Resolution Number Three

I will choose to be happy.  I found that little things were getting me down recently.  The lack of organization was one, already been tackled.  My attitude, which is is the process of turning around.  And my lack of anything for just me.  I have made a resolution to do something this year that I have always wanted to do but was never able to.  It may be to put some streaks of blue in my hair, or learn to do something new, I haven't decided yet, but I need to find me again.  I need some creative outlet that has nothing to do with being Mommy.  My kids are my center and my joy, but I can't let them become my everything, I need to be myself in addition to being their mom.  I will find more joy every day, and hold on to those moments more than I have been.  I will take time out of all the stuff I have to do to play with and hold my children, and let them know how happy they make me.  I will cuddle with my husband on the couch even if I have laundry waiting to be folded.  I will make time for things that make me happy.  Today part of that was sitting with the kiddos and reading all about the animals we have learned about so far, and answering every question they had.  We learned what crustaceans are today, and they were very interested in learning all about them.  Instead of becoming frustrated with their over excitement, I just kept repeating things and enjoying the time together.  It is all about attitude, and I am choosing to make mine positive.  I am choosing to be happy every day.

Resolution Number Two

So, I resolve to be healthier.  I am no longer going to go on any diets.  I am going to provide nutritious delicious food to my family and to myself, and not eat fast food garbage that makes us all feel icky.  I am cooking with almost exclusively whole grains.  We are focusing on a diet of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and good for us proteins.  Does this mean we will never have rib eye again, of course not.  Am I still eating cheese, absolutely.  We are just making smarter choices.

We are having one dinner a week of beans or legumes instead of meat.  We will have seafood once a week for dinner.  We are not having real desserts but once a week or so.  The remainder of the week will be fruit for dessert, or some other healthy option as a treat.  I want to be a healthy role model for the kids. 

This week I am focusing on making changes to how we eat.  This is also part of the organization resolution.  I am planning all meals ahead and making it easy to make healthful choices in the kitchen.  Yesterday we made a large batch of homemade pumpkin oatmeal, with dried fruit and no sugar.  The kids and I loved it.  Rich didn't like the extra creamy texture, go figure.  Now we have a healthy delicious breakfast we can just warm up in the microwave.  Whole grain, no sugar, high protein from the milk, and full of actual fruit and veggies.  And I get to sprinkle it with roasted pumpkin seeds! 

Once a week we are having barley, once a week quinoa, once a week brown rice.  If anyone has any other suggestions as to other whole grains we can try I would love to hear it!  We are having some type of leafy green every day.  I am drinking only two cups of caffeinated coffee a day, and adding green tea daily, which I have always loved, but seem to always reach for the java.  We are trying to remove as many preservatives and fake ingredients from our everyday meals as we can.  We are paying closer attention to ingredient labels, and we are finding that we are also saving money on our grocery bills by doing this. 

Because I am making a life choice, rather than focusing on losing weight or dieting, I find that it is much easier to do.  I am not "cheating" if I have something sweet or high fat, I am simply making a poor food choice which will be counterbalanced by the healthy choices I will make the rest of the day.  It is a shift of mind, that really is setting us all up for success.  Our goal is to be a healthy and happy family, and this means focusing on nutrition, not on calorie counting or dieting. 

Next week we will add in a focus on activity and movement.  Rich and I are making sure that we are more active with them.  We played indoor soccer last night, and we all danced together the evening before.  We will just keep making little changes to our lives to keep us healthy, and to prevent our children from ever developing the weight issues we have.  I am so totally ready for these changes, and I am prepared to make it a lasting change. 

This is an important part of our homeschooling adventure, because of course children learn more by example than by words.  They are learning early how to love different foods, on trying new cuisines, and they are learning where all their food comes from.  They understand that farm animals can become food on the plate, and of course they are familiar with fresh produce growing on plants and trees.  They now have their own cabinet of cooking items, that they can reach and use whenever we are in the kitchen.  They are learning numbers and recipes, and how food is created and preserved.  Their interest and enthusiasm in cooking and food makes me very happy.  We borrowed a book from the library once called Foodie Babies, and it reminds me of the kids so much.  I have foodie babies.  They get really excited to go to farmers' markets, and we were lucky enough to find out that there are several winter farmer's markets in our area.  Having fresh local food available makes following our health resolutions easier. 

As a family we are working together to be happy and healthy.  This is such an integral part of how we live, and we are already feeling much better because of the changes we are making.  I am excited to continue trying new foods, and to teach my kiddos by example how to enjoy nutritious food.  Now if Rich and I could get more sleep, we would be, as Benjamin Franklin said, more "healthy, wealthy and wise."

Resolution Number One

So first, after identifying the parts of my life that needed a bit of an overhaul I made my first resolution to be more organized.  After Christmas we went through all the toys here and at Memere and Pepere's and culled out ones that could be donated, recycled or otherwise removed from the premises.  We reorganized and then did the same to clothes.  I undecorated the first few days after Christmas and completely cleaned the house.  I organized parts of the kitchen that kept attacking me, including, finishing yesterday, the kitchen/pantry closet.  Over the "Christmas vacation" I organized my materials and plans for what I want the kiddos to learn over the next couple of months.  I sorted, planned and otherwise made my lessons as easy as possible to do.  I found several craft projects and recipes to try with the kids, and made the learning space much easier to use.  I now know what we have, what we need, and what I want to accomplish.  I am also ready to continue this new manner of organization.  I am tired of being stressed, and unprepared.  It sucks.  So the new me will be organized and attentive and working smarter, not harder.  Part of this is to get up every morning, dress in real clothes, put on a little makeup and some jewelry as if I wasn't staying home.  It makes each day more focused on getting things accomplished.  In my mind it makes the day start earlier, and therefore it makes me get going.  It also improves my outlook, which makes it easier to accomplish more.  Strategy for successful homeschooling number one:  Set yourself up for success in anyway possible.  This means mentally preparing yourself in addition to physically preparing things.  Plan ahead, and allow for things to not go as you hope.  But also understand that staying home is hard work, like any job, and respect that job more than you would any other.  Respect yourself, your children and the life you have chosen.

Moving on, we are practicing with scissors this week.  Each day we are doing cutting practice with safety scissors.  We cut out a letter and glue it next to the picture that begins with that letter.  Mason is pretty good with holding the scissors, as is Eliza, but CJ is the best at using them once I get his hands positioned correctly.  Today he sped through his, and he glues so neatly.  We also today, did a shape book.  They trace and color and identify a shape, on the next page count them and color the number it says to.  CJ went right through it, tracing carefully, coloring really well, counting, and never making a mistake.  It totally blew my mind.  He is so ready for more.  Mason got really tired, and wasn't really into it, and Eliza needed a lot of attention and reminders to finish, not to mention she really was not ready to trace even remotely neatly.  CJ also was able to identify shapes that did not belong in a group by counting sides of the shapes.  He even identified octagons that did not look like stop signs.  He understands that the number of sides tells you what the shape is.  He also was able to explain to me why a shape didn't belong very succinctly.  Eliza was able to identify what didn't belong, but didn't have the vocabulary to explain it.  Mason had a difficult time with it, since there were some shapes he didn't know, like trapezoid and pentagon, so he and I spent some time just identifying and recognizing shapes using a puzzle, and our posters, and some books I have on shapes.  We will try it again tomorrow and review what we did. 

Back to the resolution on organization.  I know I am flip flopping topics, but my brain is a bit in overdrive today.  I have been getting morning clothes ready the night before, as well as breakfast dishes etc.  I do dishes as I dirty them, always start the day with an empty dishwasher, and try to keep up with the laundry.  I am planning all meals ahead, so that there is no scrambling, and saying what on earth are we going to eat?  As I am blogging, my chicken is smoking in my stovetop smoker, barley pilaf is simmering in the rice cooker, veggies are roasting in the oven, and I made the salad when the kiddos were napping.  I feel like supermom, simply because I am not overwhelmed with what needs to be done.  Today when we went to play outside, I made sure drinks were ready for when we came in, and while we were out there we all got some good exercise, and we cleaned up the yard.  When we came in we did our "lessons" and read some books.  The kids had some play time inside, and then Mason napped.  As he wakes earlier than my two he is often down for a nap earlier.  While Mason slept CJ and Eliza helped me make lunch and we watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in Wonderland.  We listened to Here Come the ABC's while we ate, as we have been for many breakfast and lunch times over the past several days.  We had lunch, CJ and Eliza went down for a nap with no complaint, and they promptly went to sleep. 

We had been having trouble at night, where we are all tired, and the kids get crazy.  It was driving Rich nuts, so we instituted a game time each evening, where we all play a board game, puzzle, card game or one of the kids' video games.  Last  night was Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Yahtzee.  Night before was Hungry Hungry Hippos.  Night before that was the Goodnight Moon puzzle.  After nighttime milk or juice, we do bath, brush teeth, use potty, read a story, play a game, sing a song, then sleep.  This has removed all the stress time from before bed, and has made Rich and I much happier at night.  It is all about attitude.  I have decided to look positively at things more, and so things bother me less.  Including the nighttime craziness.  Organization resolution has helped a ton here. 

So tomorrow I will tell you all about my next resolution, so stay tuned . . .

Welcome to the New Year!

I resolve to be a healthier and happier person.  I am ready for a change, ready to be more healthy, more happy and more fun.  I will be more organized and spend less time harried and angry.  I will focus on educating my children well.  I will choose to do this.  I will choose to be happy. I will spend less time worrying about things that don't matter and more time being me.  I will enjoy my children and my life, and make choices so that I will be able to spend more time on this earth with them.  I will choose to be myself at all times, and not be concerned about how others see me.  I will choose to be the best role model I can for my children.  Let me say it again:

I 
     WILL 
             CHOOSE 
                              TO 
                                    BE

  HAPPY!!!  

This is my resolution - to be healthier, happier, less stressed, more organized and more ME!

Oh yeah, and to eat less butter . . .

Not so Patiently Waiting for Santa

It has been a long time since I updated.  It is among my resolutions come January to update regularly.  But until then things are so busy, and crazy.  We have been baking, wrapping, decorating, and helping family out nonstop.  We have suspended normal school until January 3.  Next week Mason is home with his Mom, so we will just do some review and I will get myself organized for the few weeks after that.  It is of course so much easier to stick to a routine, if I have materials ready to go.  This week is cookie baking, reindeer crafts, and letters to Santa.  The kids have been pretty good lately, but so crazy excited about all the holiday stuff.  They go to bed and practically pass out exhausted.  They ask every morning if Christmas is here yet.  We continue to review all that they have learned so far, but they are a little distracted.  We have been watching holiday movies, and discussing Christmas.  We have made ornaments, gone to see lights, gone to a holiday sing at the library, and made holiday cookies.  We are making muffins for Santa, since CJ and Eliza think he would prefer muffins.  Shaped like gingerbread men and snowmen.  They make me happy.  I am so looking forward to Christmas Eve at my parents, and Christmas morning at home with the kiddos.  It will be so wonderful this year, as they are at an age where everything is magical.  I will update again soon, thanks for reading!

Just a little note

I have decided to forego any major lesson plans until the new year.  I am still doing colors, numbers, letters and all, just in less detail.  All three kids are so crazy excited about the Christmas decorations, Christmas movies, Christmas cookies, and all the other stuff.  It has been very hard for them to focus, and to be perfectly frank, it is difficult for me to force it on them, and to make all the plans while trying to prepare for the holidays.  So while not leaving all of the education in the rearview, I am not going to go into the depth I have been till January.  Today Mason was home sick, so I am sure he won't be up to any major school stuff anyhow.  Today we did some cleaning and had a pajama day.  We cuddled on the couch, and cooked together.  It was good to have a day to relax, among this crazy season.  Last week we spent a lot of time outside cleaning out the garden and preparing the outside for winter.  Just to make any of you garden lovers jealous I am going to show you pictures of my garden from last week, along with pictures of what I picked from it last week.  The kids are already excited to plan next years' garden.  This has been such a wonderful learning experience for all of us and a great family thing to share.  Mason is also excited to plant seeds in the spring, especially the celery!

Tis the Season for Craziness

Sorry it has been so long since I updated.  It has been so crazy, with Thanksgiving, my Mom's birthday, getting ready for Christmas.  I hope to have my cards done by the end of the week.  I have lots of cookie dough done, and the whole house was decorated by last Sunday.  The kids are so excited about the holidays, and starting their advent calendar tonight.  We did tons of review last week and got back into new stuff this week.  We are doing F, 6, purple, rhombus/diamond, frogs, and nutrition.  Yesterday we spent an hour and a half outside and cleaned out the last of the veggies that are not overwintering.  I have been so exhausted I haven't had a chance to even check email.  Monday I made homemade pierogies, and today we made foccaccia, an Italian bread as our F food.  We have playgroup at the end of the week, and we are getting back into our routine.  Though it will change the closer we get to the holidays.  CJ and Eliza get very upset when we don't do school though.  And with the busy weekend I wasn't as prepared as I usually am, so it has been a rough week. 

Okay, lets calm this down and stop the rambling.  First the letter F.  Every day we sing the sound, and talk about words that start with F.  We write it in the carpet and sand, trace it on paper and look at it in books.  We identify foods that begin with F.  We look outside for F things, and look at a children's dictionary.  We practice identifying and writing it, and we review our poster daily, adding words as we think of them.  We also make the letter with pipe cleaners.

For the number 6 we count it daily.  We draw it in the carpet and sand, and trace it.  We look for the number six in books, and signs.  We make sets of six things.  For each number we find out if it is even or odd, and we count it by twos if even.  We made a poster for the number, and review it daily.  We color worksheets with the number the word and pictures of that number of things.  We look for the number everywhere.  We identify the number six among other numbers.  We identify sets of six.  We make the shape of the number out of pipe cleaners.

For the color purple we make a color poster first.  Each kiddo picks a crayon in our color of the week and draw a picture using only that color.  We make a list of things that are that color.  I write out the word in a sharpie of that color.  We cut everything out and glue it to a large piece of construction paper.  We then identify things all over the place that are that color.  Purple was a little more difficult this time of year since there were no flowers left.  We spend time identifying purple things, and look at enchanted learning to see the spectrum of the color and items that are on the spectrum.  We also make playdough in our color and spend some time playing with it.

For our shape, we make a shape poster.  We identify things that match the shape.  We talk about the characteristics of the shape.  What makes a rhombus a rhombus?  We look around for things that are the shape and list them on the poster.  We color and trace the shape on worksheets.  We make the shape in the carpet, in the sand, and with pipe cleaners.  We review it daily, and whenever we see anything that is that shape. 

For our animals, we read about them.  We identify them as carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores.  We identify them as bipeds, quadrupeds or something else.  We identify the animal type.  We look at pictures of them, and talk about them.  We compare them to other animals we know, and talk about how they are different.  For frogs we read and discussed different types of frogs and their habitats.  We talk about what we already know, and what we want to know.  The key is to keep talking about it, and to review it often.  I want them to retain the information so that is incredibly important. 

For nutrition this week, we talked about favorite foods.  I introduced them to the food pyramid, and we talked about the food groups.  We sorted their play food into the food groups.  At each meal we identify the foods from each group.  We talk about sometimes foods and junk food, and why we should not eat just that type of food.  We talked about how food goes into the body, and out of the body, and why healthful food is important.  We identify healthful vs junk food.  We planned some healthful meals, and talked about vegetable we want to plant in the garden next year.  We talk a lot about where each type of food comes from.  We talk about cooking food, and why we need to.  We talked about what foods we can eat raw, and which we shouldn't.  And we are only partway through the week! 

Next week I will be much more organized, and we will keep adding review time into the week.  I also think that this week we will trace the shape, letter and number into shave cream.  I hope CJ doesn't hate it again.  We are also learning to play board games.  We learned Candy Land and Lucky Ducks awhile ago, and we learned Uno Moo this week.  It is like Uno, but with colored animal figurines instead of cards.  You put them in the barn.  It is adorable, but exhausting trying to play it.  The kids want everyone to win, and don't quite understand the point of playing the game.  They think they just should play with the animals.  We are working on following instructions.  Amid the more frequent temper tantrums from all three kiddos.  Eliza is often wearing underpants during the day, so we are making lots of progress in lots of areas.  I just need a week off soon, to just play, watch TV, and not stress myself out.  I am happy to be able to do this, but I think I push myself too hard.  I make a homemade meal every day, and I bake bread and cookies.  I try to keep the house clean, laundry done, and dishes washed.  I keep making little projects, and am trying to do things for myself, but often that doesn't happen.  I have Christmas gifts to make, cards to mail, menus to plan, and baking to do, all among the education of three children.  Now I know why I am so tired!  Thank you all for listening to my rant!  Off I go to finish Christmas cards.