Press in toward Tuesday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLZvwCB6tCM

Maintenance Mondays

Ever have the desire to change something or some part of your life and you buy all the books and magazines to inspire you, only to find them sitting on the shelf? You know what I've learned from this experience? Simply owning the book isn't enough. Reading it isn't either. It's the gleaning and application process where many of us fall short. Well, here's some inspiration. School goes back in our neck of the woods in 2 weeks. Let's together, tackle the last of the list. Let's do 10 projects in 10 days. You with me? Get your list together of 10 large or small things you want to do and get checked off the list. Saturdays count, Sundays for me, not doing it. So if we start today on August 23, by my calculations we should be done our 10 days by Sept 2nd. Just in time. Now for me...I'll be leaving for the north country on Saturday so I'm going to plug in an extra day there and say I'll be done Sept 3rd. Your call on how you want to pace yourself. So...question is...what's your list look like? Wanna share?
Here's mine.
1. clean carpet in living room
2. finish Simon's grad scrap book
3. organize mudroom for fall (done)!
4. remove anything not conducive to sleep from my bedroom (done)
5. paint muskoka chairs
6. power spray the deck
7. lay mulch around pool
8. paint JP's bed
9. remove wallpaper in Sara's room
10. frame and order grad pictures for Simon's diploma set

Okay that's me. Some of these projects are more time saturated, others are labor intensive, and other still, just take brain space. But all things I wanted done by the end of summer and somehow, here I am. So, 10 projects, 10 days. Not to mention, I want to help my dearest friend pack her home, make sure I have time for my kids last days of summer and keep house. Can this be done? With some ubber organization...I think it can!!! Who's with me?

Back to Blogging

Yep, it's time. I think I need to come back to blogging. Facebook is fun, but it's taken me away. So I think I'll start over. Hi, I'm Samantha, a homeschooling mom, speaker and parenting coach. Nice to meet you! Introduce yourself, stroll my blog, excuse my rants...if nothing else, I'm transparent. If your on Facebook, look me up. I'm back.

Oh Time...come back

Time flies. Honestly, it goes really fast. I'm seeing a new graduate coming into our family really soon, a blossoming daughter who desires to pursue ministry not a fashion degree like before and a skater boy young man, who seeks first the Kingdom. Praise God for all things.

The face of homeschooling changes over time too. Currently in our school, we have one in traditional Catholic highschool, one in online public school at home, and one completely homeschooled. Each child, unique and precious.

Who ever said it was a cookie cutter mould of planning, curriculum and one book does all? It's a joy to see each child becoming. I love who my kids are, cringe when I see or hear myself in them, where they need correction but so do I, and I rejoice in their changing and moving lives. Who they are now isn't who they will be and Praise God for that, but who they are becoming, is a joy to witness. God is just that good!

The Study of Words

Words count. Ever notice how much your words count? You can bring life to someone or shoot them with just a few well organized and greatly placed words. I've begun using a dictionary when I do my bible study, when I pray, when I hear from the Lord. What a great tool! I never liked my dictionary as a child, but as an adult, wow! Words leap and have so much more impact. Understanding that there's a more full meaning, makes me long for more words. And ultimately more of God. This is a very very good thing.

The Graduate

It's a busy life. I'm realizing when I don't get to be who I want to be that it's time to once again slow down. It always amazes me how every thing happens that is good, on the same day, at the same time. Why? So many good good things. I know the enemy's plan is to distract me, and he's quite good at it. But my focus is higher and deeper and wider. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. I'm back.

Trust

Finding trust in a place where things are not lovely. Bad news came yesterday from a dear friend. Can't say what, don't want to break confidence. But it's not great. And video homeschooling is not as fun as Sara had hoped. It will come, I can see it. Just right now it seems dark. And so, we walk by faith and not by sight. Even when it looks dark, just a little spark can bring enough light to land our feet firmly on our path again. So praying this week for a spark. Just enough light to scare the darkness away. God is just that good. It'll come.

Back to it

Is it a getting older thing when time goes faster or is it that we're so busy we don't notice the moment we're in. I'm trying to reconsile with myself how summer flew past so quickly when I determined at the start, I wouldn't let it happen. Maybe that's the control freak in me. I try and try to control time, but it's just not working out. Hmmm. There's a lesson in that I'm sure.
Well, school starts for us on Tuesday. Simon enters his final year of highschool and is celebrating his 17th birthday in Huntsville, away from us. It's strange not celebrating together. We leave today and pick him up the morning, so it will be great to have him back. I miss him.
And my lovely Sara enters her second year of highschool this year, at home. Last min change from going away to school. She really likes being home and I really like having her here. It's been a blessing.
Finally, JP enters grade 6. Closing in on the upper elementary years for him. He keeps school an adventure and reminds me to bring discovery to his learning. All things for him are WOW moments. I love that about him.
Can't wait to start on one hand and on the other, wish it was longer. But fall is coming soon, and I just love fall! Great days lay ahead.
We're back to it.

The Pay Off

You know...say it, mean it, do it, really works. I'm talking about staying the course, staying strong when it gets tough. My last post (ages ago) was about issues of getting school done, but it seems to have passed now. School is getting done stronger and stronger with less of a fuss. Finally. I think the pay off comes when consistency rules the day. And the best part is, no best friends have to suffer in the process. JP is blessed with a strong and loving friend who guides him and keeps him honest. JP's mom is blessed by that. It's neat to watch 2 boys grow up together. Sometimes age isn't an issue and there are times when I see a peak of the man best friend is becoming. He's going to be a great man one day. And that calls JP up. I love that too. So what have I learned in this school year? That mom needs to be consistent and follow through. That best friends wait for you. That school waits for the flu. That I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Including homeschool. Amen.

Gettin it done...

Ladies...it's a global epidemic today. My son had me pulling my grays out yesterday about getting school done on time with a happy attitude. So here's what I did. I told him that he had to be AT the school table by 9 to get started no excuses and I would guarentee he would be finished his morning by 11:30 IF he had a good attitude. Well, he was up and on time to the table and got the whole morning done plus an extra subject by, you guessed it 11:30. Only 1 afternoon subject to go which should have taken 20 mins, just wrapped up and it took you guessed it...60 mins due to bad attitude. I'm figuring out really fast with this guy that there has to be a consquence with some pain attached. I don't mean physical pain, I mean like not going to see his best friend for a week kind of pain. But then guilt kicks in and I feel bad for his best friend. Ahh. When he figures out I'm serious, wow, the attitude snaps into place and school gets done. Why he has to push so far and so hard in the first place is completely beyond me. Maybe it's because he's 10. I don't know... :)

"Wii Scream" is MY kid!

Well December was just a blurr of activity, visiting, entertaining and enjoying so much fellowship we are so blessed. We really enjoyed our Christmas time. But something completely unexpected has happened. My oldest son, posted a video to Youtube and it is now a pretty big deal. It's our personal Christmas moment that has now become a public moment. We've see it on ABC, BBC and some Boston Media and our Local CHCH is playing it today at 6. Our local newspaper has called for an interview on Monday and now Inside Edition! Really. And it's quite cute, but completely surreal. Here's the clip...I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Advent

So my Christmas shopping is 95% done and now I can enjoy Advent and finish school well. There's something in that finishing well thing. Finish strong, finish well. It's a feeling a relish as we creep up to the end of another year. And I see that as I get older, order means more to me than it did a while ago. I used to be very fly by the seat of my pants. Now, not so much. I like calm and order. Not perfection, just calm. And with 2 boys and a music loving daughter, calm is relative. So I'm finding it where I can, like planning dinners ahead on the busy days, having the christmas shopping done sooner than later. Now if I could only apply this to laundry...ahhhh, laundry. Well that's just another story :D

Dundurn Castle..what a trip!

We went on a school field trip on Friday to Dundurn Castle..right up JP's alley because he is studying mid-ages..even though this castle is from the 1800's, it still gave him a sense of grandeur! So fun and great tour guides!

Heavens Rehersal 3

This is how far away we were...see those little girls on the left in red shirts..those are our girls from New Song Dance Academy. They danced for ever in the finale with 2 full numbers as well. It was such a highlight!

Heavens Rehersal 2

Getting on the bus, heading for The Rogers Center, Heaven's Rehersal..here we come!

Heavens Rehersal

So it was wonderful, beautiful and glorious! Here's a photo review! This is the group waiting for the bus to arrive! Our fearless choreographer in glasses early Saturday morning and her fabulous assistant Mrs. Leah!

Laundry

I really am a nerd...but this is just so cool~

Highschool?

My oldest highschooling child who actually goes to a building for that event, won a Limo ride for reaching the most group sales in a fundraising event. So at 7 in the morning we all waited for the Limo which showed up as an SUV Limo. Fantastic. The weird part was watching my 16 year old son get into this Limo with 4 cheerleaders. Tell me he hasn't figured this whole girl thing out? He was loving it. The good thing was these cheerleaders are the athletic nice ones, not the hoochie mamma kind. Anyway, it certainly was a good day to be Simon.

Thanksgiving Weekend

So what does Thanksgiving mean to you? To some, a time of reaching out to their Creator, to others a time to reflect on their lives, for others still a time to give back in gratitude for all they've been given. All to say, God is good. We all see Him in different ways but ultimately it's Him we need. To come to a place of sabbatical for a weekend if nothing more, brings restoration. But finding that peace in the hustle and bustle of cooking, peeling, baking, cleaning, shopping....wow. I read the book, The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan this summer or re-read it I should say. And I have to admit, it's transforming information in there. It's the kind of book that brings to light what it means to worship on Sabbath and to rest. What that rest looks like to one person may look like work to another. And so, the crazy mix of thanksgiving; not the holiday, the offering. How we offer our thanks to God on Sunday or anyday, should be an extension of who we are in our relationship with Him. What brings him honor? Sitting in the parlor staring blank faced at each other, or, preparing an awesome meal to share with family. Bringing real honest hospitality into our homes and showing the face of God through our faces makes more sense to me. If cutting the grass makes your heart sing and it happens to be Sunday, wouldn't God want your heart singing? If peeling potatoes rocks your world, wouldn't offering it up to God as an offering of love make great sense? But even more, stopping in the middle of it all and gathering in a house of worship to give him an exclusive amount of our time and just be in His presence with people who worship in the same way, doesn't that just say, God, I love you and your worth it. Your worth stopping for. Your worth the time it takes me to get ready and go, the busyness of leaving, the fullness of a day. Your worth it God. And by the way, thanks. For everything...the leaves that fall, the blue sky, the crisp air. I love oak trees God, the way move but don't fall over. The stars...gorgeous! I love how you love me. How even when I'm terrible, you love me anyway. Your an awesome God, and I just wanted to say....thanks.

Burst Training

I hurt. Not because I hurt myself but because I'm Burst Training. No, not a stress relieving technique per se but an exercise plan given to me and others by my Chiropractor. To say I hurt makes it sound like I'm incapable of movement, which is not true. I have moved and now I know it. There are places hurting that I didn't know could hurt. So the idea behind this method. Something something Cortisol, something something HGH, burning the opposite fuel, better to burn sugar fast then fat slow...blah blah, I work out for 3 mins 3x's a week. Yeah! And let me tell you, it is work! Could you work out hard for 3 mins 3x's a week? Wanna join us? So far there's 4 in our little group right now. If you'd like more details, comment or email and I'll add you to our little group mailing. Support is support and it's a great thing!