Thoughtfulness

I still remember when Scooter was a brand new baby, I was so infatuated with him (of course). I was out somewhere when a white-haired gentleman stopped to peek at Scoot. He marveled at him a minute, then said "Seems like he's the first child that was ever born, doesn't it?" I knew just what he meant. This little child, my brand new first baby was the most precious thing in the entire world, and I couldn't imagine how anything or anyone so important could ever have existed.

I felt the same way with my next two babes. Just like it was the first time anyone so wonderful could have happened.

That was a wonderful feeling. In the years following, however, I have come to be incredibly grateful for those women who have gone before me & the fact that I am not doing this for the first time, alone. I am especially grateful for those women who are in my life in one way or another, teaching me how to love & teach my children, how to be the mom I want to be.

"Older women likewise are to be.... teaching what is good so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children..." Titus 2:3-4

Some fabulous blogs that I've discovered, as well as some great conversation I've had with my older (and very experienced) sister lately have culminated into me thinking of helping my boys to be mindful, thoughtful of others in life.

Oftentimes I ask one of my boys to do this or that, not taking time to mention the why...and usually it has to do with consideration of others and thoughtfullness. I subscribe to a wonderful blog, and Barb has been doing a little series about instilling good habits, a CM teaching. Here are some of Barb's own ideas of implementing thoughtfulness in her children;

• All four children share a bathroom and I know they could each show more thoughtfulness in how they leave the bathroom when they are finished in the morning and also in the amount of time they each spend in the bathroom getting their day going
• Encouraging the children to spend one on one time with each other, especially the older ones with a younger one
• Thoughtful words are always nice to hear between the children, tone of voice is everything

This leads me to think about how I can help my boys think about being thoughtful toward others, and the consequences of not doing so. I want the boys to see the reason's behind being mindful of others, not just see a rule to be kept or broken.

Adversely, the child who is unaware of the consequences for other of his own actions is driven only by fear or reward of "What will happen to me?" This child is not mindful of others around, and leads to a heart that sees only rules and consequences.

Just food for thought...

"Thoughtfulness's job is simply to make everyday life more pleasant and comfortable for others, even when those others are only the pets that we feed and care for, or our dog who likes to be played with and taken for walks, or our horse that needs not only food and care but encouragement from a friendly touch and word. Our family and friends, both rich and poor, provide lots of opportunities to be thoughtful. A thoughtful person might be described as courteous, kind, accommodating or considerate. His thoughtfulness is shown in a kind word, or by knowing when not to speak, or by his manner, his attention, what he says, or what he does."
Charlotte Mason in Modern English, volume one, page 99-100

Contentment; Part 2

You might remember that a couple of weeks ago I was talking about discontentment, and my journey toward contentment. We're doing a neat book study at Bible Study right now, Cultivating Contentment by the ladies of Women of Faith. It's been a good part of my learning in this area. I am learning. Hopefully it's not just the learning of the mind, but learning of the heart.

These days I'm feeling quite content with our house. Spring finally sprung (at least for this week) and in spite of Eli's deadly fear of bees (or anything with wings) the boys have turned the backyard into a playroom adding serious space to our house. Along with that I love my house and am feeling happy to be there in the spring sunlight.

Have you ever read the book of Ecclesiastes? It's all about contentment. It's all about that empty place in your life that longs for something but can't be filled.

And what do I try and fill that space with? Friends, things, food, I even look to my evening (after-the-kids-are-in-bed-time) to fill me up. But alas, nothing fills.

I know my heart was made to long, to ache sometimes over something that's missing.
"God has made everything beautiful for it's own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart" Ecc 3:11

I have long been aware of the aching, and even the fact that I'm just missing my Father. Missing my Saviour and longing for the day that I get to see Him again.

And do I'm on this journey, and take much comfort that the Wisest man that ever lived, Solomon knew just what I feel and he had much advice for those of us that are discontent.

"Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless; it is like chasing the wind." Ecc 6:9

Homeschool works-for-me: house work/ projects

If you've been a home school mom for more than 12 minutes, you've come to realize that things are different for us as homemakers and keepers. I was given a nugget of wisdom early on in this journey of ours that the home that hosts little ones ( and bigger ones too) is NOT a perfectly crisp, tidy home. It's a well lived in home.

(Now if you are thinking about homeschooling, keep reading. This is a how to, not meant to scare you off)

This year I have puzzled over this thought; "How on earth am I ever going to spring clean?"

Well, I mulled it over and over, and at last I came to a fly lady inspired solution; 15 minutes at a time, my friend.

Okay, so not literally 15 minutes, but little bites. So I did this. I made a (mental) list of all the spring cleaning things and organizing projects I wanted to do. I know I would be overwhelmed if I left this in list form, so I took each task and assigned them to a week on my calendar. One week I worked on organizing and cleaning out the pantry. The next week I took on the task of checking out all my smoke alarms (and yes, it took me all week because I procrastinated) . Last week I scrubbed out and organized ALL of the cupboards in the kitchen (big sigh of relief here) and this week I'm going to attack my linen closet. The game for me...I don't look at the following weeks' task. This gives me something to work toward, call me strange but I look forward to the next task.

In the meantime I keep up my normal (fly lady) routine of hitting one normal cleaning thing a day. Mondays I vacuum the house, Tuesdays I do bathrooms, Wednesdays I mop....you get the idea. I also keep getting more help from the boys, this is really helping me out. I use them as often as I can and because they earn their allowance this way they're willing hands & hearts (most of the time.)

Oh, and I do not love Tuesdays.


When cleaning out an area, work as long as time (or family) permits and then return to the project when you're able. Get two paper bags, one for trash and one for give-away then don't hesitate to let go of things unless you love them or you use them. This is all Fly Lady inspired, I get no credit except that I've been able to let go of an enormous amount of stuff.

Don't forget to involve your kiddos if they're interested or if you can use the help. Sometimes this is nice to do alone. Your little ones need to learn what it takes to keep a home nice, their spouses will thank you one day.

ie: Joey cleaned out the car the other day. Afterward, we all climbed into the car, one of the boys had a granola bar. Joey said "Make sure you give the wrapper to mom. I just cleaned the car and I don't want to do it again!" Aha!

I figure my house will sparkle in exactly 15ish years when my youngest son moves out and I'm sure right now that's NOT a good thing. In the meantime I'm happy to do the work and organizing as I can.

For some notes on home school planning, check out this article at A High and Noble Calling

Seriously Monday (Weekend Pics)

I'm taking time out today to make another entry for the Simple Woman's Daybook. Read more about her here.

FOR TODAY
Outside my window... tulips are pushing their way up out of the earth, the sun is singing and it's a happy, happy place
I am thinking...happy thoughts. Sun is good for me.
I am thankful for... not to be redundant, but..the sun. From the learning rooms...we're just getting started today, kids are counting down the days 'til summer. But we're studying plants/roots/seeds in science, Greek Mythology in History, adverbs in LA, units of measurement in math...I'm studying curriculum for next year. :)
From the kitchen...I almost forgot! That keeps happening! I think we're having Chili & cornbread, I'm going to get on that right this moment!
I am wearing... yoga pants, a t
I am creating...a photo album of a blog
I am going...to procrastinate on a trip to Walmart by improvising
I am reading...Cultivating Contentment, Education Is, and Masterly Inactivity
I am hoping...for a good week for a weary friend
I am hearing...boys wrestling in the living room and Ralph cutting the grass out front for the first time in 2009.
Around the house...laundry, need to vacuum, beach towels and boys in swim trunks
One of my favorite things...waking up with the sunlight streaming in through our curtins and a house that I love...yes, I said love. I'll share more of my contentment journey soon.
A few plans for the rest of the week: haircut, worship practice, choir for kids, school, dentist appts, mailing a package, gearing up to go camping.
Here are a few picture thoughts I am sharing...

These are a 'snapshot' of our weekend...

Lovin' Literature: Paddle to the Sea

I love it when fellow blogger share books that they're enjoying for themselves or their little ones. I would love to share with you some *living books that we're discovering, as we discover. I hope you'll find these interesting, maybe good gifts or books to check out at the library.

I want to share a favorite book of ours with you:




Paddle to the Sea
by Holling C. Holling


Paddle to the Sea is a story about a small wooden canoe that a child makes and sets to sea. The book tracks the canoe's journey, going through stream to beaver dam, by river to lake and ocean. I have loved this book for all the nature studies and industry the canoe 'observes' as it travels. This is a good family read, provides a lot of platforms for discussion.

What is a living book?

The books Living Books Curriculum uses are considered “living” according to Charlotte Mason. That is, the books “warm the imagination,” nurture thinking, and communicate knowledge mind-to-mind. Children require books that are living in order to develop to their fullest capacity. The high quality of thought expressed in great literature breeds like thought in the child. When the books are many, varied, and living, the child is able to adopt the ideas in them just as a plant takes nutrients from the soil.

“For this reason we owe it to every child to put him (or her) in communication with great minds that he may get at great thoughts…and the only vital method of education appears to be that children should read worthy books, many worthy books.” Charlotte Mason, A Philosophy of Education, p. 12.d

Definition taken from Living Books Curriculum

Shout out to Spelling City

I want to share with you a website, Spelling City, that has been a huge help to me and huge fun for the boys. This site allows you to enter the spelling words you're working on currently, it throws them in some magic machine that allows the kids to play games using these very words to reinforce the spelling aspect....hang man, crossword puzzles, word searches.

I really hope you'll try this site too, it's making spelling fun for Joey and helping Nate to learn sight words in a new and fun way. Whether you're home schooling or helping your kids study their own spelling lists from school.

Yes, ANOTHER blog

I have started yet another blog and I'd like to invite you in. Sharing the Journey is a members-only, confidential blog, to be used strictly for tracking healthy eating habits, excersize and weight loss. Just check in when you like; set a goal, make a plan for the week...share with us what's working, your progress and your struggles.

This is strictly a place to record progress, get encouraged, work on our goals together. Join up if you want to journey with us.

How to sign up? Drop me a comment or an email at puddlestomper@gmail.com with your email address, I'll send you an invitation to join the blog as a writer. Join us!!

A Brand New Monday

A simple word of thanks to the Happy Homemaker Monday herself!

On my bedside table:
my bible
Masterly Inactivity
The Beach House


On my TV
CyberChase (kid time) Last night we rented Slumdog Millionaire It was really good.


On the menu for tonight:
Hmmm, guess I should figure that out


On my To Do List:
spring clean the kitchen (no small task)
get my haircut
finish baby blanket and ship a package
complete and ship another package
Simplify, slow down, enjoy the days

New Recipe I tried last week:
Fabulous Easter Ham. Ralph did the glaze...ginger snaps, bourbon and mustard. mmm.

In the craft basket:
Blankets are progressing, still.


Looking forward to:

going out with a friend for her birthday, maybe getting a camper, more spring weather, seeing my almost 2 nephew in a little while.

Homemaking Tip for this week:

use a used dryer sheet to scrub dishes with burned on sugar or what not.


Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):

This is my favorite. I love the way Amy brags on her family, the way she oozes love for them. :) Thanks Amy, it's contagious!


Favorite photo from last week:

Ralph and I at McMenamins in Lincoln City

Lesson learned the past few days:

Kids are happier if you keep them productively busy. Especially if they are bored or arguing it's good to grab one and have them help out. They can do an amazing level of work if you let them and cheer them on.

My sweet Critter made smoothies at lunch all by himself today. It helped me out immensely AND made him so big and proud and capable. A two year old can empty the drier, a three year old can empty the dishwasher. A four year old can pair up socks and anyone can help take out the trash. Vacuum, window washing, clearing the table, pulling weeds... many hands make light work.

On my Prayer List:

wisdom, as always
a friend in her homeschooling journey
for a richer marriage
a friend and her new baby boy


Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

1 Peter 3:3&4

³Let not yours be the merely external adorning with elaborate^b]"> interweaving and knotting of the hair, the wearing of jewelry, or changes of clothes;

⁴But let it be the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which [is not anxious or wrought up, but] is very precious in the sight of God.