To read the rest of the read along posts, click here.

Oh TV.  What a love/hate relationship I have with you.    

As I read this chapter, with the lovely descriptions of a dusty television and increased amounts of family time, I was intrigued.  Who needs hours of mindless idling when you could be out experiencing life with your family?

But at the same time, I was torn.  Because I like movies.  I like the occasional reality show.  I like cooking shows and HGTV.  

So, like the majority of things in my life, I have decided that for my family, it’s all about balance.  Will I allow my kids to watch TV? Yes.  Will they watch gobs and gobs of it? No way.  There’s just way too many books to read, Lego creations to build and crafts to make instead!

What about you?  Do you have a TV in your home?  What are your thoughts?

I really needed to read this chapter this week.  All of my thoughts these days seem to be turned toward the fall, and the task of preparing for homeschooling and birthday celebrations can sometimes feel quite daunting.

But I totally agree with what Dawn from By Sun and Candlelight wrote about this chapter: “Every holiday has potential to be a wonderful experience for our children, and our children are only young for a short time. We mothers are always aware of that ticking clock ~ there are only so many years to go caroling or egg-rolling or trick-or-treating. And yet, I don’t want their holidays to be stretched thin with frantic energy and meaningess activity. I want those memories to be rich and sweet, and I want the meanings of the day(s) to be clear.”

I think her thoughts fit perfectly with both school at home and the upcoming celebrations!  So, with that in mind, here are a few ways my little family will embrace simplicity in the next few months:

1. Our boys’ birthdays all happen in a six-week time period.  They will only be receiving a couple of gifts from us…and that’s okay.  I am challenging myself to find the most perfect gift for that particular child and leave it at that. 
2. Our birthday parties are going to be fun, but not cost an arm and a leg.  I want to include the boys in the party planning and have it be a fun experience for the whole family.  No stress!
3. My mantra with Pre-K this year will be: Just Enough.  Just Enough.  I often fall into the trap of thinking I need to do every great idea I come across. I mean, there is just so much to see in books, magazines and the Internet!  But I know that M doesn’t work that way.  So I’m embracing simplicity in schooling: lots of reading, maybe a craft or two, and plenty of unstructured playtime.  And that is just enough.

What are your thoughts on simplicity?

“It’s quiet, isn’t it, Mamma?” 
We were the only ones home, a rare occurrence since baby J was born.  Daddy had taken the two little boys out for a jog and it was just my oldest and me.  I was reading a novel and M was working on some new Lego creation.  There was silence and we both loved it. 

My favorite part of this chapter:
“Our children are exposed to incessant commotion in the world that exists beyond our walls.  Let home be the place where they can find the peace and quiet they need to make sense of it all.  A place, too, where we can nurture our inner lives without distraction.  The soul speaks softly.  And so I guard our quiet times.  Creativity flourishes in these spaces; grace and peace reside here, too.” – page 33, emphasis mine

In a busy house of boys, I have to be intentional with quiet time.  When the day becomes taxing with bickering or meltdowns, I usually respond with quiet time.  No TV, no loud toys…just books, Legos and their imaginations.  It usually does the trick!  What do you do in your homes to help your kids with quiet?

See my thoughts on previous chapters here.

“In a society that endorses activity, I think we would all do well to put more trust in stillness.  No matter how busy we are, we can find meaning and renewal in those moments that are available to us.  We can come together in an intimate way, even at the end of a long, draining day, if we are willing to be fully present with our children–to take the time to hear their confidences and to respond from the heart.  We can teach them the value of a deep breath, of a spiritual pause, of rest, if we take the time to learn it ourselves.” – page 24

Peace.  Quiet moments to be fully there for my children, without distractions.  This chapter really made me take a step back and look at myself.  I tend to be busy all day long.  Laundry, cleaning, taking care of J, feeding the big boys, projects, more cleaning, more laundry, dinner…somedays it feels like I just never stop!  But Katrina Kenison’s words have really challenged me to be more present, to slow down.  How will my boys learn how to be still, how to enjoy each other’s company, if I don’t exhibit that myself? 

See my thoughts on chapter 1 here.

Chapter 2: MORNINGS

There are certain perks to having only little ones in the house.  Our mornings tend to be much like the ones described in the book: early morning risers climbing into bed with me for a little extra snuggle time.  I have one sweet boy who likes to curve himself around the shape of my spine, the other who spreads out on the foot of my bed. 

The mornings are early, REALLY early… but they are sacred.  I am embracing this time for its simplicity and simple rhythm because I know this will all change soon.  School, extra-curriculars, sports, friends…the days are going to be filled to the brim before I know it.  Here are some of my thoughts to making our mornings a great beginning to our days:

• Get up before the boys.  In an ideal world, I would be doing this now, but those boys just wake up so. darn. early!  Hopefully, in a few years, I’ll be able to wake up earlier than them and have some quiet time to myself before the business of the day begins. 
• No rushing.  I don’t like chaos and my kids don’t work well with a stressed out Mamma.  When our day starts with rushing around, I feel like we all leave the house a little off.  A little frazzled.
• Prepare beforehand for a peaceful routine.  I am practicing this skill right now, since I know I will need to have it perfected by the time the boys are a little older.  When we need to be out of the house at a certain time, I make a plan of what needs to be done and work backward.  I try to do as much as I can the night before: clothes laid out, diaper bag packed, papers signed, etc.  I think that really helps the flow of our mornings.

What do you do in your home in order to create a peaceful morning?        

So one of the ways I am trying to better myself as a mother is to read great books.  Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry was recommended to me by my own wonderful mother (who deserves a blog post all her own).  I plan on going chapter by chapter and writing down some thoughts.  Care to join me?

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Chapter 1: DAILINESS
I have been pondering this first section for days! I can honestly say, during my first few years of motherhood, savoring the everyday life was hard. As much as I enjoyed experiencing each day with my baby, the mundane was a hard adjustment.  These seemingly insignificant things: laundry, dishes, feeding the baby, vacuuming…  I realized I could resent them or embrace them. 

It has taken practice to acknowledge that now is not forever and that these days are fleeting.  Here are a couple of ways I am embracing the sacredness of everyday life:

• Take the time to fully connect with each child.  I try to spend a little time with each of my boys each day, and be 100% theirs.  Whether it’s reading a book or playing with “guys”, I try to be with them with no distractions, no technology.
• Participate in Project Life.  This is my second year participating in this scrapbook system and it has done wonders as to how I see the everyday!  I try to take a picture everyday, whether it be of the boys or just things that make me happy around the house.  Then on the journaling cards, I write a little something about that day.  Project Life has made me much more intentional in embracing our everyday.  My favorite part is the ease in which I can write about the little things: the funny things the boys say, a cute story.  All things I would hope I could remember, but would quickly forget in the bustle of life.  I think these scrapbooks with be priceless in the years to come.

Stay tuned for Chapter 2!