Thursday, June 21, 2012

Balloon PiƱata

Staying cool and having a little fun is what summer is all about.
Although this activity lasted only about 20 minutes, it was well worth the effort it took to fill up the balloons, tie them up and clean up afterwards.
The kids thought it was hilarious how the balloons jiggled when you hit them. They did take some work to break- it wasn't like they broke in one swing, which was the goal.
You might want to experiment with the amount of water in the balloons depending on the age of your kids.
We wanted ours to be hard to break. And just for the record, it was Miss A who won the game!
She broke the most. Before you feel sorry for Timmy... It wasn't too unfair considering she's much bigger than Timmo, he's surprisingly strong for his size.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Summer Bucket List 2012


I found this idea on pinterest and thought it brilliant. Obviously summer can be a challenge. This is actually my first summer in five years where I find myself in the dilemma most moms face every year- what to do with my kids?!!
I'm usually up to my eyeballs planning and putting on our annual church VBS this time of year- with the help of my children. This year, I've got help; that's a huge burden taken off my shoulders, but now I realize that the business of planning a VBS was actually a good thing in keeping our summer filled up.

So, enter the bucket list. It's essentially just a bucket filled with strips of paper written with a fun to-do.

During the day, when the kids need something to do, Ive prepared a list of ideas anywhere from snacks to crafts. I bought what I needed ahead of time so that we would have everything on hand when needed.

So, without further ado...
2012 Thevaos Summer Bucket List:

make a volcano
With sidewalk chalk, draw a map of the neighborhood on the driveway
Have a pick nick
Make Cloud Dough
Have a Water gun fight
Make a Science Experiment
Make Ice Sculptures
Freeze things in water and dig them out
Have a glow in the dark night
Make silouete Pictures
Have a Balloon straw race
Make Bubble paintings
Make an obstacle course
Build towers with marshmallows and toothpicks
Have a paper boat race
Have a water balloon fight
Make Slime
Make pinwheels
Make bubbles and giant wands
make notes with invisible ink
Have a water balloon pinata challenge
Make "i Wish" art
Make paper mache stuff
make sidewalk paint and "go to town'
floating eggsperiment
Put on a play
Have dinner in the dark
Go swimming!!!
Play hide and seek
Skate
Make bird houses
Play in the sprinklers

Food related:
Make ice cream in a bag
Make sugar cookies
Make homemade snow cones
Make fruit Popsicles
Muddy buddies
Freeze bananas and chocolate
Make homemade taffy
Make cupcakes
Make a smoothie
Make homemade gelato

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Project Summer Fun!

I knew if I did not plan well, we could just end up hating each other this summer.
I thought things through and decided what I did and did not want for us this Summer.

I did not want:
1.couch potatoes for kids
2. neither did I want lazy kids,
3. video -zoned -out kids,
4.arguing kids or
5.Whiny kids.

What I did want:
1. Happy kids
2. Productive kids- either crafting, playing, working, etc.
3. Reading - lots of it!
4. I don't mind an hour or 2 of TV
5. I don't mind a half hour- one hour of video games
6. Would love to see my kids serve others, but with a baby and only one car in the family, I would have to limit serving opportunities to things here at home.
7. Playing together or with friends
8. Last but not least- a happy Mommy. Let's face it, entertaining kids all day is exhausting! I need down time as well as a sense that I am a mommy not a maid, ping pong ball or referee.


I started out first by planning the week.

Monday: Friend day . In June, a group of us Moms organized Camp Friends in order to get the kids together with summer camp fun.
Tuesday: game night - pick 2 activities out of our Summer Bucket List ( I'll post our list tomorrow).
Wed: library day. 2 items from Summer bucket list, church at night
Thursday: Water Fun! Either swimming or outdoor water game. " Story night" Mom and Dad take turns sharing a story from their life.
Friday: Random

Its been 2 weeks, so far so good!

Pictures and posts of some fun kid friendly ideas to come.

I'm coming back!

I'm so fickle sometimes... Ok, maybe not fickle- indecisive maybe?
Last year, I wanted to start a fresh new blog without all the baggage of previous posts. I wanted to change not only the look, but what I was writing about.
So, I started Purposely.
I was hoping to write about various topics of life, homemaking, homeschooling, etc. but ( here's where my indecision got in the way) when it came to posting something, I couldn't decide what to focus on- spiritual growth or my family.
And then the time to write during the school year was just non existent!
So here I am again.
I am going to focus this blog on my children and home life, Purposely will be for "deeper" thinking, spiritual growth, ministry, etc.
I hope this works out ok.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

I've Moved!

I am so thrilled to announce my new blog address! I'm getting back into the swing of things after having a baby and ready to start blogging again. I have had this particular blog for so long that I feel it is time to clean house. I love order and cleanliness, so having a clean, new blog makes me feel like I've scrubbed my house. Ahhh! It feels so good.

What am I going to do with this blog?

Keep it, of course.

I have a jumble of so many years we spent together as a family... yes, I so wish I could sort through it all and delete the meaningless, embarrassing or just plain bad posts, but that would be a waste of time.

So.... come visit my new, clean house..errr. blog.

So without further ado, here it is...

Purposely (psst... click on the name to get you there :))

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Out for a while...

I will be out for a while... with baby due in a month, blogging will just have to wait. I am enjoying reading so many other people's blogs though... so many creative people out there! I hope to come back with my own creative ideas to share as well, but if not, it is no great loss to the blogging community :) the only loss is to our little family journal kept here :(
For that reason, I do hope to begin my recordings when I have a bit more time in life- for now, my precious children will get my all!

Thursday, February 10, 2011

I'll Fly Away- February Hymn



I'll fly Away
Some bright morning when this life is o'er
I will fly away
To a home on God's celestial shore
I will fly away

I will fly away oh glory
I will fly away
When I die Hallelujah by and by
I will fly away

When the shadows of this life have gone
I will fly away
Like a bird from these prison walls I'll fly
I will fly away

I will fly away oh glory
I will fly away
When I die Hallelujah by and by
I will fly away

Oh how glad and happy when we meet
I will fly away
No more cold iron shackles on my feet
I will fly away

I will fly away oh glory
I will fly away
When I die Hallelujah by and by
I will fly away
Just a few more weary days and then
I will fly away

To a land where joys will never end
I will fly away
I will fly away oh glory
I will fly away
When I die Hallelujah by and by
I will fly away

Friday, January 28, 2011

Tall Men Riding- folksong

I grew up in El Paso, Texas and moved to San Antonio, Tx by the time I was 18. The life of cowboys and ranches, sagebrush and cactus was a thing very familiar to me. My father was a man deeply interested in history, so our family outings were normally climbing the Franklin Mountains of El Paso to explore the geography and desperately search the earth for little signs of times gone by. Occasionally, on rare occasions, we would stumble upon an arrowhead or piece of ancient pottery- a treasure to us.

This folksong was a reminder of bygone days.



Oh, the high hawk knows where the rabbit goes,
 the buzzard marks the kill
but few there be with eyes to see the tall men riding still
We hark in vain on the speeding train
for an echo of hoofbeat thunder
And the yellow wheat is a winding sheet
for cattle trails plowed under

Hoofdust flies at the low moon's rise
and the bullbat's lonesome whir
Is an echoed note from the longhorn throat of a steer,
in the days that were
Inch by inch, time draws the cinch,
till the saddle will creak no more
And they who were lords of the cattle hordes
have tallied their final score

This is the song that the night birds
sing as the phantom herds trail by
Horn by horn where the long plains fling
flat miles to the Texas sky
And this is the song that the night birds wail
where the Texas plains lie wide
Over the dust of a ghostly trail
where the phantom tall men ride
 
Written by S. Omar Barker (read his story by clicking his name)

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Audrey's Birthday Coupon's

During our crazy Missionary Convention week, we celebrated my sweet Audrey's Birthday. She turned 8 years old- and a sweet 8 year old she is! Coming after the wake of Christmas, we normally don't have full-blown parties for the kids, but we do try to do special things for them to celebrate. This year, along with a small family gathering, I had an idea for a special  gift shared by a friend who does this for kids during Thanksgiving.


Coupons!

If I were a scrapbooker, this would have been gorgeous, but for me, just getting them done on regular white paper was just as effective.
I compiled a list of things she would appreciate:
1 Day off School
1 Day of no chores
1 Day off making bed
1 Date with Dad
1 Date with Mom
1 Go to Work with Dad Day
1 Manicure and Pedicure with Mom


They were a hit- two of which got redeemed the very next day (no school, and no chores). The only catch is they can only be used one time and my responsibility is to fulfill it that day- so I had to prepare myself to follow-through no matter what.

Cute follow up: Today, she redeemed the "Manicure and Pedicure with Mom" coupon. I told her we would do it as soon as school was over. So, she waited patiently (which for her is huge!). She then got all the stuff together and I was getting prepared to paint her nails, she looked at me funny and said, "No, Mommy. I'm painting your nails!" Now, that's a coupon worth putting back into her book!
 I loved the pampering- bumps and all.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Renovation Peeks...

Two years ago, my husband and I bought a fixer-upper with the intentions of fixing it up in 4 months *ahemm*. 23 months later, we are still one bedroom away from being done- that doesn't include any decorating I would have liked to do. Did I mention we live frugally? Well, that includes decorating as well. When I decorate, it is usually revamping what I already have, but that is for later posts...

We have a baby due in about 3 months, so the master bedroom is our number one project here at home. Since I can't help this time (being pregnant), my husband has to do the work bits at a time when he is home from work... can he get it done? (I hope so!)

The bedroom Today...

 The bathroom... the ladder is where the toilet should be (and the sink)

My son- in the shower. (Yes, it will be a shower when we can figure out how to tile it- that will be our first time to try)

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Learn to train a dog to train a child?

I just got done reading a sweet little book called Footprints of a Pilgrim the Life and Loves of Ruth Bell Graham. In a journal entry she once wrote regarding child training :

"Every Parent should read at least one good book on dog training. Odd how, in a day when children are notoriously disobedient, dog training and obedience classes are increasing in popularity. Basically the rules are simple.
1. Keep commands simple and at a minimum. One word to a command and always the same word. Come. Sit. Stay. Heel. Down. No. (I talk my children dizzy).

2. Be consistent.

3. Be persistent. Follow through. Never give a command without seeing it is obeyed.

4. When the dog responds correctly, praise him. (Not with food. remember, don't reward children materially for doing well. Your praise should be enough.)

Its a fine kettle of fish when our dogs are better trained than our children."

Wise counsel, Mrs. Graham! 

Monday, January 24, 2011

Plan of action Part 3

The price of ministry... long bleeps in things like blogging :). Last week was a pause in life as our church hosted its annual Missions Conference... and then the predicted sickness we all had from a lack of sleep. *sigh*

Now, we are back in the saddle. The next, but not final plan of action I have in dealing with my children's disobedience is for me to re-read my parenting books. I am a firm believer that not all parenting books are created equal- its good to read books, but a total waste if the books are not cross- centered and biblically sound. So, I have been very particular over my parenting book selections. Here are a few of my favorites ( I am on the lookout for others that are of the same quality, but these have enough good "meat" to provide that not very many more books are needed.).


1. The Duties of Parents by R.C. Sproul ( You can read it online Here.)

2. Don't Make me Count to Three! by Ginger Plowman

3. Wise Words for Mom's by Ginger Plowman

4. Shepherding a child's Heart by Tedd Tripp


On my list of books that are on the same caliber and will be read in the very near future are

1. Age of Opportunity by Paul David Tripp


2.The Shaping of a Christian Family by Elizabeth Elliott

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Plan of action Part 2


Yesterday marked my determined effort to bring order back into the home. I spent some time (not very much time, as you can see by the pictures) writing out some charts. (If I have some time, I will make them pretty- but when your desperate, torn, wrinkled paper and a pen work just as great!) The first two are things that must get done before leaving their room in the morning. No clothes, no clean room, no food.

I also have distributed all of the major housework (with crossed fingers and a prayer- too advantageous of me? We will see.) The first chart is all of the things that they have to mentally check out before leaving the room- or things they have to do before bed at night- I have one or two last things to add to that one... no leaving my room and no talking...*sigh*

 This next chart was extremely helpful as well.  I had strayed from writing out their daily school "to-do's", but that has not been well- especially for my middle one- who conveniently forgets what I tell her to do. So I slapped those subjects on the dry-erase board yesterday- and she loved it! I would have thought she would be discouraged to see all she had to do... but no! She loved marking out each item completed one by one- and with a giggle and a grin.
 Did it work? See for yourself... If I could have taken a hundred pictures- I would have- with a singing heart! They all did (even the heaviest chores) it with such eagerness and joy. What a turnaround!

I was reminded of this verse, " Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice."
I Chron 16:10 
The Lord is interested in the smallest events of our lives and he desires to intervene if we call out to Him.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

A plan of action

On the girltalk blog, the women have encouraged other women to join either their FAM (Fast a Meal) or their Five am club (Getting up early for prayer). I cannot fast a meal because I am pregnant, but I can fast some sleep and that is what I have begun to do as one of the first steps in my plan of action to bring peace back into my home. As I have been studying and seeking God for His grace and help, I was encouraged by these two scriptures:
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Gal 6:9.
Being a mother is a high calling. It is not only a task to bring up children...in my case, educated and disciplined children, but more importantly than that daunting task, is to raise children who love their Savior. It is easy to give into discouragement and failure, but I can have peace as I remind myself of what scripture says and patiently teach my children scripture in the midst of a chaotic season.

Which brings me to my next verse
" The wicked flee though no one pursues,but the righteous are as bold as a lion." Prov 28:1.
 Why this verse? You might ask. Have you ever been tempted, like I have, to bury your head in your arms in the midst of two children fighting, or a child arguing with you, or the constant tattling, and just go to a happy place? I cannot tell you how often I have felt like just walking away and ignoring it all for my sanity. Why is this wrong? Because I am avoiding the real problem. I can be as bold as a lion and get in there and point my children to the cross- which is not easy and always requires LOTS of time and patience, or I can flee like the wicked would.

So, I will call our for grace and face the day with peace knowing God has His grace awaiting me in this exhausting task. Seeking the Lord first and foremost in the day is my first plan of action becasue peace begins with me. I hope you might be encouraged my this as well. Tomorrow I have my second plan of action to share.









Monday, January 10, 2011

Blogging slump...Family slump

I have had such a hard time getting myself going since my 3 month bout with morning sickness. After the Christmas season, I have found that my previous disciplines, motivation, and family peace have been turned upside down. It's amazing what a few months can do. I am fully aware that my standing with God never changes no matter how undisciplined I or my family get, but allowing laziness, disobedience and chaos reign does not serve to bring peace or joy into a home. So... I am on a mission. I am going to go on a quest to get things back in order and learn all I can possibly can about wisdom in this season. I am going to research scripture, read books, articles and blogs and put them into practice until my family is back in order.
The very first thing I did was to pray and ask for God's grace. The next thing was to enlist the help of my husband. I normally try to give my husband the highlights of our days- good events rather than the negative. I try to keep my frustrations with school and kids between the Lord and myself, and only going to my husband for help when a child is out of my control. At times this is okay... I don't want to constantly be complaining and telling my husband how terrible the kids are- that doesn't serve to give him a great feeling about coming home; but I have seen that not discussing some of the major issues has made that matter worse in their hearts. So...now he is aware.
The biggest blessing of the day has already occurred- my husband overheard a response one of my children had this morning, and he promptly decided to take one of his days off and stay at home to help me homeschooling! What a relief that was to me, not to mention to m kids! They had the joy of having Dad expertly show them a science experiment as well as teach them a few things Mom had not been able to get to.
I would like to post as I go along... and I hope by the end there will be amazing fruit to show for the many prayers and studying I intend to do.