Lookie, Lookie, I've Got Longies...and an AWESOME Giveaway!

 **THE WINNER IS SUNFLOWERMOM!**

(How cool is that?  I link to her AND she wins a diaper all in the same post!)

Congratulations!

I've never been a wool diapering sort of gal.  The few wool covers I've been given as hand-me-downs throughout the years struck fear in my little wash-n-wear heart and eventually hit the resale forums.  I was just sure they were terribly difficult to take care of and with all these little ones, who needed the extra headache?

That's when I ran into Deborah over at Sunflower Stories at a La Leche League meeting.  SHE had no fear of wool.  SHE didn't get knock-kneed and shaky every time SHE put a wool cover on HER babies.  As a matter of fact, SHE had some of the cutest longies and skirties a girl could ever want.  And I began to think maybe....

Several years back I made longies from THIS PATTERN.  They were cute and easy to make, but they were NOT wool.  They were just some sweaters I picked up at a local thrift store.  Since I already knew how to make longies from sweaters and thought I should make my wool adventure as easy (and cheap!) as possible.  A trip to the thrift store in search of wool sweaters found me in my sewing room with a stack of enough wool to make a sheep jealous.

But, again, I froze.

Did I really want to make the leap into caring for wool?  Did I know what I was getting myself in to?  Did I even have the time to spend transforming these wool sweaters into diaper covers?

So, the pile sat...

and sat...

and sat...

until one day I decided I really did want to find the wool love!  However, I knew I didn't really have the time to sew up all those sweaters, and besides, just how many longies did a little guy need (DON'T answer that question!)

Enter my idea to BARTER!  I posted on MOMYS my offer of a pile of wool sweaters in exchange for 3 pairs of longies, and lo and behold, someone replied!  That someone was Angie R. of Angie's Essentials.

I cannot rave enough about Angie's work!  Here are some action shots of my favorite pair, a lovely cable-knit from Europe...

OK, so are you wondering if I've gotten over my fear of wool?

ABSOLUTELY!

Let me give you some reasons why...

• Wool is all natural and I LOVE that!
• Wool longies are fun & functional in that they act as both cover and pants for my little one.
• My cloth-diapering twitter friend Muggabug taught me about using Eucalan No-Rinse Wool Wash for hassle-free washing and lanolizing in one simple step!  Talk about easing my mind!

Now, let me tell you a little bit about the Angies (and Dusti) behind Angie's Essentials because they really are a very talented group of ladies!

First of all, they are all related with 63 years of experience between the 3 of them!  Here's a real live generational cottage industry!

They are a one-stop diapering business with everything from diapers (organic, regular, & recycled) to covers (nylon, wool, & fleece) to mama cloth (called LadyLiners).  In addition to that, they carry breast pads, baby wipes, clothing, hand-knitted socks, ..you name it, they have it!

For more information, visit their blog site or email Angie R at:
angiesessentials@frontiernet.net

*Now for the REALLY EXCITING PART!*

Angie's Essentials is giving away to one of my readers this awesome package:

• 1 cloth diaper of your choice
• 1 Dappy cover
• 1 LadyLiner

That's right, you could have a whole set of essentials all your very own!  Here's how to enter to win:

1.  Hop on over to Angie's Essentials and then leave me a comment here on what kind of diaper you would choose if you won. (1 entry)
2.  Twitter, Facebook, and/or Email friends about this giveaway, linking directly to it.  For twitter, please include @raising_arrows in your tweet. Leave a comment here letting me know you've done so.  (1 entry each)
3.  Blog about this giveaway, linking back here. (1 entry)

Giveaway ends December 7th at midnight.  Winner will be chosen by Random.org and announced the following day.  Good luck!

Disclosure Statement

Discretion - At The Well

Join me At The Well today to continue our discussion from Friday...

“to be discreet”

Titus 2:5a

No Sharp Teeth, Please

("Gossip" - One of my all-time favorite Norman Rockwell paintings.)

My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Psalm 57:4

It is one thing to climb on your soapbox and respectfully disagree with someone, but it is quite another when you find yourself expending time and energy blasting people (even if you don't call them by name).

About a year a half ago, I ran across a post on Buried Treasure Books entitled Gossip-Free Zone. It is good food for thought.

Never forget your blog is public.

Always remember to turn the other cheek.

Yes, ranting is occasionally acceptable, but unless you have a private blog (and even then, I hesitate to think it's ok), ranting about others in a vicious, faceless way is rarely helpful or appropriate.



Another post from Buried Treasure books: Non-Gossip Week is a very well thought out post on guarding your mouth when it comes to what you say on the internet.

Watch the teeth...they are sharp.

Watch the tongue...it wags.

On Monday, I have a post coming out for At The Well about being discreet. I encourage you to consider what you've read here, dig into Scripture on the matter, read the post from At The Well, and join in the discussion!

A Blessed Thanksgiving to All of You!

From our home to yours, 

May you enjoy the beauty and blessing of God's mercy and love during this holiday.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
For the Lord is the great God,
and the great King above all gods.
In His hand are the deep places of the earth;
The heights of the hills are His also.
The sea is His, for He made it:
And His hands formed the dry land.
Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker
For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture
And the sheep of His hand.
Psalm 95:2-7a

A Lesson In Self-Control

Homeschooling itself is a character lesson.  Sometimes your children are the characters.  May I entertain you with a one-act play taken directly from the pages of our fine homeschool...

A Lesson in Self-Control
Son as himself
Daughter as herself
Mom as herself (wishing she were someone else)

******

Mom: Today we are starting a new unit on self-control.  Son, please be quiet for just a moment.  Daughter, sit up.  OK, here is the definition of self-control...

Daughter: (shouting) I don't know the definition!

Mom: That's because I haven't told you yet...now sit up and don't yell!  Self-control is making myself do what is right.

Son:  Oh yeah...doing what's right...yeah, that's right...I knew that.  Hey, I know a song about self-control...(starts singing).

Mom:  (trying to talk over Son)  It's not easy to do what is right all the time is it?  So, we have to practice self-control and do what is right even when...Son stop singing!...Daughter sit up!..even when it isn't easy.  OK, here's what we're going to..

Daughter:  I'm tired.  Can I get a drink?

Mom:  No.  OK, here's what we're going to learn during this section...

Son:  SELF-CONTROL!

Mom:  Um, yes, but here are some of the things we'll learn about self-control...1. To control my body and appetites...

Son: Yeah, like eating too much!

Mom:  yes...2.  To control emotions and expressions...and 3.  to control my tongue...

Son:  Yeah, like overtalking!


Mom:  Yes, like talking too much and saying mean things to others.  Now, self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit...

Son:  Hey, that's the song I was singing (begins to sing again).

Mom:  Hang on!  Let's read the verse first and then...

Son:  Can I read it?!

Daughter:  I don't want to read!

Mom:  It's Galatians 5:22-23 and I'LL read it!

Daughter:  I can't find it.  ARGH! 

Son:  I found it!  Can I read it!!!

Mom:  Hang on!  Daughter, Galatians is BEFORE Ephesians, now I'LL read it!  (Mom reads--trying ever so hard to exemplify the fruits of the Spirit--especially the "longsuffering" one!)

Daughter:  Hey!  That's not what my Bible says!

Mom:  OK, what does yours say?

Daughter:  I don't want to read it!!!

Mom:  Just read it, please.  (Daughter starts to read)  Wait!  That's Ephesians, not Galatians...here is Galatians 5:22.  NOW read it.  (Daughter reads.  Then Mom lets Son read his because, even though the versions are the same, it wouldn't be fair to let one read without letting the other read too).


Son: (starts singing again)  Hey, wait a second...these words aren't right!  What happened to patience?

Mom:  Longsuffering is patience.

Son:  Longsuffering??  I thought that was being sick a long time!

Mom:  Well, it means that even when you must suffer through something for a long time, you are patient and you don't complain...

Daughter:  I'm complaining!  I don't want him to sing that song anymore! (makes a really grouchy face)

Mom:  OK, Son, stop singing for a while, please.  Let's draw some pictures about the fruit of the Spirit.  SON, STOP SINGING!  DAUGHTER, SIT UP and STOP MAKING GRUMPY FACES!!!  ARGH!!!!!

Breastfeeding: The Memory of Emily

Breastfeeding is part of my story.  It is part of Emily's story.  From her birth to her death, I nursed her. The connection we shared for those 7 months and 6 days will forever be precious to me.

Emily and I shared a nursing relationship that was unique.  I've nursed all my children, but by the time Emily, number 5, came along, I was a seasoned breastfeeding mama and we were good...real good.  So good in fact, I managed to nurse her while climbing down into a dark, and rather treacherous, cave in South Dakota, adding to my extensive list of Places I've Breastfed.

When she became sick that night in December of 2007, I nursed her through the scary early morning hours in that lonely hospital room, waiting for a diagnosis...a diagnosis that would eventually bring a stall to our breastfeeding relationship for days on end as her tiny body healed from major surgery.

The day we were reunited, baby to breast, I cried.  I held her close, tucking those stray wisps of fuzzy brown hair behind her ears and murmuring my affection in that secret language of mothers and babies everywhere.  All the tubes and wires in the world could not keep me from her.

Life post-surgery was challenging and changed for us.  Emily was fragile.  She nursed every two hours around the clock.  Yet, my patience held.  I still look back at those weeks with fondness and an awe that I never once felt tied down or irritated by the nearly constant breastfeeding sessions.  Did I know?  Did I somehow sense those days were numbered and soon, much too soon, I would be left with only memories?  Did I feel her tiny frame slipping from my fingers as I held her tightly and gave of myself in the only way I knew how?

In the early morning hours of February 10, 2008, I nursed my little Emily for the very last time...just 3 short hours before her death.  It was just her and I in a darkened room...connecting.  For weeks on end following her death, I could feel her next to me suckling as my mind climbed out of the depth of dreams and into the world of awareness.  Not only did my heart ache for Emily, my body ached for her as well.  In excruciating, primal pain, my body mourned her absence.  Slowly, unwelcome emptiness set in and I was left with memories...beautiful memories.

Breastfeeding is not just something you do.  It is something you feel.  It is a connection, a bond, that spans time...eternity, if you will.  It is not just a mother feeding a baby.  It is a mother and a child intertwined in a dance with steps only they know, with emotions only they share.  What I wouldn't do to dance with her again.

Instead, I dance with another.  A new little nursling with beauty and grace all his own.  He does not replace the sister he never knew, but his presence soothes her absence.  As the two of us share silent, solitary moments in the middle of the night, I am reminded of her and blessed by him.

I'M A FINALIST!

Vote for me here: Contest Poll

Creative Writing - Wrapping It Up

Part 6 of The Creative Writing Crash Course.

If you are just joining us, you can read the introduction to our little Creative Writing Crash Course and then start with Part 1 of the series.

*****

This is the final post in this series.  No assignments.  Just encouragement...

Put together everything you've learned here.  Work on writing those posts we talked about in Part 1.  Reread what you write for flow and grammar and spelling errors.  But, most of all...

Enjoy Yourself!

Creative writing shouldn't be drudgery.  It's supposed to be fun!

So, that said, I thank all of you who have participated in this Creative Writing Crash Course.  I've enjoyed reading what you've written, I've enjoyed reading your comments here, and I've enjoyed getting to know you a bit better too!

The last MckLinky for this series will be for you to link up any blog posts you've done since following these lessons that you feel really show off what you've learned.  I'm looking forward to hearing from you and reading more great blog posts!

Links to other posts in this series:

Introduction: Let the Creative Juices Flow

Part 1 - The Message

Part 2 - Grab Their Attention & Keep It (A)

Part 3 - Grab Their Attention & Keep It (B)

Part 4 - Choose Your Words Wisely (A)

Part 5 - Choose Your Words Wisely (B)

THIS POST IS PART 6 - WRAPPING IT UP

From the Kitchen to the Table

Alright, you said you wouldn't laugh at me...

So, here's my How-To on getting meals from the kitchen to the table and actually getting to eat WITH your family.

First of all, I must give credit where credit is due. This was painstakingly taught to me by a lovely Titus 2 of a woman named Pam. I am actually thrilled to be able to pass on my tweaked version of what she taught me!




First issue to tackle is whether or not you know how to get all the food done close to the same time so you can bring it out at the same time. If you don't have this down, then you are in a whole heap of trouble before we even start.

The easiest way to figure this one out is to pay attention to the bake time and add to it a rough estimate of the prep time of each menu item. Count backward in time from when you want the meal ready according to the longest prep+bake time. Let me give you a tangible example of a meal so you can see how this would work:

Our meal is lasagna, salad, homemade french bread, and peach cobbler.

The french bread is the longest prep+bake time. Start there. It is going to take us 2 hours from start to finish; however, I need the bread to be out of the oven before the lasagna goes in. We want to eat at 6pm. I start the french bread at 2:15pm. (ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS give yourself MORE time than you think you need!)

The lasagna takes 1.5 hours start to finish. That means I have to have it started by 4:30pm. By that time, the french bread should be close to finished.

Next is the lasagna. It can bake at the same temp as the bread (but they will slow each other down...that is why I'm baking them separately).

Once the lasagna is in the oven, I can prepare the peach cobbler and set it aside because I will bake it while we are eating.

I figure a salad only takes about 10 minutes to prepare, so I can wait until the lasagna is out of the oven and cooling just a bit to finalize the salad.

See how that all works together?

Oh, and make sure you have a timer handy to keep you on track!



OK, here's where I needed help...the actual art of getting to sit down during the meal!

1. Rustle up any help you can find to set the table while you finalize the meal.
Even small children can carry things to the table! If there's no one to help, then do it yourself as soon as you have all the food in order.

2. Get EVERYTHING you need for the meal on the table (if you have a buffet or bar where you can put extra items use that too). Plates, silverware, glasses, butter, salad dressing, napkins, serving utensils, trivets, salt, pepper, etc. need to all be on or near the table. This is something else your children can help with. You set the items out while your little ones transfer them to the table.

3. Don't forget the items that will make your life easier, mom!
Do your children gulp down their water, leaving you to do 90 million mad dashes to the faucet and back? Fill a pitcher of water!
Does everyone want to sit by Daddy? Set up an assigned seating rotation!
Does someone always spill their drink? Have a large towel hung over the back of your chair!
Is someone always acting up at the table? Have your If/Then Chart handy!
Where are your problem areas? Brainstorm a solution!

4. Call 'em to the table.
My latest tool to get the children to the table is a bell. I've trained the children to drop everything and come when the bell rings. I seriously despise yelling for people to come to the table...the bell is MUCH more effective!

5. Bring out the food!
As they are coming to the table, bring out the food and place on the trivets/hot pads you've already set out.  If you have mostly littles, choose a main serving area where most of the food will congregate.  For us, this is in front of Daddy.  He is the official server-upper.

7.  Pray and THEN serve.
This was one of my biggest mistakes.  I used to always dish up the food and then expect everyone to stop chowing down in order to pray.  With a large family, it wasn't uncommon for at least one person to be entirely through their first helping of food before prayers took place.  The only exception to this rule is the baby.  I usually have a small dish that I put his food in to cool and be cut up prior to prayers, but I still wait until after prayers to give the food to him.

We also serve youngest to oldest, with any guests we have over being the first to be served.  Our thoughts here are that the olders are better able to patiently wait for their food.  Each child passes his plate down to Daddy, who fills the plate (with Mommy's help), and passes it back.  It's a fairly quick and painless process.  Second helpings work the same way.

8.  Enjoy your family.
Don't scarf the food down and run off to the next project.  Look your family in the eye.  Engage them in conversation.  Enjoy them.  This is hard for moms-on-the-go.  Especially for those of us who really like to check things off our lists...dinner...check...on to the next thing.  So many Americans lament the fact that they have very little opportunity to eat meals as a family.  If you are able to enjoy a sit down meal with your family, don't squander that time by mindlessly eating while you daydream about your to-do list.  Savor your family mealtimes.  They will be beautiful memories someday.

So, there's my little tutorial!  Now, GO SIT DOWN, MAMA and ENJOY YOUR MEAL!

(Linked to Finer Things Friday.)

Winter Soup

When Micah was born I had many lovely ladies bring over some tasty meals, but one stood out above the rest...Winter Soup.

Now, I know it isn't winter yet, but it sure has been cold in my neck of the woods already, so here's a tasty and oh-so-hardy soup to warm your bones.

Winter Soup

1 qt chicken broth

1 pkg frozen mixed vegetables

2 chopped potatoes

1# sausage, browned

1 pkg of Creamy Potato Soup Mix (I use Bear Creek)

whipping cream (however much or little you want ;o) )

salt & pepper to taste

Cook veggies in broth until tender.  Brown sausage and drain.  Add potato soup mix to veggies and broth - add more water if needed.  Add browned sausage.  Add whipping cream

You can make MANY variations to this recipe.  The other night I used leftover chicken and noodles, added the potato soup mix and sausage and milk instead of cream.  You can substitute another meat for the sausage or go meatless altogether.  No matter how you cook it, it is just yum-yum-yummy!

This recipe is linked to:

Large Family Hospitality

When my husband and I went to Natchez a little over a year ago, we toured many of the antebellum homes and learned a little about Southern hospitality. While Southern hospitality most definitely runs the lines of fancy parties, a multitude of food, graciousness and gaiety, I have to say I am thankful you don't have to be a Southerner to practice true hospitality.

Years ago, I loved having parties in our home. Every fall we had a party with a bonfire and all sorts of autumnish activities. During the summer we would host Purple Cow parties (grape soda and ice cream). And nearly every Sunday our home was filled with 20 or more people sharing a pot-providence meal.

But as the children came, the parties went.

It felt overwhelming to try orchestrating large gatherings with food and activities for all and still care for my growing brood. It didn't seem large families and hospitality were all that compatible.

That is, until I redefined hospitality, or rather, my perception of hospitality.

I already knew hospitality did not require matching table service, perfect h'orderves, and a little black dress, but I did believe hospitality meant some level of perfection...even if that just meant perfect paper plates.

However, as I've grown older I've realized my view of hospitality is marred and rather selfish. Hospitality via a standard of perfectionism has very little to do with what true hospitality is.

The book, Open Hearts, Open Homes by Karen Mains was what first opened my eyes to fact that true hospitality is not about the HOSTESS...how nice her meal is, how perfect her table setting is, how lovely her home.  It is about the GUESTS...are they being served, are they comfortable, do they feel a part of your home?

That book was given to me by a woman who taught me even more about hospitality from her every day life.  She was a homeschooling mom with four children.  Besides the children, she had chickens and goats to tend to.  Her freezer was always stocked with something she could throw together to make a quick meal for drop-in guests.  Her guest room was always ready for overnight company.  In fact, at their front door was a guest book and pen where each person who dropped by their home was invited to sign and leave a note for the family.

However, hospitality in their home didn't always mean idle chit-chats on the couch.  She once told me she did not mind drop-ins if they didn't mind following her around while she worked.  If she was prepared for a guest, then she could afford to sit the entire time.  If they came unannounced, she was thankful for their presence, but wanted them to understand that her conversation would be peppered with chores.

Another person I learned a lot about hospitality from NEVER made excuses for her messy home.  She simply moved a pile off the couch for you and one for her and looked you in the eye and listened.  She never failed to be able to rustle up some grub for her crew of 7 plus whoever showed up at her door.  She once told me that if she was going to have to cook for 7, she might as well cook for 10 or 12.  As a mom now cooking for 7 myself, I can say I wholeheartedly concur.  It really is no big deal to add a few extra mouths.

So, that, my friends, is true hospitality...

Sharing yourself with the people who walk in your door.

Children & Chores Q&A

Q&A from post on Children & Chores:

Julie asks about chores when the children are not homeschooled and you are cleaning during the day without them. I answered in the comments section of the post, but thought I would address it here as well:

I would recommend either a "Cleaning Hour" (much like Home Blessing) once or twice a week on a weeknight or on a Saturday morning.  During this time, you can accomplish a lot.

Still divide up your chores, still require they care for their "domain" every day (ie. school stuff, laundry, beds made, etc), still post the list, just make it a once or twice a week thing rather than every day.

Also, a bed can be made in seconds...no reason they can't do it before they leave their rooms in the morning. ;)

Anna says "One thing that wasn't obvious to me, and is never mentioned in articles like this is that I do need to follow along and assist when appropriate."

You are absolutely right!  And that is what I meant when I said "teach them how to do their particular chore."  We cannot expect children to automatically know how to do something.  (ahem...remember my post on Keeping The Kitchen Clean?)  However, my purpose in working alongside them is to TEACH THEM...not to do their job FOR THEM.

Now, some chores are just beyond your child and you simply cannot expect them to be able to do the work.  That brings me to Mirage's question:

"How old do you start them doing chores and what kind do you have them do?"

I don't expect much from anyone under 5.  Not that they get to stand around and do nothing for 5 years, but turning 5 is somewhat of a rite of passage around here...the day you begin to "earn your keep" so to speak.  Prior to age 5 the chores look more like this:
Get dressed
Make your bed
Take items to the trash for me when I ask
Do specific chores I dole out during our 15 minute Tidy

I've just found that under the age of 5, their little ole brains just can't quite comprehend the idea of a set chore schedule.  And even after age 5, you have to REMIND, REMIND, REMIND and GUIDE, GUIDE, GUIDE.  In fact, it has only been in the last year that my big kids (ages 11 and 8) have learned to begin and complete Table Chores ON THEIR OWN without me constantly reminding them and they have been doing Table Chores for nearly 4 YEARS!?! (Sometimes the fruit of our labor is slow to ripen!)

My opinion on the list Mirage gave for what her 3 year old is doing...
"Chicklet just turned 3 and she washes the table, puts her dirty dishes in the sink, and unloads the silverware baskets from the dishwasher. She also does little errands for me like throws away the diapers when I change Bug and helps me feed Bug."

is this:
If she's doing those things without hurting herself (or someone else), then chore away little one!

Hope that helps to clarify a few things from the Children & Chores Post!

********

And don't forget to vote for your favorite homeschool blogs!

And here's my shameless plug for this blog...Vote for me, please!
http://hsbapost.com/best-super-homeschooler-2009/

Creative Writing - Choose Your Words Wisely (B)

Part 5 of The Creative Writing Crash Course.

If you are just joining us, you can read the Introduction to our little Creative Writing Crash Course and then start with Part 1 of the series.

*****

Choose Your Words Wisely
lesson B

1. Learn to see the world through a descriptive lens.

Ask This:
How do I see the world? Is it colorful? Am I able to notice and describe details?

Know This:
Writers are artists. Writers see the world in a different way than others see it. Truly good writers see the world through a descriptive lens much like a photographer sees the world through a camera lens. In fact, if you or someone you know is a photographer, I'm sure you know that the photographer sees camera angles everywhere they go. Well, a creative writer sees description and color and words everywhere they go.

Do This:
Go outside with your camera or a good eye. Observe your surrounding area. Take a wide shot, zoom in on one aspect of that wide angle. Then zoom in a bit more on that one thing. Try to describe what you see in each "shot" with accuracy.

2. Take words away from their ordinary setting to spice up your writing.

Ask This:
Am I creative in my word usage? Can I make sentences sing and paragraphs dance? Can I think outside the box?

Know This:
In Lesson #2 I wrote these words:

"The first few words you utter upon a page are crucial."

Think about what I just said there...do words written on a page "utter"? No, they don't really.

Take a look at the Ask This section directly above. I wrote:

"Can I make sentences sing and paragraphs dance?"

Are sentences capable of singing? Do paragraphs really dance? Absolutely not. Yet, I am sure most everyone who read those words knew precisely what I was saying.

When you take words from their ordinary setting and use them elsewhere, you bring a new dimension to your writing. You put pictures in your reader's heads that bring new life to otherwise mundane words.

Do This:
Look at this picture:


Look closely at the petals. Rather than simply say, "the petals are red", think long and hard about what the petals resemble that has NOTHING to do with flowers. (This is something I touched on in my post on Logic. This is a GREAT exercise for young and old, student and teacher. It helps you to begin to see your world in a new way.)

OK, what do you see?

How about the skirts of a flamenco dancer?

Maybe a sea urchin?

How about one of those koosh balls?

This is how you learn to think outside the box. Thinking outside the box is a must for learning to write creatively. Here's another picture for you to try on your own:


Don't look at this picture and only see the rainbow. See how the rainbow sits in the sky. Think about all of the out-of-the-box descriptions you can use to bring depth and creativity to your words. Dig deeper.

3. Use literary techniques

Ask This:
Am I familiar with literary tools I can use to make my writing flow? Can I hear when a sentence just "sounds good"? Do I regularly read what I've written out loud to check for how it flows?

Know This:
Stylistic Devices are VERY important when it comes to creative writing. It is much more apparent in poetry, but is just as crucial to the flow of prose as well. The easiest one to grasp that can make a real difference in your writing (in my humble opinion) is alliteration.

Alliteration...
"consists in repeating the same consonant sound at the beginning of several words in close succession." (from wikipedia definition of alliteration)

In addition to this, think about using similar sounds within the words that make up your sentence.

Here is an example from my post A Day To "Celebrate":
My children need to see stability and strength.
(the words "see", "stability", & "strength")

And from A Surprise Concerning My Header Photo:
While I still embrace my wifely and motherly roles, while I still stand amidst trials, while I am still a thinker and an analyzer, it is time for another side of me to emerge.
("still embrace", "still stand amidst trials", thinker...analyzer...another..emerge)

Are you seeing it?

I've gotten where I no longer notice I am doing it. It is automatic, but it makes all the difference.

*****

Ok, everyone, we are nearing the moment of truth. Have you learned anything? Are you enjoying writing more? Are you seeing things in writing you never saw before? How are you feeling about your blog posts and other creative writing ventures?

Link up anything you feel like sharing!

Links to other posts in this series:
Introduction: Let the Creative Juices Flow
Part 1 - The Message
Part 2 - Grab Their Attention & Keep It (A)
Part 3 - Grab Their Attention & Keep It (B)
Part 4 - Choose Your Words Wisely (A)
THIS POST IS PART 5 -
CHOOSE YOUR WORDS WISELY (B)
Part 6 - Wrapping It Up

He's Home From the Buffalo Hunt

Soon our freezer will be stocked with lean and yummy buffalo meat, a buffalo head will hang on our wall, and a soft buffalo robe will be available to cozy up to. The mountain man has returned.

Children & Chores

"All he has to do is take out the trash, Mom! Can you believe that?! And he whines about it. That's terrible. What would he do if he lived here?!"

I nod my head, a knowing smile on my lips.

I was that kid who only had to take out the trash (with an occasional dusting session here and there whenever I was home on a Saturday).

I was that kid who whined and complained about work...any work.

I grew up and realized that life is work and you either embrace it or you live your whole life complaining about it.

I want better for my kids.

Do I expect them to LOVE chores? NO. It wouldn't be "work" if it was easy and fun and their favorite thing to do.

What I expect is for them to learn exactly what it takes to run a household. I want them to be contributing members of the household. I want to raise responsible children who are blessings rather than cursings to their family.

But, how do you do this? So many families I talk with are at a loss. They don't know where to start with getting their children to pitch in. The fit-throwing sessions they get every time they ask for help end up leaving them feeling like it is just easier to do it themselves. They are already exhausted...why add a full-blown argument to the mix?

This is where one little word comes in to save the day...

CONSISTENCY

You cannot just ask for help here and there and expect your children not to balk. However, if there is a consistent chore schedule with a consistent knowledge of what to expect, then you set a standard in your household that minimizes the struggles (notice I said minimizes...not ends...once again, does anyone really like to work?).

So, practically speaking, how do you achieve consistency when it comes to chores and children?

1. Determine the chores that are within your child's domain.
Things like the playroom and their bedroom fit into this category. If you homeschool, their crates and/or desks and/or backpacks also belong here (you probably have these things if they are not homeschooled too). Any extra-curricular paraphernalia also fit within your child's domain. Anything in the house that directly belongs to your child is in this category.

2. Determine the chores you need help with and assign accordingly.
Repeat after me...

I do not have to clean up everyone's messes all by myself.


In my opinion, this is THE #1 way to teach responsibility (something seriously lacking in our world today). Not only is the child responsible for his own domain, but he is also responsible for pitching in to keep clean the areas he occupies throughout the day. He is not an island unto himself. His actions (and inactions) affect others.

Consider all the chores you do on a regular basis. For me, these are things like dusting, sweeping and mopping, cleaning bathrooms, laundry, dishes, yardwork, etc.

Now, think about them in bite-sized pieces. For instance, Tuesday is Floor Day here. I vacuum all carpets. My oldest son (age 11) sweeps & mops the kitchen and dining room and sweeps the storage areas. My oldest daughter (age 8) sweeps & mops the entryway and the downstairs bathroom and sweeps the front porch. My 5 year old daughter sweeps the back porch (cuz it's ok if the back porch isn't um...perfect...lol). The larger chore of sweeping and mopping is divided up in sections between many capable hands lightening my load and making the task go very quickly.

3. Type up a list and post it.
DO NOT get wordy here. Just type the general idea and get it posted in plain sight. Otherwise you will overwhelm the children and frighten them away.

My list is arranged something like this:

MONDAY:
Child's name - chore, chore, chore
Child's name - chore, chore, chore
Child's name - chore

TUESDAY:
Child's name - chore, chore, chore
Child's name - chore, chore, chore
Child's name - chore,

you get the idea...
(to read more about our daily chores, read THIS POST)

4. Plan the Work and Work the Plan.
Figure out a time of day that is good for you as a family to do chores. For us, it is first thing after breakfast. Mama, the visual one...if you remember, needs a clean home to do school in. It's a clean slate for us to start with. After that, I don't really care how messy it gets...just start me out uncluttered, please!

Once you have a time of day set...just do it! It may take several times to get them used to choring, but work right alongside them, teach them how to do their particular chore, set a timer as motivation, encourage and talk and laugh.

And don't be afraid to identify what you are doing as WORK. You can fool a preschooler into thinking cleaning mirrors is fun, but that will never fly with your pre-teen.

Work may not be fun, but it can be rewarding if done well. Encourage your child to take pride in a job well done as unto the Lord. Reward them occasionally for cheerfully going about their work. Praise them for helping out the family. Show them you value them enough to instill the solid and lasting character traits of responsibility, industry, and diligence.

Consistent chores for children foster lasting results. Don't be afraid to step in right where you are. You won't regret it!

For an amazing resource on the subject of work, read:

(It's not just for boys!)

The Right Thing for the Wrong Reason

I would be a rich woman if I had a dime for every time someone asked me why we homeschool. Just the other day, my family had the opportunity to reconnect with a childhood friend of mine and in the midst of the conversation she asked me why we decided to homeschool. I gave her my mindless answer that goes something like this...

"Where we lived before, Kindergarten was all day and I knew I didn't want my son going from all day with me to all day at school, so I approached my husband about sending him to preschool which was only a half day. During this time; however, Ty was deployed to Cuba and we decided that our son was suffering enough trauma from losing his daddy without having us send him away from his mommy as well. So, he stayed home and I began teaching him at home because he was so eager to learn. By the time he was Kindergarten age he would have been bored in school and I would have spent all my time in the principal's office, so we decided to homeschool. Somewhere along the line we became convicted that this was God's will."

Later, I began to think about my "story" and the almost afterthought I tacked on at the end that has now become the ONLY reason we homeschool.

We did the right thing for all the wrong reasons.

Yet here we are still doing the right thing and now for the right reason as well.

I talk to many misguided homeschool moms who are often looking for "school at home" or some unattainable standard of perfection for themselves and their children and their curriculum. There are even times when I am the misguided homeschool mom! I get caught up in the HOW and forget the WHY.

Whenever something terrible happens in our nation's schools all the reactionaries rise up saying, "We're going to pull our kids out of school and homeschool!" I find myself putting on my skeptical spectacles and saying things like, "That's not a good reason to homeschool! They'll never last!"

But wait a second...was my reason a "good" reason? Wasn't my reason reactionary as well?

A fellow homeschool mom once told me that things have to hit a crisis point before people really see things the way they are. In other words,

It isn't until things are so bad you hit rock bottom that you are finally able to see what is above you.

There are a lot of families climbing out of pits on the ropes of homeschooling. What they need are strong mentors along the way, cheering them on, encouraging them toward the top, and teaching them truths as they climb.

So, how do you answer someone who has decided to homeschool for all the wrong reasons? How do you encourage that mother?

Us "seasoned" homeschoolers could stand in judgment--almost like a little clique of mamas who have all the answers because we homeschool for the right reason.

OR...

We can openly welcome all the newbies, draw them aside and earnestly listen to their reasons, and then PRAYERFULLY and GENTLY guide those who are homeschooling for the wrong reasons. Send them notes of encouragement, answer their seemingly endless questions, and ALWAYS keep Christ at the forefront of our conversations.

When they decide to make their homeschool look "just like yours," encourage them to seek the Lord's will. But if they continue to insist on being your carbon-copy, then let them.

We all started somewhere.

We all came to this with preconceived notions of what homeschooling looked like. And for those of us who only knew one or two homeschooling families at the time we took this leap, more than likely, we just followed their lead. We found our groove and sooner or later, they will find theirs.

You may be saying, "But wait a second...I have this friend who has been homeschooling for all the wrong reasons for YEARS! Is she EVER going to "get it?"

Just remember this, she may be doing the right thing for the wrong reason, but she is still doing the right thing.

I still need to be reminded of my convictions. The world begins to creep in on my little homeschooling corner and I start wondering if I am doing enough by the world's standards. I forgo the devotions in order to squeeze in that missing math lesson. I look at Suzie Homeschool Mom down the street who does everything right and start reworking my oh-so-mundane curriculum. Next thing I know I am flat on my face before the Lord being reminded of the REAL reason I homeschool--the RIGHT reason.

Yeah, I know it's pretty forward of me to suggest that homeschooling has but one right motive behind it, but hey, I also believe there is but ONE WAY to Heaven. At least I'm consistent.

May you be blessed by the journey!

I've Been Nominated!

Not only can I hardly believe I've actually been nominated, but I about fell over when I saw the category I was nominated in...

SUPER-HOMESCHOOLER

For real?!

Well, if being SUPER means:

I don't get everything I intend to do done every day.

I call the kids to school and they all say they have to go to the bathroom...right. that. very. second.

I yell, "Could everyone stop YELLING?!" more often than I care to admit.

I change curriculum like I change my clothes.

I wonder every single day who invented algebra and if I skipped teaching it would anyone notice.

and...

I have to stand up to read to the kids or else I will most definitely fall asleep (and the children will sneak away and play VERY quietly so they don't have to finish school).

Then, YEP! I'm SUPER!

I thank you all for nominating me...you guys are SUPER too!

*****

Take a moment to run on over to The Homeschool Post and vote the categories. You won't be disappointed by all the great blogs listed there!

Keeping the Kitchen Clean

Time for a shocking confession from me...

My husband's friend Dan taught me how to keep my kitchen clean.

Most women would be embarrassed that a man taught them how to clean a kitchen,

but I am..

not...

well...
not really..

ok...
maybe a little bit.

Most of you know how much I struggle with the kitchen. My entire married life my kitchen has rarely been clean more than a handful of days at a time (usually surrounding a visit from my mom).

In fact, prior to baby #4, it wasn't uncommon for me to be so totally overwhelmed by the dishes that when company would come I would quickly throw large tea towels over the piles near the sink to give the appearance that they were drying under there!

*gasp*

After #4, I didn't even bother with the tea towels.

*another gasp*

So, really, in the grand scheme of things, Dan teaching me to keep my kitchen clean is much less embarrassing than letting my dishes rot under tea towels.

So, what's the trick Dan taught me that has revolutionized my kitchen?

I'll tell you in a second, but first I must explain something about myself in the hopes that I will not feel totally stupid someone out there can relate...

I didn't know HOW to keep my kitchen clean.

I couldn't get from Point A - Messy Kitchen to Point B - Clean Kitchen on my own.

It could be because I'm a very visual person and couldn't see what needed to be done. It could be I'm too flighty. It could be a million different things, but the truth of the matter is that if something isn't described to me in tiny baby steps more than likely I just won't get it.

For instance, my mom says,

"You just clean the kitchen as you go."

My brain hears,

"As you cook, your dishes magically become clean."

See the disconnect here?

So, I was quite grateful to Dan for his patience and ability to keep a straight face as he walked me through how to keep my kitchen clean. (This method assumes you have a dishwasher and a garbage disposal. If not, adjust accordingly...just don't ask ME how to make those adjustments...remember, I'm the one who thinks dishes magically clean themselves!)

1. Start your meal preparations by emptying your dishwasher...every.single.time.

2. As you cook, take any no-longer-used dishes and utensils directly to the sink, rinse foodstuff down garbage disposal and IMMEDIATELY place items in dishwasher.

3. When dishwasher is full (or semi-full), run dishwasher.

4. Repeat.

Yeah, I can hear all of you in bloggy land snickering at me, but that's ok. I'm a big girl. I can take it.

Actually, I'm going to blame it on my artsy nature. I can describe a rose, but I totally miss the fact that it is a rose! I'm more concerned about what kind of basket my fruit sits in. My dishes being clean and off the countertops really only matters to me because it might detract from my basket.

So, that, my friends, is how I keep my kitchen clean.

And if you're really nice to me I might even let you in on the step-by-step instructions I was given on how to get a meal to the table and actually eat at the same time as my family! (No, that tidbit of info did NOT come from Dan!)

Let me know if Family Table instructions even remotely interest you, because frankly, one time of totally embarrassing myself this week is plenty!

The Winner of the SpellQuizzer Giveaway is...

MommaBlogger!

Thanks to all who entered!

And stay tuned...

I have another great little giveaway coming up soon!
(HINT: Remember THIS POST?!)

Final Day to Enter Giveaway!

This is it, folks! The last day to enter the SpellQuizzer Giveaway! At midnight tonight, it's all over. Winner will be announced as soon as Random.org spits one out for me.

Hope you are having a bright and productive Monday! (no, really...I mean it...I LOVE Mondays!)

Creative Writing - Choose Your Words Wisely (A)

Part 4 of The Creative Writing Crash Course.

If you are just joining us, you can read the introduction to our little Creative Writing Crash Course and then start with Part 1 of the series.

*****

I've written for newsletters and magazines, on blogs and for radio. I've presented research papers in conference rooms and read poetry in coffee shops. Each venue is just a little bit different, and you have to be aware of those differences.

For instance, radio needs to be quick and concise, using meaning-rich words that get your point across to a reader who has only the amount of time it takes to say the words over the airwaves in order to process what is being said and create an image in their minds. There is very little room for error.

Poetry is at its best when the words have multiple meanings and are so descriptive you cannot help but feel you are there. I firmly believe poetry is never meant to be read once. It must be read again and again for years and years before you should ever be able to fully grasp its meaning.

Research papers can be quite interesting if the author has a large and well-defined vocabulary with a solid sense of how to make words flow. I know, "interesting" and "research paper" are oxymorons to the general public, but I participated in a reading of research papers done on classic literature several years back and it was fascinating! Really!

The point I am trying to make here is that what is going to make or break your writing are your words. I'm not being flippant. The difference between a good read and a boring read is all in what words the author uses to piece together the message.

We've talked about what your message is, we've talked about ways to grab a reader's attention, and now we must talk about the real meat of the subject...

Choosing Your Words Wisely
lesson A

1. Build your vocabulary.

Ask This:
Do I have command of the english language? Is it difficult for me to precisely and concisely describe things to other people? Do I need a thesaurus? Do I need a dictionary?

Know This:
At the mention of vocabulary words, my children groan. I'll admit, I was never a fan of those quizzes in 4th grade where we tried to recall all the "Power Words" the teacher had crammed into our brains that week. (However, I do remember quite clearly the words "regurgitate" and "puce"...does that speak volumes about me or what?)

So, never fear, I am NOT going to ask you to start an index box of cards with a running list of vocabulary words on them. Not that those don't have merit (and you can start one if you like), but most of us simply don't have time for that sort of thing. But, here's a little story about me to help you see the importance of having command of a large vocabulary...

Words have always been my thing. But, one day when I used the word

be·nev·o·lent (b-nv-lnt)

adj.

1. Characterized by or suggestive of doing good.

2. Of, concerned with, or organized for the benefit of charity.

to refer to someone who was very mean and rude, I could tell by the looks on the faces around me that I had either lost my mind or I had used the wrong word. Thankfully, the next time I mixed up words, I had the good sense to keep my mouth shut. That was when my professor (you'll meet him in a bit) began talking about the

et·y·mol·o·gy (t-ml-j)

n. pl. et·y·mol·o·gies

1. The origin and historical development of a linguistic form as shown by determining its basic elements, earliest known use, and changes in form and meaning, tracing its transmission from one language to another, identifying its cognates in other languages, and reconstructing its ancestral form where possible.

2. The branch of linguistics that deals with etymologies.

of words and I wondered what in the world BUGS had to do with it! (as in, I thought he meant "entomology"...the study of insects!)

So, anyway...using a word incorrectly is embarrassing to say the least.

Do This:
Every time (and I mean EVERY time) you run across a word you have either never heard before, or you only *think* you know the meaning of, LOOK IT UP! Get yourself a good dictionary (not a children's and not a teeny tiny one) and USE it, or use an online dictionary like The Free Dictionary. Google has an awesome tool in its toolbar where you can actually double-click a word on a web page and then click their little Definition Icon to get a quick dictionary definition of the highlighted word. Very handy!

Now, here's the tricky part...
If you look up a word, use it in a sentence as soon as possible! Even if you have to come up with something off the wall and say it to the children who will look at you funny and then go back to playing Legos...or perhaps you could write a quick email to your husband at work and use the word (you might even impress him!)

For instance:
Recently, I visited the blog of someone who had left a comment here. The name of her blog was Fraise Lachrymose. I had heard the last word before (the first word I knew from my days of studying Spanish...some of you might know it from your days of studying food. No, it's not a Spanish word, but if you know your etymology...not your entomology...you would see the similarity between the French and the Spanish words), but that last word I couldn't quite conjure up a definition for. Thankfully, the blogger was kind enough to have written a post explaining her blog name and my memory was jogged...memory because "lachrymate" is a word my husband has used before (I believe he was cutting an onion at the time). So, now as I sit here typing variations of the word "lachrymate", I am reinforcing the word in my mind. I won't soon forget this word.

2. Learn to love your thesaurus.

Ask This:
Do you even own a thesaurus?

Know This:
Words are very precise. The more ways you know to say something, the more you can clarify your meaning.

Do This:
Dust off your thesaurus or familiarize yourself with an online version.

Look at one of your blog posts that you just aren't that impressed with. Find a couple of verbs within that post that are boring, everyday words like "talk" or "said" and use your thesaurus to find a new and improved word. Begin to look for new ways of saying the same old thing as you write.

3. Avoid clichés and overused words.

Ask This:
Are your descriptions inventive or do they rely on other people's observations and words? Do you use too many "empty" words?

Know This:
You shall now meet my professor. I can't remember his name because I always called him Dr. Who (as in Tom Baker's version of Dr. Who)


He ALWAYS wore a long scarf and his hair was curly (although several shades lighter than Tom Baker's). In addition to this, he wore brightly colored socks and Birkenstocks. When he smiled, rocking back and forth a bit with his hands in his corduroys, I thought I'd been in a time warp and truly expected to see K-9 come scooting out from behind his desk. He was a delightful teacher and I learned much from him, including how to recognize clichés and how to learn to write without them.

So, what are clichés? Well, to take from the Cliche' Finder Website:

"A cliche is an analogy characterized by its overuse. It may be true ('Fat as a pig'), no longer true ('work like a dog') or inscrutible ('right as rain'), but it has been overused to the point that its sole function is to mark its user as a lazy thinker." Expressions you and your friends make-up one afternoon can't be cliches for this very reason.

The site suggests that if you start the phrase and know exactly how to end it, it is a cliche'. See the 'Fat as a pig' in the above quote? You can easily say,

Fat as a [what?]

and know the answer is pig. It is best to avoid clichés because they tend to be empty words. They've lost good solid meaning and true-to-life descriptive ability. However I will admit, even I, schooled by Dr. Who himself, still use a smattering of clichés.

Do This:
Familiarize yourself with common clichés. HERE is an excellent list I ran across. Take the time to read through it. Recognize yourself? As the title of the page says, learn to "avoid them like the plague." (which, by the way, is a cliché).

Next, take a look at your writings. Are you an avid user of clichés? (use that handy search feature on your blog to search for some of the ones listed in the link!) Rewrite one of your posts, replacing each cliché with a more inventive, more original grouping of words. Here's one of my sentences from "When the Roller Coaster Begins to Slow":

And after I had given out words of wisdom, I was going to breathe a huge sigh of relief and say, "So glad that is over!"

"Words of wisdom" and "sigh of relief" are both clichés. I could have shaped this sentence with a lot more accuracy and meaning, if I'd said:

And after I had pontificated, I was going to exhale loudly and say, "So glad that is over!"

(Remember, sometimes clichés serve a purpose in blogs. See the "paddling upstream" reference in my post "A Day To Celebrate" or the fact that my Dog Days of Summer post includes a picture of a sleeping dog. Clichés, if used rarely and done in good taste, can make for great irony and photo captions! )

Would you like to take the Creative Writing Crash Course?
Read the following posts:
Introduction: Let the Creative Juices Flow
Part 1 - The Message
Part 2 - Grab Their Attention & Keep It (A)
Part 3 - Grab Their Attention & Keep It (B)
This post is Part 4 - Choose Your Words Wisely (A)
Part 5 - Choose Your Words Wisely (B)
Part 6 - Wrapping It Up