What a year 2014 was for my family. For starter's, my husband's job went under changes as his small company was sold to a larger one. In the fall, my teaching schedule became more difficult as I juggled 5 days of teaching Kindergarten and 2nd grade while trying to entertain my 3 year old. My husband and I also stepped into rolls at our church that committed us to teaching the 3rd - 5th grade students on Wednesday nights. And in the midst of all of this, my husband reached a point where his body begged him to ease up his activities. He fainted and ended up in the hospital being tested for the chance that he had a seizure.

Thankfully all was well, but I had some time to sit with him there in that hospital room and tell him "Too much is going on right now. What are the things we can cut out or change to reduce stress?".  We talked over a few different things and agreed to be thinking and praying about everything over the following months.

This year seems to be a theme of change. After one recent conversation with the hubster, I told him I felt like our family would be taking one giant shift this year. Please don't get me wrong, it's all for the good. But even if the changes we're looking at are positive, they're still going to be things we all have to adjust to. We all have to work together to get through this.

One of the greatest and most difficult changes for me is in homeschooling. This coming fall, my 2 oldest kiddos will be heading off to school in uniforms and backpacks. The conflict lies in this - this is what I wanted from the start for my little ones. I wanted to send them to a really good school. At the start, we couldn't afford it but things have changed a bit in that way for us. Now we can send them off...but this mama has to let go.

I think there are great benefits to traditional schooling as well as homeschooling. But when you get used to waking up every day to those little faces who make their way into your bed to whisper "Can I have breakfast?" and then start your day as slow as you like - when you have some of the best days teaching and spend the hard days fighting through the tears and frustrations that come with homeschooling - it gets really hard to just let go.

And oh, the tears. But I give myself permission to cry as much as I need to. I'm doing that "first day of kindergarten" times 2 and 3 years delayed.

But going forward, I think the greatest benefit to this change is my kiddos knowing I'm on their team. I'm here, fighting for the best in them, every single day. They know I'm going to be a very present mom in their school career. They trust that I'll be there for the big important days and the ones that slip in between. They know because they've learned that of me over these handful of years. I'm not out of the picture because another teacher steps in. I'm right beside that teacher in helping them learn and encouraging all those unique attributes I see in each little face.

And yes, my throat gets tight and my cheeks get soaked with tears to think of it. Yah, part of me fears that "all the homeschooling moms will think poorly of me". But I'm not quitting. I don't walk away saying "It's just not for me". Instead, I say "This is the absolute best thing for our family and will help me be a greater support to my husband who needs me more than I ever understood."

Dear friends, the bottom line is this: Out of this deep root grows a plant I never knew existed. I.AM.VALUABLE  and I.AM.VALUED.    Oh, I pray those truths find a way to seep into your own soul. You're not the mom wearing one million hats while you're also invisible. No, you're seen and you are valued.

And I get it. We mama's put everyone first and there are days we honestly, truly believe that no one really appreciates all we do. We feel we need to defend ourselves for the dishes left undone because we can list the busy things that popped up and kept us from completing them. We can even feel unloved when the activity in the house keeps spinning on and things are left here or there after we just straightened up for the thousandth time.   Don't buy into those lies, though. Don't let it sink in too deep. YOU.ARE.VALUABLE.

Let's do this. Let's hang in there together and be there to support one another. Life as a mom is just really, really hard and we would do best to rally around each other and remind each other of the good and true things. <3

~Amy

My Homeschooling Journey & How It's Changing

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So, I told you all about how we're going to begin homeschooling in the fall. My son will be in Kindergarten but we want to do learning activities during the summer months as well to get us into the swing of things before we officially begin. One of the ways we're doing this is by using the Butterfly Garden Pavilion from Insect Lore.

 Our kit arrived not too long ago. Inside, we found 2 jars of caterpillars, 5 in each jar, the butterfly pavilion, and special instructions on how to care for our caterpillars, their chrysalises, and the butterflies. Also, there was a great catalog of items available from Insect Lore. Alex wants one of everything, I think. That makes me excited to try different kits as we go through our homeschooling years. 

These tiny caterpillars came with their own food. All the kiddos had to do was handle the jar carefully as they observe their new friends. At the top of the jar is paper for the caterpillars to attach to when they're ready to form their chrysalis. That paper is then removed and pinned to the inside of the pavilion. 

There is a zipper on top of the pavilion to make attaching the paper an easy task. Just open it up, pin the paper to the side of the pavilion, and zip it shut. 

And when we need to add food to the pavilion for the butterflies to eat, I can open the bottom zipper to safely put food in without disturbing the butterflies too much. {Our butterflies haven't arrived yet but I'll be sure to share photos once they do.}

The pavilion neatly collapses to make storing it away easy. This means we can use it year after year!! I'm really happy about this and my kids are loving the experience so I know they'll look forward to doing it again.

Here is a look at the instructions that come with the caterpillars. I like the pictures included as it helps the little ones understand not to put them in the sunlight and what the caterpillars will look like when they're ready to form their chrysalis. There are also some fun facts about Painted Lady butterflies in the booklet. Alex is still in awe at the fact that they have 10,000 eyes. {Me too!}

Our caterpillars grew and grew! Then, they began to form chrysalises and I was able to transfer them to the pavilion.

I was waiting on the caterpillars in the second jar to finish up. Surprisingly, we still have one caterpillar that is not in a chrysalis yet. I call him a late bloomer or "slow to grow" while Alex calls him Wilbur since it's a "runt". lol

We have had so much fun so far with watching our caterpillars grow and make their chrysalis. It was exciting every single time one caterpillar began to transition into the next stage. As I said earlier, I'll be sure to share photos once the butterflies emerge. 

Whether you're homeschooling or not, this is just too miraculous to miss. I give Insect Lore and their Butterfly Garden Pavilion two thumbs up! The experience is amazing and we're having a great time learning about the life cycle of a butterfly. 

Buy It! You can purchase your own Butterfly School Kit with Live Caterpillars for $52.99. There are other kits available as well that are not as large or as costly.

**Thanks to Insect Lore who supplied the items to facilitate this review. I wasn't compensated in any way for this post. In this post I share my thoughts and opinions of the items mentioned. Others may have a different experience or opinion.**  

We're Growing Butterflies With Insect Lore!

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Ha!
Right after typing that, I thought, "Everyone's probably going to assume I'm pregnant again or something".

If that's what you're thinking,

• rewind
• don't go there
  and
• try again

When I think "Duggar" or "Duggar family", I think of many children and HOMESCHOOLING.

Allow me to key in on that last word for the remainder of this post.

Homeschooling.

The hubster and I have thought about this in great detail. We've discussed it, visited schools, and ended up deciding that we will be homeschooling our family. Alex will begin kindergarten this fall and Eliana will be introduced to preschool where she'll go at her own pace {she wouldn't begin preschool for another year in a formal school}.

No, I don't think schools are evil. No, I don't think less of those who send their children to school. No, I don't want to raise my children in a bubble. No, I don't want to brain-wash them. No, I don't worry about "socializing" my children {I plan to keep them active and give them a healthy world-view}.

The truth is, I've wanted to be a teacher since I was little. Well, I wanted to be a teacher and a mom. I believe God will show us what we're to do with our lives and I'm excited that I have an opportunity to do both things at the same time. Not to mention, I was taking college classes to teach. If  I was willing to go to the trouble of planning for and teaching a whole classroom of children, it only made sense that I would be willing to do the same for my own children.

Is this a forever thing?

Believe me, I kind of start hyperventilating when I think, "I'll be teaching in my home for the next 18 years". What's the sense in that kind of pressure? My husband and I decided to have a conversation at the close of the school year. In that chat, we'll decide if we should enroll our kiddos in school the following year or do another year at home. We've talked about trying to teach from home until junior high, but WOW...that's a long ways away. It's better that I focus on the year ahead of me and nothing more.

I'm currently shopping for my curriculum and had an opportunity to take some workshops recently. I know that we're doing the right thing for our family and I'm SO excited about it. When we find a home to move to {yah...still hunting}, I'll be setting up my classroom and will share all of that with you too. I've been drawing a lot of inspiration from Pinterest for activities and such.

I know there are going to be hard days. I know on some days, my husband will come home to find me walking around with eyes as big as saucers and hear about how I've hit a wall. "Mama said there'd be days like this". But with the good comes the bad and with the path we're taking comes work. The benefits are worth it.  My kiddos are worth it. My family is worth it.

**Someone screen shot that and save it so you can remind me when I hit a wall. Mmmkay?**

Do you homeschool? Any helpful hints? {I'll take all the advice I can get.}

Don't Think "Duggar"

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The hubster and I are prayerfully considering whether we should homeschool our kiddos or send them to a private school. This is not a decision that we take lightly so we've given ourselves the year to think, talk, and pray about it.

In the meantime, I've started doing "learning time" at home on Alex's off-days. I went to the local Dollar Tree store and picked up some things to help us in our time together and was happy to find work sheets that build on what he's already learning at Preschool. We practice his letters, math skills, shapes, and even try our hand at some arts and crafts. :) {He likes the math more than the art.}

This past week, Alex was learning the letter "K" so I built our own learning time around that.

When we sit down to do learning time, we begin by singing songs, going over our counting and letters, and then talk about the specific letter he's learning at school. He can practice writing his on the dry erase board {from IKEA} and on his dry erase Printing Practice sheet {from Target's Dollar Spot}. I show him a few times and then he tries with my help and then on his own. {I'm sure you can see a clear difference. lol} 

Then, we talk about our "Attitude of Gratitude" and pick 5 things to be grateful for. This list changes with every Learning Time and I love listening to what he comes up with.

After that, we read a story together. Since April first was approaching, I chose this book {April Foolishness}. He loved it and wants to read it over and over again. 

We played with these foam letters and pegs. {Lauri Tall Stacker Pegs A-Z Pegboard Set Uppercase} Eliana kept busy with these while Alex and I moved on to his work sheets.

He LOVES doing the mazes but needs a little encouragement to get into coloring. LOL I give him a sticker on each page he completes and he seems to feel more "accomplished" after I do that. It's the little things... ;)

Here, we practiced writing the letter "K" and did a connect the dots activity. Then, we wrapped up our time at the table with a lacing activity. This cute kitten is from the Melissa & Doug Lace & Trace Pets set. In the past, Alex would attempt this and then walk away from it but I'm proud to say, he completed it on his own with a little encouragement. :) 

Our "Learning Time" was finished with some sensory play at our new Sand & Water table from Step2 {more on that coming soon}. I filled it with rice and the kiddos absolutely loved their time there. It does get on the floor but I'm happy for the mess if it keeps them occupied and playing together. :) 

I'm hoping this is a habit that sticks whether or not we decide to homeschool. Having time together to learn and have fun with it is so important. I adore this time with my littles and they've been so responsive to it. 

Is there something you do in your home to encourage growth in learning? I'd love to hear your ideas. 

**This is not a product review. I'm just sharing what we do in our home and thought it would be nice to link to the sites where you can find the things we use in case you're interested in getting it for yourself.**

Learning Time In Our Little Home

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