Our Fourth of July

I guess dad didn't quite agree with the "Old Navy" aspect of the shirt considering he's a Col. in the Army. ;)



My goofy hubby of eight years now!!



Silly faces! Tongues out!!!




LOL, I love my dad, trying to be serious, yet get a laugh out of all of us. <3 :)


Our Fourth of July,...
Was interesting! We normally make it a family day and take the kids to see the fireworks, but this year Tim and I decided to celebrate our anniversary on our own. So we let Nonnie and Pappy take all three of them to a friends for a big fun BBQ. With lots of games, a trampoline, and kids their age. From what I hear they had a blast!

Plus they were with there uncles, and cousin and thats always a big bonus!!! :)

SO Tim and I went to downtown Greenville and had a wonderful dinner just the two of us then we walked around town for a bit. Then we went early to Falls Park to get a good seat for the fireworks. It was a perfect spot. Right in the middle of the river on an island made up of the rocks. The fireworks were directly in front of us!

It was so much fun getting to spend some time together and talk without having to find the potty in five seconds flat, or making sure nobody was drowning in the river.

But then,..the crowds came, obnoxious teenagers sitting behind us making out, cussing every other word. People directly in front of us smoking up a storm. (Being preggo makes me very sensitive to cigarettes.)

Then we had to walk back with this crowd that was easily more than a thousand people, marching to our parking deck. Along the way trying not to step on anyone or get stepped on.
Then realizing they downside to having flip-flops on when a man going the opposite direction than me drops his ENORMOUS bottle of alcohol he had stashed up his shirt right next to my foot.

No I wasn't cut, I dont know how, but the rest of the way my feet were sticky and I smelled like I'd had a little too much celebration goin' on!

When we finally get to the parking deck it takes us over an HOUR to get OUT of the parking deck! Not to mention home.

I love my country so, so much! But 12 minutes of fireworks wasn't worth that.

I really missed that year we had celebrated the 4th at Devil's Tower in Wy. Now that was a blast! Only about 100-150 people, karaoke, beautiful spacious skies, children running barefoot in the grass dancing to the music. And the fireworks lasted forever!

I guess I just love being out in the middle of nowhere. I love the country. The whole city scene doesn't work with me.

Besides all that, Tim and I had a wonderful anniversary together, and the kids loved being with their grandparents. So for our last fourth,,,, It was Interesting,.....AND FUN! :)

Homeschool

I have hesitated to write a post about homeschooling. Just as the choice to homeschool is such a personal one, so is the way you go about doing it. I don't believe there is a best way to home educate. I don't believe that what I do is better than what anyone else does, nor do I compare myself to other homeschoolers wishing I was doing what they are. Every family is so unique.

(Look Mommy it's the world! But in my world the earth part is pink!)

Unfortunately the other day sitting outside of Mae's dance class a discussion arose on the choice of whether to homeschool or not. The mother who didn't look like she wanted to be bothered by the topic anyhow made a point that has been made by many people looking for a reason not to homeschool,

"You have two options, either put your child in a bubble, teach them how to handle hardships, OR let them out to discover how to handle these hardships on their own."


I believe that the hardships presented to children in public schools today should not be ones they should have to learn to handle until they are older, and having been in homeschool they would have learned the most respectful and productive way to handle these situations.

(Concentration!!!)


Now I'm sure that for lack of interest this nice lady has not done the research I have. And does not really know that homeschooled children tend to be able to speak comfortably with children younger, older, and adults because of not being thrust into situations where bulling and taunting would give them cause for self doubt.

I could go on and on as to why we homeschool and what the benefits are, but that would bore people.

(I consider this to be a bit of busy work, she can start and stop when she wants. Fortunately she thinks being able to read her colors is fun.)

I just love to teach my children everything I can, in ways that I find work for me as well as them. I mention myself because if I get frustrated with something then they most likely will too, then I'm setting myself up for failure.
I have found that I love to draw, I loved to illustrate what I'm teaching them, so I bought a dry erase board. But I needed somewhere to put it, so created the "school room". Its where all the books, crayons, paints, play-doh, insanity is stashed.
However when I started this venture I didnt want a school room. I wanted to learn outdoors! Reading on the couch, science in the kitchen!
Surprise for me, WE STILL DO THAT! School is everywhere for us! I just needed a spot to say, "Why yes we do say pledge of allegiance every morning, looking at our flag, and right next to it is a picture of Christ!



"To be honest, I am not sure what kind of homeschooler I am. I guess I can tell you what I am not.
I am not good with adhering to one particular method, and prefer to take what I like from many schools of thought and leave the rest." ~Small Things

( Eliza also loves writing her name, such a sweetie!)

Also taking into consideration that I've only been teaching homeschool for two years, I've got a long way to go. Middle School could throw a whole new curve at me. But I must say that these last two years have been the most fun rewarding experiences I've ever had.



The things I hope for the most for my kids is that;

My children will learn to have respect for their elders, love their siblings as best friends, keep their God foremost in their minds while deciding who they want to represent their country for them.
They will learn to be in control of themselves, recognizing that when we let our emotions get away from us we open the door to let seeds of self-doubt and temptation in side of our hearts.



I love the fact that I know my children's hearts inside and out, they tell me every little thing in and about their worlds. I dont have to pry, they know through homeschool that Momma and Daddy are the teachers, comforters, and supporters all in one package.

Every Baby Loves to be Carried

I found this wonderful list of all the benefits of Babywearing and I have to agree, its the best way I've found to comfort your little ones.

For example we've had a lot of snow lately and inevitably Timmy got a runny nose and sore throat. The only way I could find to calm and comfort him was to put him in the ring sling and walk/rock him around. The temperature of my skin on his, cooled down his slight temp. Also the rhythm of my breathing matched in time with his was very soothing.

I have always gotten lots of positive response's while carrying Timmy. I now after killing my wrists carrying car seats all over with my first two, I feel sorry for the mommies I see that haven't discovered the joys of wearing.

CARRIED BABIES...

• Cry Less! (43% less overall and 54% less during the evening hours)
• Are Healthier! (gain weight faster, have better motor skills, coordination, increased muscle tone, and sense of balance)
• Get a better view of the world! (babies pushed in strollers or lugged around in car seats only get to see the adult world at knee-level)
• Become Independent Faster! (making them more confident and less clingy)
• Sleep Better! (they fall asleep quicker and sleep for longer periods of time)
• Learn More! (not overstimulated, but calm and alert, observing the world around them)
• And are just plain Happier!

Wearing your baby is incredibly helpful in integrating your baby into your daily life. Not only is it practical to wear your baby but it is wonderfully reassuring to know that you are providing the richest and most beneficial environment that you possibly can.

Carrying your baby-

• creates confident parents -there's no better feeling than when your baby is calm and content because you have met all her needs
• allows you to safely move about with your baby regardless of terrain- you can stroll down uneven sidewalks, narrow lanes, walk up stairs, or climb mountain
• is convenient- there is no awkwardness like when carrying a heavy plastic car seat with one arm!
• enables better communication between you and your baby - (without your baby having to cry!) as you become attuned to her facial expressions and other gestures
• provides security-access to food, warmth, and love
• is good for your soul -it encourages you to get out and get some exercise and some fresh air into your lungs
• makes discreet nursing possible-without having to find a place to sit
• helps you to interact with your other children and hold your baby close at the same time- very practical if you have other little ones
• allows you to decide who may touch or interact with your baby
• aids digestion- the constant motion and the upright position eases acid reflux and colic
• allows you to go places, together!- you can go anywhere and feel secure.

Carried babies-

• learn more- not overstimulated, but calm and alert, which is the optimum state for nervous system development
• are allowed their necessary period of exterogestation which is often overlooked (The Best Place After the Womb: Exterior Gestation and the Need to Be Held)
• become independent faster- when your baby feels loved and cared for then they are confident and trust that you will be there to meet their needs (American Anthropologist research)
• regulate their own physical responses -better motor skills, coordination, and sense of balance from observing you and listening to you (read research on PubMed)
• are calmer - when you are close to your baby and can quickly respond to all of her needs there is no reason to be cranky!
• cry less -less stress hormones from crying means your baby is happier and more peaceful (read The American Academy of Pediatrics' research)
• get a better view of the world- babies pushed in strollers or in car seats only get to see the adult world at knee-level
• sleep better -babies fall asleep quicker and sleep for longer periods of time (Harvard University research)

Your baby will feel loved and secure. You will feel confident and free.

and the best of all...

YOUR HANDS ARE FREE!


You can cook, shop, paint, hike, sweep, read a book with your toddler, go for a stroll or even treat yourself to a nice lunch out in the town.

With babywearing, the possibilities are endless.

This is not me, I wish I looked this cute and skinny! This is my sweet friend from babywearing and her adorable kids. She's totally super babywearing mom here!!

Peanut Butter

THE PEANUT SAT ON A RAILROAD TRACK,

HIS HEART WAS ALL A-FLUTTER.
ALONG CAME THE CHOO-CHOO TRAIN,
AHHHHHHHHHH!
PEA-NUT BUTTER!

A Mommies Song

"A Whole New Woooorld, A thrilling place, lalalalalala, Now That I'm In A Whole New World With Youuuuuuu!"

Sings I, as I change a diaper of all things!!
"Boy, she's lost it", your thinking. But you don't understand. About the time Timmy was 3 months old I couldn't afford disposable diapers anymore.

Now any parent will understand, diapers are a MUST have! The butts must be covered!

I was in a state of panic, My dear sweet mother had covered MY rear at least twice by buying us diapers and I didn't want to ask again.
To those not in the know, a package of diapers right now is about 20.00, and you could use one of those a week, sometimes make it stretch a week and a half.

I had looked into cloth diapering online before Timmy was born and decided the start up cost was WAY too high, so that was out, or so I thought!

My visiting teacher just happened to come by one day while Timmy was wrapped in a dish towel. I had two diapers left and I was saving them for outings.
She sprang into action!

She had cloth diapered her last baby and wasn't planning on having any more, so along came my way a huge bag filled to the brim with diapers, inserts, and covers!
I sat down and cried and thanked God for her kindness.

Crazily enough I was a little apprehensive about Tim's support. I knew I wouldn't stick with C.D.ing unless Daddy would change them too.
But unknowingly to me Tim had a friend (another Dad) who C.D.ed and Tim was all for it, even with ideas I hadn't heard of!




Now your wondering why would anyone get so excited about what they put on there babies bottom?


Let me give you another little history now, around this same time I was discouraged because of nursing and trying to amuse three other kids at the same time.
My mother suggested I look into the La Leche League. I had NO idea what that was! So I went online to find out, Ohhhhh! A group of women who get together to talk about nursing? BOOORRRRIING!!

But curiosity had crept in, so I found out that they had meetings at MY library and I just happened to take the kids that day,....

There were two other women from my ward there!!!!! They were just as surprised to see me as I was to see them!

LLL turned out to be a class of information I just soaked up! I love learning more about nutrition, development, bonding, techniques, so many things I couldn't tell you all of it.
These women also Cloth Diapered. dum dum dum.




They opened up a whole new world to me of all these cool things I could do to make being a mommy the most enjoyable, rewarding experience there is.

My life at the time was leading towards depression, four kids at home all, day all under the age of six, a husband who was in school and at work full time, no money for essentials, struggling to keep my spirits up.

The only thing that kept me out of a slump was my testimony in the Lord, and the thing that gave me the boost I needed to be a cheerful Mommy was making valuable friendships at these classes.

Now back to the a whole new world scenario.

My eyes had been opened to a whole new world where I discovered Baby wearing, Baltic amber teething necklaces, natural birthing stories where mommies didn't get together to talk about the horror stories of their children's entrances to this life, but good happy sweet stories.

Too many times had I heard upsetting things about birth, doctors, and prenatal care. Here I only hear positive outlooks, there is a better way to do things!

I'm not saying Tim and I were total dummies with our first two kids, but we sure have a new positive outlook on how we want to do things with the next few.

And anything like cloth diapering where we can save money and help the environment, Tim is all for it!



*Just a note; I have now tried quite a few brands of diapers, and I have lots that I really prefer. Here are a few if you'd like to investigate this whole new world. :)
Motherease,
Bumgenius ,
G Diapers

Tom Sawyer, Luke Skywalker, and Timmy Stark

The three would get along fabulously. I knew I was in for some real differences of parenting when I had a baby boy. But nothing really could prepare me for this. One minute he's gutting his Daddies PDA, erasing all memory, then onto TAKING APART Mommies earrings right off her ear, then onto sister's toy, but because she cries about it he puts it right BACK TOGETHER and hands it to her! When were finished looking into all the technological devices in the house, we move onto how best to climb the bookshelves. Followed by going outside and becoming EXTREMELY dirty, because lets face it, if your gonna do something, do it thoroughly! The entire time he does these things he makes his own background noises, cars, choo-choo's, ruff-ruff's, everything. Now any naive person would say, "Well? Where were you when he was doing all this?" And any mother of more than two children would understand the insanity of cleaning up 2 1/2 mess's, while making lunch, kissing a boo-boo, tying a shoe, helping with math, answering the phone, and wiping a snotty nose all at the same time. Timmy will go full steam ahead until he drops. Then its the sweetest time of the day. He knows a bit of sign language, and he'll say what he wants and sign it at the same time. So when I hear, "Ma-Ma, Dog-Dog, Boo-Boo" I know its time to stop sit down and read his favorite Doggie Book. Which leads to the best snuggling ever. Nursing, then a nice nap. I love him so differently but not any more or less than his sisters. The Lord sent him to me at the perfect time, I love having a little boy! I know his Daddy feels the same way. So he's in danger of being a tad spoiled. So in that case were going to someday try for a little brother for him. People think I'm crazy for wanting so many kids, but when they are this much fun, I think they are the crazy ones for not wanting to join the fun!! BTW, what got me thinking all this is he's going to be one this week, crazy huh? Is it just me or did this year go by fast? ;)

Old stuff

Here's an journal entry I did a few months ago, I thought I would share it on here, just because I like to share what my life is like during the school months. Summer is a little different with going to play-dates and Story time @ the library. Since I cant come up with any thing juicy to share here's something from my Homeschool Mommy journal. :)





Yes it is a job, the pay stinks and the hours are intense, but its the most rewarding job there is!

You see I wake up at about 3:am to nurse a crying four month old and kiss a hubby who has just come home from working third shift,
after unattractively falling back asleep with baby still attached, I wake up again at 7:am to welcome babysitting children sing "Good Morning Beautiful girls" to the messy headed grumpy faced teenager wanna be’s, they actually are five and three yr old beauties who "love" to be awoken!

As Dear Hubby rushes off to his 9:am class we get started on a day full of craft paint, glue, scissors, crayons, rocks, bubbles, string, flour, eggs, goldfish crackers, and anything else mommies crazy imagination can cook up! Mommy gets much inspiration from wonderful places like Five in a Row, Jumbo Alphabet book, the Iron Rod, and other noteworthy sources.

By noon were all crafted "funned" out, and sit down either outside or in to a lesiurley lunch of pb&j or what ever mommy has created!

We then take turns doing workbooks and one on one reading while the others build cities of blocks and use stickers to decor the walls.

Playing outside is fundemental in mommies sanity control! Needless to say on rainy days Mommy has to hide in the bathroom for a few minutes.

Nap time is loved, ah , I mean accomplished by those in need of it, Mommy exempted.
After which to earn a little computer time all kiddos do their chores!
Little do they realize that the computer time they love they are just doing more school work!
Muahahahaha, evil Mommy laugh!

By this time Dear Hubby has rejoined us only to go get some much needed sleep, and babysitting kids go home.

Dinner together is a must other wise, our world will fall down!
After cleaning up and playing with Daddy for a bit we pray together, kiss Daddy goodbye for the night, and ride off to dream land, where Mommy gets foot massages and the kitchen is always clean.

Sure there are days when our little world is turned upside down but that’s what makes this job exciting.

Did I say the pay stank? Well scratch that, the four month baby boy just learned to give kisses, the three year old just learned to write her name, and the five year old just told everyone at dance class that her Mommy was the best teacher ever.

The pay is awesome.

Little Brother

Little Brother of Mine is in California on a mission, and he needs picture's and news so here's some updates for him to read! Love you David!!!


Tim is in summer school and very worn out, but going to have fun this week-end on a scout camp-out!


I'm good, Ive lost 21 pounds and I'm gonna look good for Philip's wedding in two weeks! (I'm more proud of myself for keeping my goal than losing weight really.)


Mae has grown alot which is a big deal for Miss Shorty. She got real brown cowboy boots and a red cowgirl hat, scarf, and cap guns for her b-day and hasn't taken them off in a week!


Liza is excited because I found her a Super-Girl cape and she's going to wear it to dance camp this summer.


Timmy has started scooting/army crawling and is soon on his way to real crawling. This makes Mommy sad. :( But he's known around town as the Stark HAPPY baby who is always smiling!


We all miss you, and last night for F.H.E. we talked about bearing testimonies, and the girls all agree that they want to come and help you on your mission by bearing their testimonies to everyone!


Hugs and Kisses!!! Love the Stark Family!