Monday Meanderings - Feb. 25

Bible Study... Lent study that I'm reading on my own in the morning

Memory Verse... 2 Cor. 7:1

"...let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates the body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."

Husband Encouragement...
♥ Quality time evening activities.  This is more for me. But if it's a need of mine then I need to take more initiative with it and make suggestions.

Train Them Up...

* We just started a new mealtime routine: name place cards that get rotated around each meal (by me) and each child has a designated meal to prepare the table for.  Carter is breakfast because it's the easiest number of dishes. Hannah is lunch time because usually Eli is gone at school. And Eli is dinner time.  And AFTER dinner I want to get back to family cleanup routine. EVERYONE helps put things away or load dishwasher.

* Reading with Hannah.  I'm so excited she got so many books for her birthday! We are currently reading Ballet Shoes.  

* Homework for all in the afternoon so it can be quiet for Eli.
* I have been doing my morning Bible reading from 6-6:45am but I have sometimes been getting some early risers during that time. So I'm having them get out their story Bibles and have quiet "reading" as well.
* I'm starting a secret journal for Eli in which the two of us can write notes back and forth to each other.  Trying to find a fun and special way to connect with him. Not because he's the school boy but because that's just something I struggle with with him.

Personal Goals...

* daily ab workout

* morning Bible reading (going well lately!!)

* FB??  still just do NOT know what to do with this???

New Habit of the Month...  {february}
>> chore chart.  I've been doing pretty well!  My LEAST favorite part of the week is erasing all my cross-outs of chores done and having to start all over the beginning of the week.  =S

MUST Do... 

* MOPS newsletter contribution

* starting preparing for next MOPS meeting, so I'm not as rushed come meeting week
* stop at bank

* take load of cardboard to recycling
* birthday thank you's

Zone(s)... getting rid of toys (for garage sale), clothes (for garage sale), and candy (donate to church youth group)!

Menu - 

M - roast and veggies, homemade bread

T - hawaiian meatballs

W - dinner out since I have music practice before AWANA

Th - breakfast casserole

F - marriage conference

S -  chili hot dogs, chips, fruit

Su - TBD

FUN THINGS!

* marriage conference next weekend-- Friday night and all day saturday! anxious to see how we'll learn and grow!

3 things I'm thankful for today...

1. progress of the attic. exciting stuff.

2. friends. for various reasons my heart is happy.

3.  hubby.  is so generous and takes care of kids whenever needed without ever complaining.  yes, even though I know they're his OWN kids, I still appreciate it so much.  =) 

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 130

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;

O Lord, hear my voice.

Let your ears be attentive

to my cry for mercy.

If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, 

O Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness;

therefore you are feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

and in his word I put my hope.

My soul waits for the Lord

more than watchmen wait for the morning,

more than watchmen wait for the morning.

O Israel, put your hope in the Lord,

for with the Lord is unfailing love

and with him is full redeption.

He himself will redeem Israel

from all their sins.

Quiet Time Book

I was trying to make this for Carter for Christmas. But it wasn't quite done then so I made it for his (January) birthday instead.  Even still I didn't have one of the pages done (or started even) so I just left it out and called it done!  =)

I'm not sure I'd seen these books until Pinterest. I got a lot/all of these great ideas from there. And while I say this book was for Carter, it's actually for all of the kids, with specific pages in mind for specific children. (Carter's learning shapes and counting, Eli is into weaving, and Hannah is into braiding). I wanted each page to PLAYable, not just lookable. So here it is:

I struggled to come up with a title for it! I didn't want to call it Quiet Time Book because then it sounds like it's a book about Time.  =)  So I went with this...

Counting/patterns  and shape matching

 

buttons--mixing the colors around on the flower tops. they can store in the flower pot

 

Mr. (and Mrs.) Potato Head page.  All sorts of different pieces, but here are a couple varieties.

 

Weaving and braiding pages

 And Eli was just being silly with this one:

 Before this project, I didn't really know you could sew felt, I didn't know how to make button holes on my sewing machine, and I didn't know how to install eyelets.  Now I do.  It was all pretty easy, just time consuming.  Fun overall though, and I hope it's something quiet the kids can all enjoy!

What does it mean to Love?

Here are a few questions about love and marriage that I can't wait to ask my kids this week.  Would love to know what their perceptions are as they age through the years...  =) 

Download printable HERE.