9/26/2011

Are You Acting Like a Brave Knight?

My boys love to wrestle and act wild and fight.  Sometimes that fighting is "play", which I'm totally fine with, but sometimes that "play" turns into "not play" really quick.  Just today, I heard them wrestling.  Shortly after the initial grunts and groans, Matthew came into the kitchen saying, "Jonny hurt me.  On purpose!" and a little while later, "Jonny squeezed me!"

I've always intervened and said things like, "Do not hurt your brother," and "You need to treat him like you want to be treated," and other such wonderfully wise, but usually ineffective-at-the-moment-words.  I've also disciplined accordingly.  However, I'm constantly on the look out for creative ideas to solve (or minimize) the "squeezing, hitting, hurting" problem that happens far too often at our house.

So, when I read page 26 in the book Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic, I just had to try her story idea out on my "brave knights". 

After this typical "He hurt me!" battle, I sat the boys down and told them a story of a brave knight dressed in shining armor.  I told them that the King trusted the brave knight to protect the kingdom and the princess.  Then I told them that the brave knight went out into the town and saw another brave knight, his trusted companion, and he smacked him on the head with his sword.  Then he saw the beautiful princess and instead of protecting her, he pushed her down.

Jonny and Matthew were looking at me with wide eyes.  They couldn't believe the brave knight would act so mean to the people he was suppose to protect.  They're getting it!  I thought.  We talked for a little bit longer about the brave knight and how he should act.  I reminded them that they are "brave knights" and they need to protect each other, not hurt each other (or the princess of the palace - a.k.a. Emilia ;) ).  They nodded their heads.  Understanding completely.

And then...


My brave knights...


Wrestled.
 

9/24/2011

Work Clothes


 I was cleaning our garage wearing these work clothes when Emilia joined me.  

I suggested she change into something she could work in because our Saturday was most likely going to be spent cleaning and painting.
 

 She came back wearing these "work clothes".


My girly-girl.


She definitely looked cuter while working than I did!  (But she didn't get to paint...)


What kind of "work clothes" do you wear?  :)

9/21/2011

A Little of This, A Little of That, and Lots of Apples!


We've been up to a little of this,



A little of that,


A little of this (Tommy wanted Nate's sock on...so cute),


A little of that (my new bangs, normally pinned back because they drive me crazy!)


A little of this (barefoot) and a little of that (with slippers no less),


And a WHOLE lot of eating apples!!!

This baby can eat an ENTIRE apple - seeds and all!  Crazy kid!






Hope you're enjoying this beautiful Fall!

9/06/2011

First Day of School 2011-2012

Matthew

Jonny

Emilia
Disclaimer:  Before you read this post, please understand that I really do love homeschooling my children.  Oh, one more thing...if you're planning on homeschooling someday, maybe you don't want to read this post.  ;)

I wasn't going to start school today because we just got home yesterday from camping with our friends from church and I have mounds and mounds of laundry and cleaning to do.  However, my daughter woke up all excited to start school, so how can you say "no" to that?!


After dressing herself in a special outfit for her first day, she woke up her brothers and I gave them their pile of this year's school supplies.  They have so much fun getting new stuff for school (and I have fun buying it!).


Then we had a very nutritious breakfast of Oreo cookies and milk.  I thought this was a great idea, but the meltdowns about an hour after "breakfast" may be an indication that so much sugar before school (or ever) is, in fact, a bad idea.


After "breakfast", we all sat down to do some Bible reading, praying, and Pledge of Allegiance-ing.  I don't recall ever starting the day out like that before, but I found that while Oreo cookies was not a good idea, this was!  The kids, and I, enjoyed this time together before we entered into other academics (and it was really cute to see little Matthew standing on a chair holding a small American flag trying to say the words to a pledge that he obviously doesn't know yet :) ).  I thought that our day would go super smoothly since we had such a great start.  Boy, was I wrong.


After our "circle time", we did math.  This is when the chaos started.  Emilia and Jonny can basically do math on their own, with a little coaching every now and then, but for some reason they really needed me at all times.  Then Matthew really needed me.  Tommy, who was suppose to be napping, also really needed me.  I'm pretty sure that's when the headache started...





Once we got to English/Spelling/Writing, I had had it.  I turned on a Baby Einstein for the little boys and worked with the older kids.  However, the whole time, Jonny was racing through his work (a.k.a. not doing a good job and having to do it over again) so that he too could watch the video.  Apparently Baby Einstein is a big hit in our house.

There were many moments of crying, whining, and frustration.  We finally ended the morning with only Math and English-type stuff completed.  SIGH of RELIEF.

So, not exactly the morning I had hoped for...

In the afternoon, my mother-in-law came over and we all went to the Children's Museum where the kids played and had a blast.  There was hardly anyone there because it was the first day of school for everyone else as well.


The kids went home afterwards and made paper mosaics (because of the ones they saw while at the museum) with Grama Robin (Art class!).

Gotta love a mirror that makes your legs look incredibly long and skinny.  I should buy one for my house. :)

The day ended with statements like, "This was the BEST first day of school EVER!" and "You're the BEST mom EVER."


Thankfully, kids don't hold grudges against grumpy mothers and can still see the good despite the bad.


Looking forward to a better day tomorrow (prayerfully), but tonight, I'm going to bed tired!

I didn't notice the "LAUGH" on the side of this mosaic until I was writing this post.  Very fitting.  Wish I would have!
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