Friday, September 23, 2011

Happiness

My sister, Amanda, just read The Happiness Project (I haven't read it but I like her insights). She says, "It's an encouraging little book with practical tips that really do work. One of the things I see myself constantly failing at is her practice of 'act the way you want to feel.' Apparently, if you feel irritated and then you express that irritation, it doesn't relieve your irritated-ness. Looking back over motherhood, I see how true that is. But, oh the strength one must have to push that irritated feeling down into yourself, just absorb it, and gush out some sweetness and exercise patience and love. The outcome is that you will feel more patience and love and your irritation will lessen. So that's my happiness project for the week. Not so much for the purpose of me being happier, but I see the gospel in it, and my goodness gracious, it would just be really nice of me to be Christ to my kids, absorb their stuff, swallow my angry words, and decide to act gently and graciously towards them. But the motivation of, "so I can feel happier" isn't the best motivation, but happiness is nice." :)

Well, I just love my sister and her precious, crazy girls. I relate so well to her experience with my own children. Amanda and I took turns having babies. We shared maternity clothes and after-pregnancy clothes and, between the two of us, my parents have eight grandchildren under the age of 7! We love and discipline and train our children, but every mother knows there are those moments. They usually happen when dinner is on the stove, I'm on the phone, Adelle is climbing on the table, Hudson is trying to get her down while she screams, Pierce is kung-fooing Alayna while she's trying to twirl and sing. I hang up the phone, scream for everyone to just stop, and turn on a movie. (But Amanda's kids play "cooking" and mix cereal with dominoes and beads. Ah, such creativity!). There are those moments.

I don't think this is a fake-it-til-you-make-it mentality. I think it's grace, self-control, living TRUTH, and being Christ for my kids. Don't worry, be happy :) Here's some happy things ...
Little bitty piggy-tails! She looks like such a big girl, and her cheeks look extra chubby with her hair back. What mommy doesn't love smoochin' on some chubby baby cheeks?!
A little sister love. Adelle calls Alayna, "Nuh," just the end of her name. It's cute.
Guitar banana, singing the states and capitals song as loud as possible. I believe this shot was, "Baton Rouge, LouisianAAAAAAAH!"
Hudson was drumming, Pierce was strumming - Homeschooling at it's best!


Let me tell you a story. I get up every morning at 4:30 to have a cup of coffee and do my Bible study before I go train at 5:15. This morning I was extra tired. I got the coffee maker ready and started. Got dressed and tied my shoes and came back in the kitchen to coffee grounds and brown water dripping off the counter and running everywhere. I didn't get the pot pushed back in all the way. So I cleaned up the mess and went out the door without any coffee. When I came back in at 6:20 I made a fresh pot and now I have a smile on my face - happy things. :)

One more happy thing. One of my other sisters, Amanda's twin - Angela, got engaged to Bob this week! We're so excited for her! I'm corny and love saying, Bob's your uncle. Anyway, Yea Ange!!!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Fall Handprint Trees

It's FALL!!!  We're just a little bit excited.  Sooooo, we decided to do a fall project for our bulletin board (that I haven't changed since the beginning of July! So now that it's the middle of September...sigh).  Tempera paint was on sale at Hobby Lobby.  It was meant to be.  Admittedly, paint stresses me out a little.  We took all the precautions but, never fail, a handprint usually ends up somewhere that it shouldn't.  Today, however, was a success!

Apron clad children (one mad because I made her stand still - how dare I!).

Painting the hand and arm brown.  Hudson said, "I can't believe you're actually doing this to me!" Neither can I, son.  Neither can I.

Finger painting the falling leaves.

 The finished product!  So individually unique.

This is me after cleaning up Adelle and the rest of the mess - happy we did a project and happy it's all over!  

In other news, school is going great.  We're doing Classical Conversations this year and we love it.  We're all learning a lot and enjoying getting to know other home-schooling families with the same goals and like-minded teaching style.

I'm still training every morning and a couple nights a week as well as teaching at the Y.  Never thought I would see my alarm consistently set to 4:30 AM!!! But it is and I'm enjoying it ... and drinking lots of coffee.

The boys just started playing soccer at the Y and they are in their element.  Alayna would love to be in ballet but we'll probably wait until she's 4.  I think Adelle would probably love to be rock climbing.  That child's favorite spot is in the middle of my kitchen table.  I think this precious toddler has cured me of baby fever - I have my hands full!  And I love it :)

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About Me

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I am the wife of an awesome man known to his friends as Fred :) The mom of four incredible kids, Hudson, Pierce, Alayna and Adelle. We homeschool and I teach a few classes at our local YMCA. Above all we love and worship Jesus Christ as Lord and this blog is a peek at our journey to raise children who delight in the Lord.