Thankfully....

Thankfully, this Thanksgiving was just wonderful.
Aunt Caroline was ever the gracious and lovely decorated hostess.
I should have taken pictures of her decor!

 Thankfully, I had a certain big brother who was a big help making dough for rolls.
(I had two other helpers, but George was the happiest all week before T-day)

 Thankfully, the weather was perfect.

 Thankfully, I have a husband who is healthy and could enjoy the day to it's fullest.

 Thankfully, Maggie is a happy baby.

 Thankfully, my kids generally enjoy each others company.

 Thankfully, Aunt Caroline had bubbles!

 Thankfully, my kids don't have asthma that I had.

 Thankfully, my husband is a goofball.

 Thankfully, playing outside in the fresh air can tire my babies out
(even if only for a minute or two).

 Thankfully, my children know how to share (most days).

 Thankfully, my bashful child is not shy for the camera.

 Thankful.

 My heart is full.

 My children are healthy and happy.

 My husband is healthy and happy.

 I have Joy that is unmatched by anything else I can list.

Jesus has made my life whole.

 I am forgiven.

 I am free.

 And I am loved.

 Everything else is just, as George would say....

 Bonus!

One particular bonus-
Generations of love.

Time Out- Step by Step.

Phases of Timeout.

Ginnie style.

 1. The ear piercing, blood curdling, alarms-the-neighbors, screaming.

 2. The just as loud, but more dawn out crying.

 3. The whimpering with occasional shrieks to remind you she is still there.

(My theory- this is how she conserves her energy)

4. The quiet.  The attitude is not quite fixed, but the demeanor has softened to a state where communication can finally happen. Many times she does not like the communication so we start the cycle all over.

These stages can repeat each other like 1-2-1-2-3-2-3-4-1-2-3........4.  

Yes, it can take a LONG time.

Can you imagine how it looks when we are not at home and strapped in a booster seat?

And people wonder why I stay home!

She has to learn something at some point, right?

Oh, I love you, Virginia Jane

My strongest-willed little girl.

Train them Up

There is a new hairdresser in town!

 Liv is just about ready to take over hair duty.

Not for only for her up-do skills,
but notice....

Virginia is sitting STILL!

 Here is another one of Livie's masterpieces.
Ginnie wanted a "Mommy Look."

I thought it was perfect.
The swirly curls remind me of my Mom's hair when I was young.

 Maggie is not to be out done. 
She did this to herself...

If you are ever short on pomade or gel,
just use a combo of water, honey nut cherios, and gummy candy.

Everything I've learned, I've learned from the internet.

Thank you Pinterest.com!

Everything I never knew I wanted to do is on there.

Does your child need a visual tool to learn to tell time?

Funny.... mine didn't, but I made this with them anyway.

Why?

Because it is on Pinterest!

(If for some crazy reason you are not on there and don't want to be on the wait list, message me your e-mail and I'll send you a direct invite.)

Good Eaters

How does one get children to eat a variety of foods?

**Note- I am not a professional.  If you don't believe it, wait until you see suggestion 3!  
These tactics may not work for the strongest willed child**

* We have a "try everything, finish something" policy.
Meaning, they need to take a decent bite of each kind of food, but really only need to eat all of one of those foods before they are excused, or get dessert (if we have any).

* We serve a wide variety of flavors and textures, consistently.
I like LOVE food, and I don't want to be limited to what I get to eat.  Plus, I think that the more kids are exposed to flavors and textures at a young age, the more they will find they like as they get older.

*Lie. 
(Don't look at me like that.
It is fun.)

Exhibit A
"That food is protien (truth) and it helps build muscle (truth) and you can decide where that muscle will grow (lie, but way more fun!)."
I still crack up when George eats some chicken and declares it will make his leg, or arm, or neck muscle grow.  We can fix that in health class, right?

Exhibit B
"Yes, those (black) beans are really chocolate beans! Yum!"

Exhibit C (and a Classic)
"Carrots make you see in the dark!"
Then the kids scarf down 10 baby carrots and run to shut themselves in a closet to test out their newest superpower.

*Cater to Colors
Virginia was so excited to eat her favorite color beans.
This was EASY and no lying involved.

Don't Ask- Part 4

Never could imagine how it would work.

I'm a bit of a control freak.  

Not that I'm ever really in control, 

but in my mind I'm the big Kahuna.

So when the issue came up with how to work piano lessons this year,
I freaked a little.

Our favorite piano teacher started homeschooling all of her 3
(when she had 2 in school last year).

That meant, on lesson days, there would be Liv at the piano, and her 3 plus my other 3 to keep occupied and sort of quiet.  All of this in 3 little rooms downstairs.

Ummmm, insert freaking out. 
(Me, not Ms. Gail.  She assured me it will all work out.)

And you know what?

It did....

and is still working out, 2 months later.

Virginia and E play together (sometimes school games, sometimes not).

A, A, and George do their schoolwork with me at the table.

Ms. Gail is at the piano with Liv,

and the baby is sleeping for her morning nap.

I have lots of freak out issues that I am working on, one at a time.

Thank you Lord, for gentle, persisting, friends, and patience and mercy on your part with me.

Early American Fun Fact

We learned that the early Americans rarely (if at all) used glass in their windows.  

(I'm sure many other places did this too, but we are studying early Americans at the moment.)

They used oiled paper.

 We oiled our own paper to see why.

Oiled paper is stronger than dry, it is more see-through, and it repels water. 

When glass was not readily available, oiled paper was the stuff.

I LOVE that I learn along with the kids!

Sewing 101

Well, this is not actually Sewing 101. 

That will be the class Liv and I taking in November.

We are talking remedial sewing class here.

Yarn

Ginormous (blunt!) needles

And dollar store shelf grip with nice stretchy holes.

 I cut 3 pieces of "material."

Ginnie chose pink yarn.

Surprise.

The concept of putting the needle in and out (opposed to in and around to in again)

was harder on the kids than I thought.

Either way, they had a good time.

I found out we should get something to hold the material taut. 

Maybe some of those ring things.

Oh dear, I need that sewing class like you don't know.

 George kept saying his was  going to be a spaceship, or a knight, or a bonfire....

Liv liked crossing the threads to make crosses and T's. 

I never found out what George finally decided his finished product was.

I just wanted it to be skill practice.  No finished product needed.

In the end, they wanted to turn the project into tents for their toys.

Next time it will be more directed.  I will draw on a pattern for them to follow.