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! :)

Little house, Big Love

I just realized that I have not formally announced that I'm pregnant with our fourth baby (due Dec 3rd.) Sorry about that! I guess the way life is if you post it on Facebook then everyone on the planet knows about it. :)

I have to say I was scared ay first, mainly because of the idea of four kids ages 6 and under, SCARY MAN! But Tim was so excited and giddishly happy that it caught on to me. Now here I am planning all the ways this labor and delivery is going to be different, calm, and a wonderful experience.

Tim on the other hand is having reality checks (enter my giggle here :p ). He's realizing we have a very small house full of furniture, and we just dont seem to fit as it is. Adding another person who may be small, but comes with its own line of clothing, bedding, bathing essentials, etc. (Not to mention these small people keep getting bigger.)

Without me even being prepared he starts sending me e-mails from work about bigger (more pricey) houses that we could move too. I was a little taken aback.

For me moving means a month of finding boxes and packing, saving for not only the deposit of the house but also the moving van and other expenses, and explaining to the kids why were moving further from friends, park, and dance class.

TOO MUCH HASSLE!!!!!

No thank you. I'll keep my ever widening preggo hips right here thank you.

Talk about heartburn. ugh.

I decided I could go about this one of two ways:
throw a tantrum and insist I was not going through all that stress. I can get away with tantrums right now, for some odd reason nobody but my mother in law bats an eye at it. I think they all know I'm insane while pregnant.

OR,


I could thank him for taking the incentive to go ahead and start planning for our family and its needs. He such a good provider, and he really was thinking of my sanity through all this, trying to find a house that had a "school room" for me.

I opted for the second choice. (yay me.) :)

I went along with the house hunting, and we prayed about it together. And even though he's still kinda keeping his eye out, I convinced him that I have the feeling were not supposed to move just yet.

I have friends and have read about people who had more children than we do living in just as small houses as we have. If not smaller, on account that they only had one bathroom and we have two.

I think if we can get rid of some furniture, rearrange, and basically simplify some things in our life, we can most assuredly fit another person to love in this little house.

My enthusiasm is still raging, as is Tim's! Were on number four!!! I'm so ready for another tiny around here. Ever since Timmy weaned himself and started doing his own thing, I've been wanting another cuddly one.

My main way of getting organized right now is getting the kids into a chores routine. That way after the baby comes everyone knows what their in charge of. The girls absolutely love it.

All I have to do is say, "Have you taken care of your juristiction today?" and they both jump up and say "Oh Yeah I need to clean the bathroom, today I want to use the cleaner on the mirror please Mommy." Or , "Oh Yeah I need to start a load of laundry!"

Hopefully when I'm having to juggle baby too, they will still be as enthusiastic. That way even though were in a teeny little house it will be a bit more organized, and we'll be able to appreciate all the "Big Love" around us.

Here's Hopin' !!!

For Fathers Day

In honor of fathers day this week end I found some recent cute pics of Tim with the kids or the kids impersonating him. I love Tim so much and he is an amazing Dad, you can tell by the way the kids want to either be with him or constantly have his attention. I really lucked out with such a great guy!

Here's Timmy trying his best to be like Daddy by playing with his PDA, which he gets a hold of whenever he can.





Even the dog loves to get Tim's attention while he tries to do homework.



The Tim's reading about Dinosaurs, lots of growling going on here. :)



She wants to ride the motorcycle SO badly but Mommy says not yet!

YAY CLEMSON! Daddies college of choice is now everyone's favorite! (This is also a proof of play picture, when we play, we play hard!!)

Good Morning Superman

Every now and then Tim will come home with something for one of the kids that he saw and just had to get them, his last discovery was a pair of p.j.s that apparently no little no boy should be without.

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.

Barnets perspektiv!

So this is not in English but it is a really interesting video of a baby's perspective riding in a stroller vs being carried in a carrier.
Its also neat to see mama's of every language cooing at their babies!

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!