funky monday...

But, seriously, am I the only one feeling this? Maybe.
Oh my stars, please stop whining Pip!!
So, this list is for me,
you are welcomed to read it,
maybe make your own,
but I am reminding myself of the many simple and wonderful blessings today.

School has been going rather well, once I lower my expectations for the day, ha!
Last friday we were spending some fun time with some family, and while asking my cousin about school and her replying with a grimace and telling me why she wasn't a fan,
Nora girl piped up and said, "I really love my school."
My heart, this girl knows how to make Mama cry.

My dearest friend, just had her baby boy, and I can't wait to snuggle him!
It is an amazing thing to pray so consistently for a sweet family this week,
and watch God answer with an abundance of love!

Saturday morning we spent with the windows open, listening to light rain,
feeling the chill, drinking cappuccinos, being all sorts of lazy. 

Morning/Evening FaceTime chats with my sister in law who lives in Japan, swapping funny stories about our kids, watching those same kids see each other via the internet, and her encouraging me through this time of transition for our family. She is pretty great!

Today I like sitting outside eating chocolate, watching nature explorers find new things and figure out what they are. All during Pip's nap!

And when your house won't sell, your poison ivy won't go away, and your toddler won't stop hitting, these things are really helpful to remember. 

Thank you Jesus for these kids, my family, and my life, and help me to hand over my burdens, recognize they are out of my control and focus on you, the good in my life You give.

And because today I need a reminder that she isn't always crying/hitting/yelling/whining/pooping/destroying/taking/spitting/throwing.

School at Home

Hello Friends!

We have just finished our first full week of school at home,

and so we are celebrating with a Barbie Mermaid movie, 

(yup, I let them choose their movie to rent from the library today)

and I get to blog!

After many talks, going back and forth on a decision for homeschool vs. public school,

we felt that in light of the many transitions in our life right now,

(we now live in Nana's basement!)

we were going to take a shot at home education.

Little did I know, through my research and meeting other homeschooling moms,

that a passion for teaching my children would be awakened.

I have been reading many books on the matter:

For the Children's Sake

When Children Love to Learn

Books Children Love

Honey for a Child's Heart

Other resources I have used are www.amblesideonline.org
and simplycharlottemason.com

I was anxious to begin, and we had prepared Nora for the first day of school.

We wanted her to get some of the fun things that go along with 

attending school, so we picked up a first day of school outfit,

let her pick out her own backpack,

and celebrated with ice cream at Sweet Caroline's the night before.

She was excited, I was pumped.

We woke up early and talked through a morning routine,

and stepped outside in the shady morning and took some pictures.

And of course, Cordie needed preschool pictures and a backpack as well!

This week has gone by well,

we have established a good morning routine, 

things we do before we start our day.

We then would work on letters, reading and writing,

followed with stretching time, math and extra study.

I found though that I was saving outdoor explore time for the hottest point of the day,

and this week in Missouri was especially steamy.

So yesterday we mixed up our school day,

and spent the morning at some local waterfalls,

drawing algae and dragonflies,

climbing rocks and throwing rocks in the water.

The girls loved it, and didn't want to leave, they didn't even ask for a playground!

We then spent the afternoon doing our lessons,

and it ended up working out better for Pip too.

I was struggling with giving her attention and trying not to get too frustrated,

while teaching her sisters.

Having lesson time during her nap has been a great change in our schedule.

There are still a few things I will be tweaking as the semester goes on,

 but there having been so many high points this week.

A quick list of things I want to remember:

Nora's face as she sounded out and read the word "little"

Pip's contentment sitting in rocks by the stream

Cordie's laugh when we read fun stories.

Their steady breathing as I read chapters to them.

Nora asking to work on her "sums"

Watercolors as a family

Hope y'all have a splendid weekend!!

summer senses

seeing :: hummingbirds and bunnies in the backyard. Girls in little bright swimsuits sometimes sunbathing, mostly running and leaping into the little pool. 

smelling :: dirt and sweat, little girls play hard.

tasting :: Chocolate Cake, I made my first ever rosette cake for a garden party thrown by my mother in law, and I thought it looked pretty and rustic, and it tasted very rich, but by far my favorite part was baking and decorating it. I can't wait to try out some new cakes and I am already planning Pip's 2nd birthday cake!

hearing :: Cicada songs. The other night we were having dinner with all of our family, and we stepped outside to search for lightning bugs after dusk, and our ears will filled with cicadas humming all around us. The girls were so excited by the new noise, they couldn't stop smiling. It was a picturesque evening of childhood summer.

feeling :: cold?!  This summer has had some wonderful cooler nights and mornings, and at times I get to wear my new sweatpants, and snuggle into a blanket. 

The other morning, I got so giddy about upcoming fall, (it's my favorite!) because it felt and smelled fall-ish in the middle of July!!

planning :: home school for my girls. In light of all of the transitions and unknowns in our life, we have decided that we will try teaching the girls at home. I am feeling both nervous and excited for the upcoming year of kindergarten and preschool for my little ones.

reading :: When Children Love to Learn general editor, Elaine Cooper, which has been confirming and encouraging. Also, I should be receiving my copy of For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaffer McCauly soon. Both of these books dive into the Charlotte Mason method of educating and I am anxious to begin exercising what I am reading in our every day life.

listening :: The Civil Wars pandora station. 
I love this song.

talking :: when our family from Osaka, Japan was here, we talked late into the nights when our kids were finally in bed. It was wonderful having uninterrupted time with them. We love and support them in carrying out the Great Commission to the people of Japan.

laughing :: Jokes, Penny's babbling and now funny sentences.

We got a library card yesterday to the library in our new town, and of course the girls found a joke book and just had to check it out. Bonus: We found one of Levi's jokes in it! Also, Levi brought Penny into our room upon her waking this morning. She wiggled off of the bed and said, "I mwan foo" which I returned with "You want food?" And she got excited and started jumping. She's communicating!

crying :: over many things silly and not. about newness and uncertainty, getting a new library card (I miss our old library community!) and missing friends, hard lessons learned and grace in abundance. 

Which leads me to ENJOYING :: Him, meeting me here, revealing himself to me continually, a time of new adventures and passions, knowing that someday I will look back on this time and it will all make sense and see I am growing because of it!

photo taken at George Washington Carver National Monument

So, moving on..

Hey, so we moved!
In the last couple of months,
our little family packed up the 
little grey house with the orange living room,
and left humid Oklahoma for humid Missouri.
I have tried to write a few posts on it,
but took my sweet time in posting them, so now, we are just moving on.

When we first got here, we spent two days moving into
our temporary housing (my in-laws, Thanks Kev and Deb)
and packing for our 10 day stint in the Colorado mountains at Camp Como.

Levi helped his dad out with a week of High School camp,
and the girls and I just tagged along for fun!
We explored, drew in our nature books, which soon turned into princess books,
hiked, lunched in tiny towns,
made new friends, 
and played till the sun was behind Little Baldy
(the 12,000 ft peak I climbed!)

We stayed in an old barn,
waking up way early as the sun blazed through our windows.
Every single morning all five of us would snuggle in one bed waiting for it to be time to get up and out for breakfast.
At night I would sit outside our cabin, waiting for littles to fall asleep,
 reading, and seeing the most spectacular skies.
I am thankful for our time there,
exploring some place new,
seeing God's beautiful mountains,
walking through peaceful trails between aspens.
I loved the simplicity of being there,
I never knew the time,
never stressed about meals,
left my phone off and in my room most days,
I was unplugged more than I ever have been,
and it was wonderful!

Now that we are back home,
I am trying to remain intentional about 
spending less time in front of a screen,
spending more time playing
and making memories with the girls,
and meeting God without distractions!

Have fun this week! Shoot off a Roman Candle for me!

just for you

I have given up for a bit on my weekly portraits,

times are a bit crazy and I am scrounging up

my little bits of sanity and using them on my family.

BUT,

because it's friday,

and I have a bit before my weekend fills up,

I am posting a few favorites to share with you! 

I can't get over the transformation in Pip since January!

 NG :: her signature hair hold.
Cord :: in her own little wonderland
Pip :: her jokes are the funniest

I hope you all have a great weekend! I hope you are refreshed, loved, and comforted!
More on our changes later, and why life has seemed so crazy over here to come!

mama day

I have two amazing moms in my life,

 I am one to three,

and maybe someday more.

We celebrated over three days which was really nice,

and it was funny to us when our three year old asked us if 

it was still mother's day last night.

We had Chinese and shopped at Target friday,

I picked up another grey tshirt, ha!

We celebrated with Gram and Pops on saturday

with a soccer game and homemade vanilla cupcakes with

chocolate raspberry frosting.

(seriously, buy this cookbook)

And on Sunday, I was showered with pieces of art,

a gift of 50 promises, and cheeseburgers,

(showered with cheeseburgers, ha, I only ate one but while rereading this it made a funny visual for me)

and finished the day with hanging out with some sweet friends.

However among all the sweetness and love,

there were fits thrown and sleepless nights,

which is what being a mom is all about.

I cannot truly appreciate the fullness and joy of motherhood,

without experiencing some sadness and guilt.

I am thankful to be reminded of His grace on a daily basis.

I can't be a mama without God.

I am so thankful that I get have my best friend help me.

I hope all you mothers, aunts, grandmothers, best friends

know that the love you pour into any children is 

truly a gift.

Thank you for giving constantly!

snapshots: a little behind

So I have fallen a little behind in my portrait resolution,

and just keeping up here on the blog.

I have always told myself that this blog wouldn't get in the way of

being a mom, but would be a nice creative outlet for me in my free time.

And lately my free time has been spent doing other things I love,

playing, reading, sitting outside in the beautiful weather,

going on family dates, napping, and spring cleaning.

We have been well.

We celebrated our favorite guy's birthday early in the month of April,

had a wonderful Easter feast with friends, and spent a week loving on and being 

loved by my brother, sister in law and their new puppy.

1. birthday tradition, I make a cookie cake for him and he decorates it :: 2. their favorite eggs :: 3. I just love her face here in our easter outtakes :: 4. Easter clothes from Grandma :: 
5. Waiting for Bracken, Grace and Mugsy :: 6. quiet afternoon book time :: 
7. Our favorite Engineer and Ballerina before they headed home.

:: :: ::

Follow me on Instagram @edendaygreer, 
for more day to day quips about our life.