Restoration Place

Cake & Creek Picnic

It wasn't what you would consider an ideal September day for a cake and creek picnic last week (cool, breezy, overcast and threatening to rain) but it had been far too long since we had packed up a thermos of hot Mighty Leaf vanilla tea, a chocolate cake (bought so that we could leave the house immediately), and nature journaling supplies, and so we went.

It was one of those times when I say to myself: This is what we need to be doing more often, this is what brings freedom and joy, this is the sort of experience that will be imprinted on the children's hearts.

I must ignore the demands of the house, the (in retrospect, minor) frustration over pulling together all the supplies and the cleaning up afterward, and whatever else I allow to get in the way of spending time together like this, and make these special hours happen more often.

Over and over again, I realize so much depends upon me and my attitude, self-discipline, choices, and on and on. Ugh. In my moments of exasperation and tiredness I want to go run and hide, but there are so many life-giving moments, with God's help, in which I can participate and that gives me so much joy.

Creating moments of joy are what it's all about for me lately.

 

Happy Birthday, Katie ~ Big Girl 7!

Happy birthday, spunky Katie! You are our bold adventure girl, brave enough that Daddy calls you "Katie the lion." May you always roar with Aslan!

Week in Review

Ben, Mr. Putter and Tabby, and Me

Ben's become an early riser lately. So my early morning routine has been altered to accommodate him and his voracious appetite for being read to (not that he doesn't get read to...oh, my! We always have special picture book reading time together after breakfast. He's double and triple dipping lately! ~grin~)

We're all about Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea and all the other funny books about Mr. Putter, his fine cat, Tabby, Mrs.Teaberry (their good neighbor) and her dog, Zeke, right now. This is Ben's favorite stack of books for our couch time together.

"Ok, Mom, here are the books! I want Henry And Mudge, too!" That pile is hauled to the couch, too.

Ben: "Mom, what are you doing? I want you to read to me!"

 

Me: "I thought we would stack the books neatly and take a picture of them so we can tell moms who read the blog about the books. How about that?"

 

Ben: "No, Mom, not like that! Show them like this! On your blog! But don't let them see my hat!" {But your hat is adorable! I love how you put it on in the morning! They will love your hat!}

 

Ben: "Ok, Mom, like this! Put the books like this! Spread them out! And they can really see them! And I want you to read to me!"

Me: "All right. And let's put my coffee next to the books, so they can see how much coffee I drink at this time of the morning, and I'll tell them I'm on my third cup. Because I am."

 

Ben: "Mom, are you going to read, read, read to me now??"

 

Me: "Yes, Ben. I would love, love, love to read, read, read to you right now!"

Ben's photo of his hat. He wants you to see it, but not on him:

Quiet Days ~ Sick Days

The last few days have been slow and quiet. Maggie's just now recovering from a stomach virus (enhanced by a two-day fever) and I've been groggy from the nights of helping her, checking on her, and just simply fretting.

And now I'm waiting. Waiting for the next "shoe to drop." I'm wondering how long it takes for this virus to incubate and if all the children get it, one after another, how long we'll be in restoring our health.

But I'm praying, too--praying that the rest of the family will be protected and spared from it.

For now, it seems right for us to all take it easy with read-aloud (it's a good time to start all those other books they've been begging for!) and video camp-outs (The Nutcracker, Franklin, 101 Dalmatians) in the family room, blazing fires, and mugs of hot mint tea with lots of raw honey.

I'm grateful for more moments for me in the midst of it all. I'm slowing down to see what's around me and taking a little time for my creative self. I'm also taking much encouragement from these slower moments and thanking Him for new mercies on this rainy, gray autumn morning.~smile~

 

 

 

 

Cheesy Scrambled Eggs with Fresh Salsa

Maggie surprised me with breakfast: cheddar cheese scrambled eggs with fresh salsa (no, she didn't make the salsa). I was delighted!

As Maggie edges toward 11, she's doing more and more "older" things, and though I'm taken aback at the passage of time, I'm thrilled for Maggie and who she's becoming.

Oh, and sorry, I don't have a recipe to share. I think she wants to keep this one secret. ~smile~
 

Goldfish Crackers, Swirling Stuff, Little Sleep = Tea & My Refuge

It's 1:00 and time to pause. Stuff and children are strewn around me. I need this cup of Pear Caramel, and probably another.

Who was it that said, "All is well, and all manner of things shall be well"?

 

Truly, all is well. Those things that weigh on my heart; yes, those shall be well, too. I'm at rest in my place of refuge.

Home Education ~ Snapshots from the First Week

 

 

 

 

 

Mars Mission Legos!

Jacob has a new mission here lately...

Every bit of allowance and extra-money jobs gets scraped together so he can get more Mars Mission Legos.

He and Karl love building the projects together, so much so that it's hard to tell if it's just another special reason to do something together.

Karl set up a special table in the basement--away from the hub-bub of upstairs--where they could both contain all 435 pieces and focus on their project (yes, even a nutcracker joins in):

 

Jacob wants to update you with new photos when they're all finished.

Stuffed Animal Wardrobe Creation

The children have rediscovered the indoors this week. Did the outside suddenly become dull? After weeks of summer fun, inside is new again.

That means it's time to make the stuffed animals new clothing and accessories to go with the stories they're engaged in, of course. So we gathered supplies--buttons, sequins, fabric, jewels, chenille sticks, straw hats, feathers of every description, beads, ribbons, and on and on...

...and the sewing and storytelling began in earnest:

In these moments, I assist wherever needed, but it's really theirs, and it's just as much about the process of creating clothing and accessories and telling stories throughout as it is the result of having fun, new costumes for the new roles the animals will play.