And the Girls get their OWN Snow post

 

Creative Bible Time... and Snow.

I am still learning flexibility.
(Big shock, I know.)
I find it quite easy to miss unique and valuable learning opportunities
for adhering rigidly to my regularly scheduled program.
(Not that I'm even very good at that. HA!)

Not too long ago the Bugletts and I started a Bible time-line of sorts.
I lost momentum on keeping dates this time around,
but we decided to keep going with many of the major events
in the order they appear in the Bible.

We have a daily Bible reading time, but recently we've adjusted that to
include discussing Bible events and peoples as we are already familiar with them.
Talking about the bigger picture rather than honing in on one specific chapter in King Davids life.
Also taking time to look at God's character as displayed in His choice of records.
The Bible truly is His great story and a marvelous way to know HIM!

For our time-line, I hand a piece of card stock to each kiddio,
and assign a person or event for each child to draw while I tell them the story
using my Bible as reference.

Guess what this is a picture of?

And THIS is the Israelites camped in the wilderness - LOVE the creativity here!

Often we read the account and get caught up in reading reading reading!
 This has been a very fun and dynamic way to digest the Bible together.
I thought you might enjoy a peek:-)


As for the flexibility part...
Today we woke to snow.
LOTS and lots of snow and still coming down!
The Bugs thought it looked like an outside kind of day
and had big plans for their construction projects.
So I sent them out immediately after Bible, to come in for afternoon school instead.

Here's some of the pics from that venture! 

The Day The Sisters Made Peaunut Butter

They wanted to try it.

I said Okay..

They asked if they could use...

Butter Knife
Cheese Grater,
Bowls,
Plates,
Strainer,
Cutting Board......

I didn't ask.

I just said "Okay"

They worked
and chattered
cracked nuts
and more nuts

And they dreamed big dreams.

Grated
and chopped
and strained...

They giggled
and tasted,
and searched for better tools.

And they dreamed big dreams.

Finally I was presented with fruit of their labors -
a taste the size of a single green pea.

Summoning my courage
and not looking too closely
I opened my mouth to receive the honor.

Hmmm....
It tasted like Peanut Butter!

Alas.
That was the whole lot - all they had created!
So much for canning it;
for sharing it with brothers;
for starting a business...

But no  tears to be seen
no downcast spirits,
no rude awakening to the beautiful dreams...


Instead with undeterred creativity,
They began on Peanut Soup!

***********************************

 Peanut Butter How-To, by Susanna and Olivia

Sledding

Doing nothing by halves,
Uncle Char and Auntie Hannah had a good hill behind their house...
and what looked too steep for the likes of me,
was only potential to their eye for adventure... and fun!

 Apparently my children agree.



































...with them, that is.

One taste of sledding thrill
and the rest was,
well...
down hill from there!

~Even Lina~

And back UP the hill...

Thanks Brother.  You make our lives a lot more exciting!

And fun :-)

It's the Little Things

Sometimes the little things seem like BIG things, you know?
Today was like that for me.

One little kink in my day felt like an insurmountable obstacle.
And that's only talking about 1.


It's amazing to me 
how perceptive an 8 year old little boy can be:

It's nice to be loved.
Sometimes that's no small thing.
;-)

Carolina joins the ranks of "Big Kid"

She braved the snow - this little pixie.
Whenever I have sent the big kids out, she graciously declined.
And since she naps well, and sleeps at night,
I didn't feel compelled to make her go out just to tire her.

Well today, I wanted to go out.
Imagine that.  Me getting ready to go out in the snow....
Hm.  Quite a picture, and one that no one took, thankfully!

Because I wanted to go out, and all the big kids were out,
no one was left to babysit Lina and Bryce.
We dug out a thrifted snow suite for Carolina and some red mittens that sister outgrew
and Bryce was packed into enough clothing to keep him warm while I toted him on my hip.

And we went out.
All of us.

Carolina discovered that being  a "big kid"
and playing in the snow
aern't merely to be endured
rather... she really had a ball!

Once down the hill in a sled was enough though

(what a great big brother!)

and then some exploration with cousin Micah...

but after that she was a faithful snow-packer for her brothers
as they built their forts!

YAY for growing up just a little bit!

The world is so much bigger now :-)

The word for this picture is: UNUSUAL.

 Lately I have been basking in the peace of freedom.
Freedom from the fear of men - from fearing how others perceive and value me.

Freedom to know my family best
and then serve them accordingly.

Freedom to decide what we eat
(chocolate covered cherries?)
and when
(10am breakfast?)

Freedom to make oatmeal every morning 
or something different every day of the week.
Freedom to bake freshly-ground whole wheat bread
or buy corn dogs and french fries for dinner.

Freedom to wear rubber boots all year
... even with skirts
and jammies all day during the Winter
...if I want to.

Freedom to wear a LITTLE blush,
big dangly earrings,
and a silk scarf
...without any place to go.
and just because I can.

Freedom to make another new schedule
only to throw it out before the weeks end.

Freedom to design the perfect chore list
only to discover that the list wasn't the problem
...when it came to actually getting the chores done.

Freedom to buy another kind of pencil
another bucket for organizing pens
one more binder,
copy book,
or personal sharpener
because it's okay not to know what will work
until I try it
...sometimes over and over again.

Freedom to start our school at the same time every morning of the week
...except one.
That "one" is subject to change on my whim.
...and sometimes I change it up every day.

Freedom to use Saxon Math, Abeka Math, or Math U See.
Or maybe just write problems on blank binder paper
and count loose change.

Freedom to not call "playing in the snow" Physical Education, but
...plain ol' "playing in the snow".

Freedom to be a Round Peg
when most the holes are square.

Freedom to collect clutter
and enjoy it.

Freedom to like bright colors 
and not shades of gray or off-white.

Freedom to make mistakes 
and laugh at myself
...and let others laugh at me too.

Freedom to know that God does not exist in a box,
I can't put Him in one
and He has given me His salvation
precisely
so that
I 
can be
FREE in HIM!

.......................................

Can I say again; How unusual to see all my children 
huddled around the table 
doing their various works and creations  
at the same time!!!

........................................


Oh lovely friends~

My household is dynamic.
ever-changing.
I set many goals;
many come to no account.
I often forget to notice the few things
we are succeeding at!
What a shame.

Your house is dynamic too
and totally different than mine.
You are succeeding in ways I envy,
and shouldn't forget to look there
instead of at the places where you feel you are drowning. 

You are FREE too, to be a friend of God
because of His grace and salvation
and  by His power!
Never use someone elses success for your measuring stick.
Only worship HIM 
with what you have, 
...and what you broke
...and what He has restored.

True Freedom is found only in Jesus.
Rest there with me.

Through the Red Mug

The Red Mug.

It likes coffee with hot chocolate and half n' half best.

But is learning to appreciate tea.

The Red Mug prefers Peach or Peppermint with Agave stirred in.

But not especially herbal teas, and NEVER Licorice!

The Red mug likes mornings

And afternoon escapes.

Evenings are nice too, but only with Rocky Road ice cream and milk poured over.

The Red Mug is cheerful all the time.

Content to sit on the shelf when I don't have the heart,

and happy in the hand when I do.

I could probably learn a thing or two from The Red Mug.

Perhaps she'll whisper a few lessons

while I sip

steaming sweet chocolate

and peek at my little son

through 

her 

handle.

I hope so.

*

*

*

Just Because

Announcing...

My "New Hope" is almost 24 weeks in the making,
and I display all the usual evidence of this small person's presence :-)

We plan to herald this next blessing at the end of April
increasing our numbers,
and filling up another seat belt,

but mostly
adding the joy and wondrous delight
that another uniquely precious soul
brings
to our eager and amazed family.

We can hardly wait!