Turning Off "The Growth Switch" - Collage Friday
Friday, November 16, 2012 at 5:00AM
When Anna was little my husband would reach behind her neck each night and turn off her "growth switch". He was always bewildered that God had turned it on by the next morning. It's turned into a ritual to turn off that switch on our children each night, but why doesn't it work?
This week I've been very nostalgic.
Maybe it is because my little guy's eighth birthday is approaching, or maybe it's because my oldest started phase one of braces.
Or, maybe it's because (while preparing for an all day field trip to a ranch) my son told me I didn't need to wear my tennis shoes because "you're getting too old to run around with the little kids". What?!?!
I'm getting more wrinkles and finding myself not among the "young moms" anyore. All this is fine - just entering a new stage of life, but like I said, it's making me nostalgic!
This seems like just yesterday:
Whatever the case, in the words of a dear friend, I am going to "savor, savor, savor". So, during a trip to Wal-Mart last Sunday Grant and I snapped pictures of ourselves and he suckered me into an Angry Birds shirt. You only live once!
I'm trying not to be The Drill Sergeant Mom, but old habits die hard. Reading a new book that came in the mail is helping me IMMENSELY, but I still need daily reminders to enjoy these moments, because all too soon they will be GONE.
I was a little worried our plans for Monday would be changed because Anna was recovering from not feeling well all weekend. I'm so thankful for my sister-in-law, who offered to let Anna spend the day with her while Grant and I went on our scheduled field trip. Anna was able to sew and enjoy her day, and Grant was able to spend the day at The Rock Ranch with me.
The kids learned all about what it was like to be a pioneer, from corn grinding to the Oregon Trail, to living in a log cabin. Probably the best thing about the day was the pure FUN all of the children had.
I was blessed to spend the drive to and from with a sweet friend of mine and her children. She and I talked at length about our faith and our children. Turns out later in the week we connected again and learned firsthand about GRACE and parenting. God's working on me, and He's sending me just the right people to help me on this journey.
Wednesday we took a slight interest led learning tangent. I got up in the morning and read on Twitter that it was Robert Louis Stevenson's birthday. I can't just let this kind of information pass by unnoticed. I read the kids his poem My Shadow, and then we listened to "Me and My Shadow" on YouTube. (I had forgotten how much I loved this song!)
I was going to leave it at that, but then we got to the library in the afternoon and sitting right on the top shelf was My Shadow. Perfect! We sat right there and read it (then checked it out, of course), then had fun making different shadows on the sidewalk as we left.
It was one of those I LOVE HOMESCHOOL moments.
We got home and the kids wanted to play more with their shadows outside, so I gave them a broom and a rake and had them work raking leaves at the same time.
This was such a simple and fun lesson. We read a little about Stevenson, then talked about the poem. The kids did this copywork (thank you Simply Charlotte Mason!). We analyzed the music and sang along a little.
In addition to our normal routine, the kids did a TON OF READING. I was also reading quite a bit, too.
- Grant's selection in Writing With Ease this week was Socks, by Beverly Cleary. We downloaded the book onto the iPad and he had fun reading it that way. What a cute book. He is thinking he might want this to be his literature fair book this year!
- Many pictures books came home from the library. One of the favorites was The Philharmonic Gets Dressed. It's such a simple book that has a huge appeal for kids.
- Another Crinkleroot book was read, too - Crinkleroot's Visit to Crinkle Cove.
- I am participating in the blog tour for LET.IT.GO. It's a fabulous book, and I'll be reviewing it and giving one away next week!
- Anna is getting more shy about being on the blog and that's fine. I want to respect her privacy. She finished the Inkheart series and started the Left Behind books this week.
- Our read aloud is The Great Turkey Walk. Oh my goodness! This is such a cute book, and it dovetails so nicely with our trip we just took out west. I think everyone in the family would say this was the favorite book of the week.
All in all we had a very productive week. It was a little off kilter because of people not feeling 100% healthy and orthodontist appointments, but I cannot complain.
Other events from the blog this week include:
(Click on the pictures to visit the post!)
Please join me for Collage Friday. Reading the posts from the bloggers that link up each week is a huge blessing to me! All I ask if that you grab the Collage Friday button (or text link back to this post) and display it in your post or on your blog. Then, sign the linky and visit others in the list to gain ideas and offer encouragement.
Reader Comments (17)
I love the comment that Grant made about you and your tennis shoes, sounds like something my Jonah my say! What a great rabbit trail you had with Robert Louis Stevenson's birthday, those are the days that we, and the kids, will really remember. Looking forward to hearing about the book Let it Go. Have a great weekend!!
I do wish there was a time-freezing button that worked. It seems like the days, weeks, and months fly by faster and faster each year! I see so many changes lately in my children that tell me they are getting older. Being able to help with chores and doing some of their schoolwork without me hovering is great, but other changes make me very nostalgic and also realize I need to be changing my parenting to match!
Great week, Mary. It is great to be able to be so flexible when kids aren't feeling great and still fit in some learning and great memories.
I hear you *sniff* I hear you. My two little ones both have big birthdays this month. Making me realize they aren't so little. But I love how you are embracing this new stage of parenting and homeschooling. Especially how you mentioned the 'pure fun' - oh how we all need doses of that, don't we? Lovely post.
I enjoy Robert Louis Stevenson's poetry because it's easy to understand and easy to read. The images he paints in the mind are simple, but bring back childhood.
Yay! I get to link up again!! Ahhh...between that 31 days series and the hurricane I feel like I have not blogged in forever!
I LOVE the growth switch--that is so cute!!
I am trying hard to savor, but my stupid perfectionism gets in the way. I am going to look at that book you recommended.
I know what you mean about the growth switch. I look at Keilee and she has grown up SO much just in one year. I can hardly believe it. All my life people have told me that 'life goes by so fast' but I think it takes having kids to truly understand it. The field trip to Rock Ranch looks awesome! I know you had a ball. We studied about Robert Louis Stevenson too this week. Gotta love Google. :) Thank you for hosting Mary and have a great weekend. Hugs
I've had so many moments lately where I look at my kids and think how grown up they are! And I had coffee with my daughter-in-law earlier this week. DAUGHTER-IN-LAW!!! And my niece turned THIRTY this week. {Anybody got a paper bag I can hyperventilate into?}
Anyway, I feel your pain. And yes, savor, savor, savor. It goes sooooo fast.
Fun learning and wonderful memories - two of my favorite reasons to homeschool! I think having that keen awareness that it is all slipping by too quickly helps me remember to stay in the moment, enjoying it all.(or at least trying to, even after I momentarily fail at it) My oldest finished the Left Behind series (teen version) and my oldest daughter is partway through them. Now, her younger sister just started with book 1 this week. I love how they have started recommending books to one another.
They DO grow up way too fast! As my youngest was snuggling in bed with me this morning, I was thinking about how he's almost 8 (in February) and soon these mornings won't be happening. :( I will miss them! In the meantime, I'll take them when I can get them!
Kids do grow up too fast! {sigh} My oldest will be 36 next month! I was always the youngest mom in the group back when he was little, now I'm always the oldest mom in the group. My youngest son will be 11 in February! Have a great weekend, Mary!!
Another good week, even with the orthodontist and everyone not being at their best. I hope the braces go well for Anna and don't give her too much trouble.
We have those nostalgic times here too. We feel like everything rushes by so fast too. Anytime we miss something or she noticeably grows, it feels so final and like we have lost something since our daughter is an only child.
I love that you were able to take a day to just study Robert Louis Stevenson, and even got some yard work completed.
Have a great weekend.
What a great week, Mary. Nolan loved the book Socks - we did a lot of giggling over that kitty's antics!
Great post! They do grow up to quick. The field trip looks awesome. I hope to get back to those in a few weeks.
Blessings, Dawn
Thanks for Collage Fridays, Mary! It's a great idea and so nice of you to share your blog with us:)
A growth switch would be so wonderful...to stop time for just a little while sometimes. Looks like a great week. I hope the braces go well for Anna. As you know, both of our girls are dealing with them right now. Certainly not a fun process, but hopefully worth it. The book you are going to review sounds like a good one. I'll be waiting to read what you think.
I tell my kids I'm going to put a brick on their heads to make them stop growing. :)
Thanks once again for hosting such a fun link-up. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!
Blessings,
Nikki
P.S. I will be ordering "The Core" by Bortins soon. I'm just waiting on my email from swagbucks saying my amazon giftcard is ready!
You are such, such, SUCH a good Mama, Mary! Oh, I hope we can meet up one day...