Trying New Things

Perhaps nothing scares me more about being a SAHM than taking all my kids shopping. 

You've seen it before at the grocery store: Mom is trying to accomplish a simple task of getting food bought but her kid is crying, throwing a tantrum, running away, pulling stuff off the shelves or otherwise foiling her plans. When you have three kids, my thinking is that the chances of this happening are three times more likely. I may be wrong, but I have not been eager to test that hypothesis.  

Eventually this needed to be done and today was the day. I bribed the boys with promise of letting them each choose one fruit, whatever they wanted and we would eat it as soon as we got home. They were thrilled about this idea. I don't know if it was the free reign of the produce section or the immediacy of eating what they chose that was most exciting. Either way, they clearly felt it was a good incentive for them to use inside voices and stay close to me at the store. No doubt about it, I will be using this tactic again, possibly every time we go to the grocery store.

It was Tey who spotted the star fruit and asked what it was. I told him, and added the disclaimer that I had never had it before. With no hesitation, that was what he chose. Bean, who can be indecisive when faced with so many great choices for something new and usually relies on recommendations, also went along with this idea. 

At home we quickly devoured the two beautiful, juicy, not so sweet, super delicious star fruit, which left us wanting more. Even Mei-Mei, who is generally reluctant about new fruits (or any fruits for that matter), ate all that the boys were willing to share with her. Tey, in particular, was very generous with his. 

I'm so glad we were in a "trying new things" mood today. Because I finally dared taking all three kids to the store, now I am more confident about needing to do it again in the future. In addition, the kids dared to try a new fruit, it turned out to be AMAZING, and now will likely a new staple treat on our shopping list. As a new SAHM, these mini-accomplishments can really add up to help make this transition seem like it has more smooth spots than rough patches. I thrive on these moments.

Happy New Year!

I'm the kind of person who either wants to do something the best that I can or not at all. It's generally a good trait, but it also means that many things I should do go undone because it will never be as good as I want it too.

Not so, with our Annual New Year's Eve Party. We promote it as the Back Up Plan New Year's Eve Party: the place to be if you have no place else to be. It's all low key with everyone in their jammies (or otherwise comfy clothes) and a breakfast potluck and usually some random stuff tossed in. 

This year, Bean was convinced that he and Tey were putting on a Christmas show. Tey helped a little with the singing, thankfully with no fights between the two or bossing around by Bean. This is all I got of it because I was running out of memory and had to delete stuff first. I know, bad mommy!

He didn't practice this or memorize anything. I think it's precious that he's nervous and you can tell because he's stroking the microphone string. I'm so proud he took this challenge upon himself. Afterwards I realized that this was a great example of Charlotte Mason's narration at work (in this case, Bean retelling a story in his own words). I've been reading more and more about her method of teaching and it really fits well with our family and how we want to home school for the most part. 

Also new this year was a balloon drop that we did at 8pm for the kiddos for a fake count down. 

This morning Bo the boys and I had a really fun battle with all the balloons in the living room and I haven't laughed so hard in a while. They came up with a bunch of crazy rules based on the color of the balloon. I can't remember them all, I just wanted to thwack everyone. And I did!

From our family to yours, we wish you a very Happy New Year. 2012, bring it!

Food Guide Pyramid, You will be Ignored Today

Today we defied all rules and recommendations about using sugars and fats sparingly.

Our gingerbread house

Homemade Corndogs

Hush Puppies

Mei-Mei polished off her corndog, no hush puppies for you!

Good Enough

As much as possible I tried not to freak out over Christmas planning and execution this year. It's supposed to be joyous, right, not draining? So, there were several things that fell through the cracks or didn't go as planned and I tried to just let it go.

I did finally ordered our personalized matching repurposed wool stockings that I had my eye on since last year. Don't they look adorable?!

Well, I never got a chance to look for an additional coordinating stocking holder since Mei-Mei has been born. Nor did Bo or I fill each other's stockings. So we left ours off this year. The kids might help us fill next year cuz they were concerned that the grown ups didn't have any. My sweeties.

We're trying to encourage a love of nature in the kids, so I was able to order these awesome tree colored pencils, and these crayon holders also from Etsy so they could draw in their field journals. I was glad that I was able to find so many homemade gifts for the kids (better for the environment!). They loved them so much these were the things the chose to bring to grandma and grandpa's later. We also got them thermal underwear to brave the cold in nature this winter. 

BUT....NO FIELD JOURNALS. Despite it being my first idea as a gift to them, and the inspiration for all the other aforementioned gifts that we got them, my homemade field journals didn't get done. I got the paper and the covers from the I.D.E.A Store. Bo punched holes in the paper, but the covers were too thick. Because other stuff came up, we didn't have enough time to solve that problem so we didn't finish them yet. Hopefully later this week we'll have the field journals ready. 

Later this week, we might also put up our nativity too. The kids have just been playing with their magnetic one in the meantime. We might also put ornaments on the tree. If anything, maybe we'll just do the ones that tell important stories of our family cuz our tree is B-A-R-E!

And my kids NEVER all looked at the camera this Christmas. I probably shouldn't hold my breath that this is something we can accomplish next year either, huh?

Christmas Eve

Today was a bit busier cuz we had to (not really had to, but it was nice to) prep for church and Bo was playing in the band so he had to leave by 1pm. Luck would have it that Tey didn't nap and Mei didn't take her second nap. Really it was a miracle we were all ready and sane to get to church before 4pm and that I squeezed in a shower. MIRACLE!

Church was amazing. It was extremely worshipful and I really connected with our savior and celebrated his miraculous birth. I'm praying that my kids felt like they were worshipping too, cuz they rocked out their Christmas show! Tey is in the white collared shirt on the left and Bean is in the red checked collared shirt on the right.


Then we headed our for Chinese. My mom's side is Chinese, so no, we're not copying a Christmas Story. Chinese people each Chinese food on Christmas! This is 4 years know that our church family has joined us in continuing this tradition when my nuclear family is away from our extended biological family for the holidays (now with 3 kids, it's easier for us to meet up with my mom's side of the family over the summer).

It is tradition for us to do Christmas stockings on Christmas Eve. We're pretty practical when it comes to stuffing them. The kids got new toothbrushes, some flossers, toothpaste, a couple play animals, a small candy cane, a dreidel, a sticker sheet, and a small Heifer International bank to collect for that charity. 

What are your traditions for Christmas Eve?

Christmas Eve Eve

Yay! Friday! Finally, Bo was off from work and we had plenty of fun celebrating Christmas Eve Eve. I dunno what anyone else does regularly on this day, but we've got have a couple great new traditions in the making.

To start the morning off we all got bundled up and headed outside. I can't believe we were out there for about an hour and a half! Here we are seeing if we all touch hands and hug the tree. I'm thinking by springtime we can get Mei involved and it's a done deal.

We also needed to prep a bit for our contribution to the Christmas meal on Sunday. Bo took Bean to the grocery story and returned home with an impulse buy of crab legs. I'm not complaining :) (though they did freak me out at first when I was unloading the groceries). It was Bean's idea (can you tell how excited he is to eat ferocious crab legs) and Bo went along cuz they were on sale. Everyone is happy. Yum!

For one of the desserts that we are bringing to Christmas, Bo wanted to make the flourless chocolate cake that we used to be famous for. I mean really, you can never go wrong with something made of just eggs, butter, and chocolate! Here the boys are beating 9 eggs. Yes, that is the volume of just 9 eggs!

Tey, my little chef, learning the proper way to mix the eggs and chocolate to keep it frothy and light. The kid just loves to help in the kitchen.

Take a look at this: so good, you could just take a bite...of the cake, I mean. ;)

We wrapped the day up with "A Muppet Family Christmas." Seriously, it's THE best kid's secular Christmas movie ever. It has the Muppets, plus Sesame Street, plus Fraggle Rock. And they all sing. 'Nuff said.

I realized that last year when we watched this, Bean was also pants-less. Maybe this is a new tradition too! Not so sure how well that will go over when I they are teenagers. 

Doubt Creeps in

This has been a trying week. I know I have not been the best mom, wife, teacher, (insert all other roles I have). I had a new thought this week that I've never had before. Beyond a doubt, at least Bean needs to be homeschooled. But the doubt crept in about whether or not I am the best teacher for him.

Ugh. Doubt.

I'm feeling better about it now. Maybe this is usual to have confidence then lose it than gain it again. I got out of the practice of writing my positive reminders at the end of the day. I think I need to do that again. Or I might just blog them. I hope that by including that kind of stuff it does not come across as bragging. Really, I'm just trying to maintain my sanity, remind myself that homeschooling is the right choice for us, and that we are in fact making progress.

My biggest positive reminder for today is that Bean is writing AND drawing. After Bean wrote his "My Story" for his baptism, he has been more amenable to practice writing a little bit everyday. Also because he has tremendous respect for the Bible, that's where we started for regular handwriting practice. He did not at all complain or drag his feet when I first introduced the idea of having him copy verses, which he had done any other time he was asked to write something.

BTW, I'm sure you knew that in the middle ages, monks copied the Bible. But did you know that some were also warriors. We've been watching some videos about the middle ages, and that was a cool fact. Bean loves the idea of warriors, knights, fighting, etc. and some of them copied the Bible. Coolness!

Anyway, over the past two days, he has written Matthew 2:11. I can see how his handwriting has improved over the past couple weeks. More noticeable growth is in his attitude and willingness to write. Before I would describe it as "loathing." Now it is a daily practice, a non-issue.

Secondly, he drew of his own will. After reading a book on owls, he drew an elf owl and a great horned owl. The great horned owl is on an evergreen tree with prickly needles. 

When I think of where we were when we started homeschooling (absolutely no interest in writing, drawing, or anything that involved a writing implement), this is big.