A house of learning

As a home schooling family, I wonder how life will change as the years go by. Will it get easier? Harder? A mix of the two? I really have no idea.....I hear lots of things, but each family is different. One thing that blesses me is that as each child gets older they are drawn to "school" here at home. The do not know anything different and of course they see siblings at work each day. It does not make things easier, but it is nice that I do not have to 'train' the younger ones like I did Chiara.

Balancing school in our daily schedule is still a big learning curve for me. Some days I just plain suck at it....no better word. I lose my patience. I get interrupted by a 4 year old and 2 year old nonstop. I have to discipline someone for something....more than once. Those days when everything goes "just so" I know that I have to thank the Lord because it is a blessing!

These challenges will someday lessen, but there will be new ones. Some people tell me to just send my kids to school....part of the reason I do not share these thoughts often. I love home schooling. My kids love being home and learning this way....and I know they are ahead of most kids their age because of it (major benefit of one on one learning and individualized to their learning style).

I'm a Barbie Girl.....In a Barbie World!

My parents brought a HUGE bin of all the Barbie items that were saved from my childhood. I am impressed at how well they have kept (for the most part-we did have to lose a Ken or he would have become an amputee) and how much my mom saved. Of course when you are a kid you never think that maybe someday your kids will play with your toys-I am not sure if my mom thought about it, but I am just so happy she kept them!

As Chiara and I went through the bin a million memories of playing with my sister came flooding back. I could remember each outfit as I picked them up and bits and pieces of dialogue we would have our Barbies participating in. Amazing. I would say that as a kid they were my favorite toys.

This summer I took the girls out to Walmart to buy their friend a birthday gift of Barbie clothes. I stood there staring at the outfits in disgust. Is there a cost reduction on fabric so we need to make everything skimpy? There must be a surplus on plastic because the shoes are all "hooker" shoes. I stuck with the pajama items because they seemed the least revealing. I know that not everyone holds our opinions about modesty, but David and I have pretty strict guidelines on this. We have no problem with Barbie, I just think the clothes from the 80's covered more. I was right.....they did.

When we went through the bin there were some mini skirts from Barbie and the Rockers and a bikini, but everything else covered. Love the evening gowns! Some were strapless, but they covered. I had told David about the collection I had and we were thrilled that my mom was willing to let the girls have these. Not only does it save us TONS of money, but we can stand by what we say-trust me, their dress up is even to be modest.

Regardless of ALL of that, Chiara and Mayah have been having a blast and I have even been able to join in the fun too! Chiara and I set up a great barbeque reunion for the ladies! It was great!

Sometimes a picture says it all

Most days I would say I am just managing the choas....someone needs something, teaching, disciplining, cleaning, helping to resolve silly arguments, etc. In all this chaos though there are moments. Moments that trump any chaos, any stress, and any thought of "am I nuts???"

I can say without a doubt that my three girls love one another. Of course they argue and fight....they are supposed to. However, Leah shows more joy in the morning for her sisters than for me. Chiara wants to hug and kiss Leah all day, and Mayah and Chiara can be found in a loving embrace often.

This past week I heard them upstairs all being silly and such. Chiara called me up saying, "Mom, you have to see this!" I grabbed the camera and up I went. Worth it. So worth it.

It was a happy halloween

I love that I have three girls who love make-believe, dress up, and magical things like Disney and pixie dust! This Halloween we had Pharaoh's daughter (who raised Moses), Tinkerbelle, and Snow White. I love how each costume fits their personality.

Here are the girls with our lovely neighbor Ana. They adore her!

Trick or treating with Daddy and Nanny.

This year we had Mayah's family birthday party before heading out. Madeline and Colin McRae joined us for dinner and cake.

Two Tinks!

Daddy the race car driver (he owns this stuff because he has done it!) and his girls

Leah's first real time out....she got the hang of it!

They ended the fun handing out candy with Nanny and Grampy.

Turning 4

Our sweet My-My turned four! Can't believe it. She is the one who stretches us as parents and gets me outside my box. It's good. She has changed so much over the past year it just amazes me. She is so smart and has become the lover she was when she was born.....she would be content in my arms all day!

Happy Birthday Mayah Rae!!!!

Fall Fun

I love this time of the year....mornings outside...evenings outside.....ahhhh, just enjoying the cooler temps and having FUN! This is always our reward for making it through the 2.5-3 months of HEAT. My girls would just rather be outside. They have great imaginations and seem to be able to keep busy all day out there! They play like kids should play. I love listening to their pretend story lines and laughter. Yes, there is the occasional "hurt" or "offense", but for the most part it is just play and fun.

Fall Has Arrived!

Well, in Arizona, fall does not arrive until mid-October and we consider fall to be weather 90 degrees and under. The mornings are cooler which means playtime outside! My kids just crave fresh air.

This week for Preschool Library Story time the girls made fall crowns. They are enjoying attending storytime each week and so am I (bonus, my girlfriend is the youth librarian!).

Well, what do you do when you have these new beautiful crowns....have a dance party to Backyardigans music.....and so they did!