Those not so blog worth days...

Have you ever noticed that most people only post their shining moments on social media?  All those happy kids, perfect crafts, tidy rooms...  I made the decision a while back to only post when I had something to say.  As you can tell my blog and FB page have been rather quiet.

Today I thought to myself, what about all the other days? What about those not so stellar, plain ordinary, or horribly disastrous days?  Don't they count too?  Are they to be forgotten?

Every single day is important!

Take a moment and think back to some of those times.  I bet you could find something, anything, that did go right.

That time I yelled at the kids (okay many times I've yelled).  It was also filled with apologies, re-connection, problem solving and family meetings.

Those many times when the boys fought with each other gave them plenty of opportunities to work things out, practice patience and forgiveness.

A trip to the grocery store can also turn into a chance to bless a stranger.  Hold open a door, pick up a dropped item, let someone else go first in line.  Your children are watching you intensely as you model this behavior and kindness.

No one can tell me that my unmade bed is a problem because the half hour I played "tickle monster" with my boys was one of the most precious parts of my days.

Well loved and live in

See the pictures of my messy house?  I swear to you we paused part way though the day to tidy. But this is what happens when you are living life.  So here I am posting a real home on a blog!!

Since baby JJ has been born I often feel like the boys have had way too much screen time and don't burn off all that extra energy.  I know it is only for a season and I will be able to give them more attention as we settle into life.  They prefer to be outside when an adult is out there with them.  I could feel guilty or stressed (and I do some days).  But, I also know that my boys have secretly been learning a whole lot behind my back!!  First of all their hand-eye coordination is amazing.  They can also read more than they realize.  The boys are working together (sometimes), and incorporating some of what they see into their imaginative play afterwards.  Life here has been all about Super Mario recently.

Didnt I just tidy in here

I have been finding it rather difficult to balance everything around here.  We have a little baby (almost 3 months old now), I home school the boys (unschooling really), I do the office work for our family business (hubby is an electrician and fire alarm technician), there is a house to clean and meals to make, I am also involved in a local forest school program and a home school group.  Add on top of that the YMCA, church, garden plots and playdates... Wow that's a lot.

Those who know me best also know that I'm a doer.  It makes me really uneasy to be standing around not keeping busy.  Baby JJ has blessed our lives by slowing mommy down.  I have already said no to several other homeschool groups in our area along with lots of other activities that we could be involved in.  All of them are good, but it can be too much.  A day at home focusing on time as a family is always time well spent!!  My boys are going to be excellent fathers when they get older.  They are already amazing big brothers.  They each have a special way with the baby and are a huge help to mommy.  We are learning a lot about working as a team.  Doesn't always go as I'd hoped, but I am trying to remember that we are all still learning and trying our best.

So I want to encourage you all that no mater what you are doing today, it is important.  You are impacting someone. Something good can come from that if you try.

You can also find us on Facebook and Google +

Inukshuks

This morning MJ drew a picture for a craft he was organizing for us to do.  It seemed like the idea came from out of nowhere, but then I don't know what connections he was making for himseslf.  He drew some rocks but couldn't explain what they were.  Next he asked for my iPad so he could show me on a game.  MJ used the atlas on my iPad to look up what he had been thinking about.  (We love this atlas app from Barefoot Books) He asked for some help looking for rocks along a shore.  We had fun searching the globe until he found the picture of an Inukshuk.  We listened to the description and looked at the photos. MJ wanted me to print a photo for him to keep.

Next we looked up pictures of Inukshuk on my computer and chose a few to print.  We also read more about their meaning and where they are found. Then MJ remembered that he had some rocks in his bedroom.  He ran to get them so he could make his own.  I reminded the boys of our rock pile in the yard.  They happily ran outside with a bucket to gather more.  For the next little while the boys made Inukshuk figures inside. After a while I put on a video that showed a man balancing rocks in a river which inspired more designs and discussion.

We talked all about building, balance, the meaning behind them and more. Earlier we had been reading bible stories MJ asked if Samson in the bible had built the big ones we looked at because he was so strong. So we looked on the globe again to see where the Inukshuk and Sampson were found.  The interesting connection was that we had also read a story about Jacob who set up stones as a reminder of a dream he had.  So we talked more about what different cultures do to commemorate big events or to remember something special.

We had a wonderful time this morning following MJ's lead and curiosity. I have been feeling like we haven't been doing as much recently because of the baby (although I know they have been continuing to learn in their own way).  I was particularly pleased to share in their discoveries today.