A September Vacation in Photos

cash envelopes

lunch at Friendly's

Brian and the boys

eating a LARGE Hershey's Kiss

enjoying the cool, sunny evening
in the backyard of the guest home where we stayed

feeding the chickens

"milking" the cow

view from the guest home window

happy smiles

thrill seekers

a sweet pumpkin

post-vacation laundry pile

Mini Me

Gavin and Maddie look like Brian .

Owen used to look like my younger brother though now he looks like all the rest of the kids...who all look like Brian. 

I think maybe I have one who looks like me now.

Minus the red hair, of course.  What do you think?

How Do You...Find Rest on the Sabbath With Active Kids?

How do you rest on Sundays when your kids are young and active?  

submitted by a survey participant

We believe that God gave us the Sabbath as a day to honor Him.  It is also a day He has given us to put aside our work and have rest. We also believe that He knows each of our situations and has compassion on us. 

He tends his flock like a shepherd:

    He gathers the lambs in his arms

and carries them close to his heart
he gently leads those that have young.
Isaiah 40:11

In this season of our lives, Sunday does not mean a full break from work.  It doesn't mean quiet and peaceful hours of reflection either.  As a family, though, we do set aside Sunday as a break from normal routine.  We don't do extra chores, like cutting the grass (except under unique circumstances like this week) or cleaning the bathrooms.  We share a meal with family to divide the meal preparation duties and to enjoy fellowship (which equals mental relaxation).

The kids are allowed to play and visit, also enjoying a day of rest from school work and chores.  Because we spend most Sundays away from home, we usually forego naps.  No naps mean early bedtimes for the youngest two or three kids so while this means a less than peaceful afternoon, the rest of us look forward to a quiet, restful Sunday evening. 

How do you rest on the Sabbath?  Let us know in the comments. 

Also, if you have a question for a future "How Do You...?" post, share that in the comments, too, or send me an e-mail! I'd love to hear from you. 

*** You can now access all "How Do You...?"  posts in one place by clicking here. ***

a "Teeny Tiny" book review

When author, Rosemary Evans, first contacted me about reviewing her books on my blog, I was excited.

Then I got a real case of stage fright. 

Wonder if I don't like her books?  What do I say then?  I need to be honest, but I don't want to hurt her feelings!

After the package with the books arrived in the mail, I stacked them neatly on the cedar chest in my bedroom and tried to forget about them for awhile.  I knew I was putting off the inevitable so I finally psyched myself up to read them.  I resolved that I would give an honest review, whether  good or bad. 

After a quick skimming, I called Maddie (8) and Owen (6) over to read with me.  We began with Teeny Tiny Tina: The Teeny Tiny Toothfairy.  With an all-girl character list, this one appealed to Maddie, but Owen hung in there, too.  With bright, cheerful illustrations, the story moved quickly, and to my relief, was a well-written and engaging story!  It was the tale of three sisters, two of whom were tooth fairies and one who was rather impatiently waiting to grow up and join them. 

I tried to imagine picking this book up on my own from the library and wondered if I would return it after one reading or if  it would be one that we would read again.  I can honestly say that it would be a repeat!  While I was dreading a dull, twaddly story, I was pleasantly surprised with substance. 

(The only criticism I have is that as the self-professed grammar police, I was a little puzzled as to why the title named Tina a toothfairy (one word) while in the book she was referred to as a tooth fairy (two words).  I'm a little weird that way.)

Next we read The Adventures of the Little Prince.  Though targeted for  boys, this was my favorite.  Told in classic fairy tale form, this book follows a young boy as he sets off from his home, the palace, to seek adventure.  Though he is far from home, he continues to live out the principles that have been ingrained in his heart.  Even away from the watchful eyes of his parents, he practices honesty, generosity, and kindness, showing himself to be a true prince. 

I love the last page of the book that lists the attributes of a prince that little readers can aspire to emulate:  bravery... resourcefulness... unselfishness...

When I read the list to Owen, he said, "Am I all those things?"  I love that the simple words of this book set his little heart to pondering. 

To read more about these special storybooks, plus see other books and products by Rosemary Evans, visit her website by clicking here. 

Two

Alaine celebrated becoming a 2-year-old on September 1st with presents and cake...

...and on September 2nd, she celebrated with a perfectly fall-ish photo session.*

Never mind that it was 95 degrees the day she was born or that it was at least 85 on her birthday this year...

...September equals fall in my book so Alaine will always be my autumn baby.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

*The beautiful photography is once again done by my sister, Kati.  If you are local and would like a fun photo shoot at a reasonable rate, contact Kati! 

Alaine ruffle jeans were provided by Annalie's Baby Boutique and her shirt was provided via the hand-me-down bag!

One Last Toast to Summer

There was pool time...











...and sliding and splashing.

There was snuggling...

...swinging...

...and purple bubbles. 

There were even homemade double chocolate cookies for dessert.

That was the first part of the weekend-- a sunny Saturday after a week of rain.

Then another rain storm blew in, leaving us without power for a few hours and saturating our yard...

...and Brian's work truck and trailer getting stuck in the mud at the end of the driveway...

...and our van getting stuck trying to drive around the truck. 

There was the neighbor who came and pulled out the truck with his tractor...

...and Brian pulling the van out with his truck and a tow rope while I steered (gulp!). 

There was also the jungle of a yard that needed to be cut but was so incredibly wet that Brian weed-whacked the whole mess of it!  Well, what can be seen from the road anyway.

Add  a trip to the grocery store where I witnessed the police arresting  a young guy for shoplifting...

...and a cold raging among four-sevenths of us...

It was quite the weekend. 

How Do You... Keep A Toddler in Bed?

How do you keep a toddler from getting up after she's been put to bed?

I mentioned recently that we had moved Alaine to a mattress on the floor after she learned to climb out of her crib.  A reader asked how the transition was going.  She had recently moved her toddler son to a bed and was having a terrible time keeping him from getting up at night.

When we first moved Alaine, she felt so big and grown up that she laid still and fell asleep without any attempt to get up.  It was only a few days before the newness wore off, though,  and she realized she could get up and play at nap or bed time.  For us, consistency was key even when it seemed to do no good.  Every time I found her up, I disciplined her and put her back to bed.  Even if it went on for hours (which it did a few times) and even if it meant she stayed awake all of nap time, I still continued to enforce that she stay in bed.  She still gets up a few times a week, but I think she is slowly getting the message.

Ooops!  Mama didn't catch the play time until it was too late!

Our boys are a trickier matter.  At age 6 and almost 4, they have been sleeping through the night for years, but this summer, they decided to change that.  Either one or both of them got up every night!  At first we got up to take them to the bathroom or get them a drink or tuck them back into bed, but then we realized that they were doing it based on habit, more than on true need.  We told them that we would not be getting up in the night unless there was an emergency.  Within a day or two, the night wakings stopped.  Well, at least they stopped waking me up.  Instead, three or four mornings a week, I wake with Benjamin asleep in the floor by my bed. 

napping in Mama's bed

I mentioned it to my friend, Allyson, and she said, "You know what?  He won't do that when he's 15." 

No, he won't! 

Yes, we want to instill good habits and yes, we want a good night sleep for everyone involved, and yes, we want our children to learn to do what they're told, but it's not going to be this way forever.  It may be a struggle now, but every child will learn to sleep! 

How do you keep your toddler in bed?  Let us know in the comments. 

Also, if you have a question for a future "How Do You...?" post, share that in the comments, too, or send me an e-mail! I'd love to hear from you. 

*** You can now access all "How Do You...?"  posts in one place by clicking here. ***

World War II (by the books)

To read a brief overview of my history-teaching method, click here.  And remember: These lists are not intended to be all-inclusive.  They are a jumping off point for your own walk through history. 

*****

This is my last set of American history book recommendations. As our American history studies moved closer to the present time, I had difficulty finding good, quality literature that moved beyond a textbook skimming.  However, when we reached World War II, I had difficulty narrowing down and deciding amongst the infinite choices.  I chose to include here only the books we used during "school time," not the many others we've discovered and loved through the years. 

The Little Ships: The Heroic Rescue at Dunkirk in World War II by Louise Borden

Pearl Harbor by Stephen Krensky 

Hanna's Cold Winter by Trish Marx
The Greatest Skating Race: A World War II Story from the Netherlands by Louise Borden

Corrie Ten Boom: Shining in the Darkness by Renee Meloche 

Always Remember Me: How One Family Survived World War II by Marisabina Russo

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

The Story of D-Day by R. Conrad Stein

Across the Blue Pacific: a World War II Story by Louise Borden

The Story of the Battle for Iwo Jima by R. Conrad Stein 

The Dress Project Round-Up and Winners!

The Dress Project: Summer Challenge has come to a close.  I enjoyed seeing everything from T-shirts to shorts to dresses being re-made and re-fashioned.  I love that we saw children's clothing and adults', boys' clothing and girls'. 

Now comes the fun part-- the prizes.  Two random entries will be rewarded for their creativity!

Allyson's Modest Toddler Skirt wins Prize #1,  a $30 fabric store credit from Vintage Linen Love .  Congratulations, Allyson!

Hannah's Maternity Shirt Makeover wins Prize #2, a fat quarter bundle from Southern Fabric.  Congratulations, Hannah!

Of course, for me, the Dress Project is far from over.  I still plan to redo Alaine's simple polka dot dress until it goes to the rag bag.  I'm in the process of getting it ready for its fall debut now!   Looks for photos sometime in September.