Merry Christmas to all!

Well, goodness, I kind of dropped off the face of the earth, now haven't I?
I can say we've been busy, but that's not really a (good) reason. Frankly, I've been exhausted! I'm sleeping late in the morning, with a nap most days, and a general mind fog most of the rest of the time. Sometimes, your body (my body) just needs a break from the normal operating procedures, and my body has decided to do that this month. Kind of a bummer, but there we are.
We've all been looking forward to Christmas, though - I don't think anything would stop that. Our gifts are bought and wrapped, house decorated, and Christmas plans ready to be enacted. We are going to be travelling to NJ tomorrow night to spend some time with my family, visit friends in MD and enjoy a break. I get to eat a Christmas dinner that I don't have to cook, hang out with my family and watch them spoil my kids. And when it all gets a little nutso, Toby and I will visit MA for a couple of nights, staying with more folks who will probably spoil us and let Toby preach at their church.
I'll be honest, I'm not looking forward to all the driving. We're looking at a 12-hour trip - blech. We'll be doing the driving at night, which should minimize the need for stops, as well as miss a lot of traffic and cranky kids. But still...I'm in faith that it'll be worth it in the end, and in hope that God will allow us a safe and uneventful trip.
We'll be heading back to KY and college early in the New Year, so until then...
Have a very Merry Christmas and a most Happy New Year from the Gayners!

Week, Interrupted

Wow, what a big bust last week was!

About halfway through Monday, I started feeling tired, achy and heady. Off to bed I went, and there I stayed, off and on, until yesterday afternoon.

We managed to continue with school through the morning, but I was committed to staving the early stages of a head cold as much as possible, so I was determined to rest when I could.

Tuesday night came and went, having to miss my monthly ladies' meeting. They carried on without me, soldiering through, though I know it must have been difficult. ahem

Thursday was interesting, as Dan got up from a nap, gave me a hug, and promptly vomited on the floor next to me (at least not on me). The next 18 hours saw a mild D&V bug course through his little body, but he was still fairly merry through the whole thing.

Thursday night, Toby got hit with the D&V, too, and he got it bad. He was able to make it to class the next day, though, staying well away from everyone - at this point, there was nothing left to get rid of, poor guy.

Friday night, Ellie woke us around 2am to tell us Abi was calling us. Fortunately she'd made it to the bathroom in time, but she was in a bad way. And how did her caring, sympathetic mother comfort her? By tying her hair back, patting her head and running for the other bathroom, leaving Daddy to sort her out. Not that anyone actually likes when people get sick, but I can normally handle it. This time, not so much. I spent almost a half hour in my bathroom, waiting for my stomach to settle or get rid of dinner. I didn't actually get sick, but it was an uneasy night after that, I can tell you.

Saturday saw Abi, Anna, and I all in bed, sleeping with bowls nearby and fighting nausea, while Toby and the others played/shoveled snow outside. I missed the Pastor's Wives Tea, which was so disappointing, but I was still able to enjoy some of the lovely goodies that were brought home. I was especially blessed by letters from some friends from home - so encouraging!

We were planning on missing church on Sunday anyway, not wanting to share any lingering contagion, but church wound up being cancelled anyway. It was fairly quiet, everyone testing their bellies to see what they could handle (I think it was my neighbor's chili that finally cured me!). More playing in the snow, watching movies, and practicing at feeling human again.

So, here we are. I think we're all soundly back in health now, and praying we remain so for the remainder of the year - we have big holiday plans to look forward to!

Kentucy Science Center

We had a free morning on Saturday, so we decided to make the most of some free passes to the Kentucky Science Center. It was good fun!

 A Gayner family top-tip: Whenever we go out together for the day, I take a "security" photo when we arrive. That way, if I lose anyone (and that hasn't happened yet!), I have an up-to-date photo of what they look like and what they are wearing. Clever, right?

 I think most places like this have the "kid in a bubble" display, but it never really gets old. Not for this crew, anyway. Everyone had a turn, though I don't think the bubble got higher than their knees.

 They had a great KidZone area, complete with "Baby Crater". There was also the obligatory wet area, which was, of course, a big hit. I think everyone's favorite, though, was watching a demonstration called the "Bubble Explosion", which involved throwing soapy water into liquid nitrogen. Who isn't going to get excited at the words "bubble" and "explosion" used together in a sentence? It was pretty cool!

They also had an interesting display of vintage hats. The hats were interesting on their own, but more interesting was the placement of the display - clearly they have a "eclectic" section, because the hats were in a room that also featured a mummy and her history, and a couple of polar bears. Why not, right?

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

The day after Thanksgiving...For most it probably means shopping, and maybe some extended rest time, especially if you joined the madness at 2am. For us, it's been a time for tidying up a messy kitchen, catching up on some neglected chores (laundry, ahem) and chilling. And studying, for Toby.

 

We had a great time yesterday. We watched some of the parade in the morning, though it was the Philly parade, since they're the only ones who will stream things online. The kids were baffled at why they kept singing Christmas songs and "doing Christmas-y things" when it's only Thanksgiving. Good question, really.

 

I pottered around in the kitchen with some ham and parsnips to keep me company. Since about 5 for so families had planned to meet up for Thanksgiving dinner, we all took responsibility for different parts - I made honey mustard parsnips and ham to share. Interestingly, most folks had never had a parsnip before and weren't really sure what it was. Granted, I didn't exactly grow up eating them either. I'm not sure how everyone felt about them - I know people ate them, and I didn't see anyone gagging on them, so I'll take that to be a good sign. The ham was okay, but not great. The funny thing about the ham is that Toby bought a 7lb piece of meat, which we decided probably wouldn't be enough, so he bought a second, equally-sized joint. Out of the 14lbs of meat we brought, I figure we all ate about 5lbs of it - needless to say, we'll be eating ham-based leftovers for a little while.

 

When we all got home, we were so very tired! I'm not really sure what was so taxing, but the little kids were in bed by 7pm, and the big ones followed a half hour later. The girls took books to bed, but no one really complained about an early night. Poor Toby - as soon as we walked in the door, he crashed. He'd been fighting a runny nose and some congestion all day, so by the evening, he was done. It was good, however, to get a very good night's sleep.

 

Here's to a restful and enjoyable holiday weekend, for one and all!

Tradtions

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. (Newsflash, right?)

I figure most families have their own traditions they observe around Thanksgiving.  I suspect most families feature food, football, and the Macys Parade in there somewhere. Because we spent our first 9 Thanksgivings in a country that doesn't observe this particular holiday, our traditions were basically limited to a turkey dinner when Toby got home from work. When we moved to the US, we had some more options regarding how we'd like to celebrate this particular holiday, but not a whole lot of ingenuity. Over the past few years, we've started including a few things that would help us find some middle ground between crazed crafting excess and total inertia. Things like:

• Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember by Barbara Rainey. I don't remember where we got this book and CD from, but it's been such a blessing. The artwork in the book is lovely, and the narrator on the CD is excellent. I don't know about you but the reader can really make or break a story. Going over the history of the Thanksgiving story, it's an excellent reminder of what this holiday is about, and inspires more things to give thanks for (like not having to endure a 6 month ocean crossing when I moved!).
• Not shopping.
  

I know that this is a big thing this year, but this is something that our family has observed for years. For holidays of any kind, if you're shopping, someone else has to be manning the store so that you can do so. How about we all stay home with our families, as far as is possible?

• Simple crafts. By simple, I don't mean needing a dozen Martha Stewart supplies and several hours-worth of drying time. I mean things like everyone writing down 3 things they're thankful for on some leaves or something. Color in a hand-shaped turkey. Make a construction-paper pilgrim hat. Pin the feather on the turkey. Pinterest has loads of ideas, of course, but remember - if it's likely to take longer than half an hour or increase the stress level exponentially, skip it.
• Play some games. Holidays are the perfect time to unearth those underplayed games. Except Monopoly. Never play Monopoly if you want to encourage familial peace and harmony. Play word games, charades, games that just make you laugh. Then be thankful for the ability and opportunity to laugh.

Tomorrow, we'll be celebrating Thanksgiving with some of the other Pastor's College families, and it's going to be a blast. We won't be shopping, we'll do some simple crafts and play some games, and we'll definitely be watching some football. We're really looking forward to it. What will your family be doing?

Sharing the Love

I've been knitting for about 6 years, and in that time I've made hats, blankets, sweaters, etc. I've learned a few tips and tricks, but I'd never tried socks...until now!

I bought some beautiful, autumnal colored Noro Taiyo sock yarn at the local yarn store (props to Sophie's Fine Yarn Shoppe!) with some birthday money (still working through the birthday gift money!) before our trip to Orlando last month, with the commitment that now was the time to try to tackle the sock project. With confirmation that the TSA would, in fact, allow circular knitting needles on board a plane, I was ready for travel.

 It took a while to settle on a beginner-type sock pattern, and I eventually chose the Noro Stripey Sock pattern. I didn't go with two different colors for the true striping, but just knit my way through the yarn and let the chips fall where they may. They fell pleasantly, I think.

They are warm, colorful, soft and lovely. There is one problem, though - they are somewhat...large. Like really large. I know it's mainly because I used size 3 needles instead of the size 1 or 2, as suggested. It's at times like these where I must acknowledge that somethings are simply meant to be. In this case, it is my husband who was clearly meant to have these new socks. And he loves them, of course - they are warm, colorful, soft and lovely.

So, I got to learn a new knitting skill, and Toby got some new hand knit love. A win-win scenario, for sure.

This week, I'm...

...reading a few books, including Grace for the Good Girl, Jesus + Nothing = Everything, and some library books on my Kindle. I'm loving that little machine! I use it on the exercise bike, in bed (where I can see the screen with the lights off), and I've downloaded some school pdfs to assist in our schoolwork. Excellent.

...listening to Pandora a lot. Sometimes it's Adele radio, sometimes 80s cardio mix (Vanilla Ice, anyone?), sometimes PG Comedy. I like the comedy if I'm cooking at night. It makes the work seem less like work. Our old CD player broke shortly before our move and we never got around to replacing it, so Pandora is where it's at.

...knitting this little something for Dan. It's been good to use up some yarn I've had hanging around for ages, and this boy needs some extra warm stuff, but the pattern isn't grabbing me. I don't know why, I think perhaps I'm not paying as close attention as I ought. I  think it'll pick up when the neck decreases finish and I start doing the body.

...playing games with my kids. I know that for a lot of superstar parents out there, this is a daily event, but that's not really how I roll. Usually by the end of the day, I've had enough interaction that a groupon to a sensory deprivation tank sounds like a real treat, but I've been trying to push the limits of my comfort zone in an attempt to bless my children. A couple of times it kind of back fired (more like a conflagration), but mostly, it's been kind of cool.

...getting excited about the holidays - isn't most everyone? We're staying local and having Thanksgiving with about half of the PC families this year, which will be mega fun, I'm sure. Christmas will have us heading back east to do some visiting. I'm a little daunted by the travelling, but I'm choosing not to think too much about that yet...

...being thankful for a healthy family. So many are coming down with the dreaded lurgy, but so far, we are unaffected. Watch this space...

...proud of my kiddos. Sure, there are times when I can totally understand why some animals eat their young, but I've been seeing lots of grace in my kids. Ellie is just beginning to sound out small words, I regularly get offers of help in the kitchen, Abi and Anna really seem to enjoy helping Ellie and Dan with their workbooks on occasion, and it's so sweet when an older kid sits down to read a story to littler one.

...proud of my husband, too. The man works so hard, loves what he's doing, and doesn't mind being ragged on for being the "old man" in the class (on his Greek quiz this week, he had to translate "Toby is old but cool" from Greek to English. No joke.). He spends time with all these crazy children every day, changes diapers, takes me on dates and lets me beat him at bowling (but just the one time). And I don't think I know anyone who loves to serve as much as him. And he's mine, so back off. :)

Do the hard thing

Have you ever been faced with a decision, little or large, where you know what you ought to do but you don't really want to? I'm not referring to some great moral dilemma or anything, just really a niggling sense of needing to make a wise choice?

Recently, I had to make a decision about my phone. Since I've had a smart phone, I've always plugged it in at night on my night stand, where little fingers rarely came, where I could reach it for late night/early morning texts, use it as my alarm clock and general bedside amusement (autocorrects kill me). It's been great, but I've been noticing a trend in my phone use: alarm goes off, so I turn it off. The phone is now in my hand, so I can check email from under the covers. Then, I check to see if anything interesting has been posted on Facebook (seriously?), and maybe have a look at Pinterest. Perhaps a news story will catch my attention, so I'll take a quick look at that. At this point, I've blown at least a half an hour and have little time left for reading my Bible and praying before I hit the bike and shower.

In short, my phone has become a bedside distraction.

So, I have decided to evict my phone from my room. It now gets plugged in at my desk in the schoolroom at night, and I can pick it up in the morning. It takes some getting used to, but it's a lot easier to pick up my Bible in the morning now that my cheerful, little time-thief has been relegated to another room.

Sometimes, we just need to make the difficult decision, do the hard thing. What "ought-to" are you wrestling with right now? Whatever it is, get to it, while today is still called "today". It'll be worth it.

Little boy sweater

 As the weather turns colder, I've become aware that I seem to knit for my girls more than my boys...or else my boys outgrow their woolies faster. Either way, Caleb was found to be lacking in the hand-knit department. I promise, it is possible.

 I'd had this pattern queued up for a while to try, and with one skein of Cascade 220, it was the perfect thing. And since it only took a few days to do, it fit well within my "almost-instant gratification" requirements.

 

 Clearly, I had to get food in his hand if I was going to have any chance of getting a photo of him. They're not very good (I really must use my good camera more often), but you've got a gorgeous boy in a cute sweater, eating a banana. What else do you need?

At present...

...I am enjoying the settled peace that descends upon a house where are children are asleep in their beds and a husband is out of town. Very soon, the quiet will be too quiet, lacking the noise of a man studying, but for now, it's nice.
...This evening had several of the PC wives and kiddos visit a local deli that is foolish enough to offer free kids' meals - we know how to make good use of that offer!
...I've been enjoying the leaves on the trees and the brilliant colors they turn, but that seems to be done now. Last Friday, the county sent some street sweepers around to collect any leaves we could blow into the street. We cleared the whole front yard of leaves - the kids worked hard, and it looked great. Now, the leaves are falling so thick and fast, you'd never have known we ever picked up a rake.
...Since we've been here, I have been using my phone as my alarm clock, as I'm sure most people do. I've been finding, though, that it acts as quite a distraction, sucking time from more noble reading pursuits. So, I've resurrected my old alarm clock and will relegate my phone charging to some other place, in the hopes of making better use of my time.
...For history, we are reading through a book called The Children of the Covered Wagon, about the emigrants who headed west in the mid-1800s. As we read, I am reminded afresh how thankful I am to live in the time and place we do, with plentiful medical care, easy travel, and flush toilets. It never ceases to amaze me what some of these incredible people were willing to endure - suffering loss after loss, yet pressing on with a perseverance I know little of.
...Last week, for history, we were learning about the Alamo, and the lesson plans included a suggestion for the children to watch the 1960 classic The Alamo, with John Wayne. I thought it sounded like a good idea, so without previewing it, we streamed it free through Amazon. The first 2 or so hours (stretched out over 3 days) was okay, though somewhat slow. When we finally got to the battle itself, I realized I'd made a major parenting fail - Ellie had her hands over her eyes and was squeaking, and the others were horrified! They were simply unprepared and rather upset to see these brave "characters" who they'd come to like, killed in battle, even though they knew how it all ended. The one redeeming factor in it came out when it occurred to me to mention that they men in the movie were not the actual men in the story, but actors - no one died in the making of that film. That helped quite a bit, but my lesson has been learned - always preview your movies, even in the curriculum company recommends it!

How it really is

I'd like to let you all in on a little secret: that homeschool family that seems to have it all together? They don't. Ask me how I know...
I think there is a simple truth that applies in almost every area of life - we only see what we are shown. To put it another way, we see what someone is willing to show us, and that's often the sweet, lovely, crafted, Photoshop-ped version of life. I do think, though, that there is a unique temptation within the homeschool community to idolize and hero-worship "that" family. Whether we actively homeschool or simply interact with homeschoolers, we need to be aware of this fact, because believing that the highlights (or gag reel) are the whole show does everyone a disservice. 
What am I talking about?

• The family who started school in July because the kids were so excited to get into their new books? Those kids still would probably rather ditch school to play in the dirt/leaves/snow/water, if given half the chance.
• The mom who taught her baby to sit quietly on her lap while she teaches her older kids? That baby still cries when she teethes, does horrendous diapers and wants to be held when there are no free hands.
• The oldest child who's a great help around the house? It took a lot of time, energy and dedication to train him, and that's still no guarantee that he will always do his best effort, every time, cheerfully.
• The husband who faithfully sends his wife out for a couple hours of alone time every week? He may still leave the toilet seat up, his socks on the couch, or forget their anniversary.
• That amazing lady who has a clean home, scrapbooks, serves in church and has great hair/nails/workouts? She works extremely hard to make it happen, probably gets help in some area, and doesn't do everything. Maybe she doesn't watch the latest TV shows, read a lot of books or get enough sleep. Anyway you slice it, she doesn't do something.

Why do I mention this? Because I think we are all so used to looking around and seeing our weaknesses and failures in someone else's strengths and successes, that we are unable to be grateful, we are unable to recognize God's working, and we are unable to bless.

Grateful - I might not scrapbook, but I'm sure thankful my mom does. She made me a scrapbook with all sorts of incredible family history in it. I couldn't have done it, and wouldn't have enjoyed it if I tried, but now I have this wonderful collection of family history to thank God for and show my children. I don't feel bad that I don't make a scrapbook for each of my children every year, but I'm grateful that my mom has those skills and passions.

God is working - Most of my kids are not self-starters and they often drive each other nuts, which makes it all the sweeter when one kid will read to the others, when one of them works extra hard at an assignment, or when one chooses to share with or encourage another. God is at work in their lives, even if it's not always obvious, because He loves them.

Be a blessing - When I've looked at my friends with eyes of envy, I've failed to notice where they may be in need. Maybe the hard work of child training is discouraging, maybe she's exhausted from another sleepless night, or maybe, just maybe, she's simply needing to hear how much God loves her and that you'll be praying for her. Wouldn't you like to hear that, too?

Rather than spending my time thinking about how someone else's life looks and how mine doesn't quite measure up, I want to spend more time thanking God for the grace in their lives, looking for the grace in my own family's life, and seeing how God would have us serve and bless those around us. Cause no one's got it all together this side of Glory, and I don't want to miss all He's doing right here, right now.

Tea for Abigail

 Abigail is probably my most difficult child to knit for. Perhaps it's because she's the oldest and has the most developed sense of her own style, or maybe just because she's no longer young enough for me to say "I knit that thing for you, so you're gonna wear it!" and have that be enough. Regardless, I view her to be my personal knitting challenge, always trying to find the thing that we'll both like and that she'll actually wear.

 So far, she's been getting some wear out of this new Tea Leaves Cardigan. She chose the pink trim to compliment the blue, and I think it was a good choice - it brightens up the overall look and goes well with some of her standard clothing selections.

It does appear, however, that she's gotten rather comfortable with her new threads quite quickly - I caught her sneaking out into the back yard last night because she had left her new sweater in the tree earlier in the afternoon. So, if you happen to see a sweater that looks like this one lying around anywhere, you know where to return it, don't you? Thanks... 

Presently, I am...

...so thankful for the recent change in weather - finally put away shorts and flip flops and pulled out the woolens! Autumn is my favorite time of year - the trees turn into a firework display, and it makes me so happy!

...reading several books, including Jesus + Nothing = Everything and a biography of Susannah Spurgeon. I've been in a spate of fiction, which was a nice break for my brain, but it's time to read some more edifying stuff.

...knitting my first pair of socks, a sweater for Caleb and a bookmark. Always something to keep my hands busy.

...enjoying turning my girls loose in the kitchen. They've been making all sorts of cookies that I wouldn't have the patience for, and they love it! I'm not as enthusiastic about how the leave the kitchen, but it's an area we're working on.

...battling some pain in my elbow. I'm not sure what tennis elbow really is, but it feels as if I've pulled something. Praying rest and pain killers do the job!

...watching Caleb getting bigger and cuter everyday. He's started taking some steps here and there, and between that and his sweet little chatter, he's just about the cutest thing ever.

...needing to improve in my planning sessions. It always seems to need more time than I am willing to give it, but I'm needing to spend some time planning school, inviting folks over for hospitality, and Christmas gifts. At least the bills are getting paid!

Living History

A couple weeks ago, we had an opportunity to visit Locus Grove, a local historical estate known to be a stopping place for the Lewis & Clark expedition. They had an 18th century battle reenactment and camp that was really interesting!

 They did their "pomp and circumstance" thing, where none of us really knew what was going on...

 ...got to see some old-time cooking and meet interesting people, including the local rat-catcher...

 ...smell some really delicious food...

 ...see how life in the camps was for those who travelled with the soldiers...

 ...and how even the most basic necessities had to be made. The best part of it all is that this isn't a job for the people involved, but it's something they did for fun - it was clear that they really enjoyed what they were doing and sharing it with others.

It was also clear that these people are the sort you want on your team if you're ever dropped in the middle of nowhere. There's not much they wouldn't be able to handle...

Home again

Well, our trip to Orlando was a joy, and I'm so thankful we were able to go! A great resort, beautiful weather and a soul-encouraging conference over three days - fabulous.

To listen or read the transcripts of some of the messages, visit the Plant & Build blog. It would be time well spent.

It was also a joy for us to meet with some of the folks from our Maryland church, as well as meet some new faces. There are a couple of churches in New England that are very interested in seeing more churches planted in that area, so Toby and I got to talk to them and hear their vision for what God is doing in that part of the country. Of course, anyone you talk to is excited to tell you about how wonderful their area is and how they'd love to see God's kingdom advance there, but we were surprised to learn how few Sovereign Grace churches exist in New England - there are 2 in Massachusetts, and that. is. it.

So, we're continuing to pray and consider how God will direct us when Pastor's College is complete. We are tentatively considering visiting one of the Mass. churches over the Christmas break to get a feel for the place and the people, but there are no done deals as yet. At the moment, we're praying and working and studying (well, Toby's studying), seeking to make the most of the year we have here in Louisville.

Please to pray for God's direction and guidance for our family, both this year and all the adventures that are yet to come!

This week

This past week was busy - evening meetings, full school schedule, places to go, people to see.
This week is also going to be busy, but a rather different kind of busy. Toby and I will be attending the Sovereign Grace Pastor's Conference in Orlando. Just to be clear, we will not be visiting the Magic Kingdom, but I suspect it will certainly be magical to spend a couple of days among adults, hearing some good teaching and relaxing in the sun. My children will be having a magical time with their grandmother, who's chief aim is to love on them and spoil them stupid.

A word about my mom...

I heard this story about my mom (from my mom) a while back. Apparently some neighbors had a squirrel problem in their attic, and the cost to have a guy come and "deal with it" was exorbitant. I'm not fully sure how my mom got called in, but it didn't take much to get her climbing up into a tight space with a hand gun. It seems there were no working lights in the attic, but there was a busted vent that she could tell was the squirrel's main entrance, which was also the only source of light. As soon as one of the little stinkers' silhouettes filled the hole, she fired.

When they found the squirrel later, they found one shot - right between the eyes. My mother shot a small, moving target in the dark, right in the head. She laughs this off, amazed at such a lucky shot, but I know better - I know my mom!

So when people ask me who's watching my children while we're out of town and if she'll be okay, I smile and nod. Six kids might be overwhelming for a lot of folks and she'll be tired by Friday, but I know she's got this under control. Clearly, there's not much they can do that I haven't already done, and there's not much she can't handle. She (and they) will do just fine.

Rental decorating

When we moved in, we decided that even though we have loads of pictures and paintings for the walls, we weren't going to hang them all because we (Toby) didn't want to deal with filling in lots of holes at the end of the year. At the same time, we (I) didn't want to live inside a bare shell for almost a year. So, we compromised.

There are a few of our special pieces up, but not in the kids' rooms yet. So, the kids' rooms became my first project.

In the boy's room, I made a little banner out of some leftover fabric and yarn.

 Since it was only a matter of cutting, and threading the yarn through holes poked into the corners of the triangles, this little project sits firmly in the "no-sew" category.

 In the little girls room, I used an idea I found on Pinterest to iron these little dots onto the walls using fabric circles I'd cut out for something years ago and some heat and bond fusible backing.

 Iron the circles to the backing, cut them out with the backing on and iron them to the wall. Avoid scorch marks by placing some fabric between your circle and your iron.

 The pin that served as my inspiration recommended doing it with your child's name, but that involved more than I could handle with half a dozen excited people around and bedtime approaching.

All photos taken by Anna!

Currently, Abigail and Caleb have a banner that I made years ago gracing their walls, and for now, it'll do. I'd love to do something else for them soon - just waiting for (more) inspiration to strike!

Kentucky Horse Park

 Last week we had a chance to visit the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, an hour away. Toby was even able to join us, and thanks to some free passes, it was very affordable!

 

 Noah, Ellie, and Dan had a great time riding the ponies...

 ...whereas Abi and Anna ventured out on a 45-minute trail ride - their first time!

 

Caleb made do with a little bronze donkey - it was more his speed.

 

There was a trolley tour that took you all over the park that was actually rather helpful... 

 

 

...and a fun Kids' Barn, where the kids even got to brush one of the horses (for those who felt brave enough).

 This is Ollie, a Norweigen Fjord horse. He's pretty, and he's got seriously cool hair.

They even had, on display, some of the jumps that they've used in shows and competition. These two chairs would hold one of the jumps (it took some explaining that not even the horses could jump over the chairs!

In one of the museums (there are a few, and they are thorough!), they had a blue screen where you could pretend to ride some show horses...

My cowboys.

Old Pop

Last Saturday, we received news that Toby's paternal grandfather, Pop, had passed away.
This was not unexpected - he was 96 years old and shutting down. We had even had a conversation with Toby's dad earlier in the day about how Pop was no longer eating or drinking or even really conscious. So, though we were expecting it, there is still a sadness and finality that comes with it.

Unfortunately, the kids didn't really know "Old Pop" (to distinguish from "Pop", which is Toby's dad) very well. Some of the kids had never met him at all, whereas others haven't really seen him in years. In fact, I think Ellie got confused about who we were talking about and started sobbing - it took some time to confirm that everyone she knew was alive and well, and she didn't know the man we were talking about.

The way our family works through grief is to tell stories, so the kids enjoyed hearing some stories about this man who lived through so many interesting times and places. The kids' favorite was the story about when a lion at the zoo cocked its leg and peed all over Pop's trousers. What kid wouldn't love a story about an adult getting peed on?

If you're so inclined, keep the Gayner family in your prayers. While my kids may not remember, there are many others who do, many who will miss him. We continue to take comfort in the Word:

Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning   Psalm 30:5b

The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.  He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.
Psalm 147:2-4

Back on the needles

It's been a while since I've shared anything I've made, and there is a very simple reason for that - I haven't been making much. I had knitted some washcloths to give to friends before we moved, that's been about all I'd been able to managed the past couple of months, with the packing and moving and unpacking.
I've recently gotten back into the needle swing and started on a cardigan for Abigail. It's a pattern I've used several times before (projects here, here, and here), and I'm about halfway done the body. I should be able to finish it in time for her to wear it as the weather cools.
The funny thing is, Abi's always really excited about my making things for her, but she's usually not always that interested in wearing what I've made. Glutton for punishment that I am, I keep making things for her, thinking that "finally, this she'll love!". (I think she likes that hats and "accessories", rather than the clothing.)
I suspect that we continue to do this little dance because at the end of the day, I love the challenge of finding what she really likes, and she loves the idea that I'm making something special for her.
I'm also comforted by the knowledge that there are two other girls here that are not quite as particular, waiting to snap up some of Mommy's hand knits (weird, I know). So, on we knit - me enjoying the process, and my girls enjoying either the theory or the finished product. It all comes right in the end, just so long as no one throws it in the dryer...

Learning the humble

It was kind of a rough week, last week. You ever have one of  those weeks, the kind that seem to be a big dose of humility fertilizer? For instance:

• I did something to my back - not really bad, but bad enough to bring me up short when I twist or bend, enough to be a regular niggle.
• We've had teething kids, and with teething kids comes clinginess and horrible diaper experiences. Fun for the whole family.
• One night, I started to walk down to the basement, but somehow manage to slide halfway down on my butt, gaining a few colorful new bruises along the way. It was mainly funny, but rather painful. Every time I thought about the painful, I could just picture how funny I must have looked, surfing down the stairs, and I got the giggles again. It was so loud, too, that Abi came running downstairs to see what had happened. It's a rather humbling to have your 11-year-old escort you to bed.
• I somehow manage to overfill the reservoir in the coffee pot, not a few drops, but so that it overflows all over the counter. At this point, there was nothing else for it but to laugh. And mop up.

It's good to be reminded that I am I finite person with questionable depth perception and a tendency toward colorful bruises; it helps keep my tendency toward smugness in check. Here's hoping some of my ongoing lessons in humility are a little less painful this week.

Avian neighbors

For at least two days this week, we've had a beautiful red shouldered hawk perch on the trampoline behind our house (no, the children don't use this trampoline. It's not actually belonging to our house, and I believe some of the neighbors have affectionately nicknamed it "The Death Trap"). Right around dinnertime, he turns up and just sits there, presumably working on catching some dinner of his own. Clearly, to a house full of people who fancy themselves amateur "twitchers", this is very exciting.

 I spotted him the first time, noticing him out the dining room window. I snuck outside and grabbed these photos as I slowly crept up on him. Not that I would somehow go unnoticed or something - he could probably hear my heartbeat from inside the house.

The second time was even better - Abi spotted him from her bedroom window while changing Caleb's diaper (yay for helpful older children!). She can dashing through the house, almost-naked baby on her hip, muttering to herself. Evidently she was looking for binoculars.

It's always nice to get to know your neighbors. I hope this one sticks around for a while.

Pineapple upside down cake

I served this to some friends we had over a couple weeks ago, and it was a hit. It's fun, old-fashioned and easy. And really, really good.

Pineapple upside down cake (from Mom's Best Desserts)

You’ll need:

1 20oz can of sliced pineapple (not chunks)

4 tbsp butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

16 pecan or walnut halves

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp ground ginger

6 tbsp butter or shortening

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup pineapple juice, reserved from can

 

1.       Preheat the oven to 350

2.       To make the topping, drain the pineapple, reserving 2/3 cup of the  juice for the cake. In a 9 inch glass pie/cake plate, melt the butter in the oven. Then sprinkle the brown sugar over the melted butter and spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat. Arrange pineapple slices over the brown sugar. Fill the centers and spaces between the pineapple with pecan halves placed flat-side up.

3.       To make the cake, sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. Set aside.

4.       In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the pineapple juice, mixing just until the batter is smooth and blended. Spoon the cake batter over the pineapple.

5.       Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

6.       Cool for 5 minutes. Loosen the cake around the edge, then invert onto a serving platter. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

My job

 Chalk-art modeling. Cute candids. Photo bomber.

My children.

 

These kids? They are my job.
Obviously, in every job, there are parts that we love and are passionate about (I hope). Likewise, there are parts of our job we are less enamored with. The same applies to being a mom. I love the hugs, the laughs, the snuggles, the warm baby-breath and sweet-skin smell. I love teaching them new things and seeing them "get it", hearing their prayers and seeing how their creativity expresses itself.
I gotta be honest, though - there are a few things I don't love. I'm not terribly fond of the diapers (that I've been changing for more than a decade, now), I don't care for the endless questions and invasion of my headspace, and I can't stand the temper tantrums (mine or theirs).
For a long time, I've focused on the parts of my job that I didn't like and have the tendency to moan and complain about them. But you know, the real professionals that love and excel at their jobs, they don't do that. They approach their jobs with passion and joy, determined to do their best and seek to grow in the need-improvement areas. I want to do that - I want to parent like a pro.
There is one difference, though - even the pros get to go home at the end of the day. If you've made motherhood your job (and if you have a child, you have), whether you work outside the home or you're home all day, you don't get to leave your job. There's no checking out, calling in sick or taking a break. Whether you get away for a night on your own or are holed up in the local coffee bar for a couple hours, you are always a mom, always on call. So, how do you maintain passion, enthusiasm, and joy in a 24/7/365 job?
You soak in the gospel. Seriously. For some church folks, this can sound like a cliché, but it's the total truth, because as soon as you get distracted from the knowledge that you are a sinner in need of a Savior, you'll either slide toward self-sufficiency or despair. Both are just rocky cliffs with nothing good at the bottom.
You connect. The smartest people are those who know they don't know everything, so they have people speak into their lives, both to encourage and correct. The Bible calls this fellowship, and whoever you are, you need it. And don't be tempted to think that gossiping with a "co-worker" about your crazy "subordinates" is what we're talking about here - fellowship means being open and honest about your struggles and being willing to ask for help, prayer and counsel. It also means celebrating joys and triumphs with those who really care that little Johnny just peed on the potty, 'cause man, that's huge.
You remember that "one day" is coming. I know it seems like "retirement" will never come, that the kids will never sleep through the night and these tantrums (from toddler or teenager) will never change, but I'll wager that before you (and I) know it, they'll be calling us and asking what to do with their own kids' tantrums and 'tudes. And when it seems like fruit is slow to grow, remember the gardener that faithfully and lovingly tends his tender plants - not to get fruit right then, but in its due season. For we harvest more than we sow, later than we sow.

They are my job, these kids. I want to parent them like a pro.

Breathing

We've lived in Louisville for a whole month, now, and this month has gone pretty quickly. The days are so full, delightfully full. One thing that Toby and I have noticed is how, in spite of how much reading and studying he's doing and how busy I've been in keeping on top of school, house, and life in general, our time seems much freer than it had done. Because we are here for the sole purpose of attending the PC, our time and purpose here is rather singular-focused. We don't have the same level of commitments in so many different areas - we're not spinning so many plates. It's been like a deep intake of breath - very refreshing.
Of course, this is for a finite period of time, as it should be. A singularly focused season of life is for a purpose and is rather intense. Just as it's good to have a break from the norm for a while, you can't live on a vacation schedule, nor would it be good to do so. This season isn't exactly a vacation, but I do think it's been a break that God is using to teach us, grow us, and make us ready for the next thing He's got planned for us, whatever that may be.
The whole point of taking a deep, cleansing breath is to let it out as you move into a new thing. My prayer for our family and those of the other PC families is not that we would breathe in this time of grace for our own comfort, but that we would be preparing to breathe out God's praise both now and in all the "nexts" He's got planned for us.

Knowing His Name

On Sunday, we sung a song that was fairly new to me, The Gospel Was Promised. It's speaks of how the coming of Jesus was foretold in Old Testament, and what His coming accomplished for us.
As I sang with Caleb in my arms, I whispered the words in his ear:

 

His name is Jesus,

His name is Jesus,

His name is Jesus Christ, our Lord.

 

 More than anything else I want for my children - more than success or happiness or their dreams come true - I want them to know Jesus. I want them to love Him, to cherish Him, to follow Him. As their mom, it's my job, my responsibility, and my privilege to tell them. To tell them who Jesus is, to tell them what He's done for me and what He's done for them. I need to tell them about Jesus when all's well with the world, and I need to tell them about Him when nothing is going right and the world seems against them. I need to tell my 11-year old that He loves her and can help her through her every trial, and I need to tell my 1-year old about this name which is worth more than any riches.

So, maybe it's a little silly, singing this song into my baby's ear. But I'll do whatever it takes to make sure my kids know and love this name. Because it's all about Him.



Make your life easier

I don't know anyone who doesn't want to make life a little easier on themselves. How we go about it tend to differ from person to person, though. Here are a few things I've found to help smooth our family's wrinkles:

• Don't snack. I have a confession to make - I am a professional snack-er (it's a shame I don't get paid for it). I could eat all. day. long. For real. However, my metabolism isn't what it was 20 years ago and my waist (or current lack thereof) can't cope with the extra food. Then, of course, there's the six little people who call me "mom" - they inherited my love of food and my habits. I was finding it positively stressful to keep them in food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus at least 2 snacks a day! Then I remembered this book I read earlier this year and how the French don't really snack, and I thought, "If a whole country of people can live without snacks, I think we probably can, too." And you know, it's worked! We all eat better at our meals because we're hungrier for them, and there are less food-breaks in the day, which means less food prep, less clean up, and less money at the store! Hopefully, it'll eventually mean less numbers on the scale, too...
• Meal plan. I know most people know that they should plan dinners and do so, but recently I've been planning our breakfasts and lunches, too. It's a rolling plan - every Monday lunch is this kind of sandwich, Wednesday is soup day, etc. It means less money at the store (again) because you don't need to rely on cereal and lunch meat everyday, and it fosters a little creativity in the kitchen. I know my family appreciates that.
• Know when to multi-task and when not to. I know there's a lot said about how multitasking is bad for us (like here and here and here), and I know that it's a concept that many of us are somewhat addicted to. So, here's my thought - know when you can spare the mental space to multitask, and when to be fully "in the moment". I've recently been spending 20 - 30 minutes on the exercise bike every morning, so I've been reading on the Kindle while I cycle. It's been a good time for me to get some regular exercise and get some reading in - and I'm more faithful to workout when I've got a book I'm into. That's a good time to multitask. A good time to be fully in the moment is when my child is talking to me. Heaven help me, this isn't easy for me. I have to often stop what I'm doing and look at them. This is especially helpful for me, as I struggle to hear them when there is a lot of background noise, so making eye contact when they are speaking really helps me to tune into what they're saying. Trying to continue typing at the computer while my son is showing me his Lego creation would not be fully engaging and a poor attempt to multitask. Ahem.

What is something you do to make your life a little easier?

36

I am now a 36 year old. Riveting.
My birthday on Friday was a nice, low key kind of day. The kids were moderately disappointed, though not really surprised, to find that Teacher's birthday does not equate to a day off. I never claimed to be the fun parent.
We did establish a cut off time for schoolwork, though, and then headed out for pizza for dinner. A fun little place called BoomBozz, with great pizza and a waiter that will never "turn pro". Afterward, we did some exploring. We headed out to one of the local malls to see what was there. After driving all around the St Matthews Mall to find the main entrance, we settled for entering through Forever 21 (it was either that or Victoria's Secret. ahem). I think Toby held his breath the whole way through the store - we're not exactly department store, and this was not exactly a department store...still. I think it's safe to say that we are no longer "forever 21".
They did have some other good stores - I was excited to see a J.Jill and Godiva chocolate. :) I'm looking forward to going back another time, preferably without children that play in the fountains.
On Saturday Abigail spent some time in the kitchen, baking some delicious key lime cupcakes that made up my birthday cake. She did it all herself, from beginning to end. I was very grateful - she did a great job, I got a birthday cake that I didn't bake myself, and I'm seeing more and more independence in the kitchen, which is really exciting. If only there was as much enthusiasm to clean up after the mess...
36 used to seem terribly old to me. Now, of course, I still feel like a girl playing at being grown up. Never mind that I have 6 children, one of whom is now a "tween" - I'm still feel like a kid. Except when I wake up at 6am. Then I feel like I'm every inch of 36...
One thing that hasn't changed is seeing God's kindness and faithfulness to me over each of my 36 years. It's God's grace that brought me to the Gospel, kindness that enabled me to meet my husband, and faithfulness that has carried me through 2 countries, 4 houses, and 6 children. It's this grace, kindness and faithfulness that will continue to meet the needs of the year ahead and, Lord willing, the next 36, wherever they may take me.

The Schedule

So, I make one (or more) every year. Though I rarely follow it to the letter, it always serves me well, just to see where my time goes, how to fit in all that needs doing, and simply having a plan for the day.
Some explanation:

• The "5 fingers" refers to our 5 Finger Chores, which you can read about here.
• IEW happens Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; Logic, Dictation, and Science are Tuesday and Thursday.
• We have our Music study on Mondays, Latin is Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and we finish the week with Art on Friday.

	Mom	Abi	Anna	Noah	Ellie	Dan	Caleb
6 – 6:30	Quiet Time
6:30 – 7	Exercise
7 – 7:30	Get Kids up	5 fingers	5 fingers	5 fingers	5 fingers	5 fingers
7:30 - 8	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast
8 – 8:30	Chores	AM Chores	AM Chores	AM Chores	AM Chores	Play	Play
8:30 – 9	Work with Girls	IEW/ Logic	IEW/ Dictation	Handwriting	Play	Play	Pack & Play
9 – 9:30	Work with big 3	IEW/ Science	IEW/ Science	Science/Free	Play	Play	Pack & Play
9:30 – 10	Music/Latin/Art	Music/Latin/Art	Music/Latin/Art	Music/Latin/Art	Color	Color	Color
10 – 10:30	Music/Latin/Art	Music/Latin/Art	Music/Latin/Art	Music/Latin/Art	Color	Color	Color
10:30 – 11	Work  with Littles	Literature	Literature	Literature	Kindergarten	PreK	Pack & Play
11 – 11:30	Marking	Literature	Literature	Literature	Project box	Project box	Play
11:30 – 12:15	Math	Math	Math	Math	Play	Play	Play
12:15 - 1	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch
1 – 2	Rest	Rest	Rest	Rest	Rest	Nap	Nap
2 – 2:30	Bible	Bible	Bible	Bible	Bible	Nap	Nap
2:30 - 3	Language Arts/ Marking	Language Arts	Language Arts	Language Arts		Nap	Nap
3 – 4	History	History	History	History		Nap	Nap
4 – 4:30	Read Aloud	Read Aloud	Read Aloud	Read Aloud	Read Aloud	Read Aloud	Read Aloud
4:30 – 5	PM Chores	PM Chores	PM Chores	PM Chores	PM Chores	Play	Play
4:30 – 5	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free
5 – 6	Dinner Prep	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free
6 – 6:30	Dinner & Devos	Dinner & Devos	Dinner & Devos	Dinner & Devos	Dinner & Devos	Dinner & Devos	Dinner & Devos
6:30 – 7	Clean up	Help out	Help	Help out	Help	Help out
7 – 7:30	Oversee bathtime	Bath/Free	Bath/Free	Bath/Free	Bath/Free	Bath/Free	Bath/Free
7:30 – 8					Bed	Bed	Bed
8 – 8:30		Bed	Bed	Bed

 

So, now you know what we're up to when I'm not answering my phone...:)