A Beautiful Vue: Sleepy Heads

My beautiful Vue this week...

J kept the boys home the other night so I could do the grocery shopping kid-free, a luxury these days, and when I got back this is what or rather who I found in our bed.  All three boys camping out with their Daddy.   Precious boys!

Review in the Works...

I had the opportunity to review an online curriculum that Tru had been using a few months ago, you can check it out here, and through that another review opportunity opened up  just this week with VocabularySpellingCity.  Tru gets 30 days to try it out,  we"ll see how it works for us, and then give an honest review.  Just looking over their site I'm excited to have Tru give it a try.  I like finding ways for him to learn and have fun!  So stay tuned!

**I've been given a Premium Membership to VocabularySpellingCity.com for a candid, personal, online review.

VocabularySpellingCity helps students study word lists using 25 different learning activities such as Sentence Unscramble, Handwriting Practice, WordSearch, and FlashCards. Parents can create their own spelling lists, find published lists already available on the site, or use any of dozens of free teaching resources on topics such as Synonyms and Figurative Language. Be sure to come back in three weeks to read about my experience.

There might be more free memberships available for bloggers. If you're interested, find out how you can review VocabularySpellingCity.com.

A Beautiful Vue: Book Worm

My beautiful vue this week...

This is what a homeschooler hard at work looks like.  He is making some major headway and I'm am one very happy homeschooling mama!  Definitely a beautiful view from where I'm standing.

Book Review: Cleaning House

 As a stay at home mom I often find myself doing most of the chores around the house.  In the past I have told myself that my children couldn't do a lot of the day to day housework.  Sometimes because it's just easier to do things myself.  But after reading Kay Wills Wyma's new book Cleaning House  my whole perspective has changed.  She introduces us to her family and an attitude of entitlement that she has observed in not only her own children but in the younger generation as a whole.  She shares with her readers what she calls her epiphany of how to help her children do for themselves and do away with that attitude of entitlement.  She puts together a 12 step process where she tackles one step per month to train and equip her children for real life.  What I loved the most about this book is that the 12 steps are totally doable for any family and most importantly very practical.  Also, she points out that every families' goals will look a little different but the main purpose is to raise children who aren't afraid to work to help themselves and others.  Each chapter documents how her children react and respond.  I also enjoyed just reading her book.  She is real and writes like she talking to a friend.  I think anyone who is looking to make a positive change in their family will appreciate Cleaning House!  I am excited to implement her 12 steps in my own family.



*I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for an honest review.

Twinsie Tuesday: Double Blessings

 I am so thankful for these two amazing little boys!  They have brought so much joy into our family.  I love to watch them bounce through the house dragging blankies behind them.  I love to watch them interact with each other hugging and holding hands and sometimes rough housing and tumbling on the floor.  I love that just like the color of their hair they are so different.  Levi cuddly and talkative.  Liam full of action and curious about everything.  They keep our lives interesting and I am so grateful to be their mommy.  They really are our double blessings!

Thankful for Full Hands

If you're a parent of multiples or parent with multiple children  you most assuredly have heard this statement..."Oh!  You have your hands full!"  It's usually from perfect strangers passing by my cart full of children in the grocery store.  Normally I just respond with a smile and keep on going. But I was thinking about that statement yesterday.  Yes I do have my hands full right now...they're full with dirty diapers, potty training, sticky faces, lots of laundry, busy boys, homeschooling stuff,  managing a home and family, and much more.  But they're also full of lots of laughs,  sweet hugs, goofy smiles, and special memories that will last long after they've grown and started their own families.  Those things make it more than worth it!  We prayed for full hands and got an overflow  of blessings and goodness in the form 3 fun and happy little boys.  What could be better than that! 
 

What a Difference a Year Can Make

There isn't a truer statement for us right now.  In my last post I wrote about the new house that we moved to and how we were just getting back into the routine of things.  Well, because of unexpected circumstances,  J changed jobs and moved again, this time back out of state.  Fortunately, back to familiar place and one of our favorite places, Texas!  But all of the moving has only been about 3 a month ordeal.  So what about the rest of the year? Well...

We are officially the parents of two year old twin boys!  Their birthday was last month  and we celebrated in the middle of moving with a small family party at home and the boys had a blast.  So much has changed for the twins since last year.  All the fun things they do and the cute stuff they say.  It is hilarious to watch them interact with each other!   And with so many changes the one thing that hasn't changed is the joy these two sweet boys have brought into our lives.  We love being the parents of twins and I'm so grateful to be their mommy. 
                         

Getting ready for their party!

 We have another year of homeschooling under our belt and we are diving into a new year of second grade material.  It's hard to believe that Tru is seven let alone in second grade.  I will say one of the best decisions we've made as parents has been to school him at home, but it has also been one with many challenges and learning opportunities for myself as a mother.  I think homeschooling is a daily decision to lead your children in every area of their young lives guiding and teaching them.

He's thinking deep thoughts...

Another year of marriage to my awesome husband, J!  We have come a long way from our first years of marriage.  God has blessed us and guided us even in the less unlovely times, it's usually my unlovely times.  So what has changed in our marriage since last year?  Well, for me I can say I am working harder at showing J respect.  I found some tangible ways to were to start by giving him my full attention when he's talking or sharing ideas with me.  Also, caring about the things he cares about and taking interest. Having a nice tone to my voice, especially when I'm asking him for help with something.  Doing what he asks me to instead of just blowing it off because it doesn't seem as important to me.  All of these things anybody would appreciate in any relationship.  Do I get it right every time?  No, I miss the mark but I have made a conscious decision to shoot for it.  One of the great things about marriage is it's not a marathon, it's more like a long journey.  We are growing together and committed to having a better marriage with every passing year.

Let me just brag on J for a minute.  One of the things I've noticed he's started doing for me lately that has improved our marriage is he has been texting or calling me through out the day just to say hello.    It makes me feel so good to know that he's thinking of me. It is a small thing that has a lot of impact on my day.  Small things add up to big things you know.   And isn't that what a year is anyway?   In a year there are a lot little things going on. Some that are mundane and ordinary and some that seem huge and life changing.  But they all add up together and before you know it things have changed.  Hopefully it's good changes.  In our case I've seen more good changes this year than bad and for that I'm so thankful! 

"We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose."

Romans 8:28 (Amp)