Back when Milayla was just a baby and Atticus was starting to really get into using words Jason and I used to wonder what it would be like when Atticus and Milayla could have conversations together. What would they talk about?
I was reminded of that today when Atticus and Milayla were playing Animal Hospital today because Milayla's bear was sick. She took him to their little pretend hospital and Atticus assured her that Lion is the BEST doctor there is. Lion ended up being such a great doctor that Baby and the other stuffed animals went to him for a checkup.
Their little imaginations never cease to amaze me. And hearing them get along so well is sure a blessing. And while I love listening to their imagination play, best of all is when I get to step into their world of imagination. It's wonderful. Imaginative. Clever. And so enjoyable. My heart feels like it could burst from being so full of joy for these three kids.
So, here's to setting up an animal hospital again tomorrow. Or whatever else those kids come up with.
Friday, September 11, 2015
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Saturday
Today. Today was just a great day. Jason and I set out to make today's sole (and soul!) purpose to spend the day together as a family. And we sure did. It was just so incredibly awesome. I get to spend each day with the children as I homeschool them which is a wonderful gift. So getting to add Jason to the mix on the weekends is just incredible. After an entire day with this little family of mine, I just feel like my heart is going to burst with love and gratitude.
We often joke (myself, Jason and the kids) about how we wish we could take pictures with our eyes because we want remember so many moments as vividly as possible. Unfortunately, technology isn't there yet, so I figured I better write a few things about the day before they slip from my mind. There were also several pictures to help us capture the day as well.
The kids came piling into our bed in the morning. Phineas was already nestled up next to me as he had come for a feed. Milayla waddled in zipped into Phineas' sleep sac. She couldn't stop giggling. And then the laughter began. We remarked how that was an excellent way to learn to walk like a penguin like in Mary Poppins (a movie we started last week but hadn't finished). She smiled. That gentle, genuine smile that makes her eyes sparkle as she jumps into your arms. Her tangled morning hair makes it all so much sweeter and cuter.
Atticus has already begun making a tent out of our duvet and before long we are all underneath our duvet tent on our bed as Phineas delights in the joining of his big siblings and collapses over them in a big, Phineas style hug. He is always so happy to give hugs and won't ever miss an opportunity to give them to his siblings.
Then Atticus sneaks away as the rest of us begin getting dressed. Jason and I confirm our plans for the day with one another. And we hear the sound of dishes downstairs. Atticus is out to surprise us by bringing out all the breakfast items and dishes. He has been waiting in anticipation for the weekend because it is the only day that Jason and I stay in bed until the kids are up which means that Atticus can get to the kitchen before us and help. He has a big heart. A huge heart.
Breakfast is had. Phineas was up early and is already tired and ready for a morning nap. Which means hugs and his sweet little waves and smiles. Jason puts him to bed while I get to relish in my little kitchen helpers as Milayla and Atticus help me load the dishes into the dishwasher.
While most of the morning was spent pulling weeds outside, I must say that doing tasks like that together makes it pretty fun. And as our weed pulling came to an end I told the kids I would teach them to fly and get a picture of it. They were keenly interested. I taught Milayla first. She thought it was brilliant.
Lesson #1 was take-off. Milayla was a natural. She looks like a ballerina spinning into space with a "smile as wide as a slice of cantaloupe" (a line from a favourite book of hers and so applicable to her beautiful, sparkling smile :) ). She couldn't wait to tell Jason and Atticus that she flew!
Atticus was next and he was elated when he saw that it look like he was standing on the side of the car as he took off. They were having so much fun.
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts there was no dual take-off. Though, it was fun trying to have them take off together. And all those smiles make everything worth it.
Jason gave it a try as well. A natural.
Then it was time for the flying. I think I may have many days of children jumping on the couch ahead of me now. But they will have been worth it for the smiles that were had around here.
Jason very loving packed up lunch for us, we stopped briefly at a new bakery and then were off to visit a hobbit. Atticus couldn't believe his eyes when he saw a dragon at the edge of a park we were driving past.
Of course, the dragon was visiting the hobbit. A friendly visit, one can hope, but likely not. Milayla was a little worried to go to the door but after we explored around the hobbit home she thought it was the greatest thing ever. It had whimsy and magic. It was wonderful. Phineas was frightened by the dragon but thought he would try the door. I was glad we made the stop. I love getting to explore and imagine with the kids. They get so excited and inquisitive. They are pretty excited for when they will be old enough to read the stories about hobbits :). I love encouraging the reading of good books.
And with that we were off to a picnic at the water park. It was a perfect summer day - in September - what an incredible gift. Sunny, hot, warm sand, a water park, and family. Such a perfect mix. I know I didn't want to leave and if it weren't for the other things that we had in store for the day, I don't think the kids would have either. I loved getting to feel the warm sand between my toes as Atticus and I worked together to build a moat for a castle. And getting splashed by buckets of water as I helped line Milayla up to have water dumped on her by the brightly coloured buckets many, many times - she loved it so much! And I loved being with Phineas to explore the magic of water, as he was unexpectedly splashed in the face and made an expression that looked like the cutest 'surprise sour face' one could ever see. He is in full exploration mode now as he walks more than crawls. It's been so fun to see him walk around as his hips teeter back and forth to help him balance and his chubby little toes and ankles pitter patter on the ground. Then those curls. Those curls that peek out behind his ears and coil like little springs on humid days. It's part of the magic of his baby days that are so uniquely his.
It's magic to watch all your children grow into themselves. Absolute magic. All so unique. All so capable. And all so perfectly themselves. There is only one them.
Home time came later than planned yet seemed to come too soon. Even so, there is comfort in the familiarity of home. Showers. Baths. A hair cut for Jason. All while pizza cooked in the oven. Jason gave me a compliment while I was cutting his hair. I love compliments from him.
We had family prayer, song and scriptures when we were all cleaned up. During song we all need to be touching and making a complete circuit. Milayla reached out to link to Atticus and hold his hand. I notice that the chubbiness of toddler hands has nearly left Atticus entirely and Milayla is slowly growing out of hers as well. During scriptures I glanced over at Jason. He's handsome. And so much more than just handsome. He balances me out so well and I count my lucky stars that we married. I feel fortunate, loved and blessed.
Then it's time for pizza and movie night. The kids have heavily anticipated this - finishing Mary Poppins. The kids are insistent that we all snuggle close. There is a scene where the children run away and Milayla gets so worried about them that she tears up and climbs on my lap. She has the most sensitive, kind, loving and caring heart. She would feed every hungry soul on this planet if it were in her power to do so, of that I have no doubt.
Bed time comes and it's my privilege to carry Milayla into bed and to tuck the children in. Phineas is already sound asleep with his cheek pressed to the mattress and that cute button nose cast in the light coming from the door. Milayla asks that I sing a song before bedtime. It's a nightly routine and I wouldn't miss it for the world. 'Love is Spoken Here'. Every night. Only she calls it 'I See My Mother Kneeling'. And I can't help but hope that she sees her mother, me, kneeling and calling on God all the time as I rely on my Saviour.
Then it's time to sing to Atticus. But first, he wants to tell me all about how he and his wife are going to have movie nights for their children, too and that he wants to make sure that they do Mary Poppins because he thinks his children will love them. And, oh yes, Holland would be a lovely place to find a wife. I do my best to remind him to enjoy being 6 and that he has a long time before he needs to think about those things. We talk about growing up, learning, and enjoying every step of the journey. He's an old soul. He's always been an old soul. When we named him, Atticus, we had read somewhere that the intended meaning was 'fatherlike'. I never would have imagined that to ring more true than it has for him. I'm grateful that he has a vision of his future though I hope he won't miss out on the present by focusing to far ahead. Because these are good and wonderful days. Very wonderful.
And that's how a Saturday should be. And now I get to wrap it all up with the one who builds this family with me, Jason. I'm so grateful for equality in marriage and the roles we both play to support one another and to raise our children. I realize that many of the great moments we have in our family are due to his undaunted dedication to being a father in zion. It's because of his faith in his role and in families that I can fulfill my role as a mother in such lovely, blessed ways. We really do balance each other out and we have eternity ahead of us. So thankful for the gift of today. I love my family.
We often joke (myself, Jason and the kids) about how we wish we could take pictures with our eyes because we want remember so many moments as vividly as possible. Unfortunately, technology isn't there yet, so I figured I better write a few things about the day before they slip from my mind. There were also several pictures to help us capture the day as well.
The kids came piling into our bed in the morning. Phineas was already nestled up next to me as he had come for a feed. Milayla waddled in zipped into Phineas' sleep sac. She couldn't stop giggling. And then the laughter began. We remarked how that was an excellent way to learn to walk like a penguin like in Mary Poppins (a movie we started last week but hadn't finished). She smiled. That gentle, genuine smile that makes her eyes sparkle as she jumps into your arms. Her tangled morning hair makes it all so much sweeter and cuter.
Atticus has already begun making a tent out of our duvet and before long we are all underneath our duvet tent on our bed as Phineas delights in the joining of his big siblings and collapses over them in a big, Phineas style hug. He is always so happy to give hugs and won't ever miss an opportunity to give them to his siblings.
Then Atticus sneaks away as the rest of us begin getting dressed. Jason and I confirm our plans for the day with one another. And we hear the sound of dishes downstairs. Atticus is out to surprise us by bringing out all the breakfast items and dishes. He has been waiting in anticipation for the weekend because it is the only day that Jason and I stay in bed until the kids are up which means that Atticus can get to the kitchen before us and help. He has a big heart. A huge heart.
Breakfast is had. Phineas was up early and is already tired and ready for a morning nap. Which means hugs and his sweet little waves and smiles. Jason puts him to bed while I get to relish in my little kitchen helpers as Milayla and Atticus help me load the dishes into the dishwasher.
While most of the morning was spent pulling weeds outside, I must say that doing tasks like that together makes it pretty fun. And as our weed pulling came to an end I told the kids I would teach them to fly and get a picture of it. They were keenly interested. I taught Milayla first. She thought it was brilliant.
Lesson #1 was take-off. Milayla was a natural. She looks like a ballerina spinning into space with a "smile as wide as a slice of cantaloupe" (a line from a favourite book of hers and so applicable to her beautiful, sparkling smile :) ). She couldn't wait to tell Jason and Atticus that she flew!
Atticus was next and he was elated when he saw that it look like he was standing on the side of the car as he took off. They were having so much fun.
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts there was no dual take-off. Though, it was fun trying to have them take off together. And all those smiles make everything worth it.
Jason gave it a try as well. A natural.
Then it was time for the flying. I think I may have many days of children jumping on the couch ahead of me now. But they will have been worth it for the smiles that were had around here.
Jason very loving packed up lunch for us, we stopped briefly at a new bakery and then were off to visit a hobbit. Atticus couldn't believe his eyes when he saw a dragon at the edge of a park we were driving past.
Of course, the dragon was visiting the hobbit. A friendly visit, one can hope, but likely not. Milayla was a little worried to go to the door but after we explored around the hobbit home she thought it was the greatest thing ever. It had whimsy and magic. It was wonderful. Phineas was frightened by the dragon but thought he would try the door. I was glad we made the stop. I love getting to explore and imagine with the kids. They get so excited and inquisitive. They are pretty excited for when they will be old enough to read the stories about hobbits :). I love encouraging the reading of good books.
And with that we were off to a picnic at the water park. It was a perfect summer day - in September - what an incredible gift. Sunny, hot, warm sand, a water park, and family. Such a perfect mix. I know I didn't want to leave and if it weren't for the other things that we had in store for the day, I don't think the kids would have either. I loved getting to feel the warm sand between my toes as Atticus and I worked together to build a moat for a castle. And getting splashed by buckets of water as I helped line Milayla up to have water dumped on her by the brightly coloured buckets many, many times - she loved it so much! And I loved being with Phineas to explore the magic of water, as he was unexpectedly splashed in the face and made an expression that looked like the cutest 'surprise sour face' one could ever see. He is in full exploration mode now as he walks more than crawls. It's been so fun to see him walk around as his hips teeter back and forth to help him balance and his chubby little toes and ankles pitter patter on the ground. Then those curls. Those curls that peek out behind his ears and coil like little springs on humid days. It's part of the magic of his baby days that are so uniquely his.
It's magic to watch all your children grow into themselves. Absolute magic. All so unique. All so capable. And all so perfectly themselves. There is only one them.
Home time came later than planned yet seemed to come too soon. Even so, there is comfort in the familiarity of home. Showers. Baths. A hair cut for Jason. All while pizza cooked in the oven. Jason gave me a compliment while I was cutting his hair. I love compliments from him.
We had family prayer, song and scriptures when we were all cleaned up. During song we all need to be touching and making a complete circuit. Milayla reached out to link to Atticus and hold his hand. I notice that the chubbiness of toddler hands has nearly left Atticus entirely and Milayla is slowly growing out of hers as well. During scriptures I glanced over at Jason. He's handsome. And so much more than just handsome. He balances me out so well and I count my lucky stars that we married. I feel fortunate, loved and blessed.
Then it's time for pizza and movie night. The kids have heavily anticipated this - finishing Mary Poppins. The kids are insistent that we all snuggle close. There is a scene where the children run away and Milayla gets so worried about them that she tears up and climbs on my lap. She has the most sensitive, kind, loving and caring heart. She would feed every hungry soul on this planet if it were in her power to do so, of that I have no doubt.
Bed time comes and it's my privilege to carry Milayla into bed and to tuck the children in. Phineas is already sound asleep with his cheek pressed to the mattress and that cute button nose cast in the light coming from the door. Milayla asks that I sing a song before bedtime. It's a nightly routine and I wouldn't miss it for the world. 'Love is Spoken Here'. Every night. Only she calls it 'I See My Mother Kneeling'. And I can't help but hope that she sees her mother, me, kneeling and calling on God all the time as I rely on my Saviour.
Then it's time to sing to Atticus. But first, he wants to tell me all about how he and his wife are going to have movie nights for their children, too and that he wants to make sure that they do Mary Poppins because he thinks his children will love them. And, oh yes, Holland would be a lovely place to find a wife. I do my best to remind him to enjoy being 6 and that he has a long time before he needs to think about those things. We talk about growing up, learning, and enjoying every step of the journey. He's an old soul. He's always been an old soul. When we named him, Atticus, we had read somewhere that the intended meaning was 'fatherlike'. I never would have imagined that to ring more true than it has for him. I'm grateful that he has a vision of his future though I hope he won't miss out on the present by focusing to far ahead. Because these are good and wonderful days. Very wonderful.
And that's how a Saturday should be. And now I get to wrap it all up with the one who builds this family with me, Jason. I'm so grateful for equality in marriage and the roles we both play to support one another and to raise our children. I realize that many of the great moments we have in our family are due to his undaunted dedication to being a father in zion. It's because of his faith in his role and in families that I can fulfill my role as a mother in such lovely, blessed ways. We really do balance each other out and we have eternity ahead of us. So thankful for the gift of today. I love my family.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
First Day of Homeschool
Today we had the first official day of homeschool for the year. We've been doing little bits of homeschool throughout the summer to keep the kids in the habit, but not too much because I'm a sucker for sunshine summer days outside.
Picking curriculum this year seemed a bit difficult for me because I wanted to change it up. So after taking too much time ordering some new things, I realized that the best fit was going with the next levels of most of the ones we used last year.
Milayla is excited to officially begin math this year and start her reading lessons with me. I'm using a different approach than I did before and it's working really well (we started a few weeks ago because she was so excited about it). She loves it and it has made for some really great time together. And she will be working on her writing which is getting quite good. She picks up so much just by observing and then doing.
Atticus has some extra school time on his plate this year. He has worked on his reading a lot this summer (we've been reading the Chronicles of Narnia as a family) and I think it's time to catch his other subjects (and reading comprehension) up to his reading ability. Which I think will be a frustrating pursuit for him as he likes to go full speed ahead but I plan to be a little more detail orientated this year which is likely to slow things down for the first little bit. I have no doubt that it will all be moving a bit faster once he gets a handle on the new routine.
As for Phineas. He has his own little activity baskets that I will change up every few days. He loves being around us, and really just wants to do what Atticus and Milayla are doing. I just want to make sure that he is getting the interaction and attention that he needs. I definitely feel like he has been getting a good balance of mom/dad time along with sibling play time. Today he was fiercely teething (4 teeth!). It was an adventure.
As always, it's a delicate balance of challenging them and having them learn new things while still allowing them room to explore and discover on their own. Especially when they are still so young.
So, how did the first day go?
Honestly, fairly well for the first day. I am glad I had a pretty realistic outlook going into the first day. I knew it wouldn't go smoothly. I do think I should have planned dinner meals for the week that were a little more hands off though. That said, Milayla helped me in the kitchen to do the dinner prep for two meals and she is such an awesome helper. I wouldn't trade that time with her for anything!
Considering the kids thought homeschool was the best part of the whole day and are just so excited about it then I think that warrants it a successful day. And as a bonus the kids finished their work for the day, had creative time, did back-to-school interviews, played at the park and did their little helper chores. I feel pretty fortunate to have kiddos that just love to spend time together and are so inclusive to one another.
Right now the kids are off to the post office with Jason while I process the day and adjust tomorrow to fit accordingly. I really like homeschool. I think in large part because the kids really like it but also because I get to be involved in their learning in such a hands-on way and spend so much time building a strong connection with them. They are just awesome and unique individuals who are learning so much! I asked the kids how I managed to get so lucky with such awesome, intelligent and smart kids - they told me it was because they were inside my belly. I'll take that as a compliment :). It feels good to be sure that this is the right thing for our family and I love the fruit of our labor that we see come from this. It's a real blessing.
Here are the kids' pictures of the first day of homeschool. Phineas, in his state of constant motion, is a cute and smiley blur. And he is 13 months today!
I am so grateful for the opportunity to home school these awesome kids. I know this isn't the right path for every family but I feel peace in the fact that it is right for us. I love that we get to spend more time together because of this and it has definitely helped to build our family culture towards what our goals are.
Picking curriculum this year seemed a bit difficult for me because I wanted to change it up. So after taking too much time ordering some new things, I realized that the best fit was going with the next levels of most of the ones we used last year.
Milayla is excited to officially begin math this year and start her reading lessons with me. I'm using a different approach than I did before and it's working really well (we started a few weeks ago because she was so excited about it). She loves it and it has made for some really great time together. And she will be working on her writing which is getting quite good. She picks up so much just by observing and then doing.
Atticus has some extra school time on his plate this year. He has worked on his reading a lot this summer (we've been reading the Chronicles of Narnia as a family) and I think it's time to catch his other subjects (and reading comprehension) up to his reading ability. Which I think will be a frustrating pursuit for him as he likes to go full speed ahead but I plan to be a little more detail orientated this year which is likely to slow things down for the first little bit. I have no doubt that it will all be moving a bit faster once he gets a handle on the new routine.
As for Phineas. He has his own little activity baskets that I will change up every few days. He loves being around us, and really just wants to do what Atticus and Milayla are doing. I just want to make sure that he is getting the interaction and attention that he needs. I definitely feel like he has been getting a good balance of mom/dad time along with sibling play time. Today he was fiercely teething (4 teeth!). It was an adventure.
As always, it's a delicate balance of challenging them and having them learn new things while still allowing them room to explore and discover on their own. Especially when they are still so young.
So, how did the first day go?
Honestly, fairly well for the first day. I am glad I had a pretty realistic outlook going into the first day. I knew it wouldn't go smoothly. I do think I should have planned dinner meals for the week that were a little more hands off though. That said, Milayla helped me in the kitchen to do the dinner prep for two meals and she is such an awesome helper. I wouldn't trade that time with her for anything!
Considering the kids thought homeschool was the best part of the whole day and are just so excited about it then I think that warrants it a successful day. And as a bonus the kids finished their work for the day, had creative time, did back-to-school interviews, played at the park and did their little helper chores. I feel pretty fortunate to have kiddos that just love to spend time together and are so inclusive to one another.
Right now the kids are off to the post office with Jason while I process the day and adjust tomorrow to fit accordingly. I really like homeschool. I think in large part because the kids really like it but also because I get to be involved in their learning in such a hands-on way and spend so much time building a strong connection with them. They are just awesome and unique individuals who are learning so much! I asked the kids how I managed to get so lucky with such awesome, intelligent and smart kids - they told me it was because they were inside my belly. I'll take that as a compliment :). It feels good to be sure that this is the right thing for our family and I love the fruit of our labor that we see come from this. It's a real blessing.
Here are the kids' pictures of the first day of homeschool. Phineas, in his state of constant motion, is a cute and smiley blur. And he is 13 months today!
I am so grateful for the opportunity to home school these awesome kids. I know this isn't the right path for every family but I feel peace in the fact that it is right for us. I love that we get to spend more time together because of this and it has definitely helped to build our family culture towards what our goals are.
Monday, August 31, 2015
August - scenes from life
Pippi Long Stocking in the park.
Tractor rides. Tricycle rides. Big tube slides. Hay slides. Mini corn maze. Sunflower maze. Duck races. Animals. Hugs. Laughter. Good time.
Costume boxes as the countdown for Halloween begins.
Water stains discovered that were hidden under paint from a time before ours in this house.
Those three beautiful children and 3 best amigos that are so much fun to go exploring with are also so darn cute sitting next to one another in the car, especially now that Phineas is forward facing.
Breakfast time in the kitchen with scriptures, granola, almond butter and fresh fruit.
Jason being an awesome sport on a morning when Milayla wanted him to give a try at styling her hair. He did pretty well!
He is a great dad.
Saw some really pretty clouds on our way to the science centre to do their builder challenge and an 18th Century market (more on that later)
Evenings to plan homeschool, day outings and family time.
Cars, balls, blocks and all manner of curiosity in the play room (with the carpet that desperately needs something done with it - Not sure if a deep shampoo will be enough for it).
And an extremely deep desire to find a way to nurture deep spiritual roots in myself and in each of my children that will help them journey through life with a deeper understanding, higher perspective, and confidence to make good and even great choices that are sometimes tough and hard.
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