schoolroom renovation!!

When we moved into this house... this was the schoolroom (to be)

Formerly a little boys race car room, the walls were terribly dirty and there was no floor, the closet doors were broken and one side was missing... complete disaster zone, perfect for me to renovate!

We moved in during Christmas break and there was SOOO much to be done that the schoolroom got put on the back burner, the floors were put in and the boarder was some what removed, but once the school supplies and students were put in place there wasn't much time for renovation, 

so this was our school room this year... 

 

The end of the school year which we planned on celebrating with our beach vacation that ended up being a stay-cation and for Tony a work-cation... resulted in the schoolroom renovation!!! 

Here is our new schoolroom... there are still a few things left to do but I couldn't wait a moment longer to post pictures!!!

I still need to add window treatments but the white blinds are serving their purpose for now. 

I love the closet doors Tony put in today... 

Tony is hanging the dry erase board and the supply holders as I type, but like I said I'm too excited to wait!!

I can't wait till next year!!! 

These are the work boxes I've been working on, art, playdoh, letter writing, tag readers, scissors and glue, etc. Everything has a place and everything in it's place! 

Oh and this nifty paper roll and holder I snagged at Ikea for all of $13

And I will post more pictures when the decorations are up... 

I love it! 

And so do the kids, they are so excited! 

Sophia asked if we really had to have summer vacation now that the schoolroom is done. 

summer vacation, not so much...

I never thought I'd be writing these words, that's for sure.... 


I went to a Christian homeschool conference this past weekend and one of the many things I learned about was the differences of sheltering your children and choosing solid Christian influences for your children to be around while they are developing their character and their virtues; it's it funny how God knows just what we need before we know we need it. 


Friday and Saturday was the conference, Sunday was church, Monday we left for vacation... 


Every year we stay at the same small family owned seaside cottages. This year I thought I'd change things up and I booked us at a big resort at a different beach. We spent all two hours there and after about the first ten minutes I knew we couldn't stay. Tony and I kept looking at each other, thinking the same thing but neither one of us wanted to break the news to the kids. 


I sure didn't think that lesson I learned at the conference was going to cost us our vacation... 


Against our better judgement we checked into the room, leaving our belongings in the car we told the kids we were going to just check it out. We knew the kids would be disappointed... we explained to them (as best we could to a four and six year old) that the people staying in the hotel weren't very polite and it wasn't very safe for us to stay here. We told them that we understood why they were angry and sad but that mommy and daddy were making the best and hard decision to just go back home. I walked the halls singing in my head "this place is not my home I'm just passing through, the angels beckon me from heavens open doors and I can't feel at home in this world anymore" When we got in the car the kids were disappointed but they knew we made the right and safest decision for them to leave. It was for their safety and their hearts we don't want them hearing bad language or being exposed to things that could harm them. 


The resort didn't wan't to refund our money, apparently the adult environment and the guests being worldly influences on our young children is not a good enough reason for them to refund the money. But more than that I'm just thankful to be home, thankful my babies are tucked in their beds safe, thankful my man is here to lead us through the tough choices that have to be made sometimes, thankful that God answered my prayers to keep our spirits up and we ended the day with pizza and family togetherness. 


We talked a lot about how people have different rules in their lives and we all choose to do things differently, some to honor God and some to not, God gives us all a choice, Troy said, "mommy, I can't wait to get to heaven, I bet they even have trampolines there" sweet guy! 


And then tucking my girl into bed she prayed to God thanking him for her good mommy and daddy who knew to bring her home from that 'dirty hotel', oh I love them! 


So thankful I can call them mine! 

is it possible I'm the only one...

who hates the ice cream truck?

I hear that horrid 'It's a small world' music being played a few streets over... as it gets louder and louder I just pray my monsters don't notice it... 

it's unmistakable... 

and what I am thinking that they won't notice it!?

that yellow and white truck with sugary, high fructose corn syrup injected, brain freeze giving  ice cream on board...

it never fails, they notice and they remind me of that one time their daddy chased down the ice cream truck so they could buy some over priced, empty calorie snacks... I hate it! 

How about some organic apple slices instead?

I am certain my blood pressure rises and I feel my heart beat go from resting to feeling as if I've just run a marathon... 

The kids scramble, begging me for ice cream, they know the answer but they ask anyway... 

The stupid truck stops in front of our house and waits.. waits... it seems as though he turns the music up to full blast as he sits on the road in front of our house. 

The kids dumping out their piggy banks trying to convince me they have enough money for the $4 popsicle that I am certain will make their tummies hurt 1/2 way through. 

No, thanks! 

Ice cream man.. keep on driving! 

And only because I find this super funny! 

How's this for ya, Ice Cream Man!! 

Muahahaha (evil laugh) 

always right...

He is always right... maybe it's the years... but he's always right...

He told me, "Baby everyone does the best they can with the tools they have. You can't build fine furniture with just a hammer, but bet your bottom dollar people are gonna try. We all do the best we can with the tools we have. As we grow we acquire more tools and we put them away in our toolbox, we may not use them for a long time, they might get rusty but we've still got 'em. Sure I might could build far better furniture with your tools, but if I don't ask for your help I've gotta use what I've got. It's all about what you do with what you got and barrowin' and learnin' from what's in the toolbox of those folks around ya"

Well, he's right again. :)

I dream of...

I homeschool.

A statement I never thought I would make. 

Ask me about me 10 years ago and I never imagined I would be a homeschooling parent. 

My how time changes things. 

I also never imagined I would be homeschooling a special needs child. 

The victories outweigh the challenges, most days. 

I find comfort, confidence and strength in homeschooling my own. 

I have challenged myself in ways I never imagined possible and no doubt I've found myself flat on my face asking God for the strength because I knew I couldn't do it without him. 

They are a gift God gave to me. They are His children and He entrusted them to me during this time they spend on Earth, I take this gift serious and in all things I do what I believe is best for them. 

I also know homeschooling is not for everyone. 

But it is for us. 

I do have days, days when I dream about the school bus driver, thank you MckMama for that. 

But like I said before I never imagined I would homeschool a special needs child... and for those of us with special needs children, we know the struggles that can occur in the school system for our exceptional children and in honor of those of us homeschooling special needs children... 

I dream of the school bus driver no more- now, 

I dream of.... 

the occupational therapist...

(or physical therapist or maybe even speech therapist, but this season in our lives it's the occupational therapist)

When I see that white car pull into our driveway I feel the peace come over me. 

Not only does this mean help with my wild woman but it means for the next two hours there will be another adult in my house...

Another person to keep a watchful eye...

an adult to love on and support my girl...

another person to help get through the tasks of the day that can seem so overwhelming to my girl... 

someone who understands that her loud voice and inability to focus is not because she is choosing to misbehave...

someone who recognizes the small triumphs...

a person who my daughter loves spending time with...

our OT is the one I dream of. 

It can be a lonely road homeschooling a special needs child, it isn't something all homeschooling parents understand... I notice the strange looks when I talk about creating a multi-sensory environment and concern with the development of fine motor skills, but this is our life and I wouldn't change a thing... except maybe our OT would come five days a week instead of two. 

Thanks Miss Denise, we love you!!! 

10 things....

1. Today I thought homeschooling might be the death of me. It was one of those days when no one wanted to follow directions, keep focused or do much of anything (including myself). But we got through it, discipline is important and homeschooling has taught me there is little room for laziness. Maybe some would have given into the day but I like to view days like today as opportunities to lead by example and even when we don't feel like doing certain things we all have responsibilities and need to discipline ourselves to get the job done. (And that doesn't happen all the time either- but it was that thinking that spurred me forward to encourage the kids to get it done and do it well!)

2. I love reading with my little man, we have been reading lots of his books lately. I need to get him to the library to check out some books but we have an enormous fine (yes, I am one of those people!) and I can't ever seem to remember to carry cash to pay it. Maybe we'll do that this afternoon. Imagine this, I lost a book, well, two books... one of them "Homeschool and Organization", ironic huh?

3. I have replaced one meal a day with vegetables. I have always hated veggies, realizing what a contradiction this was, as I harp on my children about eating their veggies, I have replaced one meal a day with all veggies, usually it's lunch but last night it was dinner I had fresh squash and green beans cooked in the skillet, today for lunch I had steamed broccoli with feta cheese. The kids are even joining in too, sometimes!

4. I am the worst about checking my voice mails on my phone, if I could disable my voice mail I would. I usually wait until my voice mailbox is full and then I have no choice but to check them. There was a time when I left my mailbox full so that no one could leave new messages, then I discovered they still could leave messages the mailbox would just delete the oldest message and replace it with a new one. I've been trying to keep up with it better and this morning I checked my mailbox and I only had 5 old messages... that's a record people!

5. I've been reading a book called 'Secrets of Solitude' and it is changing my heart. No doubt in my mind God sent this book to me at just the right moment in my life. I love how He speaks to us that way.

6. My friend had to put her dog down last week and I cried because I missed Molly, Lucy, Tater-Tot... dogs really are man's best friend.

7. Sophia and I took off for a 'Mother/Daughter Day'. It didn't turn out quite how I had planned but we had fun. It's always nice to get to enjoy her. The boys were supposed to go see a movie but they ended up working on the never ending 'Honey Do List', there is something great about seeing my man hanging doors and changing air vents. There were about one hundred other things that I needed to get done but I am so glad I took time to enjoy that girl. She's growing  up so fast. I adore her!

8. I am so ready for the home school convention at the end of this month. It will be the longest I will have been away from the kids, I think ever... silly I know but Thursday till Sunday is a long time! I'm looking forward to it though, good community, education, fellowship and lots of encouragement.

9. The song, "He's Mine" by Rodney Atkins gives me butterflies thinking about what Troy is going to be like when he's bigger. He is so wild. A few months ago a cop pulled onto our road. I was raking leaves, Troy was riding his bike and there was a stray dog on the other side of the road. The officer rolled down his window and asked Troy, "Is that your dog, son?" Troy bowed up his little chest, and  in this very deep voice said, "no, you gonna arrest me now?" The officer laughed rolled up his window and drove away... I just kept raking leaves and praying for that curly headed little mess riding his bike along the sidewalk.

10. Sophia is gluten free! That's the latest buzz in our house. The doctor suggested that we try it, the OT suggested it may help with some of her sensory and attention problems. They said considering her mother and brother had Celiac Disease and we already eat gluten free it's worth a try. She may not have Celiac but it may be affecting her in a different way, possibly neurologically. So we are supposed to give it two weeks and see if we notice a difference. I think Troy is enjoying that Sophia can't eat cookies and crackers anymore, misery loves company. This afternoon I am going to make some GF treats for them. Sophia has begun OT twice a week now, they come to our house and she really likes her "therapists".  After her OT appointment last week we went to "chick-a-lay" for lunch and she told the guy behind the counter, "My therapy went really well today." I just laughed.. what to do!? She's a hoot! I wonder what he thought. Keeps life interesting that is for sure.

Why no blogs since March?

Recently I made my blog, public on facebook, mostly so friends and family could keep up with what we were up too. We have many family members who live far away and for them I like to share photos and stories. It was then that I realized how many people I was putting myself out there too. People I hadn't spoken with in years were reading about my family and many of them because they care but others for other reasons. I have since removed that facebook option. I will still share our lives on my blog, but I will continue to do so but with much more discretion. You see the new age of social media makes my head hurt. I want my children to feel emotions not learn to show 'emocions'. I want to led by example that thank you notes should be handwritten and sent in the mail, not a status update on facebook. Invitations should be directed to those you love and care about, not mass emails to whoever will show up. The privacy of this life is being stripped away and God has spoken to my heart that this is important to my family. It may be a far cry from the days of my blogs when I spoke about transparency and being real, but I ask you to understand that my thoughts are clear and being real isn't blogging about a dirty kitchen... or laundry piled on the couch, we all have that. Being real is sharing my convictions, my heart and how God is working in our lives. I'm not sure what will come of my blog, like I said, I love sharing, I love the quiet time my blog provides me with to reflect but I am learning that I don't have to do this over a keyboard for everyone to see.

contentment

on a good morning....

i am up with the sun, waking walk across the hall into the school room and wrap myself in the cozy throw blanket, walk down the hall into the kitchen make a cup of coffee while I read my morning devotional...

then i make breakfast for my man, who is already in the shower getting ready for a hard day at work...

the oldest hears daddy getting ready and wakes up bright and joyful ready to start her day...

with breakfast on the table the kids and i share plans for the day...

tony heads off to work and the kids and i begin our chores and schooling for the day...

NOT!!!

It never happens this way, maybe once a month, twice if something really exciting is going on...

It never happens this way!!

And to be honest.... I don't want it too.

I get it, some of you are morning people, you wake up and your morning is blessed by making breakfast and morning devotionals, gathering your thoughts and plans for the day before the busy begins....

me... I'm a night owl, maybe it was the year and a half I worked night shift 7pm-7am but I am a night person. I go to bed around 12 or 1am, I like to wake up about 8....

no one in my house likes to eat breakfast, so why would I get up slave away in the kitchen when Tony says breakfast too early makes him nauseous, Troy is like me and if he is allowed will sleep well past 9am and Sophia is more than content with a bagel with cream cheese!?

As far as morning devotionals go... devotionals are important. Whoever, put the word morning in front of devotional wasn't thinking about us night people... and I'm certain there are people like me out there... most mornings I can't remember how to make a cup of coffee much less read a morning devotional, too much thinking in the morning gives me a headache... I want to read a devotional when I'm good and awake, ready to absorb those heavenly words... not when I'm rubbing crust out of my eyes, I usually read my devotional at night when the house is quiet and their isn't any pressing chores to do.

So, how do our mornings go?

Well, let's start with the nights....

I like doing laundry, dishes and those chores at night. So typically, we have dinner no one cleans the kitchen right away- that time is reserved for family. Tony rolls on the living room floor with the kids or they watch a special show, tonight it was a Discovery documentary about sea creatures, the boys watched it while Sophia and I sang songs in her bed and played with her guitar. Then I fight them to brush their teeth before bed and we end every night with their special lullabies and prayer. While I'm doing that Tony is normally taking a shower. Once the kids are in bed that is quality time for me and Tony, we spend a few hours, till around 10 together, talking about our day, watching movies, then off to sleep he goes. That is when I have my "5am Time" about 10pm every night. I read a devotional, get online to check emails, blogs, whatever. Then the chores begin, I pick up the kitchen, laundry and enjoy the quiet of the house. This is my favorite time of day, knowing my family is home, everyone is safe, peaceful quiet time.

Then come morning, my guy wakes up his coffee is set for him... I don't have to get up and make his breakfast for him to know I'm thinking of him, I usually write him a love note right before I go to sleep wishing him a good day.

The only thing about the above story that is true- is that Sophia does usually hear Tony getting ready and she always wakes up bright and happy ready to start her day.
She is my early bird, she normally will get herself breakfast and doing some learning activities on the computer- she likes this time in the morning. Tony tells me she flits around enjoying it being just the two of them.

I usually wake up around 8am as Tony is running out the door. I used to scold myself for this, not being up and dressed to see him out... but I realized a while ago and I'm realizing more and more everyday... all families are different... so often in our culture with social medias documenting and publizing every area of our life (yes, just like my blog) we so easily fall victim to comparing ourselves with others and some of us victim to thinking our way is best.

Oh, she does this and she does that... her way is better... I love learning new ways and sometimes something someone else does is good and it may work better... but I don't believe it is healthy or necessary to put "good" and "right" in a box when it comes to our families...

Families do what works best for them. For my family, for me, momma sleeping in till 8am does a world of good for everyone. In another season in my life I'm sure getting up early may be my thing... but right now, I'm striving from contentment. I'm happy to have my "5am Time" at 10pm.

the happenings around here...

There is so much going on these days, I feel like I barely get finished with one day and another one is only hours away...

I enjoy it though, I must say I like the fast pace... don't get me wrong I like lounging around in my pajama's just as much as the next person but I enjoy spending days with family and friends, housework, homework, raising children... I love all that makes up this busy life.

Tonight my guy played a little on the guitar. It's been a long time since he has pulled out that guitar and played for us. I love that the kids don't even ask for the television to be turned on when Daddy is playing... they dance around and enjoy the sound. Hearing him play the guitar reminds me that this life doesn't have to be near as complicated as we sometimes make it out to be.



Everyone has been asking me about Miami... our trip has come and gone. It went well, exhausting, but good. Tony drove down with us and he stayed one night and left the following evening. The kids and I stayed until Friday. We juggled our time between visiting with family and taking Sophia to the many doctor's appointments that were lined up for that week. We really liked the doctor and Sophia was more than comfortable in Miami, in fact, she cried when we had to leave. We were driving in crazy traffic one morning and I said, "Who in there right mind would want to live her? What is so great about this place? and Why is everyone in such a hurry?" (way to be positive huh? hey- we all have our moments)Sophia squeals in the backseat, "This is the greatest city ever, they are in a hurry because it's MIAMI!!!" The appointments all went great and we learned a lot about how Sophia's brain works, how she processes information and the affects her seizures have had on her development... altogether she is a bright, witty, affectionate six year old who is the light of her momma's life and still has her Daddy wrapped tight around her little finger.



Troy on the other hand is not so thrilled with Miami. I felt pity on the poor guy most of the week. He rarely smiled... partly due to the horrible allergies he was struggling with (he was allergic to my cousin's dog, Tank, in the picture above) so that made it tough for him. But even more down because in Miami, "there is no forest and no dirt" You know what Troy loves... dirt... and forest.. a life without the forest and the dirt isn't a life worth living, in Troy's mind anyway. Before we even got home my mom had a load of clay delivered to her house, just for Troy (and she says I spoil him)and the day after we got home Troy spent two days at the farm, in the forest and dirt.



So, that's that.. just wanted to catch up since it has been awhile.

funniest. thing. ever.

Troy is right now, at this exact moment, in the shower singing...

"All the single ladies, all the single ladies, I love all the single ladies... shake your booty, shake your booty yea yea.. show 'em how ya do it now!"

I can hear him stomping around in their with his buzz lightyear toy singing his heart out.

Loving this!!