Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Dioramas, fairies, immunizations, and self control...

None of these are specifically related in any way other than...it's what we've been doing around here!
We could get analytical and make them all related, but for my brain's sake I'm on an analytical sabbatical...just for a few minutes anyway...

It's one those days that started out...humpf...crazy!
{J} got his first immunizations today to boot! Yes, first. Yes, he's 6 months old, but we are on an alternative schedule due to "vaccination anxiety disorder"...no, not Jude...that'd be me.



 I FEAR FEAR FEAR the  big pharma companies {look at those big scary orange bandages}. As it is, our pediatrician is worse than a car salesman. She's a VERY sweet lady, but she's always trying to give us a prescription for something, anything, take it , take it!

{It's funny to see the succession of the following pictures...I put the hat on (he's still happy), I wait a minute (he feels the hat...not sure what to think), I wait another minute (he hates it and gets mad)}





{M} had a diorama project for school. They are learning about the Native Americans...the rules were that she could only use construction paper, glue, and scissors.
Seriously?
That means no drawing faces, fishing pole line, or blades of grass.
Ok, for {M} this was no problem, she worked very patiently...I just had to show you what she came up with...






These pictures do no justice to the detail she put into these things. The first one {Powatan} has a moving canoe carrying a fisherman, a hunter with a bow and arrow, and an antelope (or whatever it is) actually turning it's head around and looking back at the hunter.
The second one {Pueblo} has a movable man climbing up and down the building structure, a bouncing bunny, and a 3D sun. When she brought it home I said "Oh look! You built a moving river...cool!"
{M} responded, "No Mom, that's an irrigation system"...ha!


Onto fairies...
I was a little skeptical about this "friends of fairies club" that I told my girls about.
I once knew this Mom who told me that she believed in fairies. She went on saying that she can't believe that so many people could believe in Jesus Christ, but neglect to understand the fairy world that has been destroyed by ignorant humans...
I AM NOT KIDDING!!!! TRUE STORY!
So since that day I figured I'd better be leery of any "fairy clubs" you never know...crazy!!!



This fairy club was pretty cute...no crazies, just crafts, stories, fairy-ccino {hot chocolate} and fancy sugar cookies. Fairy fun!


I've had my nose in a bunch of parenting books lately {mostly Christian based}.
I've decided that self-control is worth some major attention in this house. We have frequent whining, yelling, fighting, and arguing...grrrr enough to make a Mom use her angry voice.


We've been reminding our children the importance of honoring their parents.

"Honor your father and mother which is the first commandment with a promise ~so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth". -Ephesians 6:2-3

I cannot  stress enough how well my misbehaving children respond to me asking "are you honoring your Father and Mother right now?" or with whining "Are you practicing self control right now?"

I've also been using the "rod" and "reproof" and am constantly practicing self control myself...

I can't very well come stomping at my children yelling, "Are you practicing self control" without even moving my jaw {my children know that when I talk through my teeth, I'm pretty angry}Even though it sounds absurd to request self control from my children while practicing out-of-control-ness...I do it...

...I'm working on this...self control...


So, I've been spanking ("rod") and "try it again, but the right way this time" ("reproof")

I know in a society where spanking is taboo and where children are the authority...it's not what will be practiced in the Zere household. Why? Because God told us so...

Sincerly yours,

Saturday, January 14, 2012

The New Year...

The New Year has brought us many blessings...
We've had lots of family time and sunshine...



One of our favorite places to go...
The book store.
We love books!
I don't think I could ever own an electronic reading device...sorry Nook and Kindle fans...I'm not on your bandwagon. Nope...you'll find me laying somewhere off the beaten path with my nose in a book full of coffee-stained pages...



Daddy and our children are the same way...




I am loving this weather!! I will say that I miss the snow {outside my window}, but I am so happy with the sunshine and this Va. winter. I am so happy to be able to bring the family into the woods {including the baby...this time of year...oh yeah!}



I've taken a little break from all my projects {including The Mom Spot Of Tea}. I am so grateful for all of my devoted followers...thank you thank you thank you! I'm only taking a little break, just need to slow down and focus...


I had so many "plans" for the New Year...
I started out with the idea that I would start a 21 day "Daniel Fast". It was a great attempt, but I abandoned it three days into the New Year.  I was feeling so much guilt about this...
I found myself searching through every forum...desperate to find some kind of "fasting exemption" for nursing mothers...anything to relieve this burden of guilt. Then after much praying...
I heard His little voice "I never asked this of you in the first place".


I have been very serious about this "back to the basics" kick that I'm on. We have been reading the Little House on the Prairie books and I've been questioning my ability to survive in THAT time period. I want to go back and learn all the basics. This past week I mastered bread-making. Something that I've struggled with for a bit. I've NEVER made a tasty loaf of bread before {sad but true}...until now...


My next "basic" is knitting, then in the spring it's full speed ahead into the garden...



I think this spring I'm also going to learn about foraging. It's something I've been so interested in. One of my best friends {who we live too far away from now....sniff sniff} mentioned that she was really getting into edible wild plants in our last phone conversation. It really motivated me to revisit my interest in foraging ...



I should also mention that I'm applying "back to the basics" to my parenting techniques as well. I've really been searching for and studying "parenting advice" from the bible. God has given us everything we need, we just have to be willing to seek!


This New Year is going to be a good one. I've already learned soooooo much ! I have so many goals to work toward and lists of lessons to be learned...Happy New to you all!



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