All the Little Grubbs

Ummm…what time is it?

homeschooling January 8, 2011 Comments: 2

I used part of my precious peace and quiet time to try and come up with a schedule for our family. I had actually bought the Managers of Their Homes kit about 2 years ago, when I was expecting baby #4. I was already feeling overwhelmed by having 3 children 5 years old and younger and I was homeschooling. Well, like with most of my good intentions, I had failed to actually implement a schedule. I mean, we have always had a routine, kids do thrive with consistency, but a true schedule like the Maxwell’s plan out is something altogether different. When I first read about scheduling everyone in the family (mom included) in 30 minute increments for the whole day – I just about laughed my butt off. There was NO way that I could figure out what everyone should be doing and then also have to actually enforce it.

Then, I watched a million hours of the Duggars and decided to drag my book back out and spend several hours with my laptop figuring it all out. Here’s the schedule I created. As we have begun to implement it, I have already been able to see some changes that need to be made but it feels like easy solutions because all I have to do is plug in different activities at different times. Instead of having that ‘I couldn’t get it all done’ feeling each day, when we have followed our schedule I can tell myself that “yes, we did have a productive day!”

As far as getting the kids on board, it has taken a lot of pressure off of me because when they are wanting me to play a game or just spend time with them then I can say “what does the schedule say we should be doing right now?” and “that’s a great idea! Let’s do that when we have our time together at…” They like knowing that if it’s on the schedule we will try our best to get it done. Since we now have a video game in our house for the first time (a Wii) it was really important to me that the use of it didn’t get abused. I think it’s tempting at times to just plug your kids into a video game or tv show just to get a break. I don’t want my kids’ brains turning to mush. I think I was actually a mush brain myself when I was a kid. I used to come home in the afternoon and watch hours of tv until my parents got home from work. I think the only thing that saved me from becoming a total mush brain was that I LOVED to read. I still do.

So for now, we are beginning our second semester a little behind on our “days” but we are excited about knocking out the rest of the year because we have a trip to California planned! More on that later…(=

Happy New Year!

holiday January 4, 2011 Comments: 2

We had a GREAT Christmas! It was busy, as usual, but it was full of love and goodies and fellowship with family. Our children were blessed by all of their extended family with gifts and attention. Katie had a sleepover with the only other girl cousin at their great-aunt’s house. She had a great time, playing and baking cupcakes for Jesus’s birthday. A few days after Christmas, Katie, Theodore and Parker went to Grammy and Granddad’s house and Foster and Daddy went hunting. I was here all by myself for 4 whole days. It was wonderful. Don’t get me wrong, I love my husband and children so much and I was ready for them to be home, HOWEVER, I was in organizational/planning mode and I accomplished so much in 4 days. I cleaned out and shopped and rearranged and planned for school. Oh and I watched quite a few hours of 18 kids and counting. I absolutely adore this show. And I had only watched it a few times before now because we usually don’t have that channel, but I was able to watch it through NetFlix streaming video. I know a lot of people probably think they are crazy but for some reason I don’t feel that way. I like them, and I like what they stand for, I usually just find myself wishing I had their kind of courage. To live for God the way they do, unashamed and trying to incorporate higher standards into their lives. Yes, I know it’s TV and not real life. But I think if they were in BHEA with me, I would definitely be their friends.

Foster and his Daddy had a great trip. Chris killed an 11-pointer!

This trip also stood out because last year during this “after Christmas” hunting trip was the trip that ended with Chris rushed to the hospital in an ambulance with pneumonia and fluid around his lungs so bad that he could hardly breathe. He ended up staying in the hospital for almost a month. So yesterday when he was able to get up and go to work for another ordinary day, the kids and I prayed and thanked God for his grace and love for our family.

Solitude does bring a lot of time for introspection. I didn’t really want to make resolutions but I think I do that anyway at the beginning of a new year. I feel hopeful as a new year begins. I have a lot of desires for this new year. Mainly though I just want to be more present, more content with what and who I have in my life. I want to take better care of myself physically because it’s the only body I have and not because I was less than 120 pound for 3/4 of my life and now I am REALLY not. I want to give more grace and accept other’s decisions without being so judgemental. I am not as harsh with people who are convicted of crimes as I am with other mom’s who don’t make the same sacrifices I’ve made. (there it is.) Then there’s money, it gets on my nerves and I hope that this year with good ole Dave’s help, Chris and I will get out of debt and start having a better relationship with money. While we are at it – teach our kiddos how to deal with it, too.

I hope you are having a great New Year already. I hope to have more people following my blog this year!
I actually had a reader tell me she missed me when I hadn’t written a post in awhile. Is it pitiful that made my day? Oh come on, everyone likes to be liked. (=

AHG Grandmother, Mother, Daughter Tea

Grammy, Katie December 16, 2010 Comments: 3

This month has been so much fun already! My mom, Katie and I attended our first American Heritage Girls tea. The mothers and daughters did a great job decorating and with cooking and serving the tea and goodies. Grammy and Katie made homemade biscotti earlier that day. Many of the girls read poems or played an instrument for everyone to enjoy.

Of course, Katie doesn’t drink hot tea but she did try it and felt pretty special to be drinking out of a real teacup.

One of her best friends sat with us. Two of Katie’s friends had grandmothers who were too sick to attend, we were grateful her Grammy got to come with us. She even drove 100 miles to come and then 100 miles back home because she had to work the next day!

I guess you can see by the smile on her face, she was so happy Grammy came. What you can’t hear are the squeals and giggles and delight she has anytime she knows she will get to see Grammy and Grandad. She is the only granddaughter right now and so she gets a little extra special attention. Which is what every girl needs right?

Life is not an after-school special

growing-up December 9, 2010 1 Comment

I am not a “sit down and accept what everyone else says” kind of gal. I have a memory of sitting on the wood stairs to our basement in my little girl home. We lived in this great neighborhood. Full of kids and safe and fun to ride bikes and scooters, to build forts and swim in the neighborhood pool. Looking back as an adult, I realize that some families were really well off and some families were just average middle-class. I don’t remember ever being offered drugs or being lured into a pedophile’s house. No, what I dealt with was just childhood drama. I had a great friend (a boy) who lived across the street from me for the first 2 or 3 years and then he and his family moved away. That was a loss, but I don’t remember being too terribly crushed. I wrecked a scooter in front of the most popular, cutest guys when I was in 6th grade. That was harder. What really sticks out in my mind from those years was the reality of abuse that I had to accept. Not to me, although I am sure, at times that I would have considered having to vacuum before I went to the pool, or not wear make-up a form of abuse. No, this was real, and it really instilled a fire in me, or rather God used the experiences to spark the blaze. On those wood stairs, a girl who lived two houses away told me how her mom would throw things at her, lamps, toys, whatever. She would yell and hit her. We were probably about 11 or 12. I had been her neighbor for almost 4 years and she and I would argue and disagree and then like each other the next day. I knew, though, that she was telling the truth. She was genuine in her fear and there had been several times when I had gone to her house and could hear her mom ranting, before I had even rung the doorbell. I had it all worked out, she was going to move in with us, my parent’s were going to call the police, her mom would go to jail for this injustice. But then there was the small issue of the grown-ups who were actually in charge. I can’t remember exactly what my parents said, but it wasn’t in line with my plan at all. In fact, it was more like, we stay out of other people’s business. I was in shock and I am sure hounded them for days or weeks about it but my friend never moved in and her mom never went to jail. That helpless feeling was frustrating and overwhelming. Real life is not like the books and movies. This was not an after school special with a happy ending. It was a different time and my parents made the decision they thought was best. But I wonder, what would have happened? If we had really confronted them? I think, too many times in life, people just shut-up and turn their heads. Whether it’s your neighbor or your friend or your family. Why do we do this? Is it because we make so many mistakes ourselves? We don’t want to be seen as judgemental or nosy? People act like their is so much gray area in life. There isn’t. We get in trouble when we start to compromise. I am a Christian so I have the benefit of the Bible to help sort this all out. A sin is always a sin and a wrong is always wrong.

when the apple’s ripe…

Grammy, Grandad, holiday December 1, 2010 1 Comment

Our Thanksgiving was really peaceful. Our first stop was to my husband’s side of the family for dinner and the mood there was somber for several reasons. The absence of Granny Grubb was tangible. Before we ate, Uncle Walt shared some interesting facts about Thanksgiving, then Aunt Faye passed out some poems that Granny had written this past summer. I was glad that I wasn’t asked to read one aloud, I am sure I would have started sobbing into the mashed potatoes. The readings included praise to God for all He had done for her over her long life. Chris ended up reading the last one and it was one to make us all laugh through our tears. It was so appropriate, she was always ready with a smile.

Granny had a way of looking at things, after talking to her you could actually breathe easier. She wasn’t dismissive as some people can be when you share your concerns, but genuine and honest, about how much control God had over the situation and how little you did. One of my absolute favorite memories of her is when I would be in the very last days of a pregnancy. I would be complaining talking about how ready I was to deliver and she (a mother of 5) would say, “when the apple’s ripe honey, it’ll fall.” Good point, Granny.

We also have family members that are going through difficult personal trials. In our close-knit family, each triumphant milestone and painful struggle has a ripple effect on the rest of the extended family.

We all ate more than we needed to and the kids played. The kids and I loaded back into the van and headed to my parent’s house for the weekend. Chris and his Dad went hunting. We had a great time at Grammy and Grandad’s house. The kids helped cook and decorate their tree. I was able to do some shopping (all by myself) which is always wonderful.

Foster putting on his show. He wants to take guitar lessons now.

Brentley, Katie, Ansley, Foster, Theodore and Parker at Aunt Diane’s

Foster and Katie helping cook dinner at Grammy and Grandad’s house.

Theodore helping cook at Grammy and Grandad’s house.

Showing off their new Christmas pjs!

Theodore helping to decorate their tree.

The boys picking which ornament should go on next.

I love this time of year, we have gotten most of our shopping done. Of course, I had to order our calendars for the year from Shutterfly. My mom called the other day just to say “Well, I was looking at my calendar and this picture of Theodore in his carseat and they just grow up so fast. I know those calendars are a big expense for you but I just really love mine.” Oh so subtle. Of course, she doesn’t know that Shutterfly offers all these fantastic deals and discounts and makes designing the calendars a blast. The Christmas card creating will come next! I love when my friends send picture cards, because we save them and look at how much everyone has changed from year to year. Now, just because I told you how cool they are I’ll get some free Christmas cards to send out. Yeehaw.

A Thankful Season

gratitude November 17, 2010 1 Comment

Sometimes it’s easy to get bogged down. There is a lot of suffering in our lives. When you are a grown-up you are aware of death, illness, financial pressures, addictions, consequences that effect not only your immediate family but your extended family, your friends. And if you are involved in a church, then your church family, too.

I am living my life day in and day out with small children. Which means that I have an advantage. I get to see and hear joy everyday. (Oh and lots of whining and snot, too.) Since we homeschool, we are together most about 99% of the time. My closest girlfriend told me today “our kids live our lives with us.” That is so true.

Sometimes school looks like this.

Parker putting small straw pieces into a container.

Katie doing a bean counting activity.

Theodore using a key to shred scrap paper.

Most of the time, what I consider learning takes place after we put our seatwork away. Foster loves to plan, imagine and design any kind of machine, boat, truck, etc. Yesterday with the help of Theodore and Katie (who were taking orders from him) they came up with this –

A pick-up truck. They figured out how to tie two shoelaces through the holes on our Bilibo to the handle bars of Parker’s little 4-wheeler. I was very impressed!

Because I get to live life with these kids everyday, I am in the most thankful season of my life. I feel like the world could be falling down around me but because of their innocence, their thirst for adventure, their uncompromising love and loyalty – I am able to praise God for all that He has given us.

Our Thankful tree.

First Slumber Party

Katie November 9, 2010 Leave a comment

In our immediate family, Katie’s birthday is the last one of the year. What this means is she has to see, starting with Foster, everyone else get gifts and a special day. And for Katie, the main thing everyone else gets all through the year is ATTENTION. For her, especially at 4, that was the hardest. Don’t get me wrong, she doesn’t really pitch any fits or hold any grudges against the birthday person. She doesn’t even try to open their gifts before they can. What she does do is plan. Seems very harmless to you I am sure but that’s because you don’t know her like we do. Foster’s birthday is in February, so starting then there is the count down to how many days, weeks, months until her birthday in October. She can also tell you each family members birthday and whose is first, second, etc. Her planning began in February so she had 8 months to convince me that it would be a good idea to have 5 other little girls spend the night for her birthday. I knew that it would be a long shot. I mean, what would Chris and the boys do? Camp in the backyard? (They spent the night with Papaw.)
What about the fact that all but 1 of the girls had never slept over at a friend’s house? Surely I would be calling parents at 2 am with a crying, hysterical little girl to pick up. (They all stayed!) So even though it seemed like a crazy idea at the time, I am glad that we did it. It was a great way for Katie to turn 5, almost like she was moving from little girl to big girl with that one event. She has grown up a lot over the past year and a half. She lost her Nana and now her Gigi. She started crying when I tucked her in the other night and she said, “I know Gigi is with Nana but I miss them both so much.” I am always amazed by Katie’s sensitivity. She loves to help in the kitchen, she is a hard worker with her jobs and she still enjoys any kind of arts and crafts. She is a good friend, kind and patient with her brothers (most of the time). I am blessed that she is my girl!

Granny Grubb

memories November 3, 2010 1 Comment

Kathleen Grubb 11-28-26 to 11-2-10

Beloved Great-Grandmother

A true Proverbs 31 woman

P is for Pluto

homeschooling September 14, 2010 Comments: 3

We DID it! Our solar system is complete!

And we came up with our own mnemonic phrase to remember the order.

My Very Eager Monster Jumps Straight Under Nice Pillows

Yes, I know about the controversy surrounding Pluto. For now, in our Astronomy book Pluto is still hanging in there with the “real” planets. The author has assured me we will eventually address this issue. So don’t worry we’ll let you know when Pluto changes his status at our house.

Number 3 is 3

3 year olds, memories, Theodore September 8, 2010 Comments: 2

Theodore saying the blessing before we ate at his party.

A couple of weeks ago, August 21st to be exact, my 3rd baby turned 3 years old. Theodore Reece is quite the character. After having a boy and then a girl it was so neat to have another boy, and I thought I had it all figured out. Well, I was wrong. Theodore is the sweetest, funniest little guy but he has also been my most challenging baby yet! He started out not sleeping well, then not nursing well, then not walking until 16 and a half months old, etc etc. I could go on and on about how different he has been from our first two children, but I would hate to sound as if I am complaining. Because even though he has been the most challenging, he has also been the funniest, the one who wants to cuddle, the bravest, the most determined. We gave him such a big name, even though he weighed the least at birth. And he’s really living up to it. I can’t imagine him being anyone else. I am so thankful for every crazy, stubborn thing he does. I know there are families who don’t get to celebrate their child’s 3rd birthday and so I thank God for him everyday.