Stay Tuned...

Treasures of January

"Legalist Hunters" and the Hypocrisy that Empowers Them and One Way at Your Sacred Calling

Do You Have Your Child's Heart? Part 1 and Part 2, followed by Your Child's Heart: How Do You Gain It? Part 1 at Raising Olives

Three Ways to Hear God Today and The Real Secret to Happy Homemaking at holy experience

What's Your Occupation at Sprittibee

Drenching Love at Large Family Mothering

The Corner at a path made straight (bittersweet - have a tissue handy if you've ever enjoyed the beautiful relationship of breastfeeding your babies!)

If you have eyes to see at BOOKS and BAIRNS

Motherhood Isn't for Dummies at Raising Arrows

The Two Lists at InsideCatholic.com (HT to Mrs. Parunak at Pursuing Titus 2)

Lowly Gentleness at A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Early Risers at Woodland Tales (too cute to miss!)

Why Men Don't Lead at Femina - Yikes! Convicting!

Devoted Love or Distracted Togetherness at Large Family Mothering

Se7en Practical Ways to Say Yes at se7en

"Patience" is not "Putting Up With" at Pursuing Titus 2

Gratitude

"...be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father..."
Ephesians 5:18b-20

110. puzzles

111. a boy who likes to make yummy treats

112. encourgaing ministries

113. a soft, warm bed

114. the roof over our heads, and the space inside

115. homeschooling, have I mentioned before how much I love it?

116. owning a treadmill

117. owning several Bibles, when so many go without even one

118. God's bountiful provision

119. being humbled

120. finding a raw milk provider that delivers nearby!

121. my breath, as I run, for I have been without before

122. a new 3 year old in the family!

The rest of my growing gratitude list can be found here. Consider joining in the Gratitude Community at holy experience, and allow gratitude to transform you.

Early Mornings

This week, talk of "rising while it is still dark" has been a theme on some of my favorite blogs (Divine Calling, Passionate Homemaking, and girltalk) . Which is interesting, because its been on my mind alot lately, too!

Rising early is something that I used to do regularly, but since Judah was born it has fallen to the wayside. And you know what? My days suffer because of it.

I need early, quiet, peaceful time with the Lord in order to have the right attitude of serving Him and my family throughout the day. With 5 boys, one of them whom is still under a year old and only recently sleeping longer than 5-6 hours at a time at night, it is difficult to achieve this quiet time... but all the more necessary!

So this past week, I determined to get up early every day. Really early. This is how it went.

Monday, I set my alarm for 5 am. It went off, and I hit snooze. It went off again, and, not wanting to disturb my sweet husband's slumber, I turned it off. But didn't actually get myself out of bed... Until 6:20, when I woke up realizing I had forgotten to get up. But at that point I actually did get up, about an hour earlier than my normal time.

Tuesday, I decided to get smart and set two alarms - my clock and my watch. My clock went off at 5 am, and I shut it off knowing that my watch alarm would go off in 20 more minutes. It did, and I got up! Hooray!

Unfortunately, that evening, I didn't get to sleep until 11:30 pm. Then Judah woke at 4 am to nurse, and at that point I just turned off both alarms, knowing I just wasn't going to survive on less than 6 hours of sleep for the entire day (hey, homeschooling 5 boys is a very full, active day!).

I still got up before 7 on Wednesday, though, so it was better than nothing. That night I fell asleep a little after 8 pm while watching a documentary about George Muller with the boys. I woke up right at the end of the movie, and then stayed up with Michael... a little too late again.

Thursday was a total loss for me. Another too-late night combined with another too-early wakening from Judah, a loud boy in the hall bathroom 45 minutes after that, and some really weird dreams after that kept me up most of the night and I was a goner until 7:20 or so. Oops!

But I wised up and went to bed at 9:15 pm Thursday night. Friday morning, my human alarm clock woke at 4:15 to be nursed, so I nursed him and went back to bed until my clock alarm went off at 5. I turned it off and then decided I should really just go ahead and get up. And I did! I did, however, fall asleep on the boys' bedroom floor a few hours later, around 10:30 am, for about 20 minutes while they played.

Soooo... so far, hmmm... I'm trying. And that's where its got to start, right? I'll also confess that I don't jump out of bed and grab my Bible and settle in to some good quiet study time. I'd fall right back to sleep if I did that! So I do my run first, to get my blood pumping a bit. Then I shower and get dressed all the way down to my shoes, and then fix myself a small snack and THEN settle into some good quiet study time. Thankfully, the kids don't get usually get up until 7:30ish or so, so between 5:30 and 7:30 I actually do have time for all of that.

That's the best part of getting into a routine of waking early! There is SO much that can be done in those wee hours of quietness. And I love the feeling of preparedness and peace I have when I'm able to spend time getting ready for the hustle and bustle of the day. I noticed on Thursday, when I did not succeed in getting out of bed early, I was grumpier and more restless - which does not make for a good mama or wife!

I know that once I can get better at going to bed on time, my body will adjust to the tiredness it went through this week.

Is rising early something you've always thought might help your days go a bit more smoothly, but you're afraid to take the plunge? Why don't you give it a try, just for a month? I know of two different blogs holding accountability series - girltalk and Inspired to Action (Kat from ItA also has a free ebook available for download full of helpful hints regarding developing a good early morning routine and sticking to it!). Why not sign up for one (or both!) and give it a go! Perhaps I'll see you there, bright and early!

Gratitude

Back from a break, with a heart overflowing with gratitude!

101. safe travels

102. snow, snow, and more snow!

103. cold, but happy boys

104. a beautiful bride and sister
105. the women of my family

106. two becoming one

107. a new brother and uncle to love

108. family gathered from near and far

109. a newly turned five-year old!

See the beginning of my thanks here. Join in with your own list at the Gratitude Community!

Fitness Friday - A New Goal

A New Year brings New Goals, right? Resolutions and all that stuff? Well, I usually don't "do" resolutions, but I decided that having a long-term goal for fitness might actually help me stay on track. However, the first three weeks of this new year did not prove that theory to be correct! (I think its the rebellious side of me!) ;-)

I did not do anything at all fitness wise for about 3 weeks straight. I was out of town helping prepare for my sister's wedding, and being out of my routine got me out of whack a bit. I also gained back the 4 or so pounds I had lost. But never fear, there's always a new day to try again, right? Lord willing, anyway!

So this week I'm back on track and making slow progress toward my goal. Oh, right - my goal. My goal is to run 500 miles this year, plus at least one 5K race. 500 miles in 52 weeks is less than 10 miles a week, or 2 miles a day if I run 5 days a week. Let me just say that I live with a man (my husband, of course!) who is currently logging 30-45 miles a week. So 10 miles a week sounds reasonable to me. That is, assuming I actually get some sleep at night and get up on time - always the clincher! And frankly, I have to be realistic. This week I've logged a whopping 3 miles. So 10 miles a week indicates there's some good consistency happening, which is my ultimate goal. To run and to keep running on a regular basis.

Anyway, I've updated my ticker to show my progress. Its a start! Is anyone else out there still doing Fitness Friday?

Kitchen Organization!

I recently became a Tupperware Consultant. Honestly, I had no idea that people still sold Tupperware until I was invited to a Tupperware Party over the summer. It was more fun than I expected, and there was a particular line of products I completely fell in love with. You know, one of those organizational tools that will make your life easier, less cluttered, your children behave perfectly and your husband wash the dishes for you every night? Ok, well, maybe not all that, but at least the first two ;-)

This line of products is called "Modular Mates" and they're for pantry storage and organization. I've mentioned it before - we don't actually have a pantry. We have two bookshelves in the kitchen which serve the purpose of a pantry... sort of. Space is tight, so I knew these would be just what I needed to keep things in place, save space, and make things look nice and orderly, too!


Do you see how beautifully uniform they are? And so neat and tidy? So compact! Ahhh... organization is such a wonderful thing!

And this month I am very glad I am a consultant, because that particular line of products is ON SALE! 40% off, in fact - what a GREAT deal! (And as a consultant, I get an even better price - score!) Because I am so in love with my Modular Mates, I couldn't not share this deal!

Here's the flier with the sale prices - click on it to enlarge. If you'd like to order anything, leave me a comment (I won't publish it, it will just be a way to contact me) with your contact info and I'll get back to you about placing an order. This really is a sale too good to miss, especially if you need more organization in the kitchen!

The sale ends February 12!

Oh, I wanted to add one more thing. A while back, I was trying to get on the "no plastics" bandwagon. I had a bunch of really cute jars holding things like rice, beans, sugar, etc. They were cute... until one day I dropped my sugar jar. Let me just say 5 lbs of sugar along with glass shards all over the floor is not fun to clean up, especially when trying to ward off two dogs and a crawling baby. So, my sugar is now safe and secure in a Tupperware and I won't have to deal with that scenario again! Practicality won out ;-)

Treasures of December

A Movement is Not a Messiah at Pursuing Titus 2

To Think at a path made straight

Each Moment is Ripe with Eternal Destiny at At the Well... In Pursuit of Titus 2

5 Ingredient Mothering at Large Family Mothering

Will All of the Real Moms Please Stand Up? at Heavenly Homemakers - my favorite this month!

Be a Man! Wear the Pants! at Another Day.... Another Opportunity...

Home-Schooling: Socialization not a Problem from The Washington Times

Mommy's Toolbox - Large Family Myth Busters at Large Family Mothering

The Sacrifices of a Mother at A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Going Crazy and Wanting to go Back to Work? at At the Well... In Pursuit of Titus 2 (I've posted this one before, but it is too good not to repost. It is a must-read, especially for first-time stay at home mommies!)

MMX at BOOKS and BAIRNS

When You Can't Figure Out What the Answer Should Be at holy experience

Eliminating Distractions

I need to make a confession - the computer, especially the internet, is a large distraction for me during the day. I've noticed that on the days that I feel the most frazzled and as if there's no time to get anything important done... those are also the days I've spent too much - no, wasted too much, time online. And honestly, I have trouble controlling it. A quick "5 minute" email check turns into a 30-minute email/blog/etc. check, and once the time is gone, it is gone.

Ephesians 5:15-16 says "Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil" and I've been convicted that I have not been wise or making the most of my time, and have been praying for the Lord's help in overcoming my laziness and struggle with this.

Last week, I came across LeechBlock, a Firefox add-on. It is an add-on that allows you to block specific sites for blocks of time, all of which you can set to whatever your preferences are. This would also be good for helping monitor a child's internet usage, as well, although I wouldn't recommend letting it take the place of good parental supervision.

So I bit the bullet and did it. I've blocked all my of typical-usage sites (email, blog, facebook, message boards, etc) during the hours that the children are awake, except for a small "free time" break from 12:30-1 pm, when the kids are playing and I have a few minutes to spare. This leaves me with a few minutes before the kids wake up in the morning, and whatever time I choose to spend in the evenings after they are in bed, which is also limited, depending on Michael's schedule.

And you know what? Its been hard! I'm being totally honest here. I've found myself wandering around thinking "um... I don't know what to do with myself..." which only proves how badly I needed it. Sad, huh? But I am thankful that the Lord provided me with this resource to be an assistant for me in overcoming my frivolous use of time. And I also know that I'll adjust to life with limited internet, and it will be such a blessing to truly be able to "redeem the time" and take better care of the things I've been neglecting.

Michael asked me why I was posting about this for anyone in the world to read, and I'm choosing to do so for a couple of reasons. One, because James 5:16 says "therefore, confess your sins to one another..." and I believe doing that is a part of repentance. Also, just in case there are others who have the same struggle as I do, perhaps this tool can help you to get back on track focusing on God's work, rather than continuing to be stuck in the rut of wasting precious time.

Remember, no matter how many good, edifying, encouraging blog posts or websites we read about serving God, biblical womanhood, homeschooling, motherhood, and so on... reading about these things will never be able to replace the actual practice of living them out.

Over the River and Through the Woods (or, Roadtrips with a Large Family)

We’re getting ready to go visit my parents for a few weeks, in preparation for my little sister’s wedding (yay, hooray!). However, my parents live a bit far from us – almost 10 hours by car, to be exact. When the kids were little and there were less of them, we made the drive at night for simplicity’s sake. They’d sleep, one of us would sleep, and the other would drive, switching off when needed. However, now that the kids are older and able to amuse themselves and interact, we take the drive by day and enjoy the roadtrip!

In preparation, I’ve compiled this:

No, its not a bunch of Tupperware! (although it is a lovely, large bag I received for hosting a Tupperware party, score!) Inside the bag are all of our “Roadtrip Necessities”. Believe it or not, it contains everything we'll need to stay occupied for the entire trip! See:

OK, that grocery bag is the snack bag, here’s what the inside looks like without the snack bag:

In case you need some ideas for entertaining a large family (or, even a small family) on a roadtrip, I’ll explain everything I’ve got in there.

Each child has a clipboard, with their name written on it:

Attached to the clipboard, as you can see, is a baggie with crayons, pencils, and a wipe off marker.

Underneath the baggie, there are two blank maps – one for coloring in all of the states we’ll travel through, and the other for the License Plate Game. Which, if you don’t know it, you've really been missing out! I’ll go ahead and explain – everytime you see a license plate from a different state, you color in the state that license plate is from. Whoever gets their whole map colored (or the most states colored by the end of the trip)… wins!

We don’t actually give out prizes for winning, but if you have a husband or any male children at all, you know that just the right to be able to say “I won!” gives them immense satisfaction. Oh, and its good geography practice, too! ;-)

Underneath the maps are 8 laminated Car Bingo boards. That’s what the wipe-off marker is for, because the lamination allows them to be reused again and again easily! I got these from a great car trip website called MomsMinivan.com. Each Bingo Board is numbered so that no one accidentally uses the same Bingo Board as someone else at the same time.

Also on the clipboards is some blank paper just for coloring or writing or whatever else one wants to do with it, except for spitballs. Those have been outlawed in the car, for good reason.

Also in the bag is several packs of pipe cleaners. Pipe cleaners are by far the BEST long road trip activity ever. Really! I was AMAZED at how occupied they kept the children the first time we brought some along. They played quietly with them for over an hour! Even Nathan (2 years old) can have fun with them, and there are no small pieces to have to keep track of! They all know to look forward to pipe cleaners on our road trips, now – and I save them for moments of desperation ;-)

Next, we have the ever-popular Mad Libs. This will be our first trip to play Mad Libs, because until now most of the kids wouldn't have played it very well. Now, most of them can!

Finally, there are several books on tape. When we traveled at night, we started The Lord of the Rings Trilogy on tape (although some of us have read them in their entirety several times), but we haven’t finished the entire thing, so we have those again. Isaac insisted it was a tradition, so thankfully, they were readily available at the Library. Also along is the book “Hans Brinker” which was one we started as a read-aloud for school but never finished, so it will be nice to hear the end while we travel.

As for snacks, I’ve got several “dry” goodies and a few cold ones that will be kept in a small cooler. Here are the dry snacks:

Each person has two granola bars, a baggie of pretzel twists, and a baggie of goldfish. The teething bars are for the baby, obviously. I forgot to get trail mix this time, but that's also something we usually have, as well as dried apricots.

Cold snacks include 4 oz containers of Stoneyfield Yogurt and Cheese sticks. We’ve also got a bulk supply of small bottled waters, as well. Our hope is that will prevent us from having to stop too frequently for junky fast food, although we traditionally start out our drive with a breakfast from Chik-Fil-A (which doesn’t quite count as junky, does it?).

With the extra effort I put into preparing for our trip, our roadtrips are so much less stressful! They’re actually pretty enjoyable, with lots of games and fun conversation, and yes, even some quiet moments here and there. Its well worth it!

With that, I will be saying farewell for now. I’m not sure how much time I’ll have to do any blogging while we’re away, but I’ll be back sometime next year! Have a blessed New Year!