Organization Inspiration
Last week I took the older three to their regular gymnastics class. The other moms there – really wonderful people – are very generous to me in providing mommy advice! I’ve wondered if it had to do with my son arriving in mismatched socks…
balancing act
One of the tips this time (solicited advice, to be fair 🙂 ) was to go visit the Learning Is Fun store.
We hit the store immediately after gymnastics, and oh, it was wonderful. There were bookcases upon bookcases of neatly arranged quality educational materials, all organized by topic. There was a solar system section, with oversized books, wood puzzles, and hanging mobiles. The game section had something for every age and every learning hurdle. I had a hard time convincing myself not to linger at the anatomy models and skeleton floor puzzles.
It even smelled invitingly creative, like fresh paper and glue.
There also were several other women about my age there, with their hair smartly highlighted and funky glasses perched on intelligent noses. I had fun pretending I had it all together, too. It was a little odd that none of them had their children with them. In fact, there were no other children at all in the store. Were these women taking a break to pretend they had it all together? Or maybe they were all teachers, with a day off?
I left without dropping a penny, but our five minute visit was enough to raise my thoughts to higher levels.
It’s time.
I’m re-instituting our daily schedule. Again.
earning her letters
I reinstitute my schedule about once every couple weeks (or months, depending on the season). It’s easy to beat myself up about not following it better.
It’s easy to beat myself up about a lot of things.
learning... filling buckets or lighting fires?
The first thing on my schedule is to pray. I need it.
The kids need it, too.
hard at work
By the way, it takes a lot of coordination to use scissors. Sometimes it helps if you stick out your tongue.
extra help
Go on… give it a try!
works for him
If you pray, would you mind… could we be on your list this morning?
This schedule really makes everyone so much happier.
I’m going to try it with my tongue stuck out this time and see if it goes better.
runs in the family
Thanks.
P.S. While you’re here, please be sure to check out my sister’s very first gardening post! We’ll hear from her as the mood strikes… which will be more often as the weather gets warmer! It WILL get warmer, right?!
P.P.S. This week in my photography journey, I’m noticing angles… crouching lower, getting way up higher, or otherwise trying new perspectives. It’s an inspiring, low-key exercise – another thing that might be worth a try.
I found that prayer has to be first on my list, too or it’s a bad day for the both of us! I would say you so have it together- look at all these great memories your kiddos have made this winter. Unsolicited mommy advice seems to be the only thing that didn’t suffer from the recession- it is still given out in abundance! I love the new angle shots-especially the one above the balance beam. Keep making fun memories and know that you seem to get more accomplished in a day with four kids that I do with one!!! 🙂
My tongue is out too as I hit the taxes and book work…again 🙂
Ok, I’ll try again. Wrote a nice long comment, and apparently forgot to hit the “post comment,” and it got lost! Sigh. I was laughing out loud, reading, but found tears in my eyes as I finished. Honestly don’t know why. Saw you got the nerve to give another haircut, and, no, that’s not the cause of the tears! It was cute. Loved the tongue! I remember watching Grandpa polish his shoes, his index finger in a rag with polish on it, making fast little circles on the shoe with his finger….. and his tongue, sticking out of his mouth, making the same fast little movements!! The angle shots add a lot to the pictures. Fun stuff. Now….. “post comment” !!!!
Thanks for the kind words, Courtney. You are a joyful inspiration! I LOVE your blog!
Mom, I’m sure I will pass along the tradition by demonstrating to my kids exactly how you told the story of Grandpa polishing his shoes. 🙂
Shelly, I’m sticking out my tongue at those taxes with you.
Oh Deb! I love it! Your post inspired me to get off my sorry-for-myself duff and at make a list of things to do today. Your kids are such fun and they look like they just couldn’t be happier. Good job “Mom”! Love you and I’ll have you in my prayers today, too!
Debbie,
I so relate to the starting the schedule once again. It is the one thing I love about Mondays. I feel the slate is wiped clean and I can start again. By Sunday all seems to be a mess again but then comes Monday once again. Probably the same reason we all look forward to spring and gardens. The chance to start again.
Kate
It’s Annie. Mom and I are looking at your blog again, and we both laughed again at Micaiah’s tongue! haha. Sooooooooooo funny!