Family Updates

It has been a few years and we have changed and grown a bit, so it's time for an update.

We now have seven children and they range from 11 to 2 years old. There are five sons and two daughters who bless each other with friendship and companionship. They learn from each other constantly and encourage each other as only siblings can. The oldest four often read to the younger three. They also teach them math through play and experience. They all play incredibly well together. Science is a passion for them all. We are constantly learning about creatures (animals), weather, and the natural world around us. They also have a good foundation for their animal knowledge due to having nearly 30 fowl on our small homestead.

As of this post, we have twenty-five chickens and four ducks. Of our chickens, four are roosters and twenty-one are laying hens. We've raised and butchered our own meat chickens, but it was a serious undertaking and they were rather stinky, so I'm not sure we'll do that again soon. It was an adventure and I am thankful for the experience. The kids also got to learn a lot through it as well. It is spring, and the ducks have been laying in a location I can't find, so we may well have ducklings in a few weeks.

We have finally found a church to attend and feel like we finally have planted roots and found friends. Our kids have also started investing in friendships and have blossomed as they have done so.

We are busy, but this season is such a blessing. We are all growing, learning, and changing. We no longer cloth diaper, but we do try to eat as "whole foods" as we can. We're working our way to a debt free lifestyle, but it is definitely a struggle at times.

Now, the answer to everyone's number question: we don't expect to have any more children, but only God knows if we will be blessed again or not.

Blogging Again?

With my life, one can never tell if I'll blog religiously or not. We now have seven children, four of whom are homeschooling. It is a busy season in life, but it is a wonderful season. I have been blogging at another blog, but I think it is time to give each a purpose and time to get things out there. I know that not very many people follow this blog, but maybe it will find someone who needs encouragements and hope for the hard days they're having. I am hoping to spend a few hours a week blogging. Maybe I can get a post up once a week? Who knows. But I will be updating here soon.

What season of life are you in? Are you busy or fairly relaxed? Are you enjoying babies, toddlers, elementary ages, middle schoolers, high schoolers? Or adult children and grandchildren? I'm looking forward to our future while we're in our season of toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary aged kids. Soon enough, we'll have a house full of teens and young adults who will be rushing off to work or church or friends...yes, this busy season is special.

May you feel blessed by the cuddles and wiping noses. May you see the blessing in the needy toddler and upset preschooler. I'm praying for you.

Returning to my Blog

I had another blog for some time but never committed to it like I should have. Now, I'm hoping to write on here more regularly. Will I keep it up? I have no idea, but I'll try. Over the next few weeks, I'll begin transferring my writings over there to here.

So, what have I been up to? Well, since I last wrote in 2015, I've had some babies and we've been growing as a family. Otherwise, it often feel like we're up to that same thing. We now have seven children, five boys and two girls. We are still living in Carolina, as we miss the Northern winters of our childhoods. We celebrated ten years of marriage last year and are looking forward to many more. Who knew that raising a family was such hard work?!

If you have questions you'd like me to answer about my family, me, my life, homeschooling, or anything else, let me know. I'll just be posting whatever comes to mind or whatever floats my boat.

Homeschooling Without Curriculum

For those who know me, I homeschool. That's not new. I also "unschool". We live of life of learning. For math, I have started using worksheets so I can assess where my boys are for their testing this summer. For the rest of it, we read or discuss or research as a family right on the spot. Want to know about the weather, drop what you're doing and lets go learn. That storm isn't too bad. Tell me what you see as we stand outside in the pea-size hail (nothing too dangerous though). Those bugs, yeah. Let's look that up. Oh, you're bleeding...ok, yeah, I can explain why your blood is read. Little questions become study opportunities if you let them.

Yesterday, I was sharing with my mom about how we watch "Pocahontas", the Disney one. The kids asked why the Indians and the "pirates" were so angry with each other. Side notes: First, we discussed who the pirates were. Second, I am not offended by being called an Indian and I'm pretty sure neither is my father, nor was my grandma or her mother. Back to the story at hand...my mom asked if I write down what we learn about every day. What? Why had that never occurred to me? We learn all day every day. I never thought to document it. If the school district wanted to see what my kids know, they'd have to sit and quiz them about everything from blood, the Indians, to chickens, to potatoes, to boogers, to diabetes, to guitars, to volcanoes...they would be here all day!

Why don't I document our discussions? It never occurred to me! Why not? Simple! Because it's our life. We discuss everything. I'm not shy about anything. My kids saw something about how male seahorses "give birth" to the babies. They asked if they have the babies how human mommies do (we've discussed those things and honestly, it was totally normal. We aren't afraid to discuss sex with our kids at age appropriate levels at our house. Maybe I should blog about that?). That led to research with everyone around the laptop watching a seahorse birth and discussing how fish lay eggs typically and they get fertilized. Just a normal day at our house.

I do write my own curriculum, but it's not really written. It's just life. If you have a question, let's look it up. We do sit for reading time and math time. We have to work on those as they are fighting me on those things. Science, social studies...those things? That's life! I think if more families lived their lives teaching their kids how to learn instead of focusing on just learning stuff for tests, we might be better off.

Bikinis

Everyone, I am a fat chick. Currently pregnant with my 6th child, I weigh a cool 210 pounds.  Yes, fat chick coming through. I'd love to weigh a little less and not have a baby bump that makes it impossible to fit my "normal" pans and jeans, but after 5 kids, I have a lot of clothes that still fit (Thank you maternity clothes).

It is February...like, 3 months till I can even run around my yard, jump in the pool, and mow my huge lawn in my bikini but I feel like these posts are important. They show the world what I am teaching my kids. Yes, all you trolls, I am teaching them about obesity being acceptable, risking one's health because the tax payers pay for it, and all that shit. But really, no. I'm teaching them to accept where they are. I am fat, yes. But, at my thinnest, I was 165 and hot! I also ended up in the hospital because I was so unhealthy and my diabetes almost killed me because of it. So, I think anywhere from 180-200 is acceptable for me. What can I say, I love food and I can't diet very well because of my diabetes. 

Back to my half nakedness...This summer, I will be sporting not pregnant swimwear, slimming swimwear, or even one piece suits. I will be sporting the bikinis my husband and kids picked out along with one I picked up because I needed zero tan-lines for a military ball. I mean, FOCUS! We have priorities. I'm stuck with tan-lines 12 months a year, ask my hubby. 

Here's my pic:

See that fat lady? Yeah, that's me. Plan, simple, old (I'm 28), and jiggly. I plan on getting bigger but not because I'm gaining fat. I mean, I am pregnant people. I'll share those pictures too, maybe. I haven't decided. I do it because my girls love bikinis, because my girls want tons of kids, and my girls are my girls. We love food, we love dancing, we love running around and being loud, and we have big bones and they may end up heavier than YOU want them to be. 

I told my mom and my sister that I want my girls to feel total confident and comfortable standing, even walking around naked with their husbands one day. I want them to be able to do what I once did...take my clothes off (with or without someone around) and know I am sexy and beautiful. I don't believe that often now, and so I fake it so my girls will see that "a woman of size" can be fat and beautiful and effing sexy damn it! 

World, there are women who are bold and beautiful...not because they meet anyone's expectations, but because they blow them out of the water. These are my inspiration for the day. Please, check them out!

http://brittanyherself.com

http://www.themilitantbaker.com

No More Cribs...For Now

Cute, isn't he?

At 14 months old, little Rhett is transitioned over to a big boy bed. At night he sleeps in a low twin. For naps, a toddler bed or the twin, where he puts himself. He doesn't roll. He doesn't fall out. He has done very well so far. Oh, and he loves pillows. He finds those suckers in two seconds. 

I know most people keep their kids in a crib as long as possible. Well, you see, Rhett decided to start breaking his. Yes, breaking it. He shakes the bars so hard that they snap. Soooo, off comes the side and a toddler bed we have. He couldn't climb, but breaking was bad enough for me. 

This is what happens when he's in a crib for any amount of time

I've always transitioned my kids early, by 18 months. My first and third were probably right at 18, second earlier around 15, and my fourth was by about 16. I don't see the need to keep them confined. They can walk and are beginning to talk. I'd rather them come find me quietly than cry to wake me. It's easy for us. Well, nap time is not easy. Tears and toys and door kicking. 

Or maybe this is what happens?

My oldest four still need me to sit with them during nap time for their volume level to be quiet enough for others to sleep. It's a joke some times. But, it's a nice rest time for me too. I don't complain. I like my nap time, too. And it usually happens every day. 

So, no more babies in my house for the next 6 months. Yes, the second crib with become the primary now since Toddler Muscle tore his apart. But for now. No cribs thank you. I like it this way.

Santa Who?

We did a very unpopular thing right before Christmas. The week before actually. I had been going back and forth for weeks about Santa. Adults know he's not real, but parents get joy out of lying to their children about his existence. Well, not me. I felt guilty every time the kids talked about this magically man. Finally I couldn't take it. 

"Guys, we have to talk to you about something very important. Mommy and Daddy don't want to lie to you about anything. So we have to tell you something. Santa isn't really. We put your presents out. We buy them and set them up."

One child cried in disbelief. Two looked at me as though they never thought some fat, jolly stranger came into our house. And one, well, he told me he still believed (it took days of explaining to convince him Santa just isn't real). After that, everything else came out.

No tooth fairy either. Mommy sneaks in for your tooth. 

No Easter Bunny, though we never did that. 

No, not even Jack Frost is real (thank you Rise Of The Guardians)

We are a magic free house now...not really. We are an honest house. We realize that our choice is unpopular and many of our friends still do those things, but we feel good about our choice. We are honest about life with our kids. Dogs don't go to heaven people. And my kids will tell you so. They told the cashier the day after Christmas that Santa isn't real and Saint Nicholas is dead. They told the dentist and dental assistant the tooth fairy isn't real and that lying to kids about it is bad. At least my kids are honest. 

I have been worried about them telling other kids that's those "mythical beings" aren't real. I had a friend tell me that she would be upset if my kids told hers. Well, if you want to carry that on, then you better get ready because someone is going to tell them some day. All we can do is tell them that some people carry on this story of Santa (I told them parents just don't want to wrap those presents, which was rather satisfying for them). So far, it's been ok, other than the cashier and the family behind us.

Santa isn't real. The Easter Bunny is a myth. Tooth fairy, not sure why we pay our kids for normal life processes. Jack Frost, a great story and fun character, but no sir. Our house, is not fun any more. Just ask the kids who live here.