Tuesday, June 19, 2012

VBS

I wanted her to enjoy VBS.

I wanted her to make crafts, eat cookies, play games, make friends.

She wanted the same thing, I think.

But it was too much to handle and Tuesday evening, we got a call from the church.

She was crying. They didn't know why. She wanted to come home.

We rushed to get her.

She said she was thirsty, there were too many people, it was too loud.

I wanted her to have a great week.

I wanted her to make good memories.

I wanted her to enjoy VBS.

It's just a little thing. It is mild, in comparison.

We could be dealing with much worse.

But it still makes this mama's heart sad, somtimes.


Thursday, June 14, 2012

Books: Where We Go, What We Do Part 5

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"The more that you read, the more things you will know.
The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."


Dr. Seuss


Bailey had a check-up today. The doctor went through his list of questions -

"How is she doing in school?"
"Does she eat plenty of vevatables?"
"Does she get at lest 8 hours of sleep a night?"
"What are her hobbies?"


I rattled off answers and everything was status quo until he asked, "On average, how many hours of TV does she watch in a day?"
"Less than an hour." I honestly answered.
He looked at me over his glasses.
"Really?"
"On average, yes."
I'm not sure he believed me, but I answered honestly.


Bailey and Zack watch very little TV. They spend much more time reading books than watching TV. Out of curiosity, I timed Zack one day last week. He sat and read a book for 1 hour and 45 minutes before he decided to go outside to play. Later, he came back in and read more. He didn't watch TV at all that day.


I started reading to Bailey and Zack when they were infants. We had Bailey for less than 24 hours when I cuddled up on the hotel bed and read "Goodnight Moon" to her for the first time. Zack learned to read at the age of 3. Reading is part of who they are.


We have a wall of bookshleves in our school room. When the house is quiet, I can usally find one of them curled up on a beanbag chair in front of those shelves, reading.


We make frequent trips to the library. Bailey and Zack have their own library cards, which are treasures. This increases the number of books we can check out and they feel very grown-up, going to the counter with their stack of books and checking them out with their very own library cards! We go to the library at least once a week and come home with stacks and stacks of new books to read. It is pure joy!


When Zacky was 6 years old, he saw Kris sitting with a book. "What are you doing, Daddy?"


"Reading."


"No you're not. You're not saying anything."


Zack was used to be read to by Dad. He couldn't figure out how Dad could read without reading out loud!


Kris reads to the kids every night. I read to them every morning. In between times they read to themselves or even to each other! This morning, they were sitting on the couch. Zack was listening as Bailey read him a book.


We are a reading family!



Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Nature: Where We Go, What We Do Part 4

We sit in the mud ..... and reach for the stars.
Ivan Turgenev


We are outdoor-sy people. Like everyone else, I enjoy a nice restaurant and hotel, but I also love sleeping in a tent and cooking over a fire. I know not every one enjoys these things and that's OK. To each his own. But I do think nature is an important part of children's lives. I've posted about this before, so I will stay off my soapbox for now.


Kris and I have always loved camping and hiking. The rougher, the farther away from civilization, the better. One of our favorite camping spots is an hour away from pavement and 2 hours away from the nearest little town. It is paradise. 



When we had children, though, we started camping and hiking in "tamer" areas that are closer to civilization. We learned it doesn't have to be so extreme to be fun! (It is funny, though, that our closest run-in with a bear was in one of these "tamer" areas. A large black bear crept within 3 feet of a sleeping Zacky. Kris quickly scared the bear away, but my heart has still not completely recovered from that incident!) 



We have gone tent camping, hiking, fishing, jeeping, and gold-panning. I think we have successfully instilled a love of nature in our children. A few months ago, we made a trip to Dallas. We visited Lego Land, The American Girl Store, The Rain Forest Cafe, The Sea Life Aquarium, The Science and Natural History Museum, ice skated at the Galleria, shopped at the Lego Store, toured the Texas Motor Speedway . . . . .  The kids had a blast, but on the way home I overheard a conversation that included the statement: Dallas was fun, but the mountains are better.


Camping is such an amazing family adventure, but if staying overnight in a tent is intimidating, then take your children on a hike. It's a great way to enjoy the outdoors and you can sleep in a real bed when the day is done! Our first family hike, we "wore" Bailey and Zack in baby backpacks. They had so much fun, grasping at leaves as we hiked by trees. Thankfully, they are now able to walk on their own and enjoy longer hikes. Zack calls it "adventuring" and I can't think of a better name for it.


Time is a huge factor when it comes to camping and hiking. If you do not have an entire day to devote to nature, then it is time to figure out ways to enjoy the great outdoors in your own area and even your own backyard.





As I have said before, our backyard is tiny. But we are making the most of it with a small vegetable patch, butterfly garden, bird feeders, tree house, rock garden, and dirt box. We also have logs and stumps scattered around for climbing and a water barrel just for fun.

We go on family bike rides in the mornings or evenings and play basketball on the driveway. Sidewalk chalk is another necessity at our house as well as water balloons and bubbles. Nature Scavenger Hunts are fun, too. We have a handy dandy bandanna version called "Nature Quest".


Our children keep nature journals. This is another excellent way to enjoy nature! We grab our journals, a nice quilt, some colored pencils, binoculars, a magnifying glass, and nature guidebooks and we are set for a fantastic afternoon of nature! I keep these things together in a big bag, so when the mood strikes, we do not have to waste time gathering our supplies. Sometimes we take our nature bag and go exploring. Other times, we just sit in our front yard. There is something special about sitting on my grandmothers quilt, sketching blue jays with my children.




Never underestimate the joy of being outdoors after dark! Flashlights, a small telescope, and star guides are in our arsenal of nature tools. We also have a fire pit and keep marshmallows on hand for impromptu "campfires" in the front yard.

I am always scouring book stores for nature guides. I want my children to enjoy nature and also become knowledgeable about plants and wildlife. We enjoy basic guide books and we also love The Bumper Book of Nature: A Users Guide to the Great Outdoors. It is one of my favorite books of all time! It is a basic "how-to" guide for enjoying nature with children. It includes instructions for outdoor activities year-round.  The Dangerous Book for Boys  has directions for several nature activities, as well. If you are feeling adventurous, then you need to read Extreme Kids. It covers everything from kite boarding to rock climbing!


Mark Jenkins, columnist for Outside magazine said, "You want your kids to have character, confidence, and courage, then banish Xbox, Nintendo, and Game Boy and take them on an adventure!"

I couldn't agree more.