Motivating a Boy to Work

My youngest has a passion for science.

He loves to do experiments. 

Actually he begs for them and I use them as bribes so he finishes the rest of his school.

He wasn’t sure about learning to play piano.  He thought drums were more his style.  We didn’t have drums but we have a piano. 

He does it because he knows that he can be loud.

I can’t say a word since I convinced him to learn.

I think we need to work more field trips in because when we visited our state capital building this past Saturday he really enjoyed learning about our state’s history. 

I think the zoo would be fun next! 

It is a challenging thing to keep a almost 9 year old boy focused on learning. 

He literally escaped the house 3 or 4 times this morning to go run around the yard.  It happened each time I turned to help his sisters.  I have learned not to get upset because he truly just wants to move.  Sometimes to help him to focus I just have him run up and down the stairs singing a fun song.  It helps. 

He’s not ADD, he’s just a boy that has boundless energy. 

I love getting to stay home with him and challenge him each day.

Sweet girl, growing girl

Can some one tell me how my girl has grown up so quickly?

Smart Spring Meal Planning

The thermometer is inching up. 

We might(maybe hopefully) have had our last frost. 

I am thinking about fresh fruits & vegetables more to round out our main dishes. 

Planting the garden is sounding more like reality than fantasy.

When I want to be outside more I find that I am not as creative or happy about being in the kitchen.  I want to spend my days digging, planting, raking, clipping & all sorts of fun things like that.  So what is a momma to do?  The troops still need to be fed.  I have two choices & I plan to use them both!

1.  Delegate—I learned this winter what wonderful cooks my girls can be.  They know how to cook but for some reason this job seems to fall to me.

Sure they set the table & get the drinks when I ask but the bulk of the cooking seems to fall on me.   After the first of May this will change.   My goals is to have some assigned meal times so I can have a meal(or day—gasp!) off.  This will gain me some “outside” time.  It also allows my girls to get in some more practice in the kitchen & they can expand their list of recipes they feel confident fixing! 

2.  Plan—this choice is two-fold

• Choose meals that can be thrown in the crock pot & forgotten until it is time to eat.  I love my crockpot & use it several times a week.

Pirates Stew

BBQ Meatballs

Turkey in a Pot

• Choose meals that can be put together in a short time or that be prepped ahead of time.

Chicken Quesidillas

Tacos

Baked Potatoes(set the oven timer)

Freezer Meals

SALADS!!!!  We love lettuce & pasta salads.  Find a favorite & don’t be afraid to have it every week! 

Now I am off to write up my meal plans for the next couple of weeks to make this happen.  Let me know by commenting, if this is a help or you have any other great quick ideas for getting food on the table at this time of year.

10 Things I have to buy in the spring

It has been so nice outside lately.  We often get a ton of rain early in spring but it hasn’t happened yet so I’ve been out of the house more & I am so thankful.  It has eased the cabin fever for all of us.  A friend and I even have been walking a couple of times at the park!  The change of seasons really makes me happy!

1.  Strawberries—they are so much cheaper now.  I love fresh strawberries.  It is like the smell of fresh cut grass.  It makes me think of SPRING!

2.  Jeans—why does it seem my kids all out grow their jeans about 2 weeks before we start wearing shorts full time.  ARG!

3.  Seeds—I love the thought of planting things.  This is the first year that we’ve gotten started this early.  Thank you God for the warmer weather & sunshine without a ton of rain(yet)

4.  Salad—We eat a lot of salad.  It can be hard in the winter to “want” salad.  Too cold and it just doesn’t seem as natural as in the spring.  I love lighter salad type food as it gets warmer!  We planted seeds just last week so soon we can go out & pick our lettuce!  Yum

5.  Plants—Joshua and I wandered around a plant nursery this morning while we waited for the fish store to open.  We were both SO excited about planting our garden.  I was sad that I am not quite ready to buy plants.  Soon very soon!

6.  Flip flops—I don’t personally wear them but my kids love them!  They some how don’t fit in the ones from last year.  Or they have a strap that is broken or one is missing.

7.  Birthday presents!  Joshua will be another year older in a few weeks.  His birthday will be here before we know it!  My youngest can’t really be that old can he?

8.  Shorts—it seems like I can’t ever find shorts that I like.  I am thinking about cutting off my jeans from this winter and using those.  With all the “extra” movement I am getting this spring compared to last spring I plan to be a few pounds lighter by fall so I won’t need these jeans.  I guess I just solved my problem.

9.  T-shirts-It seems I am continually on the look out for a favorite t-shirt.  I have a couple but they are getting pretty old and holey.  I wear those around home but need a new nice one to work in to the rotation.

10.  Curriculum—okay I usually buy it in the summer but I start THINKING about it in the spring.  School is finishing up in the next month or two so I am mentally getting geared up for next year.  After a nice break for a few weeks this summer.

Spring has Sprung!

I am seeing the evidence that winter has lost it’s hold!  Now I am not ready to go to the pool but I do believe that spring has arrived!  Here is what I’ve seen over the last couple of days.

1.  I keep thinking about what I can plant in my garden—haven’t tilled it yet though

2.  Daffodil’s are in full bloom(hmmm need to rake around them)

3.  Boxes of clothes are everywhere because it isn’t warm enough to completely put away the winter stuff—arg!

4.  The grass is SO green.

5.  I hung out my laundry for the first time this year.

6.  We are reaching the last 1/3 of our books for school!  Oh yeah!

7.  Bible Quizzing Nationals is almost here.

8.  I have gotten to go on 2 walks in the last week at the park.

9.  On Sunday I was in a skirt instead of pants(I hate being cold)

10.  My sandals have come out from the back of the closet.

All these things are making me super thankful for the warmer temperatures & sunshine.