Preventive Measures

It’s been said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I'm sure this is true as it comes to being and staying productive. Not letting the house get overwhelmingly cluttered, messy, and unkempt will definitely affect my productivity level for the day/week/month! So I want to learn ways to prevent being unproductive. Today I read this article
http://stress.about.com/od/stressmanagementtools/a/time_management.htm. I googled "Time Management for Moms" because, lets face it, we all have 24 hours in a day, but we don't all have 4 children 6 years and under. I enjoyed reading it and brainstorming (while I cleaned my bathroom) ways to put each into practice. They are nuggets I've known before, but not really thought about...

• Simply being organized can eliminate stress
• So today, I organized. Dave had the day off, I let him deal with the babies. We didn't have school, so I took my time organizing and cleaning as I went. Bigger task than I expected!
• being organized with your schedule, with your house and with your discipline strategy is one of the best time management tips I can give you.
• This is something I will be sitting down and writing out tonight. I used to have a written schedule, but we got WAY away from it... I may be pulling that back out.
• DELEGATE
• There is another article that I will be reading tomorrow about creative ways to delegate tasks to others in your house. One thing I've learned in the last few months is this: Complaining does not mean asking! I want to really work on asking for help instead of stomping my feet, raising my voice and throwing a fit!
•  Pair mindless tasks with focus-dependent ones when it’s appropriate.
• Sounds fun!!!
•  it’s important to look at your priorities and learn to say no to time demands that aren’t absolutely necessary.
• I have a newborn that needs me. He needs to just be held, talked to, and cuddled. It is down time that is important. I don't want a clean house, organized school days, and a scheduled day at the expense of missing out on seeing my kids grow up.
• Take Shortcuts
• I like this... again, another article to read on this one... I may be reading that one soon!
• When you don’t have to worry about reinventing the wheel each week (“What haven’t we eaten in a while?” “When was this floor last mopped?” “When is the last time we…?”), your mind is free to focus on the rest of your day, and the time it takes to plan these things each week is freed as well.
• Again, a written schedule... I love this!
•   Having a rhythm for your day but a time cushion and some backup plans can take the stress out of the unexpected, and keep one schedule hiccup from throwing off your whole day (or week).
• Aha! Back up plans... as opposed to having NO food to feed your family when you drop all of dinner on the bottom of your very neglected, unclean oven... not that I've ever done that (ok, I did it TONIGHT!)
• When we’re tired or haven’t had enough healthy food to function at our best, we’re often less productive and organized, and this lack of clarity can translate into more time wasted throughout the day and less time available to get everything done that needs doing.
• Noted!

And let me add a few more things... 1. (which I failed to do today because I woke up late, due to a wonderful hubby who let me sleep in on his last day of Christmas vacation!WHAT A GUY!) I think its important to start your day off with some God. Worship music, or devotional reading, or prayer, or Bible Reading, or all of the above! It just makes things go smoother, or at least you can have the patience when they don't!
Secondly, I think for me, getting up and getting going is the key. If I get up and sit around on the couch and watch tv, I will lack the motivation I need. I need to get up, and get going on the things of the day. Rest can come in the afternoon.
So.. the end of day 2. I stayed away from Facebook, I organized, cleaned, and plan on doing a little bit of Birthday party prep before my bedtime of 10pm!
So far, so good.... But then again, its just day 2!

Productive Sunday; An Oxymoron!

What does a productive Sunday look like? As long as we get to church dressed and on time, I've accomplished much for the day!
I believe in a day of rest. And as a Pastor's wife, Sundays aren't always a day of rest. However, after our church duties are over, the day is mine to lounge, nap, and lounge some more. There aren't many things on my "to do" list. However, to have a good Sunday, my Saturday's must be ultra-productive. Dave leaves on Sunday mornings at 9am. That usually leaves me an hour and 15 min to get all four dressed, and to church on time. So I need those Saturdays to iron clothes, have my Kids' Church activities read through, put together, and ready to go. So to have a productive Sunday, I MUST have a productive Saturday. And I've learned that the hard way.
Today? Today was AWESOME! Dave didn't have Sunday school, so our goal was to leave for our 1min commute by 10am. Dave made breakfast (its our anniversary), he dressed one of the babies, I dressed (and cleaned poo off his back) the other baby, and we were on time, in good moods, and ready for the lessons for the day. As for the rest of the day. I plan on taking a nap, maybe doing a quick clean up later (or making the kids do it), and enjoying my family... Productive Sunday? Definately an oxymoron... Sundays are for rest... productive rest! Enjoy, my friends, and take a nap just because! Mine will begin soon!

Get it together, Woman!

Today is the last day of 2011! Tomorrow starts a new day, a new year, a new task! I plan on taking a 31 day journey in the month of January to become more productive. I'll be researching, putting things into practice, learning by trial and error, and hopefully coming out a more productive person for the year 2012!
So, today, this last day of the year, I need to get this house clean, my Sunday school materials ready, my kids bathed, their clothes laid out and ready to begin a new year filled with less stress, less disorganization, less unproductive-ness... but I have no motivation. I wanted to do all this yesterday, even the day before that... well, really every day since the day after Christmas... but I find myself lounging, putting it off, putting it off... and then putting it off. I don't want that anymore. I want it to be done!

I've been living the life of a mom with a newborn. Sleep when he sleeps (except, I do have THREE other kids that don't sleep on a newborn's schedule). I was up many times a night, up early, up late... my life was a blurr... but I'm over that now. I don't want to live that way again, I'm ready for a life of productivity! I NEED a life of productivity. I am a homeschooler, a mom of a preschooler,a mother of an infant, in ministry with my husband, and a wife... I don't want to neglect any of those roles. So I'm not going to! I'm going to learn to be productive...
Wanna join me? What do you want to learn, gain, change? Take a 31 day challenge with me. Use the next 31 days to learn a new craft, gain wisdom in an area you may be lacking, work at changing an area of your life... I'd love to learn from you, maybe even read along for another 31 day challenge for myself another month!
Here's what you do... Pick your topic, start TOMORROW, research it, put things into practice, find out what works for you, what doesn't. Get inspiration from blogs, friends, self help books and then blog about the journey (or make a note in Facebook about it) each day. The goal is to focus on change on a daily basis, and by the end of 31 days see that change in your life. Whether it be to be healthier, thinner, smarter, craftier, or more organized. I will first try to be more productive... Starting tomorrow!
You with me?

My Littlest man...

Meet my littlest man... He's already 3months old. But Nathanael Paul Ciske was born September 19th! His birth was the best one yet! I was so nervous since I had to be put under and wasn't awake for Ruby's birth, I had been praying for 9 mo that this birth would go smoother. The spinal man had that spinal in in under 10 min! I was so happy! I made sure to listen to everything, to praise God a LOT, and to soak it all in! It was marvelous.
Nate is my one and only child that nurses. He takes bottles, but is a great nurser as well. I finally can say I've nursed at least one baby! And honestly, I love it one day, hate it another... but I love it more than I hate it, cuz I'm still doing it!
He is now cooing and smiling and laughing and I love it! He's very happy and for the most part an easy baby. He has his fussy moments at night.. but he's the 4th, he's the last, he can get away with all those things!
I could go on and on, and I wish I would have been keeping up with the blog, but I must confess, going from 3-4 kids has been a bit harder than I expected. So finding time to get on to blog is hard... but stay tuned (if anyone was ever really "tuned in") come January, I plan to blog every day... more on that later!

"I'm not done with you yet"

I'm not always sure why God calls people to certain tasks, occupations, or seasons in life. But I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I was called to be a mommy. I felt it early in life. I wanted to just be a wife and mom. When Dave and I got married it was one of the main things we focused on. Living so that I could some day follow this calling and be a stay at home mom. We've made it a priority, sacrificed the "added" things, done without what others would think are "must haves" and we've made it work... because God has helped equip me for this calling.
In the last few years God has added to this calling and I felt very strongly that He wanted me to homeschool. I have my reasons for believing this, and that is for another blog entry. Just know that I feel the decision to homeschool my kids came out of much prayer... many sleepless nights of prayer, and an answered prayer.
I feel called. Some are called to be doctors, some are called to be pastors, some are called to be counsellors... I was called to be a homeschooler.
That being said, there are days, like today, that I stop and ask God, "Are you sure? I'm not being very patient... I'm not teaching the way they understand. I'm not organized today... wouldn't they be better off in the school up the street, I can walk them there RIGHT NOW!"
Because we are currently struggling (with TWO in school, teaching and giving proper attention to each one of their needs, excelling where need be, slowing down in other areas... PLUS having Ruby run wild unsupervised... maybe struggling isn't the word!). I decided I needed more time. I can't wake up after the kids, take my time with breakfast, drag my feet cleaning up, and eventually start school. I need more "God" time. So I've been getting up earlier. Even if its 15min before the kids. I need to talk to God.
So this morning, with a clean, all sleeping  house, I rise. I spend 45 min in Bible study and prayer. I pray over each member asleep in my home. I covered the school day, the routine, the lessons... I was good to go!
Then school started. Ruby got into her highchair and played with beans. She poured from one container to another, had spoons to dish beans out... ate one or two (yuck, they aren't cooked!) and had her snack in her chair. I got all of Math, and language arts out of the way. It was the perfect example of the perfect homeschool situation.
Ruby got down, Lily transitioned to activity time, and Zech moved on to Science. Then I am pretty sure God stripped the calling to homeschool away... What? You don't believe me? There's no way after what happened within the next hour, that God was still calling ME to homeschool. Zech whined about every single little word he had to read or write. He answered "I don't know" to every question, even when I threw in "What is your name?" I grew more impatient with every whine and stomp of the foot.
Ruby was too quiet so I go check on her to find her with the toilet bowl brush (get ready to gag...) IN HER MOUTH! She had obviously been cleaning the toilets, the floor was wet, she was wet, and well... I was GAGGING! I hand sanitized her entire body! Punished her, cleaned the floors, scrubbed her mouth, and tried to go on to art.
Lily didn't want to clean up activities, but wanted to do art. I told her to make a decision (art isn't worth the fight for me... she was doing other educational things, but the mess needs to be contained... one project at a time!) She threw such a massive fit I had to send her to her room. Where I started Art with Zech. He listened to the lesson, but again answered every question with "I don't know". Growing even MORE impatient, I let my frustrations show... a tad too much! I stopped teaching and told him his assignment. To which both Zech and the now recovered Lily proceeded to pretend to listen only to do their own thing when they got their papers.
After a quick reprimand, and lecture of listening and obeying, following the directions. I went back to the unfinished science. Lily moved on to silent reading... and you probably would never guess that Ruby went BACK to cleaning the toilet AGAIN. This time dragging the brush (that I put up on the counter, in the bathroom where I SHUT The door before) all around the house... with toilet water dripping from it! (praise God that I cleaned that toilet late last night... not that it means its completely sanitary, but its better than a couple days worth of... well you know!) Between that, and Zech's complaint of every word he had to write, read, or think... I was done. I don't want to homeschool. Its not working for us! I'm frustrated. The house is destroyed, the kids are unhappy...
God, WHY did you call me to this life? I suck royally at it!
But you know that in all things I work for the good of those who love me, who have been called according to MY purpose.
Yeah, but, God... do you see the mess I'm making here. Are they learning when there is so much crying, and interruptions, and from a teacher who is about to scream? I'm not good enough for them.
be confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

The days may not go perfect, but this is my calling. I'm not perfect, the one who called me is. I press on to win the prize. This prize may not be given anytime soon (although getting things more "together" would be nice before Nate arrives!). But my blessings come from listening and obeying God's word. He's called me, I will obey. So the homeschool journey continues. I do love it so! Just when I feel I'm going to sink, God throws out His lifeline... no, let me rephrase that... Just when I feel I'm going to sink, God points out the lifeline he's already given me when he called me! I just need to not look down, keep pressing on.
Today's reminder came when I cuddled up with Ruby (who got in so much trouble today for being a 20 month old unsupervised) to read her a story I just happened to grab from the messy bookshelf...

Let me quote an entire book... Not sure if its legal, but I just must... Hermie, A common Caterpillar by Max Lucado
Hermie was a common caterpillar. He didn't have stripes, and he didn't have spots. He ate common leaves and squirmed through common grass. Hermie was just a common caterpillar.

But Hermie did one thing that was not common. He talked to God. Hermie and his friend, Wormie would ask God, "Why did you make us so common?"
 God would answer, "I love you, Hermie and Wormie. But I'm not finished with you yet. I'm giving you a heart like Mine." So they felt better, until they met an ant carrying a big pine cone.

"WOW!" Wormie said. "How do you carry such a heavy load?" "God made me strong," replied the ant.
Hermie and Wormie felt sad. They asked God, "Why can't we be strong like the ant?"
God's answer was kind. "I love you just the way you are. But I'm not finished with you yet."

So they felt better, until one rainy day when they saw a snail.
"You need a house like I have," The snail said. "Its dry in here."
Hermie and Wormie wondered why God hadn't given them a cozy house like the snail's. God reminded them, "Be patient, Hermie and Wormie. I am not finished with you yet."

That made Hermie and Wormie feel much better... until they saw the ladybug.
"You have such pretty spots!" Said Hermie.
"Beautiful!" Wormie agreed.
"You are very kind," the shy ladybug replied. "But this is the way God made me."

That night Hermie prayed. "we're sorry, God, but we don't understand why you made us so..."
"Common?" God said, "Don't worry. I 'm not finished with you yet. I'm giving you a heart like Mine."
Hermie turned to his friend and yawned. "I'm feeling very, very sleepy."
"Then let's make you a soft, comfy bed," Wormie suggested.

As Hermie drifted off to sleep in his soft bed, he thought about what God had said, and he prayed: "You know, god, its okay that I'm a common caterpillar. You love me, and that makes me special."

That night Hermie had a funny dream. He dreamed he was special like the ant, the snail, and the ladybug.

When Hermie woke up, it was dark. he was covered from head to toe. What had happened to his bed? As he squirmed to get out it began to fall and crack open. But-- wait-- he felt a tickle on his back...

Suddenly, soft wings fluttered open! With hardly any effort, Hermie began to fly. Up and Up, higher and higher, he soared over the trees.
As Hermie flapped his new wings, he began to understand what God had been telling him. He wasn't like the ant... or the snail... or the ladybug. He was Hermie-- a beautiful butterfly with a beautiful heart.
Hermie had to tell Wormie the good news.

"Look, Wormie!" Hermie called out.
"WOW! Is that really you, Hermie?"
"Yes, its me! God wasn't finished with me, Wormie. And he is not finished with you, either!"
Wormie's smile grew bigger and bigger. Now he understood, too.

You can get this book at www.hermieandfriends.com

He's not finished with me yet! My kids will learn. I will will get it all together... someday! And through it all, not only do I get the benefits of watching my kids survice this journey, but I get a heart like HIS! Let it be, Lord, Let it be!

What if...

Last year I was so scared that I wouldn't be able to teach Zech how to read. He knew his letter sounds and how to piece a few sounds together, but wasn't reading at all. I was terrified. I read everything I could on "HOW" to teach reading. Then I took a deep breath and did the A Beka curriculum. He caught on quickly and excelled! Today, a year later, he is insulted when I give him books "under" his reading level. I am constantly pulling out books, looking up their reading levels and giving him 1 book that is easy, or under his reading level, one that is right about a 2nd grade reading level, and then one challenging book. These are usually end of 2nd grade or beginning 3rd grade levels and are MUCH longer. He can read flawlessly until about 10 min into the book, then wants to quit. So although the words may not be a challenge, the reading required to finish the book is.

What if I decided that because he is such a great reader I would just stop teaching him anymore phonics, told him he didn't need books, and never mentioned him reading again. Although he may be happy about this, I am thinking that by 4th grade, he'd be WAY behind. By Jr. High, he'd be failing all other subjects that require reading. By Highschool, he'd give up all together and probably drop out. The emotional toll of being illiterate would overcome him and he'd be a High School drop out. That can't read, so he can't get a job, and he'd be living in my house... FOREVER... not much fun!

Now, what if you went to church one day, was taught about the wonderful things Christ did for you (Came from a cozy seat next to God, the father, to be a human, with human limitations, was mocked, ignored, then eventually beaten and hung on a cross for doing nothing at all to do die for YOUR sins and offer you eternal life with him in heaven!). You learn about this man, you accept it. You excel in "knowledge". But then assume you know all you need to know and leave it at that.
You no longer pick up The Book to read. You no longer attend church to learn. You no longer even talk about the man that did those wonderful things for you so long ago. Where would you be? An illiterate Christian. You'd be WAY behind. And eventually drop out!

If you stopped reading at age 6, never to read again, would you even be considered a "reader" 10 years later? You may have some reading knowledge, but you definitely would be lacking. Imagine all you'd miss out on. The blessings of the way a book can spark your imagination. The blessings of getting and keeping a job. The blessing of reading the world around you.

If you stopped growing as a Christian within a year of your salvation, never to go back and act out a life of this Christianity, would you even be considered a "Christian" years later? You may have some "christian" knowledge, but you definitely would be lacking. Imagine all you'd miss out on. The blessing of the way The Book (the Bible) enhances your life, sparking a spiritual renewal on a regular basis. The blessings of hearing God's calling in your life, and living out those divine appointments. The blessing of living in a world around you  with God as your tour guide. 

Once Zech tasted and saw how freeing reading was, he became eager to keep reading. He wants to know more, to grow in his vocabulary, to understand more and more. He loves the freedom he has to order off his own menu, read road signs as we travel, pick any book he is interested in and learn from it... all because he didn't stop just because he learned the basics of reading. He continues to grow. Fostering this skill every day through reading, learning, and listening.

Once we've tasted and seen that the Lord is good, we should be eager to keep learning. We need to want to know  more, to grow in His love, to understand more and more. We have freedom to know what God would have for our life, because we've learned how to live in His presence. We gain interest as He opens new doors and shines a fresh light on parts of our lives. We can't just get saved... we need to continue to grow! Fostering this relationship with Christ through reading, learning and listening.

You would never have stopped reading just because you knew all the letter sounds... don't stop with your salvation just because you learned what he did for you. There is SO much more. Imagine a life without being able to read... Life without Christ is WORSE than that, You can't even imagine the difference this relationship can make. Love him more today than you did yesterday... more tomorrow than you do today!

Our first day of school

Today was the day. We moved up our start date a few week. The kids were getting anxious, and I need something to occupy my mind as I wait for Nate to arrive.

My kids are homeschooled. They live about 5 blocks from a brick and mortar school. They see school buses pass on a regular basis. All the neighborhood kids go to the school up the street. They have a small desire to join those kids (Lily more than Zech). So although I understand their desire, I have explained to them that this is Daddy and My decision. I do however give them things that they believe makes "GOING" to school so cool. Backpacks is one of them. No, homeschoolers do not need backpacks. They don't take their work anywhere, they don't bring back notes from their teachers, or carry books around. But its a simple request made by homeschool kids that this momma can fulfill. So they got backpacks... and an added little fun treat from momma as well.

Another thing my kids love is to have their lunches packed. They really enjoy eating out of tupperware and lunch boxes instead of plates. And by packing a lunch the night before or as I make breakfast it really does make the day go by more smoothly. Ruby especially loved her lunch box (that we got free!) and the idea of pulling food out of it to eat... wherever she wanted (well, at one of the three tables we have, or on the kitchen floor).

And one of the MAJOR things each kid as desired was to ride the bus to school. Funny thing is, that even if they were to attend the public school up the street, they would be walking. The bus won't pick kids up that live blocks away. So once that notion was out of their mind, they are happy to be homeschooled. To only have to go half days, to still go on outings, and to be together. They love it... BUT, I did let them "walk" to school today. They sported their backpacks out the back door, around to the front and circled the church parking lot, then walked in the front door as Kindergartener and 1st grader.

Lily is my 2nd entering Kindergarten. It was a hard decision to make. She could have waited until next year. But she is so smart. And catches on to whatever I am teaching Zech. It seemed silly to hold her back just because of a few months of her age. We did decide that she will attend all classes outside of school as a 4 year old. But there was no need to hold her back academically. Our biggest concern was where she would place if ever she were to go to public school. But after Dave and I prayed about it, we realized that was not our goal, nor was it something we felt God calling us to. So we decided to take that off the table. We're committed to homeschooling for the long haul. And one of the many perks is that we can meet each child where they are academically regardless of age or "grade". So, there she is. My KINDERGARTENER! (if she wasn't so obsessed with the title, I wouldn't give any of my kids grades, I'd just teach as they learned... but that's one of the compromises I'm willing to make for them!)

Once the kids came inside, we started our day. We did circle time first. This was their favorite thing last year, but this year they wanted to rush through it and get right to the "Work" part. Who would have thought these kids LIKE worksheets and seat work! Forget hands on learning... they wanted to get their new school supplies (which most was not new, but reused from last year) and get to "work".

Ruby was ALL OVER THE PLACE!

She didn't like the attention the others were getting. She wanted to bang on pots and pans. When I took the pots away, she proceeded to hit her brother in the head with the spoon! She pulled Lily's hair to get her attention. She wrote on their papers if I gave her some "work" of her own... so tomorrow, she'll be buckled into her highchair. God gave me MANY opportunities to practice patience today. I hope she does better tomorrow.

All in all, the day went great. The house was still standing at the end. Zech ended up complaining at the end because he just wanted to be done (we only had 2.5 hours of school today!) and there was some crying with Lily and her handwriting lesson (those 'S' es can be tricky... too bad there's one in CISKE!) But I was happy to say I had much more patience with her than I did with Zech! (I also am taking into consideration that she is FOUR and still struggles with small motor skills, as opposed to Zech who was 5.5 when he started!).

Here are my "students" Adorable, aren't they?

Once school was over, and lunch had been devoured, I sent them all to nap and rest time and I crashed. I was exhausted. And I slept wonderfully! Now, to do it all over again tomorrow! I love this journey!