Category Archives: family

Teachable Moments (Guest Post)

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As part of the Ultimate Blog Swap, Paula, of The Tween and Me, has agreed to guest post for me today. I am sure you will find her advice strikes home and is practical to most of us. Make sure you visit her at her blog after you read this post.

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I love being a parent. There are so many intrinsic rewards, one of which is watching my daughter, Ariel, mature and learn. I treasure our time together. She’s a bright, fun child with a zest for life. We spend a lot of time together, shopping, exploring, and just hanging out. I actively look for ways to incorporate skills practice in our everyday activities.

How do I do that? Shopping is easy. I hand her my purse (I’m standing right there!) and let her pay for our purchases… and part of the experience is making the correct change. If the total is $6.14, she needs to know to use a $5 bill and a $1 bill… and also a dime and four pennies. It’s not the same if you just pull out a ten dollar bill! However, I have pulled her aside (not in the check-out lane!) and asked her to calculate how much money we should get back if we don’t have correct change. One way is money skills practice and the other is subtraction. Both great practical applications for real life. Sometimes I toss in a coupon or two to see how she’ll figure it out. I can’t wait until she’s learning multiplication and fractions and we’ll get to practice % off sales!! (she already does understand that a sale means she stands a better chance of getting something she desires and that a BOGO sale at the grocery store means she’ll get two of whatever snack she’s craving!)

Exploring around town gives us a chance to practice map skills (“If I am headed north and turn right, which direction will I then be going?”), observation/relation and direction-giving (“Tell me how to get home, turn-by-turn”), and measurement (“If it’s 5 miles from the mall to our church, and 1 mile from our church to home, how far is it from the mall to our house if we go by the church?”) It’s also fun to play word games with the license plate letters from the cars around us. (“Oh, CLR 123 could stand for Cathy Likes Rocks”… “or, Crispy Little Raisins”… “or, Count Logs Rolling.” We revel in seeing who can create the wildest combinations or who can use recent spelling words. I like to use words Ariel doesn’t yet know so I can introduce new vocabulary words.

We enjoy watching Wheel of Fortune as a family. It’s not every night, but usually several times a week. Ariel has become amazingly good at solving the puzzles on WOF, filling in the letters, guessing phrases and learning idioms, proper names, and even comprehending some strategic thinking. (“No, don’t buy a vowel!”… “Don’t guess a consonant when you have a Free Spin!”) I’m sure she would have figured a lot of it out on her own, but it’s been a valuable teaching opportunity for us to have a DVR, so we can pause the live action, let her process the words, sometimes with a little assistance, and then we can also take the time to explain the phrase or name, pointing out tidbits of social studies or literary significance.

Those are just a few of the ways I encourage thinking outside the classroom. What ways do you incorporate skills practice with your child? I’d love to hear your suggestions!

(photo credits: lusi, iprole, poison-yvi)

Year of the Staycation – Roundup

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Yesterday I posted my part of the Year of the Staycation. In it, I highlighted cheap and free things to do in McKinney, TX. Today I am going to give you links to posts for other cities around the country that my fellow bloggers have put together. It is my sincere hope that you will be able to find some family-pocket-book-friendly items for fun this summer in your part of the country.

 

New England

Connecticut – Parenting Miracles
Boston, Massachusetts – ? Maven of Savin’
Manchester, New Hampshire – Common Sense with Money
Western Maine – Bubblegum and Lollipops

Mid-Atlantic

Erie, Pennsylvania – Growing Kids Ministry
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – Somewhat Crunchy
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – Family Balance Sheet
Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York – Coupons, Deals and More
New Jersey – Oh! Diane

Midwest

Cedar Rapids, Iowa – Indoor Garden Musings
Mansfield, Ohio – Live the Adventure
Cincinnati, Ohio – Savings Lifestyle~Cincinnati
Mount Vernon, Ohio – Living Better One Day at a Time
Dayton, Ohio – Savings Lifestyle~Dayton
Grand Rapids, Michigan – Kitchen Stewardship
Metro Detroit, Michigan – “Cents”able Momma
Oakland County, Michigan – Bargain Shopper Mom
Warren, Michigan – Saving Dollars and Sense
Grand Forks, North Dakota – Frugal Front Porch
Indianapolis, Indiana – Bargain Briana
South Bend, Indiana – Excuse The Mess
Kansas City, Kansas/Missouri – Kansas City Mamas
St. Louis, Missouri – The Pickledpigsfeet
Branson, Missouri – Getting Freedom from Debt
Springfield, Missouri – I Think I Can
Rochester, Minnesota – Everyday Notions
York, Nebraska – Heavenly Homemakers
Omaha, Nebraska – Mom Endeavors
Madison, Wisconsin – Many Little Blessings
Oshkosh, Wisconsin – A Little Bit of This and That
Chicago, Illinois – Chicagoland Homeschool Network
Champaign, Illinois – Chambanamoms
Black Hills, South Dakota – Little House on the Prairie Living

South Central

Checotah, Oklahoma – Blessed With One Income
Tulsa, Oklahoma – Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures
Gadsden, Alabama – Aint Mimi
Dallas, Texas – Funky Faith Girl
Dallas, Texas – Grocery Shop For FREE
East Dallas, Texas – Surviving The Stores
Fort Worth, Texas – Smockity Frocks
Austin, Texas – Stetted
Houston, Texas – Moms Travel Tales
McKinney, Texas – Wisdom Begun
East Texas – The Full Pantry
Murfreesboro, Tennessee – Life in a Barn
Nashville, Tennessee – The Country Chic Cottage
Mobile, Alabama – A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned
Birmingham, Alabama – iGoBOGO
Alpharetta, Georgia – Cuponeando
Atlanta, Georgia – See Jamie Blog
Augusta, Georgia – Hyperactive Lu
Athens, Georgia and Mississippi – Tractors and Tire Swings
Little Rock, Arkansas – It’s Real Life

South Atlantic

 

Brunswick & the Golden Isles, Georgia, Teri Lynne Underwood
Ft. Bragg, North Carolina – Military Wives Saving
Charlotte, North Carolina – The Carolina Clipper
Charleston, South Carolina – The Tween & Me
Greensboro, North Carolina – Mrs. Happy Homemaker
Jacksonville, Florida – Saving The Family Money
Orlando, Florida – Orlando’s Best Deals
Virginia Beach, Virginia – The Singley Fam Blog
Richmond, Virginia – Daily Dwelling
Hampton Roads, Virginia – A Home Made by Kiki
Charlottesville, Virginia – How to Have it All
Blackwater Falls State Park/Davis, West Virginia – Holy Spirit Led Homeschooling
Treasure Coast, Florida – The Cardamom’s Pod
Saint Augustine, Florida – Jypsie Visions
Lake Norman, North Carolina – Stretching Pennies Saving Dollars
Washington, DC – The WiC Project
Baltimore, Maryland – The Happy Housewife

Mountain

Tucson, Arizona – Saving with Pam
Phoenix, Arizona – Mom Endeavors
Albuquerque, New Mexico – The Chou Life
Kalispell, Montana – Our Family Adventures
Salt Lake City, Utah – Just the 2 of Us
Thermopolis, Wyoming – The McDonald Family
Denver, Colorado – Denver Bargains
Colorado Springs, Colorado - Colorado Springs Bargains

Pacific

San Diego, California – Life As Mom
Yosemite National Park, California -Handbook of Nature Study
Seattle, Washington – Queen Bee Coupons & Savings
Whidbey Island, Washington – Manning the Homefront
Olympia, Washington The Coupon Savant
Portland, Oregon – Frugal Living NW
Willamette Valley, Oregon – An Oregon Cottage

Frugal Vacation Tips

Vacation or Stay-cation: Eating without Busting the Budget – Eat at Home

The Year of the Staycation – McKinney, TX

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Welcome to my part of the Year of the Staycation! I will be highlighting inexpensive or free things to do in McKinney, TX. Gas pricing are rising (ouch!). For most of us, this forces us to think a bit more local instead of a the usual family vacation that involves lots of travel.

McKinney is very family friendly. The majority of the events that the city holds are FREE. There are plenty of parks to go play in and some quaint little shops to visit on Main Street. Events for July 4th, Cinco de Mayo, and the like are planned every year.

Just because the usual family vacation may be out of your price range doesn’t mean you cannot have a great time this summer. Below you will find inexpensive or free things to do. Some are available to do all summer long while others are date-specific. Feel free to comment or email me via the contact form above if you have something to add!

 

To begin with, if you live in McKinney you need to check out the awesome activity guide. This is sent out three times a year and lists the city’s events, lessons and classes, and special happenings.

All Summer Long

McKinney has lots of parks. Al Ruschhaupt Soccer Complex, Aviator, Finch, Horizon, and Whisenant have free splash pads that the little ones especially will love. There are many walking trails and Towne Lake Rec Area is a favorite. North Park also has swimming facilities.

 

Farmer’s Markets are fast becoming cheap family entertainment. Whether or not you are there to buy fresh produce or homemade items, usually you will find live music and good food to make a great family outing.

 

This is a HUGE flea market. Get there early or you will need to park across the street!

 

Main Street McKinney boasts restaurants, quaint little shops and boutiques, and is also the area where you will find many of the year’s events held.

 

This is not expensive if you look at it as a whole, but for a family pass ($75) spread out over a year, this ends up a really great deal. There are also homeschool classes and the like available.

 

From 10-1 on Tuesdays, this farm (which boasts horseback riding lessons and a petting zoo as well as animal assisted learning) is open to the public. Be sure to call ahead to RSVP.

 

Specific Dates

 

Friday, June 10, 2011, is the opening of McKinney’s The World Collection Park. McKinney has some of the loveliest Crepe Myrtles and this Picnic in the Park is a great way to see them while eating outside as a family.

 

Held in Chestnut Square, from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm on June 11, 2011, you can get homemade ice cream for $2-$3 a scoop. This is a great way to spend a hot Saturday!

 

If your family is of the musical persuasion, McKinney hosts three groups this June at Towne Lake Park: Vocal Trash, Acoustix, and Phares Corder Orchestra. Bring your own food or purchase meals there. Held June 16, 23, and 30th from 7:30 -9 PM.

 

“Come out and meet Traxxas (www.traxxas.com) – the fastest name in Radio Control on June 11 from 9am – 1pm!  There will be food vendors, live demonstrations, live music and all the race cars you could possibly hope to handle!  This event will be open to all of McKinney and is a great opportunity to have some fun for all ages – there will also be demo cars and tracks set up for guests to play”


Beginning at 10AM on July 4, McKinney is providing FREE of charge a full day of activities to celebrate Independence Day. Included are a parade, car show, family activities, music, and, of course, fire works beginning at 9:45 PM.

 

This is NOT a complete listing of all the free and inexpensive things to do in McKinney, however I feel it is a great start for those who want to plan their staycation. This list will be updated as I become aware of things to do that are affordable for families.

The Art of NOT Multi-tasking

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This Sunday is one of the most special times of the year: a time set aside to honor our mothers. As a mother myself, I tend to also use this day to re-examine my priorities and look at the areas that I am weak in as well as those that I have made better and excel in.

This time I am going to proclaim one of my weaknesses that probably most people would not say is a weakness. This is a trait that women are usually inherently born with and something men just do not get. Multi-tasking.

This God-given ability allows us to keep our little worlds moving along. The ability to multi-task gives us the means to change a dirty diaper while reviewing phonograms with the five-year-old while telling the oldest child to start the dishes while instructing the two-year-old that drawing on the wall is not appropriate. We can make dinner and pause to go pick up the stray socks from the living room and then put them into the laundry room where we go ahead and start another load. We can kiss boo-boos and give hugs while nursing a baby and reading aloud.

Of course, while we should be thankful that God made us this way, we can also let it become our idol. An idol? you say? Yes. An idol.

One thing I think most mothers struggle with is trying to do it all. The simple fact of the matter is that doing what needs to be done is hard work. Add on to that the common ambition we have to have neat, clean homes and it can drive us absolutely to depression. Then we can’t just stop at wanting the most organized, cleanest, most efficiently run house ever. No. We add on top of that outside activities, hobbies, commitments, and businesses.

We are essentially saying “I can do it all and I can do it well and I can do it all on my own“ when God says no you can’t because you are only a created being and I made you and only I can do it all.

These things, this stuff that fills our life, these items and activities that cause us to be spinning so many plates in the air that they have no where to go but down? They can be idols. They stress us out and make us tired and cause chaos and all we do is think think think about them. Our relationships go to the side because we absolute must get this next thing done. We are so driven by getting it all done that eventually nothing gets done.

I speak from experience. I am a wife to a husband that, yes, does need my help. I am the mother of five. We are in the process of adopting a child from a far-off place. I homeschool my children. I cook and clean and organize and plan. Those are essentials and they are my job and no one else’s.

Add to these necessaries running a business and getting back into exercise and learning graphic design and so on and so on and there are days when all I can do is cry to my husband that “I just can’t DO IT!”

So this Mother’s Day? This Mother’s Day I encourage you moms to stop trying to do it all. Give something up that is non-essential. Focus on your three priorities: God, husband, then children. After that, examine everything else that you do and cut out things. Take a day to just do those things that have to be done and let the rest fall. Remember that if multi-tasking gets in the way of your priorities and the relationships it is your job to build, then you could possibly be idolizing it.

Thank God for the trait of multi-tasking so that you can better serve Him. At the same time, ask Him to show you areas where you need to do less multi-tasking and more just being there for those He has put you together with. The God who has made you does not expect you to do it all because He knows you cannot. So rest in that and take comfort in it.

How has multi-tasking made your life harder? Have you ever felt overwhelmed because of the drive to “do it all and get it all done?”

 

Photo from penywise

On this Earth Day. . .

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. . .I encourage you to read what I wrote last year regarding “Earth Day” and why our family doesn’t “celebrate” it. While some may take it to mean that we don’t value being good stewards of what God has made, this just isn’t true. Instead, I will spend the day focusing on the Creator who made this earth. We will continue to daily care for our small bit of earth in our immediate sphere, while doing our best to not be wasteful or dirty this planet we live on. The kids will continue to throw recycling in the recycling bin and my husband will continue to drag it out to the street once a week. I might do our bit and start a garden, but in reality, I kill plants so it is better left to those who have that blessed green thumb. (Though I highly recommend Kimberly Eddy’s Momma’s Guide to Growing Your Groceries for those who would like a little extra help. Me? I need more than help.)

And yes, I still do use paper plates but I am working on fixing that. (However, the hot dog eating does not happen but rarely, yes, I did finally have an overdue library book, and I have given up on FlyLady and the idea of wearing Crocs to church).

 

It’s the little things. . .

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There are days when everything seems to go just right. You know, house semi-clean and picked up, no fighting from the wee ones, moments of stillness and peace that come more than go. A quiet moment here and there to reflect on God’s blessings in our lives, coffee {or tea!} in hand.

Oftentimes, it seems quite the opposite.  Dirt. Crumbs. Shouting and yelling from your precious babes.

But when. . .  when do we stop to look for the joy in our days? There is an oft-quoted phrase that goes like this: take the time to stop and smell the roses. I beg to differ. Roses are nice and all, but the truly beautiful things are the people in your life. In my case, these are young children who depend on me for so much. They take much of my time. But they also give me something that is so much of a gift: a choice.

A choice to look down and see happiness.

 

 

 

A choice to see how much I am loved.

 

 

 

A choice to see how a family truly is wonderful.

 

 

 

A choice to see that our children do notice. . . even if only occasionally.

 

And then stopping to smell the roses becomes more than stopping. It is moving forward and recognizing that joy and love is already there.

Yet, making these choices is worth nothing. .  . nothing. .  .if we don’t give thanks to the One Who gave us these gifts.

So, dear friends, look down, make choices to see His goodness, because it is there. And in joy and adoration, give thanks!

Because He gives us these little things.

Mommy Fail, a story with pictures

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Just in case y’all got some silly idea in your heads that I was this super-human mother, I thought I would share this story of one of my days last week. And to further prove to you that I am kind of crazy, I will include pictures of me without makeup. And if I were totally crazy I would also share with you that I hadn’t even brushed my hair was slightly less than perfect.

So. Read at your own expense. Laugh at me, a lot. Comment on how totally insane I am. And send some Starbucks Mocha Grande No Whip, stat!

 

The Story

Once upon a time, there was a mother. One day, this mother realized that lunch time was upon her and her family. She went to the fridge to reach for the old stand-by and epitome of lunches everywhere: peanut butter.

Alas! When she pulled out the peanut butter, she found this ~

 

She knew this would not be nearly enough to provide sustenance to her little brood. This was truly a disaster of immense proportions.

So what did that mother do? As any other mother out there would do, she decided to save the day by going here ~

She gathered up her children and herded them into the 15-passenger family wagon, which looks like this ~

As she walked around to get into the driver’s side, this kooky mom realized she was going out into public with crazy hair and the most craziest of outfits: grey t-shirt, black velour pants, and brown flip-flops. The evidence can be seen here ~

 

 

(why does it look like I have grey hairs in this picture? I assure you, this mama has no grey hairs . . . yet)

 

 

(I guess I should have warned you to shield your eyes from my extremely white winter skin. Sorry, y’all.)

The mother said “Oh, well!”

 

 

She drove off and retrieved the beloved chicken nuggets and waffle fries. The trip involved some whining (which of course meant disciplining and correcting in the car – never fun!) and sighing and a little bit of fighting. The mother wished she had instead made the decision to just stay at home and open up the jar of peanut butter and let them at it.

When she got home, however, she saw these faces ~

and ~

and ~

~and

 

The mother sighed. Her frowns changed into smiles as she wrestled her children into the house to eat the procured food. She kissed the tops of little heads as she helped them into their chairs. As she sat down, utterly exhausted, to her favorite chicken sandwich, she realized these tiny creatures were such blessings and worth every bit of craziness this job entailed. Even craziness that involved fighting, small amounts of peanut butter, and crazy hair.

The end.

Hands in the Coffee

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My two year old, Boo, is the kid who is determined to do what my other children have not. They never cut their hair, drew on the walls, or that kind of stuff. I don’t know what their problem is, I really don’t, because that seems to be normal kid stuff.

Anyways.

Boo writes on the walls – thank you to whomever invented the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser – and pretends to hop like a bunny on top of the dining table and eats flies. At least she has given up the fly-eating-habit now that she is older. She is into everything and nothing is off limits in her mind.

So this morning, when I caught my little Boo tasting the “coppee” by methodically dipping her whole hand into my coffee mug and then licking the contents while periodically looking at me from the corner of her eyes to see if I was watching, it really didn’t surprise me. Who knows how many times I have unknowingly and knowingly drunk something that my kids have dipped their hands in. But still, coffee is coffee, and I did have a good long talk with her about touching Mommy’s “Make me happy drink.”

Then I got to thinking. That little goober knew exactly what she was doing. She was tasting something that was off-limits and doing it in a manner that was less than polite. Her little eyes darting at me to see if she was going to get caught? Yeah, sure sign of guilt.

I cannot claim innocence myself, though. How many times have I put my hands in the coffee? God gives express commands and instead of obeying whole-heartedly I decide to test my boundaries, knowing full well that what seems to taste good really isn’t worth disobeying my heavenly Father for.

For some reason God has deemed this season of my life to show me just where I am not obeying. My heart is full with the fact that going along in ignorance is totally not bliss and just so not worth it. All these years of thinking I am obeying just enough was a facade of suppose happy-heart obedience. It was pretend, not real, just a cover-up.

While this refining hurts and is raw and in-your-face, it is so worth it. Going along status-quo may seem comfortable but it really is doing nothing for my soul. And as much as I like coffee (really, if anyone wanted to bring me a Starbuck’s Mocha with no-whip, I wouldn’t complain), I’d rather enjoy the peace and blessings that come from obedience to Him Who made me.

 

On Humanness

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It seems that no matter which road I decide to take, I am always amazed that my plans really are NOT God’s plans.

I like to call last year “The Year of My Humanness.” No, it is not that I have failed to realize that I am one of God’s creations before last year. It is more that how frail and feeble and weak I am was made more apparent to my perfectionist, slightly OCD brain.

Last year was rough, friends. My pregnancy was so overwhelming, such a flat-on-your-face reminder of how not in control I am. Everything seemed spinning towards chaos during that time and I wondered what in the world was going on. I had been every bit of the word confident with my previous pregnancies and had felt mostly great during each of them.

My husband also got a new job and we moved during last summer. As if packing and moving ourselves while pregnant in a Texas summer was not enough of a feat, the rental home we moved in to was in shambles. It was utterly filthy and smelled like dog and cat pee. It was gross, folks, and I hemmed and hawed quite a while about that. If it wasn’t for my mother-in-law who pulled out pills and trash from under the stove and cleaned cigarette tar off of cabinets and scrubbed floors, I don’t know what we would have done.

A Full Table was born and unfortunately I had to abandon it for a bit while I went through that last trimester. Hopefully it will be up and running again very soon.

I also experienced a heart-breaking situation last year that I never in my wildest dreams thought I would have to encounter. While I cannot discuss the details on this here bloggy blog, suffice it to say that it was a roller coaster of emotions that I care to never live through again.

Of course, I cannot end such a year in any other fashion than with a 7mm kidney stone needing to be surgically removed 2 days after I gave birth to my fifth child.

Yes.

Yet, there were absolutely wonderful, beautiful things that happen. Baby Wisdom Begun #5 was born at home in December.

 

 

Yeah. Pretty cute, huh?

Anyways. Back to my first sentence about roads and plans.

I am going to pick blogging back up here at Wisdom Begun. I cannot promise I’ll come up with witty stories and amazing wisdom every day. But I have missed writing and I have missed you, my friends.

I am so glad to be back.

I’m Back

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When I sat down to compose this post I waffled back and forth as to whether or not I should come up with a witty title. In the end, though, there is nothing clearer than just saying it:

I’m back.

My last post was in May. In blog universe that is akin to saying that you have been on a sabbatical for at least a few dozen years. An absence like that with no warning can and usually is the end of all the hard work one has put into their little spot on the web.

Still. My life became topsy turvy in my first trimester and into my second. Morning sickness like I have never experienced showed up at my door and God used that time to remind me of my human limitedness. During that time we also moved and so I had to take a backseat to my ideals and expectations and learn that life is much better when you hand everything over to God and watch Him through your circumstances.

It was amazing folks.

While chaos and physical discomfort like that is not something I would prefer to experience again, the truth is that I have come out on the other side of this season of my life refreshed, renewed, and – yes! – humbled.

So. What can you can expect from this blog now? To be honest nothing much will change. I will still write about homemaking, home schooling, and the like. I also anticipate some interviews to be shared by some wonderful, godly women.

Yet. Our newest daughter is due Christmas day. And I am learning to make joy and contentment my new usual. So things like our study on Passionate Housewives Desperate for God and my series on organization will have to wait till I am able to tackle those things appropriately. Projects and things on my to-do list will have to be put on a shelf for a while and that will be okay.

I look forward to getting to know my friends and readers all over again. I have missed you all.

It is good to be back.