A Day In the Life

For us, everyday is different.
We have a routine but not a schedule.
I thought I'd share a typical day with you though.
Mostly because I need to see it for the beauty that it is.
Less and less seems to be getting accomplished as my body gradually slows down.
Some days I focus more fully on housework, other days on school and quality time with the girls.
I can get frustrated though.
I don't like to be stopped from my usual pace.
So it takes a lot of getting used to.
My goal for this final trimester is to keep my patience with the kids.
Savouring the moments of each day helps with that.
Here is our day:

Piper makes the pancakes.
Its kinda her thing now.


Tait indulges in some early morning colouring while breakfast cooks.



Shoulder to shoulder these two must sit.
Peace and harmony.
No fights...yet.


These girls devour their pancakes.
I'm talking 4 pancakes each!
So good that syrupy marker drools tell the tale.



Next, there's a party in the bathroom.
I don't intervene.
Finally some interest in the potty thanks to big sister.
They'll figure out the diaper removal eventually!




That over with, they leave the bathroom to find Mama's make shift bed to which she crawled at 4:30am, seeking relief for an ever sore back.
Tent construction follows and I slip off to get dressed and make beds while they are happily occupied!



It's a sunny day so out we go!
I find the gumption to take them to the park down the road.
Off they trot with baby's in tow!



We stop to investigate a new discovery: frost!
They touch it and smell it and lick it, of course!



So pretty and cool!
I appreciate it a lot more now that I don't have to get up and scrape it off the car in the mornings!



They love the park!
I smile.
This will be a nice, restful morning.
As they play, I'll sit back in my cozy new maternity winter coat and read.
But then I hear, "NO, TAIT!!!"
Suddenly, Piper is running towards me...
"Tait stepped in DOG POOP!"
And did she ever.
I clean it up on the wet grass, but, well, that smell lingers.
Home we go...


Once again inside, the girls get right to work on a tea party.
Amid discarded tents and unfolded laundry.
Regardless, the scene still warms my heart.


I sit down to assemble a cardboard finger for the school lesson.
All in an attempt to demonstrate how muscles work.
Something about the process is soothing.
Especially surrounded by the offerings brought by little girls sharing their tea party joy!



We settle into school.
Prayers and songs and calendars and books.
They sway to the rhythm of it all.
Class on a livingroom couch with beloved babies and a best friend.
Does it get much better?


We transition to the table to color and paint the letter of the day.
But not without a marker war first....
This picture just kills me.
The marker poised just so, the defaced arm, froggy watch and ribbons hanging from long blond hair.
Treasure.



I get the stink eye lots from this one.
Don't let anyone tell you otherwise - 2 is terrible.
But I love it.
I love her.


Lunch complete.
She officially has syrup, applesauce and yogurt in her hair.
And is moving on to clothes change #4...


Then they so graciously nap and have a quiet time.
Quiet.
No pictures.
I'm done!
Nap for me too!
They awake to bathtime.
Followed by hair de-knotting.
A process if there ever was one!
Favorite distraction?
YouTube Elmo clips.
Yessir!
I've found a way to eliminate the tears and conditioning had very little to do with it!


Then a whirlwind of activity.
They play Starfall while I'll throw supper together.
(Easy peasy spaghetti!)
Matt walks in and takes over food distribution so I can finally grab that shower I traded this morning for 15 more minutes of sleep!
And we're off and running to church for the Wednesday night kids program!

Upon returning and settling the kids into bed (which includes loads of hugs and kisses and at least one meltdown), I do the left behind dishes.
I read the 10+ Helps For Really Busy Moms like I usually do.



This one stands out tonight:

5. Motherhood is a hallowed place because children aren’t commonplace.
Co-laboring over the sculpting of souls is a sacred vocation, a humbling privilege.
Never forget.















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Remembrance Day

We took time this past week to learn about Remembrance Day.
It's always difficult to find many resources for young children so I thought I'd share the little bit I've come across!
There are oodles of poppy crafts (which we never got around to doing) but books and such that simply convey why we observe Remembrance Day are scarce!

Thankfully, I came across this printable workbook: "Take Time To Remember".
It contained several activities and a printable of the poem "In Flanders' Fields".
Piper really enjoyed working though it and talking about the different illustrations she was coloring in!


We also read though a book I made several years ago about Remembrance Day.
I was disappointed by the lack of selection of books relating to this day so I put together a children's book using pictures I took of Piper's first Remembrance Day!
I gave it to my Dad as a Christmas gift that year since it was he who instilled in me the importance to take time each year to honor those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.
The girls were especially attentive when they saw that the book contained pictures of people they knew!





One book I am very fond of is "A Poppy Is to Remember".
It is very simple, beautifully illustrated and perfect for younger children!
As we read it, Piper asked questions such as why some of the men didn't return to their families.
When I explained that they had died protecting our country, her eyes watered up as she continued to ask questions.
I was amazed at how much the book affected her this year!



Finally, of course, we attended the ceremony at the Cenotaph.
Both girls were extremely interested in all the things involved.
Again, there were a ton of questions from Piper!
But I love how curious she is about all this and that I have the opportunity to teach her about this important day!


 


Our hearts are filled with thankfulness for those who served and continue to serve our country!

(Do you have any great Remembrance Day resources appropriate for preschoolers? Please share!)

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Plenty of Pinecones!


Our nature studies took us all the way into our backyrad this week!
We went hunting for pinecones and it was Piper who found them!
She was just a wee bit excited!


There were a load of them to be found and we had a great time picking them from the tree!


Piper was determined to get every last one and continued to look for more until it was time to go inside.


Taitum, on the other hand, was not too fond of the feel on the pinecones and stayed clear of the whole project!
Instead she watched from her little perch on the swing set.

 

So now we have a bag full of small pinecones in need of a purpose!

 

I'm thinking we may make a few of these cute little pinecone birds next week.

 

And perhaps a few pinecone bird feeders!



Do you have any other suggestions?
(We have a lot of pinecones!!)



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Crazy Week Review

A hectic, crazy week.
That's putting it lightly!
But it's over and I didn't lose it or run out of steam!
It was (mostly) fun.
Now I'm looking forward to a more normal, slower paced week ahead!

Our crazy week went something like this:

Sunday:
Headed out of town with Dad and Piper to hear Robin Mark.
In the process we got stuck on the highway for an hour because of an overturned transport truck.
But it didn't diminsh our spirits at all!
It was an enjoyable concert and a first for Piper!




Monday:
Halloween, of course!
(This included a party, a doctor's appointment for me, visiting a nursing home, squeezing a nap and supper in and trick or treating! Phew!)


Tuesday:
This was our only day of school!
Yep, our week was that intense!
We were able to finish up working on the Halloween workboxes which included...


Pushing golf tees into foam and balancing eyeballs on them,


using strawberry hullers for transferring halloween erasers into pumpkins,


and cutting up halloween paper strips!

This was also the day my hubby joined the Movember club.
It took a few days to adjust to living with a beardless man but his mustache is coming in nicely!
What a guy!
Support the cause by donating on his Mo Space!

(Here he is looking all tough and serious which is very hard to do with a baby face! Hehe!)

Wednesday:
Believe it or not, another trip out of town!
This time to hunt for a maternity winter coat for me.
That's how my Mom wanted to spend her birthday!
Did I ever mention how amazing she is??
I officially have a warm coat that I can zip up! Yay!
(Thanks, Mom!)

Thursday:
Bloodwork and needles and yucky orange drink.
It wasn't fun.
Hubby took care of me, took on the stay-at-home Dad roll and even made spaghetti from scratch!

Friday and Saturday:
Getting ready for Mom and Dad's 50th surprise party!!
I made the cake!
(Amazing chocolate buttercream recipe here!)


I also made a picture board and wrapped up 50 gifts that related to reasons why turning 50 is so awesome!



I actually didn't stress at all about it and enjoyed the creative process!
Matt joined in on the fun by helping to think of, shop for and create many of the gifts!
And for these 2 people it is so worth!
I have the world's best parents!



(Aren't they adorable?)

Happy 50th Birthday, M&D!

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Ponderings of a Pregnant Skeleton

As we scurry around, preparing for an evening of trick or treating, I can't help but smile.
The livingroom is scattered with human anatomy books, jack-o-lanterns, costume pieces, children's Bibles and skulls.
It's been an interesting week to say the least.
Filled with discoveries of what's inside our bodies and that skeletons and such aren't very scary after all.
A random yet rivetting conversation concerning the meaning of 1 Corinthians 15:55
(I'm consistently amazed at what a 4 year old picks up on!).
And then the traditional decorating, pumpkin carving, costume preparing, filling pumpkin bags with leaves.

I am wondering if perhaps this controversial holiday is another training ground in which we can prepare our kids for real life.
Guiding them through the world and it's ways, helping them to learn truth as a result of it.
This is another opportunity to teach them to see things through the lense of God's Word.
Equipping them to take on the truly scary things of life that someday will inevitably come knocking at their door.

The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? (Psalm 118:6)
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)
The LORD is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

And could it be that this night could be but another opportunity to teach these little ones generosity?
To give the candy at the door, to put a smile on an elderly person's face, to connect with neighbors often missed in the hubbub of life?
To offer a real life example of making the most of every opportunity, to engage wisely with our culture and pursue other-oriented acts of love?


A little fraulein, pregnant skeleton and candy corn princess after spreading some cheer at the nursing home.


Just things I've been considering and thinking about.
Naivete is an uncomfortable choice for me.
So year after year, chances are, I'll continue to ponder this day.

So Happy Halloween, Happy Reformation Day and, if all else fails, Happy October 31st!


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The Pumpkin Process

First, obviously, we picked out our pumpkin which this year meant digging one we liked out from the haystack display at the entrance to the grocery store. Nothing too magical but quite a feat considering I'm basically already carrying a pumpkin around under my shirt! ;)

Next, the girls washed their pumpkin.
For the record, this is now going to be a new Halloween tradition for this family.
They washed that big ol' pumpkin for half an hour!
Piper kept telling me that the pumpkin would smell so good the neighbors wouldn't run away!


The next day, we moved on to the carving!
My MIL was kind enough to do the dirty work of helping the girls clean the guts out.
(This Mama just can't bend over for long periods of time anymore!)
Piper bravely dug right in!


But not without a few comments of disgust!
That's just part of the fun though, now isn't it?



Taitum also did her part but preferred to use a spoon.
I was proud of her though, knowing that she has a huge aversion to touching anything that feels strange!


Finally, it was time to start designing Mr. (er, Mrs.) Pumpkin's face!
Piper was the designer, I was the carver.
Here she is drawing her plan for what our pumpkin should look like!


In the end, I think we made a good team!
Piper had the genius idea of adding a bug to the pumpkin's cheek.
One with lots of legs.
At least Mrs. Pumpkin has eyelashes to show her feminine side!






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I love motherhood.

We're a smiling family.

I'm a covenant keeper.

I love my husband.

I am above self pity.

I am a nation builder.

Motherhood=Adventure

Worth more than rubies.


“I am more convinced than ever that even in the midst of the mundane, burdensome, and oftentimes frustrating tasks of life allotted to me as a mother, God wants me to find his joy. He wants every single day of my life to be a celebration of his blessings, whether large or small. He wants me to celebrate life ~ the life He has given me.”

~ Sally Clarkson







My Hubby

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He's my bestest.

Piper

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She is my compassionate, dramatic, fun to be around 6 year old. She loves to shop, get dressed up fancy and anything else that screams girly!

Taitum

Taitum
She is my goofy, snuggly 4 year old who loves to sing and dance and smile all day long!

Renly

Renly
She is our one year old smarty pants! She does all she can to keep up with her older sisters and to keep them in line!

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