Year End Assessment

As I write my end of the school year homeschool assessment for C there is a hint of bragging in my words. Its supposed to be a basic, formal, clear & concise little paragraph, and I started bare bones, but got a bit gushy. I said things like his love & understanding for math grew & continues, and history came alive for him with the study of Abraham Lincoln and the Wright Brothers. Ill stop there otherwise Id just keep writing my whole assessment here. What I was really doing was documenting and proving to myself that I did it, by God's grace I did it. I taught my boy and I think he learned a few things too & even enjoyed it at times as well. Im proud but sad. There were tears some day & some days were wow and others not so much, but we made it one whole school year. I know for you homeschool super moms thats not much, but for me it is. Im going to miss it and miss him as he's headed back to public school in the fall. He's headed back to school school and not homeschool. He's a social little guy and loves people. I think its for the best, and he wants to, but Im going to miss him during the day & watching his face light up when he's learning & just the time shared, that precious time that was ours to fill with knowledge and wonder and love.  Maybe its hitting me harder as my other little guy E. will be giving kindergarten a try at public school in the fall too. Thats all but so much more, right? All but more. The big moments, the little things, sometimes they just hit you, and thats that. Life. Kiddos. School. Love. Love. Love. Live. And Tell others of Jesus' love too. And Thats that.

My boys & I are reading a chapter book at night called mountain born by Elizabeth Yates. Its not their favorite I must say, as we just finished A Bear Called Paddington & before that, Robin Hood & His Merry Men, which of course were much more lively, well-loved stories. Still though, this book offers up a good simple story of simpler times & simpler days, a good reminder for kids these days. Its the story of the life of a boy & his family on their sheep farm. Its a little slow at times, which is good for bed time of course, lol,  but still has enough excitement peppered throughout to keep two wild sleep-fighting hooligans interested all the same. I write now because I want to remember the simple prayer the old farm hand, Benj, offered at the end of each day. He said, "Thank you, God, for another day." Sweet, simple, wonderful and peaceful truth at the end of a long day. Cant be beat. Short years.....long days....time goes by, children grow, loved ones pass on, yet simple thanks for each & every day may I always be reminded to give & to offer up to the Giver of all things. "Thank you, God, for another day."

Super Mario Ice Flower Paper Playset guest post by C.N.

Step 1.

Trout fishing

Even though so many moments these days are cauptured by our phones, there are moments that happen so fast you cant grab a phone or a camera fast enough to catch them. For my mothers birthday we went trout fishing today and it was unforgettable family memory-making and laughter. We rented 2 poles & baited the boys hooks with the given bait & helped them cast their poles. We were all sitting on the bank awaiting a nibble on our bobbers & I was helping E. while dad was fishing with C. Well, I got up to grab my impractically dressed mother in white shorts a sweatshirt from the car to sit on. All the while a trout of course nibbled on E.'s bait & was caught & pulled the pole right out of E.'s little hands. & into the water. E was hysterical with sadness that he had lost his fishing pole, but man was it funny. We later saw the giant trout with the bobber still attached but thankfully free from the fishing pole. We later compared him to Jaws as he kept pulling the bobber under. 

We persevered on and caught a fish with a new pole, and he was a big one & a fighter too, so in order to get him in the net my mother decided to climb in the water, but because he was too big for the net she then decided she had to sit on him until he gave up fighting. We all watched laughing but the trout got away...if only we got it all on video. 

Our thanks to Spring Ponds Fishery, Fayetteville, NY....awesome, sweet, simple family fun.

Craftiness & Clementine Crates

I love Clementine crates. I love the oranges of course, but I love the little weathered wooden fruit crates that contain them maybe even more. Now clementines come in equally lovely but not quite as cool, little cardboard fruit boxes. After saving Clementine crates for years & years I finally turned them into something bedsides paper & toys & stuff catch alls. My original idea was to break them down & turn them into words on the wall surrounding family pictures on a wall in our living room saying "you are my sunshine" & but that was just too big so I changed it to "LOVE" which was much more doable space wise. Well my husband then decided to confess to me that he didn't ever like words on the walls (ridiculous, I know!) but there went that.

My creativity didn't give up though! So, I've always loved starburst mirrors, there was even one I almost ordered on one of those daily deal sales on Antique Warehouse, but even on sale it was just too much. It was gorgeous though. A giant golden sun, but there is a cheapness in me for household items that I can't shake. I feel the same way about carpets & wall art lol. Anyway, I got a large round mirror off Craigslist & it hangs above our couch. It was okay but the frame was not my favorite & I cringed at its blah-ness in the living room most days. In fact, I almost resold it on Craigslist, butthen inspiration struck and our ugly round mirror became a clementine crate starburst mirror!!!

The project was daunting lol & it saddened & worried me to take apart all those treasured crates worrying the project wouldn't pan out, but little by little with my hobo tools I did it. Hopefully my husband never reads this but I literally used a large kitchen knife to pry out the staples & then to pry off the stuck on glue too. The pliers just didn't cut it. Well, quite a few cuts ensued, but I did try to do 2 to 4 pieces each day. Bandaged fingers and all. Dut dut duh dah!!!! :)

Here it is. I love it & my husband even says he loves it too. Score!

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Blogs & another Mother's Heart-wrenching Grace

So very often I read a few of my favorite blogs & think this is great! I could do this....I could write this. I read a blog though today that I hope & pray I never ever have to write or even come close to writing. I pray for & follow a lot of sick kids on a Facebook, and sadly & heartbreakingly, there are far too many there & everywhere, and if  I could Like & pray for every one of  their sweet pages, I would! Well, there is a beautifully written, heart on the sleeve blog I came across from at first a link shared by a friend to pray for this sweet boy Ben Sauer & his family. Ben is 5 years old & is dying of cancer. His mothers strength & grace as she is watching her little boy die before her, brings me to tears  every time. She is stronger than I could ever hope or pray to be in her position & it's awe-inspiring & almost takes my breathe away.

She would tell you though it isn't her strength & isn't her grace that carries her through, it's God's. I'm singing "A Mighty Fortress is our God."in my head as I write.  Her testimony is beyond amazing. So, Ben Sauer's mom, I wish I wasn't writing this now for your sake & your sweet little boy's, as I know when you write your blog you probably feel the same, but for my sake & all the others your words & testimony have graced, thank you for writing. You are one of truest examples of God's strength & ever present grace in times of  heart wrenching anguish, that I have ever been privileged & honored to read.

I will weep again with you far too soon when I read the post that is inevitably to come in the next few days, and on that sad, sad day, I just know, as always & by God's grace, you again will be an example to us all. My heart & prayers are with Ben & you & your whole family.

In loving honor of the blog:
BENSAUER.BLOGSPOT.COM

C & the School Bus

Usually C just gets on the bus & I yell after him, "Have a good day buddy! I love you!" Today though, as the bus pulled up to our stop, he says to me very seriously, "Bye Mom, I'll miss you, and I'll miss my toys too, Medix & Hoist." (Transformer Rescue Bots have made a resurgence in playtime...watch out Batman...lol) ;)