big... sometimes wave immediately...it seemed odd on our first ride and I thought it must be because I was going so slow hauling that bike trailer full of kids and trying to keep up with Halle! But time after time it happens again! And again and again.... and this is not on po-dunk streets either, its on major roads(for our town anyway) with steady traffic.

I think people either really do think I'm crazy towing a trailer uphill or something is stirring in them when they see a mom riding bikes with her chidren.

I like to think we make them happy.

I like to think that all those waves come from something in their hearts that is awakening~ the love they had of being on a bicycle as a child or maybe just the idea of how lovely it must be to be out of doors on a warm summer evening... maybe they want to join in! Whatever it may be,it has been great. I love seeing the faces of total strangers light up as they smile and wave at the kids and I love seeing my children find joy in waving back.

This...

2008-07-28T23:24:00.000-07:00

is my ride.

BUT, this week it happens to be in the bodyshop (I had a nasty run in with a trailer when my parking sensors were off... what did I do before parking sensors hmmm...) So, on the way to pick up our rental car, Josh and I had an incredibly radical idea...hang on here it comes:

We are living without a car this week!

Its a little bit of suburban adventure. As a disclaimer, we do have my dad's truck handy to be able to haul some branches that have been encroaching upon my driveway for two weeks. But, as the kids can't fit into the small rig, we are basicially biking.

Needless to say after just having a baby a few months back, cardio and I aren't the best of friends these days, but I still hauled Maia and Jones in the bike trailer (Halle riding beside me) all the way to swimming lessons. Three miles...100 pounds to tow...100 degrees outside...all uphill!

Besides the excersise, I am thrilled to be doing something for the environment by not driving for a week. Unlike most people you may encounter, Josh and I are actually kind of pleased by the hike in gas prices....We believe that until average Americans start to feel the crunch of high prices at the pump, they will never care enough about looking for alternatives to fossile fuel or alternative transportation. We have only one vehicle for this very reason (Josh drives an on/off road motorcycle or we arrange our days so he can have the van.)

Riding our bikes for a week in the summertime is a lot of fun, but it is also a bit of a social experiment: We are taking time to think about where we go and why and that simplicity is pouring over into other aspects of how we are living. Am I stewarding my water well? Do the lights really need to be on right now? The kids are having a blast (who doesn't like a bikeride with mom and dad?) and they are considering other ways to save and reuse and conserve what we have at home. I think its a great lesson for them and for us!

If you have time, I would highly reccommend a great article on Progville about gas prices and America's addiction to oil. Its called 9/11 and 4/11 and is by Tom Friedman. It just might start some interesting thought and conversation around your home!

I plan to write about any bumps in the road we encounter this week as well as any unexpected blessings...stay tuned for a glimpse at life without wheels! So far, the only downside are my sore calves and the $3.00 I lost at the Athletic club buying extra Powerade after my big ride! It was tasty though, so its not all bad!

Childhood Theology

2008-07-22T18:00:00.000-07:00

So, Sunday was wonderful, we went down to the river to see some people from our church get baptized, which was lovely. It afforded some great talks with the kids on the way there about what baptism is and later on about what a sacrament is and the vitality that is brought into community by outward signs of internal heart commitments and covenants. It is so sweet to even be at a place in their lives where we have these talks and it is even more sweet to hear their questions and responses.

Of course, with children (as with all of us) there is a learning curve with truths seeping in as the divine power of the Holy Spirit brings understanding...This couldn't have been displayed more pointedly than later on in the afternoon in our kiddie pool...

Upon hearing Jones laughing hysterically, Josh and I decided to check out what was up, only to see his big sisters standing beside him dunking him underwater... When we told them that even though he liked it, it would be best to stop... the response was,"But we were just baptizing him! Don't you want him to show how much he loves Jesus!?!"

We about died laughing...even the kids started giggling, but they may not have quite known what exactly we found so funny.

Simple

2008-07-20T21:21:00.000-07:00

I am trying something new. I found a beautiful blog filled with simple ideas for enjoying everyday small moments. I am going to use the framework given there in this post to enjoy some of the small things surrounding me today. If you take part as well, please let me know, I'd love to visit and read what inspires you...

Outside my window...a robin's egg blue and cobalt sky fading into the moonlight, the sprinkler's pitter pat, patter on the driveway as it helps new grass grow.

I'm thinking... about how to genuinely show love and listen to my family, how to participate fully in their ideas, their joys and their hurts and how to make laughter the norm in the walls of our home.

I am thankful for...FREEDOM. The freedom to be a personality full of vibrant life through Christ Jesus. And so incredibly thankful for a husband who nourishes freedom in our home, manifested in our hearts and through silly moments throughout the day.

From the Kitchen...mixed berry smoothies with scrambled eggs and peanut butter toast for breakfast in the morning.

I am wearing...a deep tourqoise cotton summer skirt and white tank top, bare feet and feathered hair.

I am creating...a painting from a verse the Spirit breathed into our home:
"Let my teaching fall like rain and my words decend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants." ~ Deuteronomy 32:2

I am going...to wiggle my toes in the grass and swim in the river with my children tomorrow afternoon (I can't wait!)

I am reading... Instructions for Visitors, a memoir on an American woman's life and love in a small French village. I can't get enough of France right now...remember this?

I am hoping...that our pet bunny(a house rabbit who lives only inside much like a cat, with a litter box and all), will overcome illness and stay with us a while longer, we can't bear to lose him, but this is looking inevitable.

I am hearing...the whirring of our central air working overtime (it was 106 degrees out today!

Around the house...I am picking up, a final sweep of sorts, before the cleaning woman comes to make my home sparkle before we put it up for sale this week.

One of my favorite Things...how about 4? I am obsessed with the fingers and toes of each of my four children. Something about the scent of sunscreen and pruny fingers fresh from the kiddie pool makes for extra hand and foot kisses.

A few plans for the rest of the week...giving TLC to the bun, swimming, sunning, and sneaking in the work of creating my week-by-week goals for the upcoming school year in the following subjects: language arts, reading, math, history, grammar, spanish, art, music, natural science, copywork and literature...more to come on this progress I promise!

A picture I am sharing...
This is me last October when Josh sent me to Mexico to spend time with Jesus, to relax and also to wrestle with some hurts that were swirling in my heart and head. It represents a sweet time with my Saviour that I have needed to remember in recent days. He is so good, so sweet and so ever faithful!

A Born Person

2008-07-19T22:59:00.000-07:00

A little update on how I am spending my summer... Much of the summer for me is spent lesson planning and making sure we have everything we need to get through our upcoming school year. I think this will be the first of several posts throughout the summer of what we are planning to study and do, and some of our philosophies about education.

We apply a Charlottle Mason philosophy of learning in our home, combined with some Classical education as well. Some great resources to discover more about both of these ways of teaching and learning are

Ambleside Online and
Trivium Pursuit

When we first started to consider homeschooling I read a book called For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer McCauley. The author is the daughter of the theologian, Frances Shaeffer and he and his wife Edith have literally changed our lives personally through their writings. When I found their daughter's book it was so life giving and began to shape much of what we do in our home.

Here is a quote that I have been considering over the last few days:

The Child is a Born Person
" This first position of Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy may seem merely a statement of the obvious. But it is not some minor element of a greater truth. It is a central truth in its own right, and if we ignore it, great sorrow and malpractice can result. Try a smiple experiment. Take a small child on your knee. Respect him. Do not see him as something to prune, form or mold. This is an individual who thinks, acts, and feels. He is a separate human being whose strength lies in who he is, not in who he will become. If his choices now and in the future are to be good ones, this person must understand reality and see the framework of truth.... We are told by many in our generation that this small child is a cog in a machine, or even that he is a possession, like a pet animal.... We must answer: NO. You are holding a person on your knee and that is wonderful."

Everybody...

2008-07-18T22:02:00.001-07:00

Overheard from the living room while making dinner:

Halle: "So you know Maia, every single person has sinned and needs Jesus...EVERY single one of us."

Maia: "Yep, Halle, I know that...everybody has sin and everybody poops."

(Lots of laughter from Halle)

Halle: "Well, except Jesus didn't sin, he's the only person..."

Maia (looking a little concerned): "Halle, did Jesus never poop?"

Where do they come up with this stuff???

Calling Card

2008-07-15T22:53:00.001-07:00

The girls are really into exchanging phone numbers with friends right now, just in case they need them for playdates and princess tea parties, its a pretty big deal to them. Maia is working on writing her numbers these days and last week pulled out a stack of index cards to begin writing her name and number on them, so she could hand them out to people she met...(don't worry, a big stranger danger lesson was soon to follow).

What also followed was my idea to have a cute little card to give people with my name and info on it. How many times do I give someone my number or email on a slimy piece of paper from my purse? Yuck and I'm sorry to any of you that have received one of those. If you were to ask me for my number today, you'd get one of these babies:

Vista Print rocks. They have a great deal right now on premium business cards 250 for $3.99 ladies! You just pick what style you want and fill in the blanks. Its helping to make me feel special in my role as mom too, that is my title on the card of course.. and plus I think they're pretty cute.

What I did this weekend....

2008-07-15T21:49:00.001-07:00

So, I've been ignoring the blog.

This weekend I was so extremely blessed to head to Bellingham for a special wedding. The father of the bride married Josh and I and his daughters (the bride!!)were Halle's first ever babysitters. Lael is named after the fourth child in their family and it was so special for them to meet in person. I was crying as this father gave away his first little girl and the beauty of family, a family I know and love so dearly, was so visible in all the pieces of that moment.

It was also incredible because I got to hang out with an old pal, Cutzi, from Moon With a View and our friend Amy. We played at the park, I decided their children are incredible and I am negotiating the marriage of one of my daugthers to one of Amy's sons.(Thanks for the little reunion girls!)

Josh and I dated and got married while we lived in Bellingham,we started our family there... In high school I first began to fall in love with Jesus at a Camp Firwood and all my memories of adolescence revolve around that place... In so many ways it is home. It is not where I was raised but it was very much my starting place.

Then, I was off to attend a party at my Aunt's house near Seattle. Each year she and my cousins host a party for all the women in our family. It is a purposeful way they have created for all of us to connect and share life together as girls.

This year it was a Garden Tea and let me just tell you... it was inspiring. These girls host like no others. In case you don't believe me (or just because I say please) I would love it if you would head over to my cousin, Kyla's Blog, to check out the details and photos.
Those pictures look like they are out of a magazine... and they could be. SHE IS THAT AWESOME. She is also just starting her blog and so I want to send some fun readers her way.

So, what did YOU do this weekend?

Happy Fourth!

2008-07-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July Everyone!

We're in the midst of a rainy day around here, but still plan to celebrate! When they wake up the kids are going to be greeted with their own sparklers and fun coupons for an ice cream cone later in the day.

We love reading poetry and singing songs about America (this usually happens outside picnicing, but today it might be on the couch). There is an awesome book we found a Costco last year called "Let Freedom Ring" that has a collection of stories we love to look through and really beautiful vintage pictures like this one:

We will have a spa time and paint the girls nails bright red for the special day and while the little kids nap, Halle and I will make some Apple Pie to enjoy after dinner. We are going to cook and eat with my parents and then we're off to watch the fireworks! We usually head down to the point right on the river and sprawl on the grass to watch the show. Tonight we may have to find a good viewing spot from the car if its raining.

I bought some inexpensive chinese take out boxes in red...

They are filled with goldlfish crackers, special candy and of course...earplugs for firework viewing. They have each of the kids names on them with blue and red stickers and we'll give them to them before we head off.

So, how will you be celebrating today?

What Summer Brings...

2008-07-02T13:28:00.000-07:00

"We have come to the place where we can honestly say that there is no distinction in our home school between home and school--we are living to learn and learning to live all at the same time. That is what happens in a home." ~Sally Clarkson

I am letting these words seep in deep today. Do any of you question this from time to time? Do any of you try to mimic what you knew to be "school" and get locked into your lists of 'what must come next...and then, and then...?' I do this more often than I'd like to admit...

I think it is reasonable for moms to feel a little overwhelmed at times...there is so much involved in the keeping of our days and the running of our homes. There is so much involved in our own hearts as we nurture and pour out our lives and gifts and loves to our children. There is oh so much involved in the little hearts of our young ones as they discover life in a family, how to relate to the God who made them and loves them so dearly, how to relate to others...

My days since Lael was born have felt overwhelming more often than not. I think that beyond the reasonable reflection and questioning, I have fallen into a bit of a "got to do it right" attitude. It is quelching my joy.

So, I am throwing out my list of to-dos today. Right relationships and fun are all that is on the docket. The sweet scent of summer is changing things up around here: the laughter, the play,the time together... oh the time! This season is infusing our home with renewed vision for living and learning...I am inspired to have this season spill over into our "school" year and have those distinctions beween home and school entirely diminish.

Bragging Rights

2008-07-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

I'm procrastinating with my next post, so in the meantime I am going to put up a new picture of my nephew, Zeke. Thanks for letting this auntie relish in her joy...between Zeke and Madeline my heart feels so full. They are such precious gifts and I want to snuggle them both endlessly...Isn't he adorable?

My Boy

2008-06-30T11:41:00.000-07:00

I may just be used to the cautious life of girls, but I happen to think Jones is pretty fearless, because he did this:

June Jubilee

2008-06-25T15:26:00.000-07:00

Halle and Maia have been in gymnastics classes all school year and just finished their June Jubilee, a showcase of all they have learned for family and friends. We were so proud of all their hard work and all they have accomplished! Here are a few highlights...

I've Got...

2008-06-25T07:19:00.000-07:00

a happy girl.

Thank you so much to everyone who wrote with words of encouragement about little Lael and some of my concerns. I was so uplifted as a mama... and honestly, pretty excited, about this whole blogger community we've got here.

I realized that being baby number four holds incredible blessing and also some challenges for my girl. She has three older siblings who adore her...constantly. And, as sweet as all their affection is, combined with their breakdancing and yelps of joy (and let's be real, pain too) Lael is a litte overstimulated. So, I decided I needed to be wearing her a bit more than I was. I have always loved having my babies in a carrier when we are out, but doing this at home wasn't the norm for me. My back usually feels kaput after an hour or so of walking around.

To be successful and enjoy all the benefits of babywearing, I knew I needed something that would feel great and be easy for me to use, and that Lael would love riding in. When I tried on this sweet contraption... I found exactly what I was looking for.

As a hunk-a long fabric, this wrap seemed really complicated, but I was so pleasantly suprised at how easy it was when the gurus at the baby store showed me how to use it. Mostly, its so comfy and SO secure feeling. I think my back is actually in better shape wearing Lael around the house verses holding her, because her weight is evenly proportioned in the way I support her.

And my sweetie...she couldn't be happier, she has a mama snuggled close and gets a bit of a break from all the lovin' that was just a tad too much. Her sleep is better (in and out of the Moby), and we are greeted by smiles and even coos (!) when we play. So, the update: lip-quivering has departed our home... hurray!

Inspiration...

2008-06-24T12:46:00.000-07:00

"Words, because they represent ideas, have the power to sway nations, touch and inspire individual lives. It seems through the centuries, whereever Christians have lived in community, education has resided- first to teach the Word and secondly, to contemplate and consider the words and lives of others."
-Karen Andreola

In the search for living, rich, beautiful books for my children, I have come to see the nourishment such literature brings! I can recall the stories that still dance in my own mind and heart...those that have made an impression that is stamped upon me forever. It is so easy to forget my own heart in the journey of motherhood, but I can not neglect this vital piece of my own continuted education. I must be as diligent in my search for words that will speak to me now as I am for the words that touch the lives of my children.

I love ethnologies. I love reading the stories of real people in real places and having the sense that I am there among them, tasting a culture that I don't comprehend without their narrative. This is my new favorite:

These essays read like a journal, swirling with the insight of an American in Paris. It is all at once romantic and witty and full of keen observations that have taken me inside French life. If you happen to be looking for something to nurture your sense of adventure this season, this book just may be it!

Mad

2008-06-16T21:38:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I haven't yet taken the time to announce the great joy of being an auntie to little Madeline Elaine Waller! I am so in love with her and so proud of her mama and papa and the way they love on her and care for her as new parents. Check out my sweet niece, she's exactly one month younger than Lael, born on April 11th...isn't she ADORABLE?

A Jar Full

2008-06-16T19:29:00.000-07:00

CHORE JARS

I am a little obsessed with systems... They give me a sense of control around our house and help me split and organize big jobs and the daily chores into small pieces that I feel able to accomplish. Over the years, I have gotten some great tips and ideas from the Flylady and would highly recommend her site to anyone looking for a way to keep life flowing well in their home.

One of the things we do around here are chores...when my oldest was able (and so excited) to help out around the house I was suprised at how wonderful it was to have her working beside me. We would wash windows, vaccum and cook meals together. She continues to take such ownership of the way our home runs and she actually enjoys it!

Discovering when she was old enough to have responsibility and real "chores" all her own was tough to figure out for us. We saw how much she just loved doing things to being a part of our family and we didn't want to squash her joy...we wished we had the same enthusiasm! But, as the other kids began to be ready to help out too and the list of jobs kept growing and growing, we saw the need for some order in the process of cleaning up our house each day. Most of all, we wanted a spirit of joy to permeate our daily life and "work" around here. Inspired by foam counters at the Dollar Store and leftover mason jars from my failed attempts at canning last summer, we eventually settled on these chore jars.

The big jar is filled with the chores that need to be done each day. The night before I divy them up into the girls smaller jars (I try to mix it up for some variety) and during "chore time" the girls draw a chore from their jar and complete it or are responsible for that job as it pops up throughout the day. The chores currently up for grabs are:

-sweeping
-laundry helper
-wipe sinks
-clean windows
-set table
-clear table
-empty garbage
-feed bunny
-empty dishes
-dusting

When its done they put it back in the big jar so its ready to go the next day. At seven and four years old, they can do this independently (Halle helps Maia read her chores) and their little two year old brother is asked to help them. We usually blast music and dance and get crazy...we just have a big whoosh of cleaning for about 20 minutes after breakfast. Its the perfect time for us to get our house ready for school or any guests that might arrive.

One BIG word of wisdom here is that we believe so strongly that our kids need to be trained to do these tasks well before they are set loose. That means mommy or daddy take time to work alongside the child and give them tools to be successful, offer encouragement and smiles, and prepare them for what will later be required.

This step can be hard work and take time, but if you do decide to implement chores in your home, please just hang on and be patient. This season of training has such tremendous benefits! It is a delight to see your children take on a task with confidence and know they can do it with excellence because you have gently layed a foundation for their success! Those little smiles of "helpers" are priceless and so is the freedom it brings as they share jobs around the house!

A Plan: Part 2

2008-06-14T08:33:00.000-07:00

I was so impressed with myself after I posted a meal plan last week: I was actually able to stick to it and relieve oh so much stress at dinner time. Thank you for your sweet comments last week. The biggest hit of all was the spinach lasagna, even all the kids ate it up (which is saying alot if you've met Maia and understand her passion for all things peanut butter) Check out the recipe I used from Mandy here.Just until I get back in the habit, here is what's going in our tummies THIS week...

Saturday- Father's day BBQ at mom and dad's

Sunday-Portabella Burgers with fresh fruit and steamed asparagus with lemon butter
(the kids will have just fruit and asparagus with pasta)

Monday-Homemade Pizza with basic sauce and cheese (we'll let the kids make their own individual pizzas),served with fruit salad

Tuesday- Broccoli Calzone with mozzarella and pesto (use 1/2 of pizza dough from the previous nights double batch)

Wednesday- Hummus platter with carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers and pita, served with strawberry kababs

Thursday- Baked Salmon with bread,vegggies and fruit

Friday- Potstickers with sticky rice

Saturday- Josh is shooting a wedding so the kids and I will eat leftovers and cereal :)

Lip-quivering In Action

2008-06-07T22:25:00.000-07:00

Sage, Wise women out there... I need help. I might have four children, but I only have one Lael and this baby is so different from any other that has come into the Kill household. She smiles all the time and is generally happy, but the girl is so serious! She also gets worked up... every day! She seems sincerely anxious. After having had three "mellow" babies, I need to know if this is simply what its been like for everyone else all along.

Case in point #1: Big broher has "claw" shaped salad tongs and pretends to be a tiger while Lael is in the swing...a full foot away, mind you. The result: one solid half-hour of screaming and lip quivering.

Case in point #2: Mom is doing the super-human one handed dishwashing jive with baby in arms, when plates collide and make a loud noise. The result: frightened jerk followed by above mentioned screaming and lip-quivering (this time only about 5 minutes).

Case in point #3: Crying baby needs to sleep, loving father wants to cuddle baby...Daddy time is cut short by the all too familiar screaming and lip-quiver as soon as mom makes the hand-off. The result: Dad passes back to mom after several minutes of soothing (must be a nursing thing,right?)...baby stops crying. Mom makes the pass back to dad and immediately witnesses the screaming, lip-quivering anguish of baby. This goes on for several passes until loving father gives up and just cuddles next to hot wife, which really is pretty great for everyone anyway...but, what is going on?

So, blog moms, what do you think? Is it just my turn, finally, to have a baby who is a bit more jumpy and dare I say, "normal" ??? Or, is there something more going on here? Is my baby in need of something I might not know how to give her because she doesn't fit the Kill baby M.O.? If this is just Lael's personality, thats cool with us, we like her quite a bit, lip-quivering and all... I just don't want to miss something here and this is getting a little weird. Plus, I am starting to worry about how it affects the rest of the kids... routine kind of goes out the window when there is non-stop crying. The result lately has been this:

Dog pile co-sleeping, although it does make such a cute picture, just can't go on forever!

Finally... A Plan!

2008-06-07T09:03:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of Jodi over at Billy and Green, I am finally going to post (which really means actually prepare) a meal plan for our week. I used to do this all the time, but after Lael was born, its all gone a little south in the kitchen department. Somehow posting a meal plan on my blog makes me feel accountable to actually having one, so here, for your enjoyment is the lowdown on what the Kills will be eating this week:

Saturday: Pizza with basic tomato sauce served with fresh strawberry kebabs and vanilla yogurt (Josh will be gone shooting a wedding, so its a kids' favorite kind of night around here)

Sunday: Double Batch (freeze one) of Enchiladas with rice, fresh limes and limeade slushies.

Monday: Spinach Lasagna with fruit salad and garlic bread

Tuesday: Thai Pizza with fresh fruit and sticky rice

Wednesday: Tomato Basil Tart with fresh vegetables and strawberry kebabs

Thursday: Bean and Cheese Quesadillas with guacamole, chips and salsa

Friday: Pancakes with peanut butter and nutella (I know, I know...),raw nuts and fresh fruit on top

Pony Bath

2008-06-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

So... any of you ever had curdled milk in your kitchen sink? No? Ahhh... it might be because you never left the kids alone in the kitchen when you put the baby down for a nap and so you weren't around when they got the awesome idea to give their My-Little-Ponies a bath in hot water, vinegar and milk...sounds refreshing, don't ya think?

THE K.H.O.

2008-06-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

Josh and I are fairly caffeine driven. We don't really like it, but we're willing to be okay with it in this season of life...This morning the reality of our dependence really hit home; it went something like this:

Kristen (while holding Lael): Will you grind the coffee for my espresso? I can't really do that one handed ....

Josh(barely moving): uh-huh

Pajama-clad kids in other room becoming restless for parents who are awake: Don't hit me...you can't have that...where did you put my blankie?...screeek,scream,yelp...

Kristen: ugh...coffee, I need coffee

Josh: Guys,come on, I'm getting mom her coffee.

Kids, realizing the urgency of dad's chore and an opening for willfullness: AHHH! AHHHH! (lots of muffled pushing, pulling, rustling)AHHH!

Josh: Okay, everyone to their beds. Daddy's having a kid meeting RIGHT now!

Kristen: Yeah guys, go with dad... its like a club, he has some stuff he needs to share with you... like a club! I then began to down my espresso in giant gulps...

What followed was actually the sweetest part of the day... Josh loved on our kids, read them Scripture about serving others and how Christ said to deal with wrongs done against you and prayed with them. Then he told them the name of their new club...KIDS WHO OBEY...

Josh: Okay guys... the meeting of the K.H.O is now complete!

Kristen(amazingly refreshed): So, what's the K.H.O?

Josh: Our new club... Kids Who Obey

Kristen(super clever from caffeine):Wouldn't that be the K.W.O. ?

Josh: Blank stare, then... Oh, yeah...but its an "H" sound...

After a good laugh, we headed back to the kitchen to make Josh his own coffee

Models

2008-05-28T18:19:00.000-07:00

One would assume that part of the beauty of having a husband who is a professional photographer would be oodles of pictures of the kids in all corners of the house, right? Well, not so at casa de Kill... Josh is more than willing to shoot us, but I can never seem to get my act together to get everyone set for the production that photographing all of us becomes.

Well, today I actually went for it and we captured some fun moments... I was really wanting some candid shots of me with the kids and I think Josh did a great job! In the progression of the photos you will see a bit of meltdown action... modeling is hard work, you know! Hoping to still get some more naked Lael shots and some sweet pics of just Maia and I as well as a few of all four kids together. But round one is set...Enjoy!

This is is what I'll be doing today...

2008-05-16T09:07:00.000-07:00

Grub

2008-05-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

Common Lunch

I have posted before about our vegan lifestyle around here and how it all came about. This post is a little update on the grub that fills our tummies. Starting out on this vegan journey is hard, no doubt about it. Like most things I guess, we were idealistic about what it would all look like and how great we would feel. But then after the first two weeks of meal plans were eaten up we started thinking... 'what now? How do we cook tofu 10 different ways? Do we really even like tofu? Remember cheese?'

The big thing for us in the beginning was the recipe learning curve... we had to avoid some common staples and learn some new tricks in the kitchen. Also, an unexpected issue (for Josh especially) was trying to feel "really full" after meals. I guess that whole post-eating stupor had become the norm around here after a good steak. When you aren't eating meat, it takes a greater volume of food to fill you up. We also discovered that variety was key to being happy eaters. PB &J is vegan, but you obviously can't survive on the stuff, or at least we can't.

So here is where we are now: we are not 100% vegan. We now fit into the vegetarian category, but we play around with a lot of vegan dishes and I honestly do prefer serving them. So although we want to stay away from dairy, its still incorporated into my cooking. However we don't drink milk, it just makes the kids tummies feel icky.. which is what got us thinking vegan in the first place. We really enjoy rice or almond milk,and Josh and I use soy for our lattes... rice just doesn't do it for us in the foam department.

We use vegan butter, tofu, etc and grub on heaps of fruit and veggies. Our food is yummy and simple. We don't eat any eggs,and we still don't eat any meat, at least at home, but if its being served through the loving hospitality of a friend or family member we are all over it.

To fill up my hardworking hubby I research lots of filling recipes and that's where the following comes in... this is our new fav, totally yummy, totally vegan: THAI PIZZA Thanks to Renae for this recipe. My buddy Allison thinks it would be good with chicken on top too. For more ideas on healthy eating and a killer spinach lasagna recipe, check out Mandy's blog!

Thai Pizza

Thai Pizza

Ingredients
pizza dough
carrots
green onions
cilantro
bean sprouts

Peanut Sauce
(Your favorite peanut sauce can be substituted here, but we follow a basic satay recipe)
2 T. vegetable oil
1-2 c. peanut butter
2-3 T. soy sauce
1-2 cloves minced garlic
2-3 T. honey

Heat the oil in a small pot and add in the minced garlic until fragrant. Whisk in the peanut butter, soy sauce and honey until combined and a creamy texture. Our measurements are leave room for your creativity because we just add the ammount that looks right!

-Bake your favorite pizza dough recipe (we use a breadmaker for our dough, but have heard that Trader Joe's is great too)
-After it is cooked to a golden hue, layer it with peanut sauce and top with the sliced veggies. Drizzle any remaining peanut sauce over the top and serve.
This is highly addictive, crunchy and filling!

Proof

2008-05-15T09:39:00.000-07:00

Hurray for pictures! I finally got some of our photos off of Josh's computer and onto my laptop.... so without further adeiu...here is the proof that we actually do have a two month old!

Sloppy...

2008-05-15T00:56:00.000-07:00

So, I tried to add new wallpaper to the blog and have no idea what I am doing. So, its going to look like this until Josh can fix it...just so you all know this whole sloppy business isn't coming from him. He's a consumate professional you know.

Random Happenings

2008-05-15T00:03:00.000-07:00

I'm awake at midnight and really should be sleeping,but decided to post to my blog instead!!!

- I'm reading a book of essays on Paris and am completely facinated. I'm convinced its the greatest way to travel in the days of nurturing young kiddos. Did you know excersise as we know it in the US is pretty non-existent there? Can anyone with some real knowledge of France confirm this? I am considering a diet of chocolate and wine to help my potato shaped body get whipped into shape!

-I am consumed with planning for next school year... what our days will look like, what books we will use, what classes we will participate in at the homeschool co-op...please pray that I would be tender to the leading of the Lord throughout this process. Josh and I have made all major decisions already (this is going to be a topic of a later post) but the details are falling together now.

-Josh's business is blowing my mind. I am so amazed to be married to a man who was courageous enough to begin his own company and create a life for us that is full of passion as he works doing what he loves. Not only that, the boy is driven! He is a huge inpiration to me as he lives a life that is alive and full, from a place of contentment even among sixteen hour days. And he still rocks it out as a hubby and dad. He is really my hero. He just hired 2 new employees, so the 16 hour stuff should slow down a bit pretty soon... whoo-hoo!

- Halle and Maia are turning the living room into a gymnastics studio as they practice their routines for their gym's "June Jubilee" show next month. Its pretty adorable...

-Jones has a double ear infection and couldn't be more polite about it...asking for ibuprofen with heaps of sweetness and thanking us for water, ear drops,etc. He's been so cuddly, I will secretly miss this time when he is back to full speed.

- Lael is doing great. She is seriously the cutest baby in the world. I am not exaggerating one bit here. I've not posted anything about her medical issues, but she has been having seizures and we are heading to Children's for some further testing. We feel very blessed by the awesome medical attention she has received and are thrilled with our pediatric neurologist at Children's. He was the Dr. that finally gave me some answers about on-going medical issues about 10 years ago... so it couldn't be a better fit. I will post more as news comes down the wire, but please pray that all goes well in the next week. My momma heart is a little nervous for the anesthesia she has to undergo for her MRI...

-I am currently taking applications from teenage boys (or girls if they have the gumption) to till my backyard this weekend so I can plant hydro-seed... any takers? Pizza will be served.

- Cloth diaper update: Wow, is all I can say. I love them.

Hairy Man

2008-05-10T23:12:00.000-07:00

Just to make everyone feel like an awesome mom this mother's day, I decided to post a picutre of Jones and his super hairy arms. This is obviously an example of the excellent care and supervision he receives from me everyday. I'm especially moved by how proud he is of his manliness in these photos.

Happy Bums

2008-05-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

There have been several blog posts rolling around in my mind the last few weeks, but I can't seem to actually put them into words... still working on exactly what I want to say (Can anyone tell I have some slight issues with perfectionism?). In the meantime, I decided to write about baby bottoms... lucky you!

When I had my first baby, cloth diapering wasn't even on my radar. But by the time my second rolled around I really wanted to give it a try. Josh and I purchased Fuzzi Buns and although I liked using them, at the time it seemed like alot of work to have so much extra laundry. I got a little lazy and decided that for my sanity at the time I needed to give them to a friend and just use disposables. Now with four kids, I am one with the laundry room... because let's face it, if I'm not hanging out there everyday, things get ugly pretty quickly around here.

Since Lael was born I have wanted to give cloth diapers another try. Josh has been slow to convince because he was worried about the extra work for me, but the clincher came last week at Costco. Math people, its all about the math.

2 children in diapers at $35 per month each of Costco diapers = $70
Wipes from Costco= $16
Damage to the planet= we don't even want to know, but its got to be heaps right?
VS.
14 cloth diapers with inserts + doublers for overnight at $17.95 each
20% off Mother's Day special factored in takes off $2.69 per diaper....
To be used forever and ever = pretty much a whole lot less!

We decided to go with the bum genius brand this time around because of this incredible feature: they adjust from newborn size to toddler with cutie little snaps!!! That's right... Jones and Lael can both wear them. They are cute too. We decided white is a bit boring and so we got the lime green, light blue, yellow and pink. They are soft and toasty in the winter and will wick away moisture in the summer. They wash SOOO easily as well: no soaking required. Just rinse, wash, rinse, plop in dryer, that's it.

I know it seems silly, but I almost cried when Jones told me " like it mama, like it" when I put his first one on him today. We will begin potty training him this summer (even though he already turned 2,its my style to just let kids be naked through this process and that doesn't happen easily in the winter months around here) so I know its not a long time for him to wear these new diapers,but it was just so nice to put something comfy on him today. Hooray for happy bums!

UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

2008-04-16T21:01:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed some interesting changes in the look of this blog since yesterday... that is because my sweet web-designer husband is fooling around with it...exploring the html code that lies behind the scenes and mixing up the formating and colors for me. Since he does this in his free time, it will probably look kind of quirky for a little while before it settles into an ultra cool style. So, bear with us and enjoy the changes that may come along!

Late Easter

2008-04-14T22:17:00.000-07:00

So, Easter has come and gone but I neglected to post some cutie pictures for the grandmas (and lets face it,for me to share cute pictures!!!). Since Passover is this weekend, I thought the timing was semi-appropriate! So, here are the belated pictures of my sweet children. Sorry there are no pictures of Lael, at the time she was only 12 days old and I was snuggled inside with her copping out on all the egg hunting fun!
P.S. My favorite picture is the one of Grandma Jan sticking her tongue out for the camera... I think we have some old pictures of her doing this at about age 15 too!

Nectar

2008-04-14T18:03:00.000-07:00

So, I realized lately that I feed my kids a lot of sugar... I love to bake and to smother their otherwise healthy flaxseed waffles with syrup every morning. There has been considerable guilt about this on my part, but then I consider: "hey... I have 4 kids and they are so much happier with slurpy, syrupy waffles at 7am, so what the heck." I was fairly resigned to continue this pre-diabetic breakfast feast until I read Jodi's blog about Agave Nectar (otherwise known as : fruit of the gods). You have got to read all the information she has there about how this kind of sugar is actually good for you, as far as sugar can be good for you, of course...

Now I am happy to report that my children are receiving Agave Nectar on their waffles and they haven't even noticed the swap! This was highly unexpected as my children notice the ever so subltle differences between regular or light vanilla soy milk. Score one for me! And please don't mention this post to them if you bump into them at breakfast time.

Our Sweet Garden

2008-04-11T22:50:00.000-07:00

We dedicated our Lael Harue last Sunday. Sitting in our living room, surrounded by my parents, my sister Julie and her husband Ryan and my sweet nephew Zeke. Our good friends Dan and Allison were here with their boys, Zeke and Reed as well. It was a sweet moment in time that I have been replaying in my mind all week, just relishing...

Josh shared about Lael's name (which is Hebrew for "of God"), annointed her with oil and asked me to share a vision that we have for all of our daughters before praying over little Ellie (her official nickname).

We believe so passionately in the importance of having our home be a vibrant place of life, creativity, learning,and relationships. We have a purpose for the connections that take shape within these walls and what happens when we head out from them into the wide open world! We are also passionate about the beauty of femininity and in the calling God has placed on women to be beautifying sources of help and support.

We love the image of the wife in the Song of Solomon, where she is described as a walled garden full of splendor and beauty, protected and preserved by the wall, which is not restrictive, but rather lovingly and carefully guarding her. We see Lael (and our other daughters) as a beautiful garden. They are to be treasured and nourished,watered and tended with all the energy a watchful gardener can muster. We asked our family to join Josh and I in our role as Lael's garden wall; we asked them to help guard and protect her sweet fragrance, her innocence, her purity...her heart. We closed our time by singing "The Lord Bless You and Keep You" all together... it was glorious.

Our Sweet Garden... our sweet girl, we are so very blessed to love her and bring her before our God.

TO DO:

2008-03-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

I want to be creative. Here is a non-exhaustive list of craft projects I am trying to find time to do...

1. Finish knitting a blanket for Lael (nearly done)

2. Create a Bunny Bed for our Fuzzy House Rabbit. I saw the idea on houseonhillroad.com used as a kitten bed and loved it! I'm painting a basket black and sewing up a pillow to sit inside of it for our bunny to lounge on... I'm excited that it will be stylish and match our bedroom, because our bunny is currently napping on our laundry basket.

3. Sew Twirly Skirts for Halle and Maia. This will be my first pattern sewing project, I have the most beautiful fabric, just a little nervous to begin. Since it snowed yesterday, I think thatgives me a wee bit more time to complete these Spring beauties.

4. Living room Painting...currently there is a large 16x20 canvas hanging on my living room wall. It is painted a cool green color and awaiting the painting that I feel God is putting on my heart for our family to enjoy. I have some ideas of what this will be, just needing time to work on it! I think because I want to spend some sweet uninteruppted time with Jesus as I paint, just soaking him up and worshiping him as he places the images, strokes and colors on my heart.

5.Picture Frames are sitting in my closet, beautiful picture frames that I am dying to put up on my walls... but which walls? And what will they be filled with? Kid pictures? Art work? The restored photos of grandparents that I am longing to display?

6.Stationary. About 2 years ago, I made a Huge batch with my favorite papers... the design comes from my buddy Allison, who is an artist and happens to be brilliant. Even though I had heaps, its time to create a new, fresh stash...

A Little Lael Lovin'

2008-03-30T01:22:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen a yawn so cute? I know its shameless, I said it would be shameless to flaunt all this cuteness... but it is my blog :)

Mischeivious MR. ED

2008-03-30T01:07:00.000-07:00

Ahh Jones... silly boy. He can't get enough of his horse costume. Seriously, we have to pry it off him, sometimes in the middle of the night after he has drifted into a deep, deep sleep. And just to put it out there... its normal for kids to climb on the counter to hunt for breakfast while their parents sleep in on Saturday morning right?

Saturday Night Continued... plus Daddy

2008-03-30T01:05:00.000-07:00

Just Another Saturday Night....

2008-03-30T01:01:00.000-07:00

Saturday nights usually find us watching a movie together and making a total mess all over the living room with pillows and popcorn.... OR being cheesy in front of the camera and a special light/lens/technical gadget for the professional camera thing... these pictures are from the latter.

My Kids Can Cook!

2008-03-30T00:56:00.000-07:00

This is just the first of several posts that are a shameless display of my children's cuteness.... Aren't they adorable making shortbread cookies?...yum yum!

We Study Spring

2008-03-27T12:40:00.001-07:00

I have a confession.... this school year started out with big hopes and dreams for elaborate nature study: with visions of my children happily picnicing on dewy grass and sketching in their nature journals with the very joy of heaven.

I dreamt of them identifying birds and their calls, communicating with nature like they were sweet little decendants of Pocahontas (which they are,by the way, but that is for another post). We began well, hiking on some great trails, collecting leaves, discovering a pond and documenting all the tracks that surrounded it in the wet mud. But alas, my sweet Indian maidens have a mom who couldn't commit to the weekly nature walks on the school schedule.

Where was my resolve to be one with nature? To be intimate with the outdoors and give my children a love of dirt and fresh air and the scientific names of pincones? I have a pretty good idea that the passion I had for this kind of study froze solid right around the time the temperature dropped below 20. Ahh, the loss of good intentions...

Just in time it seems, Spring is here to redeem us! The buds and first blossoms are all around our garden and we are out each day preparing to place seeds in the ground. We are studying flowers at the moment and the picture seen in this post is Halle's rendering of the anatomy of the Crocus... pretty good don't you think? And the big bonus to my percrastination in the Nature department? We have done so much book work that we might finish school early this year and with a new baby there is nothing I am desiring more than to walk in the neighborhood, take the kids to the park and just enjoy eachother out of doors. Maybe I should just tell people this was my plan all along....

The Cookies

2008-03-22T15:15:00.000-07:00

Girl Scouts have a motto : They "build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place..." and build me into a thin- mint hoarding machine! What is it about cookies sold by sweet little girls that makes us all say, "Sure, I'd love some!" with a sugary smile? I think that as much complaining as we all do over door-to-door sales and the monetizing of girl scout cuteness, deep down we are longing for the girls in green to ring our bell.

For those of you who are disciplined enough to resist the thin-mint and other yummy girl-scout confections, props to you. I really don't know if I will ever understand you and your ability to pass up the box of decadence that presently sits on my top kitchen shelf... free from the prying glare and hungry eyes of my children. I don't plan to offer any cookies to them. I really will eat the whole box and I will miss them when they are gone. I will mourn until next Spring when the cookie sale comes again.

Maybe next year I might offer one or two to Josh or stash some in the kids' Easter baskets, but probably not.... I should be in the throws of guilt and shame for such obscene covetedness, but I did just have a baby ten days ago. I think I will chalk this one up to postpartum cravings and the hormonal need (read: NEED) for chocolate.

Brother and Sister Days

2008-03-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

Halle and Lael napping, Jones taking an unusual interest in the bassinet and Lael, wide eyed and beautiful....

Who are these guys anyway Part 3: Jones

2008-03-22T11:44:00.000-07:00

So, who is our little man? Well, he's definately a little MAN! Something in me was concerned when I found out I was having a boy after having two girls. I was thrilled to be able to experience parenting both sexes, but was honestly nervous about emasculating this little guy. Notice the pink wall in the background of this picture? This symbolizes the life of my son. Our house is full of pink and purple, of baby dolls and glitter and feather boas. What was this going to do to a boy that I want to see grow into a man's man... One that would someday lead his family, become a priest in his home, and cultivate a life of passion and purpose as a provider? Well, the inate boy things that are often hidden under the surface of so many are literally screaming out of Jones. Pink surroundings and all, this little guy KNOWS he is a man.

He embraced the joy of football season this fall, begging for ESPN whenever he had a free moment... he loves his trucks and blocks and balls. He loves to race his sisters in the backyard or in looops around the house and he loves to be dirty. Perhaps the bath afterwards inspires his obsession with getting messy because he is a big fan of splashing like a wild animal in the tub. Jones has a sincere love for people around him, he goes nuts to see his grandparents and is always up for cuddling, especially if its under a giant fort in the living room. For a two year old he is incredibly focused; he loves to read books, with someone else, or alone on his little belly. He loves to practice drawing circles and does this often while the girls are working on their handwriting or a math lesson.

I have also noticed that fear is not in any of his decision making equations. Its not been uncommon for us to find him jumping off the kitchen table or couch... or Halle's top bunk. There were times in the last two years that I wondered how he was still alive... and I am still waiting for the day when we will experience his first set of stiches or a cast... it must be coming soon, right?

She's Really Here

2008-03-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

Lael Harue joined our family on Tuesday night, contributing to my lack of internet presence and future blogger slacking.... What a joy this little girl is to us! We can not even begin to describe the wonder of giving birth, welcoming her into our home and the sweet way we are spending our days cuddling and napping and cuddling some more. She is such a gift.

For the mamas out there who love labor stories... it was quick! I was technically induced, the doctor broke my water at about 8 pm after an hour of pitocin and Lael was born at 9:52 pm. I pushed for 4 minutes, which is embarassing to mention because I know that most people push for hours! God has really blessed us with short and easy deliveries, which is probably one of the reasons we keep having babies.

The kids are loving watching over their new little sister, our bed is full of everyone each morning, all of us kissing and snuggled and holding her tiny fingers and toes. There hasn't been any jealousy or squabbling, only helpers who seem to genuinely love and care for this new family member. Even Jones has adjusted so beautifully! He is already protecting her, concerned when she cries, bringing her toys and continuously looking at my belly and saying..."she out mama!"

As I write this, I am finding I am just smiling. Life is so full and so full of joy. Our house is messy (heck, we're all messy!), and I know in the days to come we will have to find a new balance and a new way of living and working together with this big change, but we are so happy and we are doing it together. I am so thankful for that.

All Pink

2008-03-06T18:32:00.001-08:00

GG's loot, originally uploaded by killfam.

Pretty sure this is from the influence of the Incredibles (seen in our van on frequent road trips) : Maia was found dressed in pink superhero clothes last week and talking on her cell phone saying :
" I'm sorry, but I am not affiliated with you... goodbye."

Who are these guys anyway? Part 2 : M&M

2008-03-06T18:16:00.001-08:00

Maia Necia @ 1550 days 1257 minutes, originally uploaded by №7.

Maia is passionate. Its what her name means and it defines so much of who she is. Whatever she does, whether it is getting dressed in the morning and finding the perfect shirt, or cheering on Jones and Halle in a race down the hall, it is done with fervor and zeal and an incredible ammount of energy.

At four years old, I have never met another child so obsessed with babies. Living life as a very pregnant lady these days, my every move is chronicled by M. She is constantly asking... " is it okay for you to eat that with the baby in your tummy mom?" " Are you able to walk that far with the baby mom?" "I need to be close to you right now mom, so I can talk to the baby, could you give us some privacy?" It is a trait that is absolutely loveable and that I know will find a special place in our home once her new little sister is born. For now, her own babies, "Pear" and "Sandy" occupy her time and attention pretty exclusively. They have scheduled nursing and nap times and are usually included on outside excursions and special playdates. We are especially proud of "Sandy" and the progress she has made in recent weeks in regards to potty training.

Maia is an extrovert. She likes to discuss all her emotions and all of her ideas.We find she really needs feedback to be validated and to process whatever is occuring in her heart. So, pretty much the complete opposite personality of her big sister Halle. One thing they do share in common is a love for learning. Maia recently crawled into bed with us one early morning and cried because she is not able to "really" read, but felt she was only pretending. This began her reading lessons, which she is thriving in! She loves art and dancing and her gymnastics class. When you come to visit, be prepared for Maia to give you a tour of her room, demonstrate a song and dance number or show you all her owies.... its quite the entertainment!

Halle's self-portrait

2008-03-06T17:54:00.001-08:00

Self-portrait, originally uploaded by killfam.

Who are these guys anyway? Part 1: Hal

2008-03-05T20:11:00.001-08:00

Halle Judea @ 2505 days 125 minutes, originally uploaded by №7.

See those little lips, how they are just working sooo hard not to bust out in a smile, but be super serious? That's why I love this picture. Halle does all she can to be "grown up" but she is such a ham all at once and you have to be ready to catch the little person inside her in small glimpses and then giggle like crazy.

I seriously don't know where the last seven years have gone. All of a sudden I have a beautiful child, not toddler, not teen, standing before me each day, helping to make our home lovely, to cook, to care for her brother and sister.... her passion to have a purpose as a true helper around here is relentless. She has a hunger to learn and to read that is insatiable. Most nights we find her still awake and reading in her bed hours after we have tucked her in. She is focused in ways that I can not imagine being and has a capicty to do everything with precision and an attention to detail that I know did not come from me!

Halle is a thinker and although she loves to be with friends and family, she is an introvert .Sometimes we are just dying to enter her small world and discover what goes on behind her deep brown eyes. When she was born, our prayer was that she would be blessed to be a blessing and this has certainly happened.

These days her obsession is legos, art, and creating anything with used materials (this came about after the recycling propaganda of "reduce, reuse and recycle" hit our home). She is learning to speak Spanish, reads everthing she can get her hands on, including every cereal box or pasta wrapper and is quite the force to be reckoned with on her bicycle. Also, is it normal for kids to love math? We recently had to buy Halle a "fun" math workbook because she wanted to sit and practice math facts! Seriously, this must be a trait from Josh, because math makes me want to puke even as I teach it in our homeschool.

When she was a baby, I think I imagined seven being forever away and that my heart would somehow break with a child so old. But as her birthday approaches next month, I am so thrilled. Seven is so fun! This girl is such a joy and I have never enjoyed being her mother more than right now.

The Warm Blessing of Spring

2008-03-05T19:26:00.001-08:00

Harue. def. the warm blessing of Spring.

We have finally decided on a middle name for our little girl. Its pronounced Har-oo-ah and its Japanese. We are not Japanese nor do we have any connection or special history with Japanese culture, go figure. BUT, we have come to the conclusion that the Japanese language sums up all that is in our hearts at this time of year better than any other we've been able to find.

Lately around here you will find us outside, picking up this and that piece of yuck that has been buried all winter in the backyard, raking the peed gravel, moving firewood from here to there and dreaming about the blooms our garden will soon hold. Sunshine is peeking through our curtains to wake us each morning and it is a wonder to hear the birds outside our windows chirping away before we even have a chance to greet one another indoors.

Just a little over a month ago we had an average temperature of 15 degrees F and I couldn't let the girls outside because I thought frostbite would overtake their little cheeks (and I am pretty partial to those little cheeks). Slowly, without my ever realizing it was happening, the earth began to soften, the winds changed, life began to move in small bits around me. I began to warm, from the inside out, like a cup of hot chocolate had permanantly taken up residence in my belly. And today, I am basking in the warm blessing of spring. My daughter is due any day, and as I imagine kissing her face for the first time, tickling her little toes and curling her newborn hair in my fingertips, I imagine it all in the glow of sunshine, among the blessing of this season.

Who are these guys anyway?

2008-03-05T19:18:00.001-08:00

It has occured to me lately that my children are awesome. I have always loved being a mom, from the first time I smelled Halle's little newborn head, I was hooked... this is what I wanted to do... to live life with these little people, training and teaching and experiencing the wonder of family life.

Josh and I had the priveledge of a night alone last night as all three kids spent the night with some great friends (who needless to say are incredibly curageous to have added three more kids into the mix of their own brood of four!). We called to say goodnight to the kids and began to get a little misty thinking of all that they bring to our home and how much we missed them. Nothing like a little time away from the ones you love to help give you some perspective and see clearly who they really are.

So, I decided to highlight a little of who these little people are today, in March of 2008. I know they will grow and change,but I want to really reflect on what is happening in their hearts and minds right now and relish in their personalities and all their little quirks. Spring is a time to celebrate new life and gosh darnit, I'm going to begin right at home!

Josh the Hero

2008-02-20T09:40:00.001-08:00

be...the deer, originally uploaded by №7.

Josh is a hunk. Our kids have been sick since Sunday... 103 degree fever kind of sick with some puke involved... and this guy has taken care of every detail so I could chill and be very pregnant and healthy. Last night he was up with Maia and Jones at 4:30 am and it is only now at 9:30 that they are falling back to sleep. I don't think this kind of devotion and love is common. I don't think I thank Josh enough for all he does. When men lead like he does, serving and loving their wives and children with joy and abandon something really amazing happens in a home. I feel so blessed to look to him for vision and direction, to partner with him in our life together. He is such a gift and a very rare one at that. So, Josh, thanks for getting down and dirty for your family...puke and all... we love you!

Auntie Time

2008-02-17T18:28:00.001-08:00

Auntie Time
Originally uploaded by killfam

Here he is... Ezekiel James Wilson, my beautiful nephew, born October 29, 2007

Where I've Been...

2008-02-17T18:25:00.001-08:00

me and the ocean
Originally uploaded by killfam

It was recently pointed out to me that I am a bad blogger. I haven't written anything in this place since August... which is kind of pathetic. Honestly, there has been a lot mulling in my mind and heart that I didn't want to share with anyone, especially through my computer screen. I've been to Mexico, become an auntie, homeschooled with a passion, carried my new daughter for nearly 9 months and tasted the life that comes with having a self-employed husband...but now I am back. Back to write and live and share through Skylark. I miss this! I miss blending artistic fun and the quirky sides of my personality and my familiy's story all together in a blog. I miss communicating with people out there... thanks for being one of them...

Lazy Days

2007-08-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

These lazy days of summer are intoxicating. First and second breakfasts are a common love as we live like hobbits... after eating and eating while the air is cool we crawl into swim suits and slather on sunscreen ~ swimming is all that is on our agenda each day. And so we live, lazy and sundrenched and wet; enjoying one another and enjoying the outdoors. The laughter filling us has been full and hearty and contagious.
Until today, I haven't had much motivation to write, I haven't been in a blogging kind of mood. I have been overwhelmed and ill with pneumonia. It seems like such a strange thing to have such a serious illness in the summer time, its all been a little surreal. The heat of these days and their lazy moments have grown wider and lasted beyond their appointed time. But the laughter of my little ones and the eating and the sun have been an oil of blessing and healing. Their joy has been so hearty even with a mama who is only able to look on and not take part in their play. The laughter of my parents caring for them in my place has filled my heart too. I am seeing up close the beauty these lazy days offer us. The beauty of living without a routine, of loving others as the only box to check on the to-do list; the lovely gift I have been given to stop and be still and watch and soak up these people around me. This immobility has rendered me useless and unable to complete my daily tasks. And in this time, I see that it is not at all about what I do, and only about who I am and who they are ~ these loves, these small ones and those that stand in the gap and love and train and teach them when I am so weak. These lazy days are full of such learning! And so we rest and we learn.

A Goodbye

2007-07-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

Today we are honoring Josh's grandpa,Jerome Kill,and remembering his life and his loves. He inpired us with his passion for our country, recounting stories again and again of places we had never seen, gifting us with an intimacy of history and geography that only comes from someone who loves what they share so much. Battle stories and boyhood adventures were relived so often at his feet... children and adults alike wide-eyed and listening...

Welcoming hugs and kisses, babies bouncing on his knee, peek-a-boo games with bright eyes beaming from behind thick rimmed specktacles...stories we will long to hear again... we miss all these things. As we grieve this special man, we are so thankful for the gift of story he has left us, for the gift of his time and for what we can pass on to our children and grandchildren... stories for generations. We miss him, but we will always honor him with what he has left us to tell.

Lightening Strike

2007-07-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

Eyes open, my warm toasty, content under the quilt toes meet the cool wood of the bedroom floor. The chill and the smooth mingle and wake me from the bottom up. It is early; darkness through my windows on a summer morning kind of early.

Then among a flash…light fills my room from the sky outside my window. I shuffle my toes along the chilled, smooth floor into the living room, standing before picture windows to take in the lightening show. Today, I am awake. Today, I have been stirred. I have risen in my idealistic fashion, early… before Josh or the children have wriggled out of their sheets. The lightening outside my window has struck within my body this morning as well. As if with a jolt, I am eager to begin my day; my tasks, my loves, my serving and caring; my creating of our home. The flashes through my windows charge through me, exciting my senses, invoking wonder, beckoning me to praise their awesome Creator as I look upon them with awe. And so I meet Him, this God who has called me as His own; this God who has created the light and the darkness; this God who has awakened my heart. I meet him and I am in some ways more amazed then ever as we talk among the lightening and thunder. I tell Him how I love His light show; I tell Him that I need Him today as I pour out to my sweet family, that I desire His love to be made known to them, to awaken their hearts as well.

And then the rain pours…

He pours out His waters across the land, the rhythm booming and beating on my roof and my windowpane. The rhythm of His waters boom and beat in me. I sway to the tempo of His rain, I take refuge in His water, in His nourishment.

I am refreshed.

The Bunny Who Started It All

2007-07-15T16:24:00.001-07:00

When I was four, my family moved into a house that I found magical. There was a hidden room above our pantry and my sister, Julie and I would spend hours there with our imaginations and a flashlight. The hallways and little nooks were fitted with built-in bookshelves and writing desks and a backyard lined with evergreens beckoned my sister and I to burrow in between them. This house still holds such a special place in my mind and heart. It is the scene where I can recall my childhood dreams and longings and wonder. It is the place where sweet childhood memories were made and kept. It was also the beginning of an era... One of the rooms had vintage Beatrix Potter wallpaper from the early 20th century and as it eventually became my room, my mom started for me a lofty collection of Beatrix Potter books and dishes, ceramic characters and even stuffed animals. I was a little tired of it by the time I reached the sixth grade, but the indroduction to the character of Peter Rabbit had made a mark upon my life. Throughout college and early married life, I still would become sentimental when I saw a figure of Peter or Jemima Puddle Duck or Tom Kitten in a store window.
When Halle was a toddler, I began reading some of these stories to her. I loved how thoughtful Beatrix was of childrens' size and grip. Even at three, Halle's little hands could wrap around and steady the small books as if they were made just for her... for they had been! Now, Maia, our current three year old is captivated my Peter as well. Her personal favorite is 'The Tale of Two Bad Mice' and when Jones is sleeping she will creep down the hall and assure me she is just as quiet as Hunca Munca.
Dear Beatrix was not one to toss out fluff to little ones, but created for them stories so rich and satisfying that any child would want more and more of this 'good', 'whole',stuff. The diet of beautiful literature was formed in me as I stared at Peter Rabbit on my wallpaper,and what a gift it was! I want my children to have this gift as well, to have stories that inpire them, stories that are written with their whole life in mind and stories that require their full mental faculties to engage them. I want my children to know Beatrix, to know her creatures and her stories...and they will. All I must do is provide the introduction. How thankful I am for this little bunny and the way he has shown to other great works for my little ones and for me as well! Thank you Peter.

Here are some of my other favorite works of Literature to share with my little ones:
Winnie the Pooh Series by A.A. Milne
The Little House by Virginia Burton
The Sory About Ping by Marjorie Flack
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Stone Soup by Marcia Brown
Ox-Cart Man by Barbara Cooney
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Mother Goose Collection
Classic Folktales
Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
Frances Books by Russel Hoban
Mrs. Piggle- Wiggle books

New

2007-07-15T13:02:00.000-07:00

We wade in and out of our days here, doing laundry, baking bread,tending the garden... tending hearts. We weave strings among us as we go, creating our family tapestry, our family story. The Great Storyteller, the one who knows our insides and calls us to himself in sweet intimacy declares that he has "created our inmost being, that he knit us together in our mother's womb and that we are fearfully and wonderfully made..." And so among these days of tying strings and building our home we are taking a breathe, a sweet pause, to celebrate the gift of another blessing in our family. As this new sweet life grows in my womb I am reminded of God's great love for me, for my children and for my husband. We are so dearly loved,incricately cared for and created. These gifts of family and homelife and beauty and vibrant living overwhelm me. The Creater, the Weaver, is adding another string, another life, another thread, whose beauty will be a significant part of our family tapestry. How we are longing to draw this new one into our arms, and catch them up in our loom, and enjoy their presence. Thank you Father for this wonderful blessing.

Simple Fun

2007-07-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

Oh, the fun we have around here with feathers and paper plates! This is one of Maia's latest creations and she was so proud, I thought I would post and share it. I am continually amazed by my children and the way that they use their imaginations in all their play. I am further convinced of the power of play and the way it breathes life and brings joy into our home. When I think about all the time and money spent buying toys for children and all the clutter it creates I get overwhelmed... It is encouraging for me to remember that the greatest joy in play for my children has always come from simple items and that the 'work' of creating is a lasting treasure for them. Its a relief for us moms I think as well, to just enjoy the simple things we already have and to be content in finding new uses for them rather than keeping up with the lastest and greatest stuff on the toy store shelves. Its all a part of the way our family is trying to simplify and enjoy what we do have to the fullest.

Much overdo...

2007-07-10T11:02:00.001-07:00

I am finally able to post again... Hurrah! Halle turned six nearly three months ago on April 22. I have longed to post some sweet pictures of her party here and am excited to now share them. We enjoyed a wonderful day with her, we had some great friends, the Archers, staying with us from Spokane and we all were able to celebrate Halle during a fancy pancake breakfast set among streamers and fancy dishes. Her party was in the afternoon and Halle and her friends dressed up as fairies. They went on a scavenger hunt, made treasure boxes and danced around a flower ring. It was such a warm day and made being outdoors alot of fun for all of us. Halle is growing in her hospitality, in her kindness and service shown to others and in her ability to cheer others with her words and actions. She was thrilled to bless her friends with treats and adventure at her party and we loved watching her in action. I hope these pictures of that time allow you to celebrate her with us...

Spring Joy

2007-04-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

Since the explosion that is Microsoft Vista has hit our computer, I don't know how to do anything technical and have sorely missed blogging. Our sweet Jones turned one year on March 10 and as I watch him teeter around the living room right now I am reminded that he is such an amazing gift. What a change he has stirred up around here with his sweet boy nature. His newest love is eating dirt out of the pots on the porch...literally by the handful. We are having a simple spring around here. We have begun our gardening, the girls are growing Lupines and I have begun to baby some herbs in my kitchen. We planted lots of ranaculus yesterday and the reds and oranges are ministering to my spirit from the kitchen window. We also planted a beautiful willow tree yesterday and are enjoying the view of neighborhood birds perching so close to the house. The fresh and the new are energizing our little family today.

2007-03-12T12:38:00.000-07:00

We've Gone Green
Since the New Year, we have been committed to being a vegan family. We live in a rural are where there is a lot a love for beef, poultry and the like and where we are pretty much guaranteed to get eye-rolling responses when we tell people we don't eat meat. The road to this lifestyle has been a long one for us, and we have considered so much along the way. Now that we are in the groove of eating and living out this vegan thing we feel ready to explain it. So what is a vegan anyway and why on earth would we want to abolish yummy stuff from our diet?
Well, vegans are like vegetarians in that they don't eat meat, but beyond that, we also don't consume any animal product, which means, no milk, cheese, eggs, butter, ice-cream, etc. We do not believe that people should avoid these foods for any spiritual reason, nor do we believe that it is "the best way" for everyone, but it is just something our family has been lead into. For us, the journey toward all this began when our kids started having allergic reactions to eggs and milk. One of our kids suffered from intestinal bleeding and another from severe excema. When these things were removed from their diets, they got better. And when our mainstream doctors began to tell us that we should avoid these foods to help with our children's health issues, it made us think. Then we researched, thought some more, researched, thought some more, etc.We were very blessed to have a close vegan friend, who guided us along the way and directed us to some great resources and ideas. Our most pressing concern was how our kids would get all the things needed in their diets to grow if we were vegan. We were directed to the blog of a family that posted some great research that soothed our minds and gave us the tools to take this on. I have included it below in the hopes that it will encourage, educate and interest you as well. Now, three months in, we are feeling healthier and more full of energy and life than ever before and so thankful for this gift and education. Enjoy...

Vegan Children: Healthy and Happy (article from PETA website)

Children raised as vegans—who consume no animal products, including meat, eggs, and dairy products—can derive all the nutrients essential for optimum health from plant-based sources.

Hot Wings, Heart Disease, and Sick Stomachs

Unprecedented rates of children raised on the “traditional” American diet of cholesterol and saturated fat-laden chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and pepperoni pizza show symptoms of heart disease, the number one killer of adults. A study in The New England Journal of Medicine found that at least 60 percent of children and young adults have early atherosclerotic (hardened artery) damage. It’s no wonder considering that hot dogs, sausage, and bacon are on the daily menu for a stunning 25 percent of kids between the ages of 19 months and 2 years.

The number of obese preschool-aged children and 12-to-19-year-old adolescents has more than doubled since the 1970s and more than tripled for 6-to-11-year-olds. Pediatricians are reporting an alarming increase in the number of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, a disease that typically affects adults, and 85 percent of those cases involve overweight kids.(4)

According to acclaimed pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock in his book Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care, “Children who grow up getting their nutrition from plant foods rather than meats … are less likely to develop weight problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, and some forms of cancer.”

Food-related illnesses affect more than 76 million people annually and kill more than 5,000. Farmed animals are fed 20 million pounds of antibiotics each year, which are designed to promote growth and prevent them from getting sick but which are retained in the flesh that people eat. Scientists believe that such involuntary consumption of these drugs by meat-eaters is giving rise to strains of bacteria that antibiotics are ineffective against when consumers become ill.

Salmonella poisoning alone affects at least 40,000 people each year (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suspects that unreported cases may increase that number 30 times), yet only one in 16 million chickens is tested for it. A Consumer Reports study of 525 supermarket chickens found campylobacter (which causes illness in more than 1 million people every year) in 81 percent of them and salmonella in 15 percent, with up to 84 percent of the bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Eggs pose a salmonella threat to approximately one out of every 50 people each year in affected areas of the U.S. E. coli is a type of bacteria that can be deadly to children and sickens more than 73,000 people each year, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that half the cattle slaughtered for food in the U.S. are likely infected with it.

Fish flesh also presents health problems. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), residual industrial compounds that can still be found in the environment, have caused cancer in animals and skin problems and liver damage in humans. Fish flesh has been found to harbor levels of PCBs thousands of times higher than those in the water that they live in. Fish also accumulate methylmercury in their bodies, and pregnant women and children have been cautioned by the Environmental Protection Agency not to eat fish flesh that may contain high levels of this toxic substance.

Dangers of Dairy Products

According to Dr. Frank Oski, the former director of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University, “There is no reason to drink cow’s milk at any time in your life. It was designed for calves, it was not designed for humans, and we should all stop drinking it today, this afternoon.” Dr. Spock agreed, saying, “There was a time when cow’s milk was considered very desirable. But research, along with clinical experience, has forced doctors and nutritionists to rethink this recommendation.”

Cow’s milk is the number one cause of food allergies in infants and children, according to the American Gastroenterological Association. Millions of Americans are lactose-intolerant, and an estimated 80 percent of African-Americans and up to 100 percent of Native Americans and Asian-Americans suffer from the condition, which can include symptoms such as bloating, gas, cramps, vomiting, headaches, rashes, or asthma. As early as 2 years of age, most people begin to produce less lactase, the enzyme that helps with the digestion of milk. This reduction can lead to lactose intolerance. Breast-feeding mothers should also shun cow’s milk from their diets, as the proteins can be transferred to infants and upset babies’ intestines.

Milk is suspected of triggering juvenile diabetes, a disease that causes blindness and other serious effects. Some children’s bodies treat cow’s milk protein as a foreign substance and produce high levels of antibodies to fend off this “invader.” These antibodies also destroy the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas, leading to diabetes. Studies have also found that autism and schizophrenia in children may be linked to the body’s inability to digest the milk protein casein; symptoms of these diseases diminished or disappeared in 80 percent of the children who were switched to milk-free diets.

Other common childhood ailments such as chronic ear infections, asthma, and skin conditions can also be eliminated if cow’s milk is avoided.

Nutrition in Vegan Diets

Nutritionists and physicians have learned that plant products are good sources of protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin D because they can be easily absorbed by the body and don’t contain artery-clogging fat. The American Dietetic Association states, “Well-planned vegan … diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence.”

• Protein: In the U.S., consumption of too much protein is a much bigger issue than not getting enough. Protein deficiency is common only in countries suffering from famine. Eating too much protein, however, can lead to cancer of the colon and the liver. Children can get all the protein that their bodies need from whole grains in the form of oats, brown rice, and pasta; nuts and seeds, including sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, and spreads such as tahini and peanut butter; and legumes, including tofu, lentils, and beans.
• Iron: Some babies’ intestines bleed after drinking cow’s milk, increasing their risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia, since the blood that they’re losing contains iron. Formula-fed babies should be fed a soy-based formula with added iron to minimize the risk of intestinal bleeding. Iron-rich foods such as raisins, almonds, dried apricots, blackstrap molasses, and fortified grain cereals will meet the needs of toddlers and children 12 months and older. Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron, so foods rich in both—such as green, leafy vegetables—are particularly valuable.
• Calcium: Cornbread, broccoli, kale, tofu, dried figs, tahini, great northern beans, and fortified orange juice and soy milk are all excellent sources of calcium. As with iron, vitamin C will help your child’s system absorb calcium efficiently.
• Vitamin D: Cow’s milk does not naturally contain vitamin D; it’s added later. Vitamin D-enriched soy milk provides this nutrient without the animal fat. A child who spends as little as 10 to 15 minutes three times a week playing in the sunshine, with arms and face exposed, will get sufficient vitamin D because it is synthesized in the skin when the skin is exposed to sunlight.
• Vitamin B12: Whereas other primates get their necessary vitamin B12 from dirt, unchlorinated water, feces, and insects, commercially available multivitamins will ensure an adequate amount of the vitamin for your child. Vitamin B12 is also found in fortified soy milk and many cereals.

What You Can Do
A healthy vegan diet is easy to plan and maintain. Products fortified with calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 are available in most grocery stores. Mock meats are especially delicious and are also readily available in most grocery stores and many restaurants. For tips on tempting your kids with delicious vegetarian dishes, visit VegCooking.com and check out the following additional resources.

2007-03-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

A mom recently sent me an email that started a whirlwind of ideas in my mind. She said that we will only have 17 Springtimes with our children while they are still children at home...17!!! Each of them will be unique because our children will never again be at the developmental stage that they are right now or next year, etc. So I began thinking, this applies to all other times of year as well...17 winters, 17 autumns, 17 lazy summers, 17 is beginning to seem like a small number. I want those seasons to be filled with laughter and snuggling and beauty and fun. But that means that TODAY I need to include those things in my life. Today, I need to see my little ones and stop what I am doing. I need to wrestle, bake cookies, read, cuddle, create, listen, take a walk, look and linger with them over each and ever worm wriggling on the sidewalk, laugh with them and invoke wonder in their little hearts. How I live today makes all the difference. Will you join with me in choosing to make the most of these moments? Will you help me to see the value of laughter in my home and yours? Today is going to be glorious.

2007-01-30T22:52:00.000-08:00

Here's J-Dog kickin' it around the house... what a blessing this boy has been!

2007-01-30T22:50:00.000-08:00

We are so thankful for sisters in our house.

2007-01-30T17:06:00.000-08:00

There is something so special about fathers and daughters. The way Josh interacts with our girls is so different than what they receive from hanging around with me. I have imposed some type of rule that I will teach our children to have excellent manners and therfore always exhibit them myself. We sip tea each afternoon in lieu of snack time and I lecture about sitting up straight and pleasant table conversation. Last night I began to wonder if it was all for nothing. Josh is so fun, so spontaneous and thank goodness that he is nothing like me because then our kids would probably go insane. We were enjoying the fun of a Papa Murphy's pizza around the dinner table when everyone began to belch on their Pepsi and giggle, followed by fart noise after fake fart noise. The kids and Josh were in stitches and for moment I wrinkled my forehead and gave Josh a deathglare. I caught a glimpse of the ugliness of my bad attitude and then I decided to pull a 180 and follow Josh's lead. I wanted to have some fun too and I let out the BIGGEST fart noise of the whole night to the delight of my children and husband. By following the lead of their daddy our girls will know how to have fun, and live in a home full of laughter! They will also see that their mama loves their daddy and that fart noises and all, we are a team. Seeing the way Josh wrestles, listens, plays dress up and just plain loves on our girls is priceless. I received a letter from my own dad this year on my birthday that was so beautiful and so intimate... he knows me and loves me and embraced what it meant to be the picture of God in my life at a young age. I realized that even as a married woman, a parent myself now, I long for the words I receive from my dad. They build me up, they encourage me and breathe life into my identity. The words and affection and interactions dads shower on their daughters are forming their very persons, their futures and will ultimately benefit generations. I am so thankful that Josh doesn't get tempted to hide behind pretense like me. I am so thankful that he is silly and fun and real with our girls. I am so thankful that he is present and not hidden from them. He amazes me with his love for our children. And about the whole manners thing... well, at least we still have tea time.

2007-01-02T19:32:00.000-08:00

The Housewife 2000
Okay, so its the New Year....2007 and this picture was supposed to be the 2000 model. Where is my waterproof furniture and and sqeaky clean hose thingy? We do have a leather sofa, but I just don't think this method will fly around here. The promise of something new and clean is very appealing to me. I am constantly trying to find a "system" that I can put into action that will forever keep my home sparkling and new inventions that will help keep my kids' hair shiny and their teeth bright. (Anybody ever tried baby oil on a tangle, works like a charm!) I long for my carpet and hardwoods to be free of the moth ball, lint, pine needle junk that seems to collect every day. This weekend we were in an uproar around here... furniture was being rearranged, closets being emptied, garbage flying out the back door by the bag. It was a lot of work, but the process was one of rejuvenation. We were making way for the new, creating a fresh start. As this new year brings a bit of breezy fresh air and the hope of all things new, we are reminded of God's promise to us, the one that says HE has brought us the ultimate new, fresh, squeaky clean feeling I am seeking each January 1st.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! - 2 Corinthians 5:17
I am so thankful for this reminder. I don't have to work as hard as I think I do to polish up my heart or home or to measure up. I am taken in the arms of Christ, found in him... and new. When this word of God seeps in to my being I can relax a bit and live with floor lint and the clutter, remembering that what I am offer today through Christ is enough. I am enough for him. I still feel a little jipped about the lacking technology of the promised housewife 2000, but I am thankful for the reminder of who I am today as I scrub away around here. I am thankful that God is the one doing a great work in my heart and that when I give myself wholly to him, I can truly rest.... and have lots more time to clean :)

2006-12-29T19:00:00.000-08:00

Kindergarten For All!
Here is Halle in late October, during a field trip to a local pumkin patch and petting zoo. Looking at this photo I am amazed that she is my little girl, she looks so grown up... wasn't she just learning to walk, talk and sing the ABC's? We are about to head into the second trimester of our first year of homeschooling, I thought I should reflect here about what the fall has looked like for us.
Undoubtedly, we are challenged as parents and teachers, growing ourselves as we live life along side our children. It is an amazing process for us, a 'kindergarten' year for us as well as for Halle as we lay a foundation for education in our home, discovering what works within our family culture and what we can do without. The basic ingredient of the fall has truly been joy. We are loving what it means to connect with our kids, to create a life that is rich and full in our home and where we can simply enjoy eachother as we pursue God's word and knowledge with purpose. The blessings of this choice and this life as home educators has surpassed our understanding thus far. There is a perfect peace in what we are doing and as parents, Josh and I have never felt more fulfilled. Honestly, we were so scared to begin this endevor... were we qualified enough? Did we have what it takes to teach? Was our home the best place for Halle to experience lessons and education in specific subjects rather than just discipleship and fun and yummy food? How would Maia and Jones react and come along to Kindergarten? Would I burn out? Would we all have braids and be wearing plaid jumpers by May? Our minds were reeling... but we stepped out in faith, believing that God had called us to this work and He has met us and drawn close to our hearts and to our children's hearts. We are on this journey now and loving it!
So, after studying lots of art, music, poetry, literature, trees, American history, reading, math, handwriting and character traits this fall, we are off and running. Our first trimester lasted 12 weeks and concluded the last week of November. We will begin school again on January 3rd after having spent the month of December baking, making gifts, visiting friends and celebrating Jesus's birth. I am antzy to begin, the kind of squirmy, ready to run a marathon feeling I get in late August when my spirit is longing for routine and order and a bit of 'normal.' Thank you for reading and supporting us on this journey. Now that I am becoming more technically savvy, I will hopefully be able to document more of our life together on this blog each week, instead of in three month stretches! I'll end this post by encouraging you to receive the promise of being 'heirs together in the grace of life' with your family. Spend sometime asking Jesus what that looks like for you... it is certainly likely to look very different from our family. Maybe discovering what that is is a little scary, it was for us... but such beauty comes from a life lived by faith and where our unique gifts and abilities are being used. Be blessed in how the Lord has created you, fulfilling the work he created in advance for you to do. We'd love to hear your story.