Oh My! 2013

Welcome to the future!  So, it's the start of a new year and with it comes new goals.  Mine this year are simple... There's really only one.  Be less busy.  How will I accomplish the difficult task of being less busy...  Easy peasy.
1. Read More
2. Write More
3.  Play More
4.  Pray More

Seems like I'm adding more to my schedule instead of taking away, but I don't think so.  I have recently been thinking about how often I tell my children, my most precious, "in a minute" "not right now" "hang on, I'm BUSY".  I've had to ask myself, Am I really THAT busy, or do I just SEEM that busy?  I think it is the latter.  Sure I may be checking my email, reading some posts on facebook, talking on the phone, looking up a recipe, or folding clothes, but... Are any of those things really so important that they can't wait?  No.  My kids are growing so fast and time is so precious and so fleeting and it is not promised.

Read More.  First on my list because it will probably affect my success in the other 3.  Wake up early and instead of wishing that I was sleeping, I want to get up and start my day right, with scripture reading.  I also want to start reading our scriptures together at night, as a family.  I'm thinking maybe during dinner, after the prayer.  Nothing to long, because I really do enjoy dinner conversation, but just a couple of verses.  Now, this goal isn't just about scripture reading... No, no.  I want to get the newspaper delivered and start reading it, or at least skimming it.  I also desperately want to read some for pleasure.  At least a couple of books throughout the year.  I'm thinking that this is the perfect thing to do while I'm tucked away in my room nursing the baby.  :)   

Number two, Write More.  I really want a journal.  If all this time I've been able to type in a few sentences about my day on facebook, why in the world can't I jot these precious memories onto paper for my family to have when I'm gone?  I can, and I will.  And of course, I'd like to post on this blog a little more.

Play More.  Number three, This one is surprisingly important to me.  I had a health scare this past year after giving birth to our 6th.  It made me think a lot about how much time I have actually spent with my kids.  I know I am with them pretty much 24/7, but how much of that is quality memory making, love building, bonding time?  Not enough.   Also, too often I feel like it's sooo much work to get everyone dressed with shoes on and hair brushed just to go out to the park.  And I'm tired by the time I get there so I let them go play and I just sit and watch.  Well, No More Sitting!  Ok, let's be realistic, I will sit!  But I will play too.  No more excuses.  I will take walks down the gravel road, pushing the baby in the stroller while the other kids ride and/or run circles around me.  We will go to the park and I will push swings and fly kites and play in the dreaded sand!  I will be a more playful mom.

And lastly, number four...  Pray More.  Constantly, in fact.

My hope is that doing these 4 things will help me be less busy doing unimportant 'tasks' and be more accessible and more committed to the people and things that matter most.

What are your goals this year, and how do you plan to accomplish them?

Looking for Inspiration

I searched this morning for something to make me feel better about my homeschooling failures.  I found a few blogs I thought I'd share. 
First, this one , it just made me happy.  I've added it to my blog follower thingy so I can read her other postings more often. 

I'd also like to share this one.  It made me feel better.  I am also following it now.  :) 

We have a busy day ahead.  But next week it will be back to schooling, I think.  I really want to get in some hands on science and history this summer.  It's so hot outside, I think experiments and projects inside will be a good way to pass the time. 

Studying the Garden

Over the past several weeks I've been trying to focus more on teaching my preschooler, while I let the older boys focus more on reading and science.  The younger girls really like to work with their big sister, so we just do everything together.  :)  I decided that because we are starting to harvest several veggies out of our garden, "The Garden" would be a good theme to start.  I thought I'd share some of what we did.


The girls colored their own little flower gardens.  We used a worksheet from here, http://twistynoodle.com/coloring-pages/nature/flowers/flowers-4-coloring-page/   This was nice because they got to practice writing their names also.

We also worked on several activities from the garden preschool pack that I found on http://homeschoolcreations.blogspot.com/ 
The preschool pack really helped.  They learned the parts of a flower, the names of several garden tools and what letters they start with, and practiced counting and writing. 

Of course, we also read several books.  Here are just a couple,

 And the best and most fun way to learn about how things grow in the garden is to grow something!  

Early Morning

I just wanted to share.  I woke up early this morning, folded the clothes, washed last night's dishes (that I should have done last night!), ate breakfast, and then read my scriptures and spent time in prayer.  I should do this more often.  Although, I think tomorrow I will do those things in reverse, reading the scriptures should come before the housework.  :)  

The message I got from the scriptures today was to not be ashamed of the path we have chosen.  See, my husband, children and I recently converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  We've always been Christians, but finding this church has been the next step in our faith.  We've made stronger commitments to follow God's word, and to allow his influence over our lives.  Not everyone in our life is supportive of this choice, and this has made me quite uncomfortable.  I need to work on not letting other people's opinions have an affect on how I feel, or what my focus should be.  I can't control what other people think of me, nor do I want to.  I just wish it didn't bother me so much.  This path is not always easy, and not everyone understands, but I am confident that we've made the right choice for our family, and I'm happy with that.  We're moving forward.     


  :)     Now for the last few quiet moments before the kids wake up, I need to get the school work ready for the day.  The boys are working on writing editorials, and the girls will be learning about the garden and how things grow.

Progress in the Garden

 I'm always excited to walk through my garden and check on our progress.  So far, I'm still hopeful to have a good harvest. 

There are plenty of cucumbers.  We grew these last year and really enjoyed being able to just walk outside and pick one whenever we wanted a salad.  Looking forward to that again.  :)  

I am pleasantly surprised with the tomatoes.  Last year they didn't do well at all, but this year, it looks like we'll have plenty!  I decided that this year we would plant a nice variety, as opposed to last year when we planted mainly roma, and they all got blossom end rot.  :(  Soo, this year we have bush, cherry, grape, and brandywine. 

 

I can't wait for the bell peppers to be ready.  I cook with bell peppers at least a couple of times every week.  We planted red, yellow and green.  We also planted a few banana peppers because those are a favorite of hubby.   

 

 Oooh and eggplants.  These will be a nice change for dinner!  I don't cook them often, but we do love them.

And watermelon!  I hope that little flower makes it all the way to a watermelon. Mmmm a fresh, tasty snack for the kids. This is what they are most excited about. 

                             
We also have giant pumpkins, sunflowers, strawberries, and corn.  It's not much, but it is exciting to watch our food grow.  This is the most we've tried to grow so far.  If it does well, we'll expand a little more again this fall.  I'll keep praying that they all make it to harvest.  :)

What's in a Name?

I haven't touched my blog in over a year.  I decided this weekend that I wanted to update it.  But when I logged in to post I felt so unmotivated.  I then realized that the name "CrochetMaggie" was so limiting.  How could I post under that name when I really needed a name that was open to "homeschooling 5 kids, gardening, crafting, loving, laughing, wishing, dreaming, and all other sorts of craziness."  I looked around my house, I looked around outside.  I thought of a hundred different names, all of which either didn't fit or were already taken.

Then I looked out of our back door and saw it.  "Inside the Fig Tree", the hidden little opening into the huge fig tree in our backyard.  Once you are in that little opening, under the canopy of the fig tree, you can't help but to feel like you're in some magical world.  A tiny little forest world secluded from everything else.  I love that little spot.  :)  The fig tree is really the focal point of the yard as it is just so big.  We built our patio right in front of it so that we could admire it as we relax.  So, there you have it.  That's where the name comes from.  I hope to be better at updating, now that I have a spiffy new name and all.  :)

I've turned 30!

This year, as my birthday came and went, I was especially thankful that my birthday comes around just as the seasons are changing.  The fresh Spring air brings with it a feeling of rejuvenation, it brings fresh green grass and little splashes of wildflower color to a dull brown lawn.  The sun has been shining brightly for a full week now, and I am thankful.  Our garden is sprouting, our flowers are blooming, and our lives are speeding up.

As I reflect on the past 30 years, I am filled with excitement about the next 30.  The first 30 years of my life were spent learning who I want to be, who I am, what really matters, and what makes me happy.  I've graduated high school and college, had several jobs, been married and divorced and married again, given birth to 5 beautiful children, made friends and lost them, laughed, cried, and screamed.  I've been lost and found my way with God, I've been confused and learned to trust my own intelligence, I've been lonely and found my life companion.  I am hopeful with all of these experiences behind me now, I can just relax and enjoy.  I want to smile and watch my children grow.  I want to hold the hand of my husband as we love and laugh together.  I want to feel joyous and proud, sad and excited as my children marry and/or move away.  I want to feel peace as I learn to put more trust and faith in God. 

I am thankful for the past and oh so hopeful for the future.  :)