Kim 365

This beautiful little girl challenges me in ways I never expected. I never knew it would be so hard to teach and discipline such a sweet child. She is a firecracker, and I praise God for her. I am learning, failing, surrendering, and praying for some sanctifying to happen in my own heart as I pray the same for her.

On a somewhat related topic, homeschooling has been a serious challenge lately. As in, I haven’t been doing much of anything. I’m too overwhelmed by it all. Then I make myself feel better by saying I’m unschooling at the moment…which really doesn’t make me feel any better because it still just looks like a messy house with kids whining for snacks. What’s educational about that?

I’m reading a book that I borrowed from a friend, called Help for the Harried Homeschooler. Harried homeschooler? Yes, that would be me. Being a mother to four children age six and under is more than a full time job on its own. Add home education to the mix and I feel like I am up the creek without a paddle. Or is that down the creek?

When we started this journey, I thought that if we could just manage to pick the right curriculum, everything would be a breeze. Well either we didn’t pick the right curriculum, or else no curriculum can promise smooth sailing. I’m going with option B on that. The curriculum itself seems fine (although perhaps a little more Type-A than I am comfortable with), I just can’t seem to squish it into the day. Between making three meals, providing at least two snacks, nursing a baby, napping a baby, keeping the house tidy enough that you can walk through it, keeping the kitchen counters clear enough to find a corner to prepare food on, washing clothes, hosting our church community group once a week, and finding time to sleep somewhere in all that, school just doesn’t seem to get done.

I know it’s okay to cut myself some slack. This is kindergarten after all. It’s really not that serious. At some point though, I need to get more organized. I need to find a rhythm and flow to the day, and organization to the home, so that we can accomplish a consistent amount of school around here. As I do so, I need to make sure I am doing what works for us, and not comparing myself to what other women do. The book I mentioned earlier worded it really well,

“Comparison keeps us from celebrating our uniqueness. If only we had as much room in our house as they do, we tell ourselves. If only we could afford the curriculum they use. If only my husband were home as much as hers is!

“‘If onlys’ rob us of contentment. The fact is, our house is our house. We have the income we have. Our husbands are home as often as they are home. We are a one-of-a-kind family who has made the choices right for us.”

So I continue to forge ahead, drawing on the wisdom of other women who are doing this alongside me, or have gone ahead of me, but ultimately the challenge is not to copy what they have done/are doing, but rather find what works for our family. We are unique, of that I am fully convinced. Now I just need to figure out what our unique way of schooling looks like.

We spent the day at a wedding, celebrating the marriage of our friends Angela and Blair.
Here’s Deacon, enjoying some quality time with Garry. All of our kids love Garry – he has become like another grandpa to them.

It’s really amazing to me how God unites people together. He brings people who are so different and makes them family. The family of God is an amazing gift, and we have been so blessed to have our family grow in the past few years since we committed to calling Grace Fellowship our home church.

Zoo admission is free until April 1, so I was hoping we would get one more nice March day to go see the animals before we have to pay to get in. Today was just such a day. I texted a friend to see if she and her kids could join us, and off we went! Today’s post will be big on photos, and small on talk.

The lions have two new cubs, and here is Mama, giving her snuggling babies a bath.

The Canadian geese are always entertaining. Amazingly this path was not impassable due to goose poop, so the kids were able to go in close for a look at the frozen pond.

Wyatt and his shadow.

Bailey is a few months older than her buddy, and it is so sweet to see these two interact with one another.

I think this is my favourite shot today. I love the vantage point I caught this from. It feels as though I have captured a very sacred adventuring moment. Boyhood.

Markus was thrilled to find this inukshuk hiding in the trees.

Deacon’s just chilling out in his Cadillac stroller.

Wyatt the Monkey Boy, climbing and exploring.

Tunnel to another world…

…the playground!

Poor Wyatt seemed to collide with someone every time he went down this slide. No matter how careful he was to make sure the coast was clear, someone always got in his way at the bottom. No major injuries, thankfully!

The whole Zoo Crew! Thanks for the fun, guys!

Financial advisors scare me. At least, they did.
When I conjure up a mental picture of a financial advisor, I see a fifty year old man who is overweight, balding, overbearing, and wears too much aftershave. I also figured that people who use the services of a financial advisor are people who actually have money that can be given advice about. I did not think Clay and I fit the profile.

As it turns out, I was wrong on both accounts. Perhaps there are guys out there who fit my stereotype, but the one we met with this evening did not. He’s younger than us, slim build, full head of hair, confidently mild mannered, and only carried a slight scent of cologne – not even enough to set off the danger bell my inner smell alarm. He also had plenty to say to us: people who don’t have a lot of money to throw around.

We met with him because we’re going to transfer our mortgage, and perhaps our RRSPs. The lure of a 2.99% four year fixed rate drew us in, and I’m glad. I like the idea of having someone who knows the ins and outs of money going to bat for us and helping us figure out how to get the best return on our investments.

I’ve been pretty lazy in the money management department, and I’m looking forward to this being a kick start to being more aware of what’s going on. I used to be so organized in this area, and hopefully I will be again soon.

Where do you fall on the money continuum? Organized? Not? Careful budgeter? Fervent prayer that it will somehow all work out?

“Why now? Why this? Why ME?”

These are the kind of questions racing through my mind. The clock is mocking me, 1:11 a.m., and my poor little boy has unfortunately just shown that he really was telling the truth about having an upset tummy. The proof is at my feet, and the smell is overwhelming.

I’m left with two options.
I can grumble and complain.
Or I can pray my way through it, that I will surrender to Christ and that Jesus will give me grace for this moment.

The fact is that beds need to be stripped, floors need to be cleaned, and a little boy needs to be reassured that everything is okay. Do I want to go about that bitterly, feeling like someone owes me a good night’s sleep? Or do I want to approach even this with a servant attitude, for Jesus’ sake?

The cross doesn’t just impact big things like the saving of many souls in a faraway land. It also impacts the little things like my own heart, in the middle of the night, with the stench of sickness tickling my nostrils.

What do you need to surrender?

When we bought our house, we were thrilled with almost all of the finishing details. The main level has real hardwood floors, the trim and casings are a beautiful upgrade from the usual ‘builder basic’, and it just felt like everything was a step up from the other houses we had looked at. Everything that is, except for the nearly-white carpet. (And the countertops, but my beef is not with them today.)

It’s a nice enough looking carpet, but the quality is terrible. I’ve witnessed more than a few brawls between the vacuum and the carpet. The vacuum always wins, and the stairs are looking battered as a result. And of course, as I mentioned, it is white.

Who in their right mind puts white carpet in a house that will most likely be lived in by a young family? Having potty trained Markus in a house with a very forgiving multi-coloured berber rug, I was scared of this floor. How do you hide a potty stains on white? Now, somehow we have managed to survive potty training two kids in this house.

But we knew…we just knew that there would come a day when a sick kid would not make it to the toilet in time. You know what I am talking about. I will spare you the gory details, but please, if you are ever in a position of influence, whether in your own home or in someone else’s, and white carpet is being weighed as an option….remember Clay and I, cleaning tomatoey vomit out of white carpet at 2:00 a.m.

Don’t go there, folks. Just don’t.
Put hardwood in a kids’ room. For the love of all that is good!

Today we celebrate the fact that our baby boy is 9 months old! I know this photo is blurry, but it is the best I could get to show of his dazzling pearly whites – all two of them! He cut these teeth about a month ago, but this is the first time he’s shown them off for the camera.

“Oh yum, a lens cap. Thanks, Mama!”
See how he has one leg in front of him, and one turned behind? This is one of the ways he gets around. He sort of pushes himself forward with the back leg. It’s kind of hard to explain. He does not appreciate being on his tummy and is not interested in crawling. At least he is creative to find other ways to move!

And just because everyone loves a chubby baby – a look at his delicious hand and forearm. I could eat you up, Deacon!

Usually it is Bailey that inches her way into Deacon’s monthly photoshoot, but today it was Wyatt who was keen to get in on the action. Wyatt’s latest delight is to ask me if Deacon’s clothes were ones that he wore when he was a baby. If the answer is yes, he calls Deacon ‘baby Wyatt’. Cutie.

This photo was an attempt to get Deacon to make his goofy face. I sure hope I can capture it before he stops doing it. I asked Markus to help, and this was his contribution. I think Deacon is wondering what in the world is wrong with us.

Bailey gets in on the action. Strange faces for photos have become the norm around here. As is evident in the next photo…

I love you, kiddos!

We took a family trip to Costco after supper. I used to manage this quite well on my own when we had three kids, but ever since Deacon came along I do not even attempt Costco without Clay. I’m sure it would be fine, but I know it is easier with his help. Plus it’s more fun when he comes.

The kids spent a good chunk of the afternoon playing outside today, so add that up with a ride home in the van after shopping, and you have 4 little cuties falling asleep almost instantly. It is always a gamble how they will react when we get home. Will they go straight to bed without a fuss, or will we have a scream-fest?

Bailey was emotional, but went straight to bed.

Markus was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. He didn’t want to go to bed without having a snack, so I got him set up with some yogurt at the table.

Deacon was not impressed to be set on the floor. He wanted to eat, and he wanted to sleep. He looks a lot more content in this picture than he actually was.

And then there was Wyatt.

Clay and I went shopping this afternoon. It is a rare occasion that we have the chance to go shopping without the kids, so we seized the opportunity. While the little ones hung out with their great-grandparents, we headed for The Gap.

I don’t know where you fall in the clothing spectrum, but I grew up shopping at thrift stores, Zellers, and SAAN. I learned how to make a dollar stretch. The Gap was about as expensive as I could imagine clothes getting. $70 for jeans? Are you kidding? Now I willingly shell that money out. Hey, if the jeans fit… Not to mention the fact that every piece of clothing I buy from there is made 3x better than something I would spend 1/3 the price on. Better quality clothes = less time shopping. Win.

I am not a shopper. I have dabbled in retail therapy enough in the past to know that it has no lasting joy. I shop out of necessity, not for fun. Which is not to say it is never fun…but it often isn’t. Many a trip to the mall has resulted in my freaking out because everything’s either ugly, immodest, ugly, or immodest. Give me classic styles, flattering cuts, and I will wear my clothes into the ground. I just do not have the time to keep up with fads and trends. Plus, it is not fun to go clothes shopping with four kids. On top of that, we’re not exactly rolling in money. So for a number of reasons, I try to shop smart, and infrequently.

When I do end up at the mall, my favourite shopping partner is my husband. He’s the one I want to impress, he’s the one that I want to most appreciate my appearance, so it’s his opinion I want when I am trying on clothes. “I really like the way that shirt looks,” or, “That colour really makes your eyes look pretty.” SOLD! You’re hot and if you think I’m hot in this shirt I am SO buying it. He’s also the reason this stack of clothes is so big. I would not buy this much for myself…he made me do it.

Now, unless I blow the knee in a pair of jeans, I’m set for another year or so. Well that’s not entirely true. I still need a bathing suit. That is one trip I am absolutely not looking forward to.

Part of my plan for my new and improved blog is to regularly share links with you of things around the internet that have been catching my eye. Whether they be inspiring, encouraging, interesting, or infuriating, it will be stuff that strikes a chord with me in one way or another.

Infant Routines at Our Home | Passionate Homemaking: What’s right and what’s wrong: the scheduled/routine baby, or the attachment parenting baby? (And let me say for the record, I hate the term ‘attachment parenting’. Okay, I said it.) I found this article immensely helpful. I so appreciate Lindsay’s ability to look at this issue in light of the Bible, and to write in a way that respects both sides of the issue. After four babies, I fall somewhere in the middle.

Why Frumpy Makes You Grumpy | To Love, Honor and Vacuum: Hey all you moms out there. This is a great read about how the amount of care and time you put into your appearance affects your attitude as a wife. I know I am totally guilty of frumpy days. And it’s true that being frumpy really does make me grumpy. I haven’t eliminated the frump days, but I am working on it.

Christian Parenting | Ligonier: Elyse Fitzpatrick, author of Give Them Grace, is amazingly gifted at explaining how the gospel relates to the role of a parent. As she puts it, “Christian parenting isn’t a new method. It’s sharing the gospel you already know.” I don’t think I’m alone in reading parenting books out of desperation, wanting a quick fix for my kids. Yet the problem isn’t just in them, it’s deeply rooted in me as well. The gospel is the only thing that can give us hope not only for our kids, but for ourselves as well.

When to Stay the Course | Simple Homeschool: As I try to find my groove as a homeschooling mom, I need a steady diet of these kind of encouraging words from other moms who are travelling this road ahead of me. The ‘barebones school days’ she talks about in this post are what I default to a lot of the time in this stage. I appreciate hearing someone farther down the road turning around to say, “What you’re doing is just fine!”