around the house

So much happens in a day here. Often though, it feels like nothing at all is ever getting accomplished. Never ending piles of laundry, a floor that always could use a mopping, piles of unsewn projects. The stacks getting taller than the children.

I looked around today just to see how much is happening. Truly happening here. Little hands explore, grow, hug. Reading, oh so much reading for our four young one's. Snuggle time, as my well fed, round baby giggles at crackers and falls asleep in the crook of my arm, milk dripping from the side of his mouth. Brains expand and grow. I grow-one day older, one day wiser.

So much being done. So much being done that isn't measured in currency, time, inches or centimeters. Things are being measured with love and memories here. Perfection? no. Happiness together? you bet. Sometimes you need to focus on the little things.

A day of homeschooling

Our day of learning included some singing, dancing, playing with ducks, playing with friends, honking swans and a cute baby [haha]. Mr. {D} has started his second year of homeschooling. We are currently studying habitats, specifically forest animals. A trip to the zoo was in order to see a few of these animals first hand. Did you know a timber wolf [averaging 175 pounds] is more than twice the size of the smaller Mexican Wolves?

I love the freedom to learn "how" we want with homeschooling. I just finished a whole lesson plan for a year with a focus of photography for {D}. He would never have been able to take photography lessons in first grade in a traditional school. It allows him to flourish, be creative and incorporate letters, text, reading, science, art & design all at the same time. Lots of fun projects in the works-so perfect for him. So be prepared to see a few of his pics throughout the next year.

The only little hitch with homeschooling this year, is having Miss {M} enrolled in a traditional elementary school. We lose 1.5 hours a day to travel. In the car, outta the car, to pick up and drop off with 4 kids takes quite a bit of time [and a few meltdown from our resident toddler]. -sigh- Just the lunch making and shoe finding in the morning is exhausting. I'm tired and it's day 3...4? Of well, I guess it will work itself into a rhythm over time. I'm just excited to still share my day with my oldest son. A piece of my heart leaves every morning with my daughter, as she bounces into her school. I don't think it gets easier, you just get used to it.

In the Sea

For school last week, the kids learned about some small sea creatures. We took a field trip to the pet store to look at fish and the HUGE aquarium at the Columbus Zoo, read lots of books and colored, painted, sketched, and glued. The kids made these paper aquariums housing the animals we learned about. It was really fun to study and the kids were able to chose which creatures they wanted to learn more about. The only mama pick was the seahorses. Honestly how can anyone not love them? Mr. {D} chose the Sea Anemone as the first to study.

We made a trip to Ikea the other day, and among other things [many other things], {D} got a new duvet cover for his bed. I had picked it out at our last trip, thinking it would be perfect for him & the boys room. He approved and said he like it because..."it looks like millions of tiny sea anemone".

Mini Houses

Over the long weekend, I was able to get a bunch of stuff completed, and spend time with the family. I finally got the studio tidied up. Some furniture was moved around, some went to the garage and my favorite thrifted find came back in, a cool old table [I'll show you pictures later this week].

With the new table added to the studio, I now have a computer space and a sewing space separate from each other. I used to have to move the sewing stuff, while on the laptop and clear away all my papers and files when I wanted to sew. Sometimes it was just too much energy and I decided against sewing. Often I only had a few minutes anyways and didn't want to spend it shifting materials. It's so AWESOME to have a nice clear desk to sew whenever my work calls to me!

So, with all this new found space I had to work on a couple things! I've been making these mini houses for a few weeks now. Each one is stitched by hand, with lots of love. I've found that I can handsewn while schooling the kids, so when I finish one of these, I feel like I accomplished two things in the time of one-yay. As a mom of three young kids, this is rarely a feeling I have. I love the texture and little bits of other things sewn in. I hate throwing away fabric, even tiny bits, so these houses make me happy to see my little pieces made into something cool.

They can be hung on a wall [I recommend three in a row], used as an ornament or added to a shelf that needs a little fun. These few still needs their sides stitched up, but I wanted to show them off. I will have a small batch of them at the Independence Day show.

I have more "new goodies" to show off later this week. I've been working hard at a few new products and I'm really excited to show them off!

Keeping Busy!

"Work, work, work. You know mama, you don't always have to work. Sometimes you can just relax". Little Miss {M} tells me this all the time!

The problem isn't that I don't like working, rather I don't have enough time in a day. If I'm feeling creative, I'm feeling creative. It's hard to turn off! If a day goes by and I have not made anything it's hard for me to fall asleep that night. I've been know to get out of bed just to make a little something, to ease my nerves. At any given time, I have 1,001 projects dancing in my head-some of them need to get out.

I've taken to hand sewing while the bigger kids do some of their school work during the day. I started a new line of really cool....well, you'll have to wait and see what they are. It's awesome because I can still do some work while homeschooling the kids. Don't get me wrong, they have plenty of my attention, but I can fit in a little here & there while they are drawing or eating lunch.

It feels good being a good mom, and still getting to create!

We found this cool old children's school desk at a yard sale the Saturday before we started classes. It was like it was waiting for us to find him! Beckoning-haha. At only $8, it was a steal. {D} has used it every single day.

The baby even likes to sit at it in the morning, drinking his milk. It's so cute, and so unnerving at the same time. Every time I look up and catch him sitting there, I realize how quickly the time will pass and he really will be sitting there-waiting to learn. Pencil and paper in his hand rather than a sippy cup. Yes, very unnerving to this mama! It seems like yesterday that the bigger kids were toddling through the house and now they are learning to read.

Summer

With the end of the summer drawing near, I find myself a little sad this year. It's totally abnormal for me! Usually, I cannot wait for the fresh, crispness of Fall to arrive. [my favorite season of all!] I'd trade scarves & snuggly hats for bathing suits anytime [especially after my post-baby body!] The cool breezes, falling leaves, pumpkins and harvest=wonderful!

This year things are different. Things will never be the same again. Why, you ask??
{D} is starting school! The end of summer has suddenly taken on new meaning. Suddenly it's sounding so very "official". It's not really going to change too much, as we have decided to homeschool, at least for the next few years, but the sentiment is there. The kids are growing up, and things are changing. Normal people welcome change, I run away kicking & screaming. On one hand, I'm super excited, on the other I want my babies to stay....well babies.

We have our curriculum together, notebooks and pencils have been purchased. Mama has a surprise set of book bags in the works for both {D} & {M}. All I need is the strength to let my babies grow up.

Any homeschooling pro's have tips for me?