Joyfully Weary

I'm such a lucky momma. My older three kiddos, with the help of Jeremy, surprised me with breakfast in bed yesterday. Jeremy made sure I knew to stay in my room and they all headed  downstairs early to make me bacon, eggs, and chocolate chip pancakes. It was so much fun hearing their happy chatter as they prepared their surprise.  Big Buddy is so past giving kisses to his Mama, but he knows is makes me happy so once in awhile he will amuse me. 💓 They day before they also worked together to make this spinning Lego heart. I love that they are such a team! The breakfast and the heart were wonderful, but them working together is what makes me beam with joy.  BabyZ gave his own gift and slept in super late! He didn't wake up until after my breakfast was served...and then he helped me eat some of my chocolate chip pancakes 😉 He was convinced that all the candles meant it was somebodies birthday and started to sing "Happy Birthday". The old...

I've mentioned before that we are big on traditions, especially holiday traditions. St. Patrick's Day doesn't get left out! Every year the kids' aunts send them a box full of St. Patrick's Day goodies.  We deck our house out in in green and then count down the days until the leprechaun visits. This year was a little bittersweet for me, because in past years the kiddos didn't call it St. Patrick's Day; it was a count down until Green Day...nobody called it Green Day this year. They are growing up too fast!  At our house the leprechaun hides some gold/golden wrapped candy under a hidden rainbow. To find the rainbow the kiddos have to solve five rhyming riddles.  He also dyes some milk green, sets out the Lucky Charms, and usually leaves behind balloons.  We thought the second clue would be really easy for them but it took them awhile for them to solve. That right answer was just coming to Mini Man in the picture below.  And they are o...

My goal is to post our morning basket every month, but I haven't done it since  September ...trying to be more organized with this space but life continues to get crazy and hectic. I call it our morning basket because we always pull out it out during breakfast, but we read through the books in it several times during a school day.  Every month I choose a poet, a composer, and an artist for us to study. My goal is not for my kiddos to have mastery on these people/topics but for them to become acquainted with them. I want to help them develop an affection for what is good and beautiful. Our poet this month was Robert Frost. Both my boys have been reluctant readers, but one of their stronger skills is their ability to memorize poems. At breakfast I have them read the same poem for a week or so and that usually leads them having it memorized. Poetry has helped improve their vocabulary and helped them develop a cadence when reading other works.  I re...

Tomorrow is Dr. Seuss's birthday, so this week we've been reading a few of his books and doing a couple related activities. The Boy on Fairfield Street   is probably my new favorite Dr. Seuss biography for kids. I love children's biographies that actually talk about famous people's childhoods. The paintings in this book are also very nostalgic - they make you feel like you are going back in time.  These messed up hats were something I made awhile ago when my kiddos were still in the preschool stage. Back then they just had fun matching them. Now they've moved on to playing memory. Based on the ages of your children you might want to use only 1/2 the cards for a game; they are so much alike it can be difficult. Click here for the free printable ; you'll need to print it twice to make a memory game. I don't think you can study Dr. Seuss without making Oobleck. Mini Man loves Bartholomew and the Oobleck . When I told him we were going to be...

I don't know how I've gotten so lucky, but I have been blessed with amazing friends. New and old,  I have friends who have become family. I tend to hold my cards pretty close, and I'd prefer to keep the ugly parts of me hidden. When someone really gets to know you, though, and decides to love and accept you despite your awkwardness and the ugly struggles of your heart - it is such a blessing!  This past week our family was able to go on a mini vacation with some of our dearest friends. We rented a villa together at Kalahari resorts in Wisconsin . This group is really special; not only do I adore all of the moms, but their kiddos are some of my kids' best friends. We had a lot of fun exploring the water park. We also had plenty of good talks and lot of laughs.  All the kids spent a lot of time on this obstacle course. I soon as a saw it I knew it would be right up Mini Man's alley.  BabyZ is a water park enthusiast! He loved al...