What I've Read: The Witness Wore Red

Thanks to a snow day (read about about those glorious days here) I was able to finish The Witness Wore Red.

                                            

Side note: I was able to score this book for only about $3.00.  Thanks to Books-a-Million for their end of year clearance sale and buy 2 get 1 free sale!!  The hubby and I were able to get 9 books for under $40.  Yes, not as cheap as the library, but we live in a small town and our library isn't massive, so this turned out to be a great option for us.  And I also think there is something beautiful about a bookshelf packed with books.  Anyways, on with the review...

W.O.W.!!! It has been a long time since I have read such a captivating book.  This is Rebecca Musser's true story of how she left the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints)--you probably know them best as the "cult" ran by Warren Jeffs.  This book is a captivating in that she examines and is brutally honest about the inner-workings of her former church.  I also appreciated the honest look she took at herself and how she played a role in allowing the atrocities to continue, while she was still there.  

At many times I found myself reading with my mouth agape, astonished by the lengths at which Warren Jeffs went to promote his crimes.  Using religion as a means to manipulate people has got to be the most disgusting thing I have ever read about.  

I hope by the end of the book you will grow to appreciate the abounding inner strength that Rebecca never knew she had.  Even though God was used against her and as a means to justify the horrible things she lived through, you will be amazed by her new relationship with and understanding of God.

What have you read lately?

Finding Time--Oh, Glorious Snow Days

Giles County School's Inclement Weather & Schedule Information

           

	Regular Schedule
	1 Hour Late Schedule
	2 Hour Late Schedule  1-12-15
	Closed
	1 Hour Early Release
	2 Hour Early Release
	Other – Student Holiday / Teacher Workday - Parent-Teacher Conferences 9am-Noon

Oh, snow days,

How do I love thee?

Let me count the ways...

If you are a teacher, married to a teacher, or have ever experienced the pure bliss of a snow day or a delayed school schedule, then you know exactly what I'm talking about!!!  I know I'm supposed to say that watching students learn brings me joy, and it does, but if I'm completely honest, snow days and 2 hour delays are AH-MAY-ZING!!! And if I'm really, really honest, sometimes it's about all that helps me get through the dark, cold days of January and February.  (Shh, don't tell anyone.)  I know I'm not the only one here that feels like a kid again waiting to see our county's name scroll across the TV or get that heavenly sent robotic phone call that says, "Giles County Public Schools will be closed, January 8, 2015."

Week 2 Goals

Last week went better than I had expected. We had to readjust back to "school mode" and I was a little nervous that the mornings would be a struggle!  I think it was harder for me than the kiddos.  There is just something about flannel sheets, I could stay wrapped up in them all day.  Even with wind chills below zero, I was able to pull myself out of bed and get the day started.  I drag myself out of bed at 5:30 5:35 5:40 5:45 every morning so I can give myself a little buffer time to drink coffee, read, and sometimes write before the kids get up.  If I could force myself out of bed by 5:30, I really could accomplish a lot more!  Maybe that should be a new goal...


Last week's goals:

Mind and Soul

• finish The Witness Wore Red--I can't WAIT to update you on this book. WOW!  This was a good one!
• finish Too Busy Not To Pray--another great one to update you on! Almost done; I did reread the first 3 chapters to get ready for our Bible study group.

Marriage

• decide on destination for anniversary trip Gatlinburg, TN here we come!  Seclueded cabin, hot tub, amusement park, whitewater rafting, here we come!  We are leaving right after the school year ends, what a perfect way to kick off summer!

What We Did Together: Week 1--Top 3 Board Games

For a game-loving family, this Christmas we hit the JACKPOT!  Ca-ching!  Santa and my parents really knew what kinds of games our kiddos and the big kiddos (that being my husband and me) would really love.  Games are probably our favorite way to spend family time.  We are all somewhat extremely competitive and I can already see that brewing in our children.  (Flash-forward to our 4 year old smugly grinning at her Daddy as she lays down a "skip" card in Uno.)  We literally spent hours laughing, conniving, and secretly keeping a running tally in our minds of who had the most wins.  I think I must sadly admit defeat to my husband--I WILL beat him at Boggle or die trying!

We played some really great games, but in an effort to save your and my sanity of an extremely long post, I'm just going to tell you about our Top 3.  Drum roll please....And the winners are, in no certain order...

 

Why we love this game:

• Everyone can play, even our 4 year old and have a legitimate chance of winning (parents-you don't even have to let your kids win!)
• The teacher in me loves the number sense that is built with this game.  My little Peanut was getting pretty good at recognizing if the answer should be a 1, 2, or 3 digit number.
• It doesn't take very long!!

 

Week 1 Goals

I'm excited to kick start this year and hope to accomplish a lot this week.  Here's what I'm looking at trying to accomplish, in addition to my full-time teaching job. =)

Mind and Soul

• finish The Witness Wore Red--I can't WAIT to update you on this book.
• finish Too Busy Not To Pray--another great one to update you on!

Marriage

• decide on destination for anniversary trip

Children

• begin The Bloom Bible study
• research activities for kiddos to participate in

Friendships

• decide on group for Too Busy Not To Pray

Health

• walk 3 times

Let's get it started, ha, let's get it started in here--I love the Black Eyed Peas!!

What's your week looking like?

Choosing Grace

Somehow the other day I had managed to not go upstairs until after dinner, but when I did this was the mess I saw.  I'm not gonna lie--my stomach dropped a little bit and I could feel my blood pressure begin to rise.  I knew in that moment I had a choice:  I could either yell and fuss at the kids for making such a mess or I could take a deep breath, realize they were only building a fort and in that moment give them grace.

Despite my initial gut reaction of thinking, "Oh no, ANOTHER mess", I am so happy that I chose to give them grace.  They were only being kids and having a great time doing so!  (I should have known something was going on up there when they had been so quiet and not fighting the whole afternoon!  No arguing and quiet usually equals messes!!!)  The room is now straight, blankets folded, chairs back to their normal spots, and I didn't die from that mess being there for a few hours.

Sometimes as parents I think we, definitely I, get so trapped in the mentality of balancing a clean, clutter-free home and marking things off our daily To Do List that we forget to let our kids be kids.  One of my great friends reminds me that this is their home too.  They need to feel comfortable here and having a spotless house shouldn't be our goal.  Let their creativity shine through and sometimes messes are going to happen!  Enjoy them because one day they won't be here!!  Give your kids grace, choose understanding and happiness over stress and worry. (This is more of a reminder to me than anyone else!)

A nice little reminder from my mother that I keep hanging in my kitchen.

If you need any more inspiration look up Wet Oatmeal Kisses, but make sure you have a box of tissues nearby.

A Traditionally Modern Mom

Life is complicated, there is no way around that.  Just when you think you have things figured out, something new comes along and makes you reevaluate everything.  Like when you just get out of college and think you know what you want, only to realize that degree you just paid for doesn't seem to hold much value.  Or, when you get married and realize you want to go back to school, quit your job, and then only afterwards try to figure out how you are going to pay for everything.  Or, when you decide to have children and realize you really don't know ANYTHING!

My wonderful husband and I have been together since college.  As a naive 19 year old in love with perhaps an even more naive 20 year old we decided we needed each other and would figure out this "adult" thing together.  We started off pretty good.  No credit card debt and a solid plan (as solid as barely 20 somethings can make) for the future.  Marriage, kids, owning a home, and careers.  We thought we knew what we wanted and how we were going to get there. Fast forward 12 years and here we are.  Marriage, kids, a home, careers, and all the debt that has come with it.  Somewhere along the way I think we failed to realize how different this modern world is from the world we grew up in.  Wait?!? I have to work 40 hours AND clean AND cook AND be super mom?

This reality slapped us in the face around 5 years ago when we were blessed with our sweet little boy.  We had barely started to get things to a quasi comfort level when along came our little diva not quite 20 months later.  Life was in full gear and full of craziness!  What comes to mind is trying to nurse a baby and hold a toddler in timeout with my foot, but that's a story for another day...

Becoming a mother has been, and still is, one of the most amazing and stressful experiences of my whole life.  As all of you Moms know (I use Mom because the role definitely deserves all the rights and importance of the capital letter) nothing makes you soul search and give yourself a good, hard look more than this job.  In a world where we are bombarded through media about what a "Mom" should be it can seem like a daunting task to be the "perfect" mom.  Just look around Pinterest to see all of the things you should  be doing for and with your children.  Who can keep up?!?  Talk about major mother's guilt!  

In my mere 5 years as a mother, I have struggled to find the balance between being the traditional Mom I want to be as well as fulfilling my need to live in the world as a modern woman. (I can't possibly be the only adult in this house who knows how to use a washing machine, right?)   I am trying to find the balance between having the traditional home-cooked meal on the table for dinner every night and succeeding in my career.   I don't believe there has to be a trade off.  With a little planning it can work!  Come with me on my journey to happily living a traditionally modern life.