I scored this Little Tikes garden cart, which I hope John will use by filling up with heavy things and pushing around to work off energy.
Playing in the back yard, John quickly found out how fun it was to fill the cart with water.
I also got this foam alphabet mat for the school room, which got me thinking that I should post photos of what the room looks like these days.
In the corner are the carpet squares for circle time, as well as bean bags and the art easel.
In the other corner is the tent and tube, plus a book shelf with toys.
A blurry photo of the other bookshelf, also showing a stack of a dozen new, foam puzzles I got at the consignment sale.
The treadmill is conveniently situated facing the television, in case I were ever to use it.
A craft table, currently messy with a shredding project of mine (plus Mary dancing in the corner).One of the items I got today was a Land's End Christmas holiday dress for Mary. For the price of that one dress new (which I found at the retailer's website), I got: the garden cart, a dozen new foam puzzles, two new wooden puzzles, a dress for Mary, a shirt for John, winter mittens for Mary, and new-in-the-package trainer underwear. I like a good sale!
good job!
ReplyDeleteI love the pictures of your school room. How did you hang the line on the wall to clip crafts to? I bought some line and clothes pins, just need to hang it!
I may have already asked you; I don't remember. Are you starting any formal schooling with John or just play and learn. We are just doing play and learn at home... wondering if I need to do more?
Mariah
Mariah: You don't have to be doing anything formal! I'm not really doing anything formal yet, but probably for six months we have been sitting down at random to do arts and crafts. I've been buying some items to do Montessori-style activities, but I pull them out at random, especially when I want to get John occupied nearby so I can work, like do the dishes. I am going to try to do some semi-formal preschool this year, not because I think children need it but because I think I face a steep learning curve with homeschooling, so I want to practice when it doesn't matter. I think I'm going to struggle badly with the pragmatics of homeschooling: a routine, actually getting it done, staying on task. Mariah, are you planning to homeschool?
ReplyDeleteI wish I could give my kids foam things. They eat foam. Always have.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I love a good sale :-) Though with 2 boys closely spaced, I rarely can justify buying baby clothes! That wagon is terrific!
ReplyDeleteKatherine: We do arts and crafts very randomly and Carli gets so excited. It's hard with a little one crawling around. During Cole's nap is when I usually give her something so I can have both kids happy and get something done.
ReplyDeleteI also think I "face a steep learning curve with homeschooling, so I want to practice when it doesn't matter. I think I'm going to struggle badly with the pragmatics of homeschooling: a routine, actually getting it done, staying on task."
We just enrolled Carli in the 2 year old program at our church. She goes Tuesday mornings for 3 hours while I work childcare for the women's Bible study and then Thursday mornings and I am able to do grocery shopping with just 1 baby!!
Please share info you get on juggling 2 small ones and homeschooling while being a housewife too. The site abcjesuslovesme.com has been recommended to me several times, I need to check it out...
Mariah
that's a *great* schoolroom, katherine! you are blessed :)
ReplyDeletelooks like fun hitting that sale!
Mariah: I'm learning as I go, but I think a major part of juggling it all is really simply a change in mindset. I think that moms who keep their kids at home and homeschool them are less productive in these early years. I just can't do a lot of other things if I'm going to be the full-time caretaker and educator of my children. There isn't a distinct "me time." I just consider that John and Mary are always with me. Everything is a teaching moment. For example, going to the grocery store is full of teaching lessons, for John and for me. Before doing anything, I think, "How am I going to tackle this with the two kids?"
ReplyDeleteYou haven't said this, but often I have other mothers say to me, "I could never homeschool! I don't have the patience!" I want to reply, but usually don't, that neither do I! I don't naturally have patience. I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know how to teach. But I am working extremely hard to grow in virtues and sanctity through my children for their sake and mine.
For example, I have to unload the dishwasher and can't cut that task from my list. How to do that with two children, one of whom won't stay out of the dishwasher and one of whom won't leave the baby alone, or is getting into mischief elsewhere? This requires pragmatic creativity (figuring out how to occupy the toddler before I open the dishwasher, maybe wearing Mary in a sling while I do the chore), age-appropriate discipline to form the children's characters, and tremendous growth in patience on my part (it's okay if Mary gets into the dishes 17 times, so what? is it really hurting anything? no!). So I go through this process with every single task I have to get through in the day. It's really, really tiring, but the growth for me is wonderful.
I'm sure you're experiencing much of this too! I think it gets better when we as mothers surrender more to the process instead of considering children an adjunct to our lives, something hampering our "real" lives. They *are* our lives now. Does that make any sense?
I'm only fewer than three years into this parenting thing, so I have much to learn.