Day 22

Well… we got 9 inches of snow. This is seriously some sort of sick joke during media month.  March is supposed to be Spring.  Ride bikes outside, play in the park, sidewalk chalk kind of weather. We have been trapped in the house. Between weather, illness, and more weather there have been very few opportunities to get out. We have done lots of things inside to keep us busy, but lots of things inside is a lot more mess to clean up.  This month might be the end of my sanity and any idea of a clean and organized home.  I got this text from Melissa (on council) yesterday while the snow was coming down like a blizzard and she knows I will be trapped with no screens for many, many days: “Fun Fact… for every hour of television you watch after the age of 25, your life expectancy is reduced by 21.8 minutes according to the British Journal of Sports Medicine… but really how do they know that? Just thought you might need more motivation during media week! :)” I do have great friends, don’t I? 

I am ready for next month!  We have 6 days until Easter.  Today is a snow day and everyone is home.  Tomorrow is a potential snow day with 9 inches on the ground. And then we are out the rest of the week for Spring Break. The weather man says the weather should turn around by the weekend into next week…. Just in time for media month to end.  All in God’s timing… right? J My daily Bible reading was this today, from Hebrews 12:11  No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. I love how in my moments of severe and ultimate frustration, God subtly (or not so subtly) reminds me that there are good things coming from this… and most likely there will be a purpose.  I am not just torturing everyone for the sake of giving myself a challenge.

The loot

Landen and Addi working hard.

Finished products.

So days when the boys are home are always a little different than when it is just the girls and me.  The girls love to just read and color, maybe an activity and then “help” me.  The boys want projects and planned activities all day.  Though I am not the kind of mom that will plan tons of activities all day everyday just to entertain the little people in my house, I do like to have some fun things and not all “go read quietly in your room” so my kids don’t dread staying home with me (or resent me for screen free month). So today we started The Chronicles of Narnia, per Landen’s request.  We read several chapters and they love it.  We also did a “project” after lunch.  We built gingerbread houses.  Yes, I know it is almost Easter. Yes, I know that gingerbread houses are for the Christmas holiday season.  BUT… today I am thankful that gingerbread kit makers plan for procrastinating mom’s like myself that never get around to doing the kit during the Christmas season.  The Expiration date on the box: Aug 2013! Thank you Gingerbread Kit!  We built our houses on Easter placemats, using St. Patrick’s Day plates, and leftover cups from 2 birthday parties ago to hold the candies. As an added bonus to the season, all gingerbread houses had a peep placed strategically outside the house. Just keepin’ it real people.  This is how we live.

The rest of the day we are prepping the girl’s room for next month’s fast (possessions). We did the boys yesterday, and it becomes an entire day project.  Just pulling clothes that don’t get worn and getting toys in a fashion to where the kids can be choosing some things to get rid of when the month gets here. Eric and my room will be over the next couple of days.  I am getting excited about the possibilities and will share more next month.

My little "mad" scientists.

The boys mixing their now "pre-approved" chemicals. :)

Sidebar: Things you don’t like to hear while typing your journal entry for the day… “Mom! This is so cool… We are mixing all these chemicals in the bathroom because we are trying to be mad scientist!”  In all reality their “chemicals” were hand soap, mouthwash, and toothpaste in a sink full of water… but an unpleasant feeling in the pit of my stomach did occur until I assessed the situation.