That, and I also want a "Constitution for dummies". Does anyone know if they make that?
Dear Glenny, I have not forgotten about you. I am still thinking about the wonderful revitalization and am getting very close to documenting what I learned there. Even though you want me to home school, I need the kids to go back to school because I can't get ANYTHING done! It hurts my self esteem that I don't think I can be a homeschooling mom because... honestly, I like them all better when they are gone.... Oh, just joking, I like them when they are watching movies, too. How do you homeschooling people get your own stuff done? And when I say "own" stuff, I just mean like dinner, laundry, bills, etc.... I wanted to be that girl but I think I am just...not. Wah.
Okay, back to appreciation Sunday.
Can you even believe this is number 30???????? That is a over 7 months of appreciations!
I know you all think I am married to the perfect husband now because of all the flowery wonderful appreciation posts. Isn't he lucky? I make him sound pretty good, don't I?
For your information...I am the queen of thinking the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Trust me, the queen! So I can't go anymore with my appreciation posts without clarifying something... The grass is not greener over here. I know I have made it look pretty sweet, but it is not greener. Even though I have just given you thirty reasons to love Corey he isn't perfect. (don't tell him I told you so!)
My desires in writing my appreciating posts is not to say "look how wonderful we are" or "look how great my husband is"...
My desire in writing the appreciation posts is to see the doughnut and not the hole.
"It is easy to see the doughnut hole in a person. But it is much better and much more rewarding to try to see the doughnut of the person. It begins to change our whole vision and slowly those tempting imps that usually say "see that hole? whoah, look at that hole!" start to fade away until they are gone. It doesn't come naturally, we have to choose it. Seeing the hole does come naturally however. We have to choose not to see the hole." -Said by Kirstin, my wise, flower loving, gorgeous grass watered with timers and elaborate non sprinkler systems loving, friend.
I firmly believe if we start to look for the good and see the good..., life, families, and marriages will improve and can even be saved. I think it is giving one another charity to do so. It is so easy to get caught up in the bad, especially "comparing" (which I have learned is extremely dangerous to ones happiness) that we have to fight and constantly (and I mean constantly) be looking for the good. I am not perfect, neither is he. But I hope we can cut each other a break. I want to be cut a break, don't you?
So back to appreciating Corey...
About 5 years ago we spent what felt like a fortune and bought one of those enormous pools. We have got so much use out of that pool. The kids play and play in it. Corey plays in it. It is fun.
I have spoken with so many people who had one but it was to much of a pain for them and they don't have it anymore.
So it occurred to me that Corey is spending a lot of time maintaining our pool and I am not noticing. So I am thankful for his hard work and his efforts to keep the pool nice and enjoyable for swimming. It gives the kids great exercise and summer fun. It has also lasted 5 years thanks to his maintenance. Awesome!
(letting the water out for Fall)
We play fun games in the pool. One is called toilet bowl. If you all get in the pool and walk one direction it gets the water rushing around super fast like a toilet bowl and then the current just keeps floating you around. Super fun.
Also I wanted to say, don't you think it will be so neat for my kids to someday read about all the things I appreciated about their dad?
Also, if I forget, remind me to take out the part about liking it when my kids are gone. Pretty please....
5 comments:
Ok If you find Comma's for dummies,,, get me, a Copy, too! I, Really, Really, Need that!!
I love the analogy of the doughnut. Very thought provoking! I love your posts...no pressure!
Love it! So true---doughnuts analogy is absolutely perfect.
AND--I'm jealous of your pool and really want one even though it's totally impractical for my family right now. :(
Constitution for Dummies = The 5000 Year Leap.
I have it, yyou can borrow it, but I'm going to need it for school so you'd need to read fast. :)
Comma usage? Go here:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm
Okay, now for homeschooling. Deep breath.
If you want to homeschool just because Glenn Beck thinks you should - then don't. It won't work. It has to be something that you feel a conviction for. I bet you haven't researched it out. Some REALLY good books that will put your thinking cap on:
Books by John Taylor Gatto - former NY Teacher of the Year (I think 3 times in a row)
A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola
Our Idaho Falls library has those books.
One book I have, very hard to find, but you have to come over and read it because it's disintegrating from my own overuse is: Revealed Educational Principles and the Public Educational System. This is a book filled with the history of the relationship of the LDS Church and Public Schools.
LAST, there is another LDS book that you might be interested in, it's out of print, but I have it so you can borrow it, but while the others are easy reads, this one is tougher, but it's so fabulous, I must mention it. It's called, "Teach the Children" bu Neil Flinders.
You should come over sometime after I get our routine established this year - just to get a feel.
How do we do chores? The kids do them WITH us. I have had RS women snigger at me and say, "Aine, you should give a lesson on how to get out of cleaning the toilet," but the truth of the matter is, the girls laugh at Personal Progress because they're already DOING all that stuff ALL the time! I would much rather be laughed at by women who do everything for their kids rather than have my grandchildren being parented by parents who don't know how to run a house.
How do I have time for myself? I schedule it in. Just the same as a teacher would - in fact, I probably have MORE time than a regular teacher, because I don't have to grade 30 students per classroom. Only 5, not counting the twins (who learn with the other kids all the time.)
So that's how we do it. Really Susan, you need to quit beating yourself up about it - if Public School is right for you, it's right for you and that's all there is to it. On the other hand, if you're really curious, there are resources so you can make an educated decision. As for this year, absolutely feel confident as you put them in school! =)
LOL - yes you're kids will all be grateful for your Corey vignettes. =) And you can feel very grateful for his willingness to clean the pool - we don't have one because my sweetheart won't. :P
Emily- Great post! So insightful!
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