Boy, my breaks between blog posts seem to be getting farther and farther apart! I am not planning on making a habit of that, it's just been the nature of moving. I can honestly say today that we are feeling very settled and, this week, I am looking forward to really focusing on reestablishing our daily routine as best as possible.
I have found that having a daily routine is one of the best ways to maintain order and keep the feelings of "craziness" from building up. That, in turn, frees us all up to joyfully and excitedly have people in our home as often as possible!
Speaking of daily routines...remember that white board that I posted to help the kids know what was going on each day, the meal for the day and their chores? Well, it has been a HUGE asset! There have been so many less questions and the house has stayed picked up much better than it had before. And you had better bet it's one of the first things they go check each morning when they get up! They love just "knowing"!!! Having said that, I got a couple of emails when I first posted my idea...and I was SO thankful for their input! They suggested having each child keep the same chore for the week so as not to confuse my kids and add to the chaos! I gratefully instituted their suggestion and I am so thankful for their advice as it proved to be very wise!
What else have we been up to this week?
More painting :) I accented a couple of the walls in the dining room and living room with brown (with the help of my dear hubby) and I am tickled with the result! Both bathrooms need a new coat of paint...but my body and my desire for a return to "normal" living are keeping me from tackling those projects for now. Maybe I can convince myself to one small project a week until the rest is done?:) I'll try to get up some before and after pictures sometime this week!
We have enjoyed some dear fellowship and fun with new friends several days this week and it has been a sweet blessing for my kids and well as for me!
We also had our first official day of "spring training". I guess it would be better put...Micah had his first day of spring training with Dad and we got to tag along!:)Next Sunday afternoon is "assessments" for Micah to see what his skills are and, as a result, what team he will end up on. We also enjoyed the view of Mt. Baker from the park...the weather has been just amazing this week!!!!
Our landlord graciously cleared out half of the garage for us and we were able to empty out Samuel and Micah's room, paint it, and get their stuff into it this weekend! They are excited to have their own room...but it will be interesting to see just how much time they actually spend in it. The kids all seem to really enjoy being together, not apart...the boys have learned all the rules of mini hockey from dad and they have been spending every moment they are not watching the Olympics in competition with each other in mini hockey tournaments! It's a riot!
The girls have started to really enjoy these books that I got for all of them at the beginning of summer. I would HIGHLY recommend them. They are called "The Never-Bored Kid Book" and they have them for each age. They are full of fun crafts and word searches, etc...The crafts are the girl's favorite part and it truly has entertained them for hours! They are for for boys too...but my boys are anything but "bored" right now!:)
I think that is all I have time for tonight! There is much to share concerning "matters of the heart" and things that will last beyond paint and "cut-outs" but I'll save that for the rest of this week!:) And I will keep reminding myself as I keep reminding the kids that God DOES care about how we paint and do crafts and play hockey. Really, everything we do IS a matter of the heart because whether we eat or drink or WHATEVER WE DO, we are called to do it all to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31)! I am learning that, in order to help the kids understand that verse, we have to talk often about what it looks like to glorify God as we play and eat, etc... It's a concept that is hard for them to grasp (and, if I am honest, it's hard for me to grasp sometimes too!) and it takes a lot of encouraging and reminders of what to "put off" and what to "put on" as we go about their daily activities and duties!
I have found that having a daily routine is one of the best ways to maintain order and keep the feelings of "craziness" from building up. That, in turn, frees us all up to joyfully and excitedly have people in our home as often as possible!
Speaking of daily routines...remember that white board that I posted to help the kids know what was going on each day, the meal for the day and their chores? Well, it has been a HUGE asset! There have been so many less questions and the house has stayed picked up much better than it had before. And you had better bet it's one of the first things they go check each morning when they get up! They love just "knowing"!!! Having said that, I got a couple of emails when I first posted my idea...and I was SO thankful for their input! They suggested having each child keep the same chore for the week so as not to confuse my kids and add to the chaos! I gratefully instituted their suggestion and I am so thankful for their advice as it proved to be very wise!
What else have we been up to this week?
More painting :) I accented a couple of the walls in the dining room and living room with brown (with the help of my dear hubby) and I am tickled with the result! Both bathrooms need a new coat of paint...but my body and my desire for a return to "normal" living are keeping me from tackling those projects for now. Maybe I can convince myself to one small project a week until the rest is done?:) I'll try to get up some before and after pictures sometime this week!
We have enjoyed some dear fellowship and fun with new friends several days this week and it has been a sweet blessing for my kids and well as for me!
We also had our first official day of "spring training". I guess it would be better put...Micah had his first day of spring training with Dad and we got to tag along!:)Next Sunday afternoon is "assessments" for Micah to see what his skills are and, as a result, what team he will end up on. We also enjoyed the view of Mt. Baker from the park...the weather has been just amazing this week!!!!
Our landlord graciously cleared out half of the garage for us and we were able to empty out Samuel and Micah's room, paint it, and get their stuff into it this weekend! They are excited to have their own room...but it will be interesting to see just how much time they actually spend in it. The kids all seem to really enjoy being together, not apart...the boys have learned all the rules of mini hockey from dad and they have been spending every moment they are not watching the Olympics in competition with each other in mini hockey tournaments! It's a riot!
The girls have started to really enjoy these books that I got for all of them at the beginning of summer. I would HIGHLY recommend them. They are called "The Never-Bored Kid Book" and they have them for each age. They are full of fun crafts and word searches, etc...The crafts are the girl's favorite part and it truly has entertained them for hours! They are for for boys too...but my boys are anything but "bored" right now!:)
I think that is all I have time for tonight! There is much to share concerning "matters of the heart" and things that will last beyond paint and "cut-outs" but I'll save that for the rest of this week!:) And I will keep reminding myself as I keep reminding the kids that God DOES care about how we paint and do crafts and play hockey. Really, everything we do IS a matter of the heart because whether we eat or drink or WHATEVER WE DO, we are called to do it all to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31)! I am learning that, in order to help the kids understand that verse, we have to talk often about what it looks like to glorify God as we play and eat, etc... It's a concept that is hard for them to grasp (and, if I am honest, it's hard for me to grasp sometimes too!) and it takes a lot of encouraging and reminders of what to "put off" and what to "put on" as we go about their daily activities and duties!
Comments
"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." So said Dorothy Parker.
Of course there are limits to this concept. If one were to be curious about what might happen if you took a bath with a plugged in toaster... well, that might be a cure for curiosity.
There is so much waiting to be discovered, learned, and re-learned.
The world is still waiting for someone to invent an affordable and efficient stove, for the billions that don't have one.
Cheap safe clean drinking water is still a dream for billions too.
That should keep the kids' minds occupied for a while.
Love ya!