I would love to hear your answer to my question (to the left, below the photo). Please post a comment!
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Friday, March 30, 2007
Easy
EASY... that's the general mood and feel of things right now in our house. It's Friday afternoon, about 4pm. The week is behind us and the weekEND ahead of us. The chores have been done, school lessons completed, doctor appointment attended, 10 miler run (by Mike, I've actually clocked about 15 today counting chasing Elias), the baby is asleep, the kids are coloring, Mike is reading and I'm blogging (I still feel so silly saying that word!). Only Friday night lies ahead of us. Oh, and we are having a pizza picnic on the living room floor for dinner. Now that's EASY.
It reminds me of the "lesson" the kids and I learned this morning. We are on our week in our curriculum ("Five in A Row") that features the book, "Night of the Moonjellies". We were doing Social Studies today and talked about running a small business. We read about a boy who works at his family's seaside restaurant and I asked Sophia and Nicolas to notice what his responsibilities were. Jobs like filling the catsup and mustard jars, restocking the straws and wrapping hamburger patties between wax paper were on the list. At the end, after he completes his jobs and the stand closes for the night, he and his Grandma are able to ENJOY themselves and go out for a nighttime sail. They find thousands of moonjellies shimmering all around them in the ocean. It's very beautiful and special for them.
It got me thinking, the real lesson we learned today was that one should ENJOY themself after they've completed their responsibilities. We were not made to work round-the-clock (it makes for a very grumpy person, I don't know from experience, I've just heard!!!!).
So, we are officially in the enjoyment stage of our week. We are all smiling and feeling carefree. We hope that you are able to do the same!
It reminds me of the "lesson" the kids and I learned this morning. We are on our week in our curriculum ("Five in A Row") that features the book, "Night of the Moonjellies". We were doing Social Studies today and talked about running a small business. We read about a boy who works at his family's seaside restaurant and I asked Sophia and Nicolas to notice what his responsibilities were. Jobs like filling the catsup and mustard jars, restocking the straws and wrapping hamburger patties between wax paper were on the list. At the end, after he completes his jobs and the stand closes for the night, he and his Grandma are able to ENJOY themselves and go out for a nighttime sail. They find thousands of moonjellies shimmering all around them in the ocean. It's very beautiful and special for them.
It got me thinking, the real lesson we learned today was that one should ENJOY themself after they've completed their responsibilities. We were not made to work round-the-clock (it makes for a very grumpy person, I don't know from experience, I've just heard!!!!).
So, we are officially in the enjoyment stage of our week. We are all smiling and feeling carefree. We hope that you are able to do the same!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Whew!
It's been a few days since my last post. I've been just itching to get back to writing. We are all settling down from a very full day. It was one of those days where every spare hour seemed to be "booked". I really don't like being that busy. I like to leave room for just being and being available to what may arise.
Nicolas is certainly recovering from his broken collarbone. In fact, we are the ones having to remind him that he is injured. One-handed swordfighting and sofa-diving are some of his hobbies this week (yikes!). He went to preschool today so I got a chance to spend the afternoon with Sophia and Elias. We returned about 27 overdue books to the library, shopped for meal ingredients and spent some time outside.
We brought a meal over to our dear friends, the Brennan's (our old next-door neighbors on Riverdale Road). Marcy is bravely and victoriously battling breast cancer. She is an amazing woman and I miss being able to look over my hedges to see her working in her yard. If anyone would like to wish her well, she has a site to visit: Caring Bridge. Just sign in and put her name, "Marcy Brennan".
I am officially "on-call" and have three women who are expecting babies in April. I am very excited to be working officially as a doula and am ready to get my feet wet again and attend this first birth (it could be any MINUTE!). If you are wondering what a "doula" is, visit www. DONA.org.
And now... well this is the best part of the day. Me, Mike and NANA (she is spending the night) watching American Idol and eating turnovers. I've got to go and put my feet up (these new spring shoes are a killer on the ankles!).
Nicolas is certainly recovering from his broken collarbone. In fact, we are the ones having to remind him that he is injured. One-handed swordfighting and sofa-diving are some of his hobbies this week (yikes!). He went to preschool today so I got a chance to spend the afternoon with Sophia and Elias. We returned about 27 overdue books to the library, shopped for meal ingredients and spent some time outside.
We brought a meal over to our dear friends, the Brennan's (our old next-door neighbors on Riverdale Road). Marcy is bravely and victoriously battling breast cancer. She is an amazing woman and I miss being able to look over my hedges to see her working in her yard. If anyone would like to wish her well, she has a site to visit: Caring Bridge. Just sign in and put her name, "Marcy Brennan".
I am officially "on-call" and have three women who are expecting babies in April. I am very excited to be working officially as a doula and am ready to get my feet wet again and attend this first birth (it could be any MINUTE!). If you are wondering what a "doula" is, visit www. DONA.org.
And now... well this is the best part of the day. Me, Mike and NANA (she is spending the night) watching American Idol and eating turnovers. I've got to go and put my feet up (these new spring shoes are a killer on the ankles!).
Friday, March 23, 2007
Injured
It's amazing how God prepares your heart/head/hands for what is to come in your life. Lastnight I sat at this computer and posted the Bible verse about caring for the sick, poor, hungry, thirsty and so forth. At the time I did not have any of those needs in my home and was thinking about who I could serve OUTSIDE of this home. Well, we officially have "the sick" now. Lastnight at 3am, Nicolas rolled out of his bed and onto the floor. There was a doll lying there and it seems that her head hit his collarbone at just the right angle and fractured it. My instincts told me this morning that his collarbone was indeed broken even though Mike was sure it was a partial dislocation of the shoulder. But, my motherly instincts were right. After a trip to the ER and a few films, the diagnosis was confirmed.
Nicolas is doing just fine. He has a sling on and will be in it for about 4 weeks. It is his right arm and normally this would pose a problem for a child with eating, coloring, playing, BUT he is ambidextrous! How wonderful for him (and us because now we don't have to spoon-feed him for the next month!).
So, now I can look at helping him/serving him in a whole new light after taking the verse in Matthew to heart. I am not dreading the care and extra energy it will take to care for his arm. I am looking at it as a way to serve the Lord himself. For the verses go on to talk about the people saying to Jesus, "When did we see YOU sick or hungry?". And Jesus says, basically, that whatever you do for those in need (aka the "least of these") you do it for/to ME.
Wow... what a humbling experience. This blog has already been such a learning experience for me and has opened so many doors for conversations that I wouldn't have otherwise had.
P.S. If I may be so bold... Nicolas would absolutely LOVE a little note/drawing/call from any of you to wish him well. Here's our address: 47 Rossetto Drive Manchester, CT 06040
Nicolas is doing just fine. He has a sling on and will be in it for about 4 weeks. It is his right arm and normally this would pose a problem for a child with eating, coloring, playing, BUT he is ambidextrous! How wonderful for him (and us because now we don't have to spoon-feed him for the next month!).
So, now I can look at helping him/serving him in a whole new light after taking the verse in Matthew to heart. I am not dreading the care and extra energy it will take to care for his arm. I am looking at it as a way to serve the Lord himself. For the verses go on to talk about the people saying to Jesus, "When did we see YOU sick or hungry?". And Jesus says, basically, that whatever you do for those in need (aka the "least of these") you do it for/to ME.
Wow... what a humbling experience. This blog has already been such a learning experience for me and has opened so many doors for conversations that I wouldn't have otherwise had.
P.S. If I may be so bold... Nicolas would absolutely LOVE a little note/drawing/call from any of you to wish him well. Here's our address: 47 Rossetto Drive Manchester, CT 06040
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Free Time
Good morning to all our friends and family! A have a quiet moment and decided that my laundry basket can wait 5 minutes while I get out some thoughts to you all. I just received an e-mail from a friend who has been reading the blog and asked, "How do you find the time to write?". Well, it got me thinking... "how DO I find the time to write?". I decided to put a few ideas out there about how I keep my kids busy while I get work done/write on this blog/read a bit/do chores/write a note to a friend/make phone calls. So, here are some things I do (please do not think I have this technique mastered!)...
1. Visit the library and check out books AND books on tape/CD. You can usually get 10-15 minutes out of one reading on CD. (In fact Sophia and Nicolas are reading along with a book called "Strega Nona" right now!)
2. Set up an art station with paper, markers, fun scissors, stamps and other things. My kids are CRAZY about art and they usually make things/draw for at least 30 minutes at a time.
3. Keep LOTS of LEGO blocks on hand. Sophia and Nicolas usually make villages, farms and little "communities" with their legos (they really like setting up a "Narnia" land with their legos). I usually interject with ideas to keep them "going" (like, do they have a mountain? You should build a really big mountain for them to climb over!).
4. If you're brave... set up a little water station on your counter and let them play in it with measuring cups/spoons, ladels, strainers, cups, turkey basters... I find that the clean-up is worth the time they spend keeping busy. (Not to mention that this kind of sensory play is so great for them).
5. Make them a fun snack and let them enjoy it while you step away. Sometimes I make an "odds and ends" snack (they are so excited to see all of the things in front of them that they take their time eating it and talk about what Mom has given them) and give them little bits of whatever I have in my cupboard/fridge. Since I am close by, I let them eat their snack alone sometimes.
6. Give them REAL money (coins) and let them play store. I have them set up what they want to "sell" and give them old grocery bags to go shopping with. They of course have to take turns at who plays storekeeper and shopper (sometimes a bit of tension there!).
I know that some of you may find these ideas corny or think, "Yeah, right. Easier said than done". But these have worked for us. Also, I am very blessed to have two kids who really play well together. I think that the big sister taking the lead about how/what to play also helps. It is nice to see Nicolas stepping up and being assertive about what/how HE wants to play (Sophia actually listens to him now!).
Many of you are probably thinking, "Well, what about Elias? Where is he during all of this?". Well, I have to say that most of our productive time happens while Elias is napping (morning and afternoon still). When he is up, he is actually starting to join them in play and is absolutely amuses by what they're doing.
Also (I promise, my speech is almost done), it REALLY helps to have a routine. Not a schedule, but just a normal order of what is done when. It helps the kids to know what's coming next, what's expected of them and it mostly helps ME to be/feel productive about my day.
Sorry for the uninvited mama advice. Just disregard this message if you have things under control OR are not at all interested in how I find free time!!!
1. Visit the library and check out books AND books on tape/CD. You can usually get 10-15 minutes out of one reading on CD. (In fact Sophia and Nicolas are reading along with a book called "Strega Nona" right now!)
2. Set up an art station with paper, markers, fun scissors, stamps and other things. My kids are CRAZY about art and they usually make things/draw for at least 30 minutes at a time.
3. Keep LOTS of LEGO blocks on hand. Sophia and Nicolas usually make villages, farms and little "communities" with their legos (they really like setting up a "Narnia" land with their legos). I usually interject with ideas to keep them "going" (like, do they have a mountain? You should build a really big mountain for them to climb over!).
4. If you're brave... set up a little water station on your counter and let them play in it with measuring cups/spoons, ladels, strainers, cups, turkey basters... I find that the clean-up is worth the time they spend keeping busy. (Not to mention that this kind of sensory play is so great for them).
5. Make them a fun snack and let them enjoy it while you step away. Sometimes I make an "odds and ends" snack (they are so excited to see all of the things in front of them that they take their time eating it and talk about what Mom has given them) and give them little bits of whatever I have in my cupboard/fridge. Since I am close by, I let them eat their snack alone sometimes.
6. Give them REAL money (coins) and let them play store. I have them set up what they want to "sell" and give them old grocery bags to go shopping with. They of course have to take turns at who plays storekeeper and shopper (sometimes a bit of tension there!).
I know that some of you may find these ideas corny or think, "Yeah, right. Easier said than done". But these have worked for us. Also, I am very blessed to have two kids who really play well together. I think that the big sister taking the lead about how/what to play also helps. It is nice to see Nicolas stepping up and being assertive about what/how HE wants to play (Sophia actually listens to him now!).
Many of you are probably thinking, "Well, what about Elias? Where is he during all of this?". Well, I have to say that most of our productive time happens while Elias is napping (morning and afternoon still). When he is up, he is actually starting to join them in play and is absolutely amuses by what they're doing.
Also (I promise, my speech is almost done), it REALLY helps to have a routine. Not a schedule, but just a normal order of what is done when. It helps the kids to know what's coming next, what's expected of them and it mostly helps ME to be/feel productive about my day.
Sorry for the uninvited mama advice. Just disregard this message if you have things under control OR are not at all interested in how I find free time!!!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Un-trendy
Well, it's the official First Day of Spring and other than the sunshine it surely doesn't feel like that the start of a new season. The snow covering the ground and the dry, brown tree branches are putting a damper on the Spring Fever that I got a few weeks ago. I feel the need to be ready for the first warm day in many ways. Mainly by having spring/summer clothes ready to wear so that we can get outside and enjoy the weather. The kids are all set... their closets are filled with spring/summer clothes that I have bought over the last few weeks. It's me I'm worried about. My closet could quite possibly be chosen as what not to wear or for one of those makeover shows. I have odds and ends from the last seven years just hanging there sadly. Some maternity clothes, some too small and some too baggy. They (who are "they" anyways?) say that if you haven't worn a piece of clothing in a year, then you probably won't wear it again- so get rid of it (donate it!). I hate to think of what I'd come out wearing if that 80' day did hit us tomorrow. It would probably look something like this... a pair of old maternity capris cinched at the waist with a belt or scarf and a way-too-tight tank top (I wouldn't actually come out wearing it, but it would be my option). As for the shoes, I have recently added two new pairs of spring shoes to my collection. They are about the only thing that I own right now that would be considered "trendy". I know that all you mommies out there might be able to relate to what I'm saying.
Mike may also need to do a bit of shopping for new clothes. He has recently lost 20 lbs. in an effort to run his upcoming marathon lighter (and therefore, faster). I have to say that I haven't seen him this lean since the beginning of our marriage! He looks great and I'm so proud of the hard work he's putting into training.
Mothers...let me know what your plan is for you "spring wardrobe". Will you buy, borrow or spruce up what you have?
Mike may also need to do a bit of shopping for new clothes. He has recently lost 20 lbs. in an effort to run his upcoming marathon lighter (and therefore, faster). I have to say that I haven't seen him this lean since the beginning of our marriage! He looks great and I'm so proud of the hard work he's putting into training.
Mothers...let me know what your plan is for you "spring wardrobe". Will you buy, borrow or spruce up what you have?
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Smallness
A good friend of mine shared two Scripture verses with me a few weeks ago and they have really become sort of a motto when I go about my daily work. The verses are, "Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil. Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred." -Proverbs 15: 16, 17 Also, "Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife." -Proverbs 17:1
I especially need to be reminded of these verses and what God desires from my heart/attitude when I am living day to day. Sometimes my ideas/expectations/standards for my endeavors are SO BIG that I fail miserably trying to achieve them. And then I get grumpy... and who do you think suffers the consequences? Yes, my family! Thankfully God blessed me with a husband who's heart is full of never-ending grace and forgiveness!
These verses also go along with a quote that Mike and I love. We first read about Mother Teresa in a book that we started back in the fall called "The Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Claiborne. Shane actually worked side-by-side with Mother Teresa for a summer in Calcutta, India and his experiences broke so many stereotypes that he previously held about this amazing woman. He was so shocked to see her putting herself below the needy and poor in terms of her physcial needs and status. Shane said that when the temptation to do great things was before him, he
"learned the discipline of doing small things with great deliberation". Mother Teresa said, "We can do no great things, just small things with great love. It is not how MUCH you do, but how much LOVE you put into doing it".
I have to remind myself of these verses the next time I am tempted to try making an elaborate Martha Stewart-inspired dome cake on Christmas Eve (my familiy can tell you about Christmas Eve 2002)! I should just buy the cake if it means my house will be void of the "strife" and "hatred" (I surely hated my decision AND the recipe at that point!) mentioned in Proverbs.
I especially need to be reminded of these verses and what God desires from my heart/attitude when I am living day to day. Sometimes my ideas/expectations/standards for my endeavors are SO BIG that I fail miserably trying to achieve them. And then I get grumpy... and who do you think suffers the consequences? Yes, my family! Thankfully God blessed me with a husband who's heart is full of never-ending grace and forgiveness!
These verses also go along with a quote that Mike and I love. We first read about Mother Teresa in a book that we started back in the fall called "The Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Claiborne. Shane actually worked side-by-side with Mother Teresa for a summer in Calcutta, India and his experiences broke so many stereotypes that he previously held about this amazing woman. He was so shocked to see her putting herself below the needy and poor in terms of her physcial needs and status. Shane said that when the temptation to do great things was before him, he
"learned the discipline of doing small things with great deliberation". Mother Teresa said, "We can do no great things, just small things with great love. It is not how MUCH you do, but how much LOVE you put into doing it".
I have to remind myself of these verses the next time I am tempted to try making an elaborate Martha Stewart-inspired dome cake on Christmas Eve (my familiy can tell you about Christmas Eve 2002)! I should just buy the cake if it means my house will be void of the "strife" and "hatred" (I surely hated my decision AND the recipe at that point!) mentioned in Proverbs.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Our Introduction
Hello everyone out there! We have joined the ranks of blogging families across the world and hope that these "weBLOGs" allow you to catch a glimpse of our daily life as a family. I feel the need to state a "purpose" behind our decision to create a blog and will try to summarize these reasons. We hope to use these logs as a way to relay information, events, interests and the like to our familiy and friends who are not local so that they may "keep up" on the Houle Family. We also hope that this blog will act as a journal of sorts to record things that may otherwise not be recorded on paper/baby books/journals/letters. It will be amazing to save the entries and to look back on them someday. We hope it to also be a way to share ideas, books we're all reading, recipes that we love/have tried, our hobbies, family dynamics and relationships, homeschooling experiences, important events and mostly, the heart of our family. We hope that all who visit our blog can see our heart for our family, our love for others, a passion for living life adventurously and wholly and mostly, the God-centered life that we strive for daily.
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