Laundry Room Decor

There's always, always something to be thankful for & I enjoy trying to find it in every situation. 

Sometimes I may not see it or it's more of a challenge. But, one thing is for sure, I KNOW God has blessed me whether I feel it or not. 

How many of you are on Pinterest? I saw a really neat laundry room saying and knew I was going to incorporate it somehow to our laundry room. 

I have a hard time decorating because it just doesn't come natural to me. Unless I'm copying an exact look, a blank wall leaves my brain blank. 

On another note, I'm all about saving a buck or two and while my handwriting isn't perfect, it's almost more fun making it by hand. With that being said I enlisted some helpers. 

We got out the finger paints & I just let the boys paint however they wanted. To start, we used paintbrushes.

Ben had enough of the paintbrush

It wasn't long before the colors were mixed! 

My inspiration 

Here is the final product 

ABC's and 123's Semi-homeschooled

My title is semi-homeschooled because I feel like what I'm doing is so unorganized. I have explored several free homeschool curriculums and I don't know if it's my ADHD but it's been so hard for me to stick to one as well as know how to implement it. I liked few in particular but to execute it, has been a challenge. With the one school I was hoping the boys can go to wouldn't accept William into their 4 year old pre-k program because he turned 4 after their cut off date of Sept. 30th, I took it upon myself to try and learn all I can about homeschooling. I still have a lot to learn and am trying to pick the brains of some women I know who homeschool, but ultimately I need to do the work and I am the one teaching them. 

A few things that come to my mind for my criteria for the homeschool material we use is:

-- Christian based

-- age relevant (but also challenging) 

-- good for beginner teachers (moms) like me

-- free or low cost

We don't have a working printer, so I am trying my best when something needs to be printed to just make it myself. 

Pinterest has given me TONS of ideas. I don't have our schedule down and know that I need to balance play and learning. I find the best learning comes through play, which has been a HUGE challenge for me because sometimes I feel like I want to just be a drill sergeant and get things done,.... Honestly I need to work on that and chat with some moms on how not to feel or be that way. Maybe even more than talking to moms, I need to have a consult with God and ask him for a heart change.   

Here's the letters we've done so far since starting this week of formal school. 

Yesterday was the letter A. I also have a verse that goes with the letter and we'll make a Bible abc's wall somewhere in the house when we're done :) 

Today is the letter B. We sing it abc's at the beginning. Watch a YouTube video of the phonetics of the  letter, trace and upper case as well as lower case, and then do a craft. I know they won't be writing out letters by next week but letter recognition, how to properly write it, the sounds the letter makes, and how when put together they form words are all things I'm trying to incorporate. 

My personality wants to have the rest of our curriculum (whatever that is) laid out, but then I also am such a fly by the seat of my pants type of girl. I cherish this time with them and am so thankful I can stay home with them right now. I am learning so much about them everyday, and I continue to learn more about myself as well.

I pray I do right by my boys and that they know how proud of them I am and how much I love them and God loves them! It'll be interesting to see if we continue homeschooling next year for the boys. I know God will open or close doors but for now I am soaking this up and amazed by my sweet boys! 

Smart SMART boys!

William has always had an attention to detail and amazing memory of songs. 

Lately he likes to say the title and artist (if he knows) of our local Christian radio station within a few short seconds of it being played. I should get their play list and put all the songs on a cd and then test him and tape it. It's amazing!! 

This was today right before lunch. Here in the picture I asked firefighter William to move his trucks to the end of the table so we could eat lunch. He had them all in front of him playing before I asked. One by one he drove them  and faced them all in the same direction -- one lined up next to another so nice and neat!

The other day Rick had to run into work to drop something off quick. So the boys and I were sitting in the car waiting. William was talking about firetrucks so I said would you like to draw some? He said, sure!  I handed him a notepad and a pen. He started to draw a said he drew a big fire (it kind of resembled a sun, it was a circle in the middle of the paper with a lot of lines all around it, it was a cool fire" He said, ugh mom, I don't think I know how to draw firetrucks, will you draw me some? I said, sure! I started to draw a very basic ones and then said hmmm... How many should I draw? He said eleven!!! I said okay 11 it is. Well in the process of drawing them he said this is taking long time, I think I'll have my paper back. So I handed him the notepad not having drawn all 11. He started counting and kind of chucked and cheerfully said, hey! This isn't right! (He kind of chuckled again) Mom!! You only drew 9, I wanted 11!! You're missing 2. I look at him and said whoops! Obviously I thought well wait not you asked for the paper back...... Then I thought wait a minute, forget all this reasoning... William just not only counted to 9 but 11, then he realized 9+2 = 11 AND/OR 11-2 = 9!!!! I praised him like no other and STILL am shocked!! We practice addition and subtraction like once a week, but this was amazing!!! 

Here we have sweet, tender hearted and thoughtful Ben. I asked him to move his firefighters to the end of the table and he said, shhhh, the fire fighter is talking to his wife, and we need to be quiet!! He does this with baby toys too or animal toys too, or even pretend people we have in the house. This was the first time the wife came up and it made me wonder if it's because I ask Ben to wait or not be screaming loud when I'm talking to Rick or people on the phone. 

Side note for Ben.... I have been working on writing numbers and letters both the number itself as well as the number spelled out and upper and lower case letters. We have flash cards and a book both made by the same company, so their pictures are similar. I didn't put that together until Ben was working on one of the flash cards and said HEY!!! (He ran off and came running back with the book) he opened the book and said, It's a pair!!! He held the similar items next to each other. I praised him and he got all giddy and running around and was excited for himself. It was neat to see him make the connection, neat for him to want to show me and then neat to see him be proud of himself for what he had discovered, and neat too for him to watch me watch him give him a reaction. 

Mom after God's Own Heart

As parents we are blessed as well as challenged as we are entrusted with this precious gift of life. 

There are many seasons. There's that lovely stage when a child is first born and where we lack sleep and everything is new and as we start to get into a routine and learn the cues from our baby they start moving and rolling and crawling and walking and new challenges arise. 

One thing I'm learning as a mom is the changes and challenges continue, they just change as the child gets older & can understand more. 

It's my hope and prayer that I can teach them and do my best to lead by example. I know as I desire to do this I must be in prayer everyday and as challenges arise lean on the Spirit to guide me in that moment. 

How have you found you best keep your peace, hold your patience, and stay grounded? Quiet time? Prayer? Family Bible studies? 

Semi-sleepless

I realize this is not my most flattering pictures and my smile is halfway there... But it's REAL. It's me, it's life! :) 

Last night was my 4th semi sleepless night. 

I was having a huge pity party for myself early this morning in anticipation of the day knowing I had only slept from. 10:30-11:30pm and then did not fall asleep until around 5am again. The pelvic pain is back and the restless muscle tremors (from withdrawl of just 1 month of being on ultram) are still existent.

This morning while making milk for the boys, and waiting for it to warm, I bent over and my mind thought, I am so tired, how am I going to make it through the day being so tired? The verse that goes something like, "Lift up your eyes to the hills where does my help come from? It comes from the Lord filled" my mind. I immediately went from bent over stretching position to arms up and said that verse out loud. I sat down on the couch and praise God His mercies are new every morning! My Spirit rose up within me. And I felt the Spirit saying, "Becky, maintain a good attitude. I have given you a big, beautiful house filled with food and toys and two beautiful, smart, healthy boys. A faithful husband who loves you beyond life and family and friends who pray for you and are there for you." Did I get a big energy surge and now feel completely restored? No. But my soul waits upon the Lord for answers & I can do ALL things through him who gives me strength & I put my hope in the Lord where my strength is renewed. I will soar on wings like eagles; run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint.