We Caught our Second Wind!

Boy, I must say 2013 was a tough year. I know I've said this before, but I really over-pushed my limits. 

I'm glad to say goodbye...

I had a nice, well-needed rest from it all. The holidays were very lovely and joyful.

 Now I'm ready to roll into the New Year

...like a boss!

{K} had his first basketball game last weekend and he did so well!!

We were THOSE parents yelling so loudly and over-doing it with cheers for ever bucket his team sunk...

Back to schooling...

I'm really looking forward to the last half of the year with the kiddos. I realize that even on the days when we don't seem to get anything accomplished , the children are still progressing at a rapid pace! 

I love love love being able to organize their curriculum. I also love the freedom that homeschooling gives us. 

Lately, I've been having to skip through lessons because I keep getting the response, "I already know this"...

I make them prove it every time, sure enough, we skip even more lessons....

I feel like that is something we struggled with a bit in public school, especially with the oldest...

Even if he knew it, he was still required to do it again. Don't get me wrong, repetition is very important for some things, but there is a point where boredom gets the best of us and does more than cause a little trouble.

I was looking through the pics in my camera and I was laughing so hard at the silly face poses...

         ^that's {J}'s silly face...ha!

My children really take their silly faces seriously. They give 100% effort in making a silly face, it almost looks painful...

So yeah, we've caught our second wind and are feeling like we're cruising right along merrily. 

We haven't been very social, but when the weather gets a bit nicer we'll be out more.

We're also looking for good book recommendations for {M}. She's read so many books already, but here's what she has left on her reading list for the rest of the year:

• The Phantom Toll Booth
• The Great Gilly Hopkins
• Because Of Winn-Dixie
• The Whipping Boy
• Caddie Woodlawn
• Anne of Green Gables
• Tuck Everlasting
• Sounder
• The Last Invisible Boy
• James and The Giant Peach
• Pippi Longstocking

Do you have any other awesome books around the same reading level that you highly recommend?

God Bless all of you and yours!

~The Zeres

Doubtful...

Do you ever have those days {or weeks if your like me} when you are so doubtful?

All of the doubt that I muster is painful and unfortunate, as well as a joy-busting WASTE of time. Knowing the aforementioned, I do it anyway. 

I find myself doubting my parental achievements more than anything else. Some days I just feel like a terrible failure in the parental department and I get really hard on myself.

My friends, co-workers, and especially my husband always remind me how great of a Mom they think I am...I really really need to hear that. A lot. I am an affirmation addict. No, really I am. This is something I've learned about myself lately.

I get really sensitive when my kids do something wrong. I usually blame myself. Sometimes I just laugh it away, but other times I dwell and analyse and analyse and...you get the point. After I get so sick of analysing I accept and move on...phew! {Boy, what a waste of time and energy}

Right on my bathroom sink I keep a framed, subway art scripture that says:

{ "Trust in the Lord with all your heart & lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowlege Him & He will make your paths staight."
--Proverbs 3:5-6 }

It's funny how things work. I see this everyday, but today I really saw it.

This is God's way of telling me how to handle doubt...
Thank You Lord!

I have some pictures to share, but don't judge my parental abilities based on my lil' dare-angel...

Put it this way, we're just "rough around the edges"...

Wait for it...

Ok, hold your breath...

We're the Zeres, we come as we are and and we're "wide open"

"There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills."

--Buddha