Tuesday, May 13, 2008

• Snapshots of our day

  It's easy to think I'm not doing enough. I think that just about everyday, in fact. There is almost always MORE I could or should be doing, in my mind. But one of the things that keeps us peaceful and healthy around here is that we live a very low-key lifestyle. I don't deal well with stress or chaos. We homeschool. I insist on 1-2 hour naps everyday. We don't have our kids enrolled in outside activities. Abusive? Some may think so. We may change and re-evaluate things as the kids get older. Like the outside sports and activities, for one. We'll see. Our oldest is only six. We've only been doing this parenting thing for six years, remember.  This is all my kids have ever known. They know how to play together. They are eachother's best friends. They are overjoyed by the smallest things like family movie night or Saturday pancakes. They don't expect to be carted around or entertained constantly. Those are the positives of the lifestyle we've chosen, and I think they're pretty good positives. 

  God has blessed my extremely high-strung self tremendously by giving me such a mellow and easygoing husband. He has absolutely changed me and I thank God everyday for giving me Chad. I'm also realizing more and more that I can't have it both ways- be supermom AND keep a peaceful and calm household. Some things have got to give. I have a problem comparing myself to the homeschooling supermoms out there. You know the ones who live on no more than $40 a week, make every meal from scratch, have their own vegetable garden, grind their own wheat, bake their own bread, sew their own family's clothes, and get up at 3am to do devotions every morning. Among everything else they do. After hearing about the kinds of things these other women are doing, I actually start thinking I need to take all of that on! Thank God I have a husband who brings me back to earth and looks at me like I've gone completely insane when I list off all of these tasks I feel I should be doing.

  But because of our laidback, nonconformist lifestyle, it's easy to start doubting our choices, and feel that our kids are somehow missing out. Pretty soon I start to doubt everything. It's a cycle I go through just about everyday. Maybe school would be good for them. After all, they do fancy crafts in school and sit in a circle and have themed snacks and do worksheets. And get stickers. Surely they don't have enough stimulation being at home.......

  Life is so complicated and busy and overwhelming these days. Is busy always better? It's easy to think so.

  More on that some other time.

  Our mornings are lazy. This morning was exceptionally so, as Chad let me sleep in. I think third trimester fatigue has set in, and I've been sleeping in more lately. After everybody ate lunch Chad and I gave the kids their baths (I absolutely love having him at home) and then the kids took their naps. We decided to go to the park after naptime. The park we went to is attached to our town's museum, and Chad wanted to go in and check it out. We got to see really cool things like old stagecoaches and sleighs and antique washing boards and huge elk heads. It was interesting to learn more about the history of our little town. After that, the kids played on the playground.

  The kids by an old fire engine-

  

  and stage coach-

  

  

  These pictures crack me up...

  

  

  

  Huge animal heads sticking out of walls probably is hard to figure out when you're one, huh.

  My baby's getting so big. He insisted on going down the slide all by himself. He was so proud.

  

  

  My chillens

  

  Carty

  

  Then we came home and the kids were very resourceful with mommy's headband. Audri turned it into a pair of glasses-

  

  And we finally found a way to tame Eli's 'fro!  

  
  
  My kids are so stinking cute. They make me smile.

   

  • 11:06 PM
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