Just Enjoying Each Other and the World

First springtime splash

I've been thinking a lot about homeschooling lately and am simply enjoying all the "unplanned" learning that goes on in our daily lives. I'm writing down the books we read and the learning-type-experiences we do, and it's actually pretty close to the preschool curriculum I used to teach! It's wonderful that just being a mom and exploring the world with them is giving the girls "educationally" what they need right now. At the same time, I don't feel pressure to begin a formal curriculum because Kardelen wouldn't even begin kindergarten till the fall of next year.

One Saturday I felt like the house could have used several hours of my attention; but I really wanted to take the girls to check out an art-supply store and then pack a "book picnic" to share at the coffee shop. I ditched my housework and took off with the girls. It was wonderful.

At the art-supply/craft shop, we walked through every room seeing the arts & crafts for sale, then I bought us a set of beginner oil pastels and two tiny canvases for the girls to decorate. Next we headed for the coffee shop and shared a chocolate milk, a huge chocolate chip cookie, and sat down and read for about an hour. It was one of my favorite experiences as a Mom recently. I told my friend, If this is homeschooling, I'm in!



Here's a picture from our dance class today. We're fluttering like butterflies.


My mentor, when I asked her about homeschooling, gave me this wisdom: Be a Mom more than a teacher.

I'm loving it.

Up-lift

God's so good.

I love how the simplest blessings can pull you up from a "down" mood and make you realize just how beautiful life is.

Our day started well, but I found myself very frustrated when two little girls were both grumpy at once. And it was hard to get un-frustrated. (If anyone has a secret for that, please let me know!) I kept going to God and trying to think about good, rather than negative, things, but the grumpiness didn't quite go away. And then the girls and I sat down on the couch to read about black bear cubs. When brother cub got sticky honey all over his fur, I stopped to ask the girls, "How will he get it off?"

Kardelen said, "He'll go in the pond!" We read on and found that he licked it off with his tongue.

"Just like a cat," I noted. "Wouldn't it be funny if we licked off our sticky hands?"

I suppose I asked for it. Because in a moment I found myself being licked on the cheek by a warm tongue! I turned toward Sofia and found her giggling. Then I had to protest while both girls tried to "clean me" again!

I love how just one simple silly thing broke up the mood and suddenly instead of focusing on my complaints, I saw us there together as a family, enjoying each other, and I was thankful.

My first 5K!

I ran a 5K yesterday! Here's me with my friends Sandy and Kelley.

I didn't know I enjoyed running till I ran with my sister last month. And when my friend Kelley told me about the 5k on Thursday morning, I thought I'd give it a try! Without training for it, I didn't go fast, but I did complete it, and ran better than I have done before. Now I'm waiting for the next one!

It's really fun to try something new and have a new thing to enjoy!