Happy Mother's Day

I wanted to send a mother’s day thank you for all the toddlers in your life, especially the two year old variety.

 My words aren’t quite ready yet to express the many ways I appreciate you, Momma. In fact the invisible line that connects my heart and mind to my hands and mouth, aren’t quite linked up either.  So although it might not seem loving when I throw myself down, scream, kick, and run away, know that I mean “Thank you for loving me no matter what”.  And when I run up behind you and joyfully wipe my chocolate cake mouth down the back of your new white dress, know that I mean “Thank you for caring for me.”

When I greet Daddy in a warm hug and tell him he’s my best friend, know that I see y’all as one; When I refuse to pick up my toys, please know its because I’d rather spend the time with you; When I cry out at night, know that you drive away my fears; When I wake to give you morning hugs and kisses it’s because your gladness is steady every day.  All your efforts toward me are teaching me what the Bible says about God, He is full of tender mercies – like a mother.  No, I’m not quite ready to totally grasp all you’ve given and done for me but I have understood every last word, touch, correction, laugh, and smile as love.

I can’t quite make out the feelings yet mom but I know your love is behind each one….Happy Mother’s Day.

With Love, Sam

CONSIDERATE- With love Sam

CONSIDERATE

Definition: Careful not to cause inconvenience or hurt to others

Back in February we talked about being attentive. Consideration is the character trait that gives arms and legs to being attentive. When we are focused on the needs or concerns of others that’s attentive; when we move to help that’s consideration.

character trait sheet: To keep it manageable, simply post the Character Trait sheet: CONSIDERATE somewhere in your house where it will be seen often. You can print the sheet from here.

 As usual have the kids read the verse out loud or listen while you read it and they’ll have it memorized in no time.

 There are three pictures on this month’s character sheet. Come up with scenarios for each picture telling who is being considerate and why. This will give you a good start to the month.

 THREE TO CONSIDER

 1. Interrupting. It is near impossible for a child to wait to tell their idea when someone else is talking. Give each child a secret hand signal for when its their turn to talk. If one person is talking, the next person who is ready to talk simply raises one finger and waits. If another is waiting, they get raise two fingers. When the person finished is talking motion to #1 to speak and so on. This may seem a little classroom-ish with all the hand raising…but if it works for a classroom of 20….

 2. Sharing. If all your kids come in hungry, put one child in charge of the snack. Teach them to offer what they have been given to others first, making sure to have shared with everyone before they partake. This is a great way to live out: Each of you should look not only to his own interests but to the interests of others. On the flip side encourage thankfulness from the other children.

 3. Movie night. Pick a movie your kids have seen before. Have them watch for body language and talk from different characters. Pause it. Quiz your kids on what that character must be feeling. Next see how the other characters respond and pause it again. Rate how they performed being considerate. If it wasn’t pretty, give some alternative actions.

Little bag big message

 

So here is the little bag we will be makeing this Friday!very simple pouch that will hold an incredible gift. Women are rescued from the Nepal/India border from human trafficking. At this point they either go to a recovery home where they hear the Gospel and are cared for OR they go back to their home villages. Each woman goes home with a Megavoice. The MegaVoices will have various languages of Nepal peoples on them, so that people can hear the Gospel in their own language. The website where you can see more about that is www.gods-story.org . http://www.oralbibleresources.com/shopcart/productSolarAudioPlayersMegavoice.asp.

Supplies for class
You will need as many 7" by 22" rectangles of fabric you can bring. One rectangle makes one bag. This is a great time to clean out your old fabrics.

Also, we will need cording to use as a drawstring for each bag. ~24" for each bag.

 

 

 

 

cut fabric 7" by 21"

 

fold 2.5" the 7 inch side in on both sides  (above)

 

 Sew 1/4 of an inch or the width of your presser foot across both foled ends.

 

 

 then sew 1" down from your last sew line - repeat on other side of rectangle

 

It will still look like this only now you will have 4 sew lines

 

 

Now,  fold in half placing the right sides together, matching your sewn lines 

 

You will  now sew down the sides - leaving a hole between your two sew lines. This is where the draw string goes (see below)

 

 

see the sew line at the top of the pouch then it stops over the drawstring casing then picks back up? Sew both sides this way

 

 

pull the bag right side out

 

 

 find the hole you left unstitched to thread your string through

 

 

 

TADA!!

 

Preschool!!

It's that time of year again. The questions have started. So here is a repost from 2010. I feel even stronger now that we are doing the right thing by foregoing preschool to have the kids stay home with me. My oldest will be in 1st grade next year and he is doing great. I wouldn't trade the time I had with him for anything in the world. 

Where are you sending her, next year? Don’t you need time to yourself? How do you get things done?
They will be fine without you. You need time to yourself. She needs the social development. How do you know she is getting what she needs?

And when I say no, I love them at home. It’s just looks. I am now the crazy mom and I am ok with that.

Only one friend in 4 years ever asked me why. “Why don’t you send your kids to preschool”. I gave her a terrible answer. I was unprepared. I came home that night and wrote a list of my reasons. Having it on paper reassured me daily. No one asked again for two years. There have been statements and even a few ugly comments. But my defiance was part of my everyday life. So when a newer mom called the other day asking questions about “The School Thing” I was ready.

In my area, I know, including myself, 4 mothers out of over 500 who doesn’t send there children to preschool. So you can understand the pressure and fear I felt making my kids, "stay at home kids".

I wanted to share with you my answers. Just in case there is one mom out there dealing with this issue.

My Answer (after much prayer)

1. I truly think I am capable of teaching anything a 1-5 year old needs to know. I know my ABC’s, how to play games, how to do art, how to sing, how to count and how to read.

2. The most important things they can learn at this age deals with character, heart matters and spiritual disciplines. I am their guide. I am ever working and polishing their little skills.

3. I am in control of their discipline. My kids are held to the same standard all the time. Regardless of place and time. I am their self control until they can do it themselves.

4. Soon enough they will be headed in different directions. I want a firm foundation of sibling relationship. Which cannot happen if they are in different rooms.

5. I have a 16 year old brother. (born when I was 16) I know how fast kids grow up. I also understand better than most what is ahead of me. I want to be there #1 influence as long as possible.

6. Because they are at home with me they have to help. They clean and work right beside me. Our jobs as moms is to work ourselves out of a job and my kids even at 4 and 2 are doing a great job.

7. I love being with them. Every moment is a teachable moment. They are leaning only what I want installed on their little hard drives.

8. Kids should be kids. They will be in school for the next 20-30 years. I want them to pretend, make messes, and feel free to be themselves free of the ideas and social problems that will haunt most of their lives. (Peer pressure, fads, ect) yes at 4 this is real.

Everyday I am confirmed by their actions and relationships that I am doing the right thing..

What about social development?

We tend to think of social development as peer on peer (same age). When was the last time you were in a room of only 32 year olds or only 45 year olds? My kids go to church, play group, story time and play most afternoons with the neighborhood kids. They interact with kids of all ages from different families, beliefs and backgrounds. They learn from kids older and younger. All under my supervision and control.

Should all kids stay home?
God gives us our children. He has a plan for their lives. We are the ones who can best prepare them for there futures. Who we are and the decisions we make now are helping to point them towards that path. My husband and I spent a lot of time in prayer over this decision.  I truly believe that keeping your kids home isn't for everyone. Kids and parents need different things. We seek God's will for our family everyday. To answer your question, "No, I don't intend to home school." I am dyslexic and feel I would be doing a disservice to my kids.

Our part in sharing God’s word

For the March 21^st class we will be making a very simple pouch that will hold an incredible gift. Women are rescued from the Nepal/India border from human trafficking. At this point they either go to a recovery home where they hear the Gospel and are cared for OR they go back to their home villages. Each woman goes home with a Megavoice. The MegaVoices will have various languages of Nepal peoples on them, so that people can hear the Gospel in their own language. The website where you can see more about that is www.gods-story.org . http://www.oralbibleresources.com/shopcart/productSolarAudioPlayersMegavoice.asp.

 Our part in sharing God’s word with a hurting world is quite feminine this time ladies. We are helping make it pretty! The MV looks a lot like technology, the pouches we make for it, will help the receiver to understand it as a gift.

 Testimony: “Some friends of mine made pouches like these for the MV’s we took to Baima villages in China. Once we shared tea and stories with people we met in each village, we offered them one MV as a gift to the village so they could hear more stories about Jesus. The pouches really made them seem like a very special gift, beyond just a piece of technology. “

 You will need as many 7" by 22" rectangles of fabric you can bring. One rectangle makes one bag. This is a great time to clean out your old fabrics.

Also, you will need cording to use as a drawstring for each bag. ~24" for each bag.

Calender

I wanted to share my Kid Calender. When Blue Eyes was 3 he was having a really hard time with the order of life. He always wanted to know when and what was happening. I tried a few different things but this is what stuck.

It is really simple. A Cheap $4.99 desk calender form office supply store.

 

 

 I used word clip art to make sheets of our activity's. I add photos of family so the kids would know when Daddy was staying home and when we where going to Mimi's. The Animals are what we will study each week. Kids holding hands are play dates.

I printed it on Sticker paper and cut in in to strips. At the beginning of the month we cut up the stickers and place them on. We x out the days as we go. My kids love knowing what will happen tomorrow or the end of the month.

Moon Bag -Fix

The share site I was using for my patterns started charging. (bumber) So I had to move the pattern to Goggle Doc.

 

The Moon Bag Free Pattern and Video.

 

 

 

Click on the pattern to download