Being a stay at home mom has its ups and downs. I wouldn't change it for the world, but as a wise woman once told me, "The days are long, and the years are short". The days can seem especially long in the winter as my natural tendency is to hibernate until the tulips bloom. Naturally, my kids do not feel the same way. Claire has no fear of nature's elements. Yesterday, when the icy rain began to fall, Claire grabbed her rain gear and took her daddy outside for a long, wet walk. And Henry, well, he just loves to be go, go, going all the time.
So despite my natural inclination to stay inside sipping Chai Lattes all winter long, I have tried to be intentional about planning activities for the health and happiness of my little ones. Here's a glimpse of activities that help us handle the winter.
Monday is usually pretty flexible for us. I often try to schedule appointments, do errands or tackle a few household chores, but if we're able to, we also like to go to story time at the library or plan a play date with friends.
Ruby, who plays at our house two afternoons a week,
came with us to a special Outer Space themed story time.
The kids in their Outer Space outfits.
Tuesday we often go to a mom's group at a local church. The kids play in their class while I visit with other moms. Typically, speakers come to share with us about a variety of topics - everything from gardening to budgeting, and of course, raising children. This month has been all about marriage.
A Halloween party with the mom's group this past year.
Both kids are on the left, Henry is playing with the kid next to him.
~~ Okay, I'm back from a brief intermission as Claire began throwing up while I sat here posting pictures. She had mentioned she was tired, but didn't say anything about feeling sick. So after cleaning up the mess and cuddling with her for a bit, I'm glad to report she's sleeping soundly. ~~
Wednesday is a our Critter and Company class at Calvin College. This has been both fun and educational. This session we've learned all about animals and trees in the winter. Miss Nancy, the leader, does an amazing job of teaching the kids and passing on her passion for the great outdoors.
Miss Nancy dressed up a boy as a tree bud to demonstrate
what happens to branches in the winter.
Claire and Henry in the front, don't want to miss a thing.
Each week we go on a nature hike, with Miss Nancy helping the
kids explore and learn about the weekly theme.
The kids hang on Miss Nancy's every word.
This week, she gave each of the kids a magnifying glass to look for tree buds and tracks in the snow. Claire, so excited to find some tracks, called out "Teacher, I found some tracks!" Miss Nancy said, "Great Claire. What kind of tracks are they?" Claire's eyes got really big and she said, "Monster tracks". Miss Nancy laughed and sweetly said, "Well, I think they're just squirrel tracks". I give Claire an A+ for imagination!
Henry on his own hike, not really using his magnifying glass.
Don't judge me for his pink mittens. He kept pulling his others off, and these seem to stay on better. A mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do!
Thursday is one our most important weekly activities: Bible Study Fellowship. It's been good for me, but it's also been great for the kids. The classes are perfectly structured and the kids learn so much. It's a big commitment, but I'm grateful to be involved.
~~ Another brief intermission to change Henry's poopy diaper. Being a mother is quite glamorous. ~~
Friday is another open ended day. It always seems to fill up quickly though. I usually teach piano on Fridays, and it seems lately I've been doing a lot of babysitting.
Hanging out with Ruby and her older brothers.
Spaghetti dinner for five hungry kiddos.
A very involved game of chess.
Weekends are often used for rest and worship, though we also tend to use them to catch up on the responsibilities of life. When we're able, weekends are best spent with family and friends.
We recently spent a Saturday evening seeing the sites of downtown GR and surprised the kids with a carriage ride through the city.
They were mesmerized!
So that's it. These are the days of our lives. And they are good days. Winter can be a long season in West MI, so it's important for me to have plenty of plans, whether it's fun with friends or swimming at the YMCA. It's good to get out and enjoy all that's available. That doesn't mean, though, that I'm not excited for warm weather, 'cause I certainly am! In fact, I think even Claire's getting a touch of Spring Fever. This morning, she looked out the window at the fresh blanket of snow and said sadly, "I just want to pick flowers with my friends." Me too, Claire! We'll get there!
~~ Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go pick up after Henry as he as taken all our clothes out of our bedroom dresser and thrown them in a large pile on the floor. Left unsupervised, he is certain to do such things. ~~
