Puzzle Obsession

With the wet and rainy weather over the past month, and what feels like a revolving door of illness amongst the children, we have needed something other than T.V. to pass the time while being inside and/or recouperating.

Yesterday, I stopped in at the local Dollar Store, and found a couple of children's puzzles...of course for a dollar.  Lately the children have seemed to have sparked a renewed interest in puzzles, so I thought a couple of fresh ones might be nice. Evidently the latest and greatest in puzzles are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Tinkerbell.  Upon delivery, they devoured them, redoing those puzzles several times over.  

After our son's speech class today, we dropped back in to the Dollar Store to pick up a couple more.  They have decided that it is their mission to put together all the puzzles we own this week.  It was nonstop puzzle making around here today with continued plans for more tomorrow.

Over the past few years, I have observed the puzzle piecing abilities of each child.  At different ages of development, puzzles have been easy or difficult (piece placement).  What was easier for one at a certain age was far more difficult for another at the same age.  I don't know if it is gender related or just some people have an easier time with puzzles than others?  All I know is at this moment, their brains are open to this activity, and they just both really seem to like doing puzzles....which is a really good thing.

What I had purchased to be used as a watercolor painting
board also works really well as a puzzle board!

A few of the puzzles from today.

What a Walk Means to Me These Days

The past couple of months, the weather has also been a bit gray to downright rainy.  We've had a few days of beautiful weather, and yesterday was one of them.  Absolutely clear blue sky, the sun shining, birds chirping....a day where you could easily climb up on Maria's mountain and belt out the chorus to "The Hills are alive" from The Sound of Music.

It was a day where I knew I had to be outside.

Going for a walk these days has a much different definition than it did when there was just one little one to think about. With our first child, I would pack her in the jogging stroller and away we would go, walking and running all over town.  She spent a lot of time in that stroller.

With two it wasn't quite as fun and free living. I was lucky enough to receive a double stroller/bike trailer from my brother.  I figured this would be a great way to keep getting out and getting fresh air and exercise. It is supposed to ease tension, increase endorphins, right?  Well I found that on my walks with two sitting side by side, they would pick at each other constantly.  After being the mediator/enforcer, I found myself more frustrated than happy by the end of these walks.  Fast forward another year or two.  No one wants to ride in the stroller anymore, they want to walk, or ride bikes or tricycles.  Seriously, how can anyone get their heart rate up with a 3 year old who wants to doddle.

Lately it has been a little better, but trying to keep track of one who wants to ride fast up ahead, and one who is still working on balancing and is behind me, all while pushing the stroller, I feel as if my head is on a swivel.  Not to mention all the aggressive looking dogs that reside in our neighborhood, and cars backing out of driveways, or crossing at 4 lane intersections with two bikes and a stroller.  These walks are not relaxing in the slightest.  I feel like I need a nap by the time we get home.

Yesterday, my husband took the two older children out to lunch.  This left me and the baby alone at the house.  As soon as they were gone, I packed up the little one in the jogging stroller, and off we went.  Freedom!!  It felt like the good ol' days.  I walked fast.  I looked around.  I noticed a lot of new things that I have missed in trying to keep track of everyone.  It was wonderful!

I really do enjoy taking the children out on walks or adventuring, but yesterday, because I could go at my own chosen pace, I probably could have walked for hours. The best part of it all.... I came home with a clear head and happy heart.  Yaaayy for sunshine!!

My walking partner - pretty adorable isn't he!

A Child's Life Lesson - Being Happy for a Friend

Cardboard and Duct Tape Ice Skates - Courtesy of Mama

The local ice skating rink has a yearly American Girl ice skating party.  It's just a fun afternoon when girls and boys can bring their American Girl doll and skate with their friends.  This year our daughter invited a new friend to come with her.  It was fun to watch them side by side with dolls in hand, wobbling their way around the rink.   By the end they were skating faster, and making a few spins.  

With this being our second year to attend, we knew what to expect.  An hour and a half worth of skating, and then the raffle..... an American Girl doll - Girl of the Year!  This year it happens to be Isabelle - the ballerina in training.  

Now these dolls are ridiculously expensive, and we have told our daughter if she wants another doll, she needs to save up her money and buy it herself.  She has purchased one before by working little jobs around the house, and taking care of the neighbors cats, and saving up her money.  So, she knows what it takes to get one.  But the idea of winning one - oh my!

So the time comes for the raffle.  Each child wins a little something; ice skates for their doll, and AG book, or other little trinkets.  Finally the raffle for the doll.  Lo and behold, our daughters friends name is called.  She won!!  How cool is that!  I took a deep breath knowing that my daughter was going to be pretty disappointed.  She comes over to me very excited for her friend, and then has a sad look on her face.  Gently I said, "you need to be happy for your friend".  At the age of 7, when AG dolls are quite the center of her attention right now, I am pretty sure it was extremely hard to put on a genuine smile.  I was so proud of her because she didn't get all pouty like I have seen in the past.  She was very excited for her friend, and did her very best to "hold it all together".

Her sweet friend let her hold the doll, put on its ice skates, and even carry it out to the car when we were all finished.  It was a huge learning and growing experience for my daughter.  When we were alone, she did tell me that she was super disappointed about not winning.  I told her that it was normal to feel envious, but it was also important to be happy for someone else.   Someday it might just be her.  

Best Buddies

With all of our children, we never found out their sex prior to birth.  I was absolutely positive that our last child was a girl (mother's intuition..right?).  Surprisingly, when my husband told me we had another boy on our hands, I was shocked.  But...I am so glad!

My husband and our oldest son have that special bond.  I get to enjoy these beautiful gifts throughout each day.  Unfortunately life and health insurance cost money and  someone has to fulfill the role of bread maker, but I know in a heartbeat that my husband would jump at the chance to be with the children all the time.  So, I am thankful for my husband that he has this little shadow wanting to emulate and spend time with him any chance our son can get.  Just the other day, my son asked "when was he going grow face prickilies just like dad?" I am pretty sure our son thinks his dad walks on water at this point.

The two started calling each other "Best Buddy" around a year or so ago.  They have their special "Best Buddy" dates....sometimes it's just going to the grocery store, out to lunch, or for a doughnut and milk.  With another future "best buddy", I was a little worried about how our older son would handle it.  I heard him ask his dad when "littlest best buddy" will get to come along with them on Best Buddy Days.  They are already planning adventures, and I am sure it will be a ton of fun for them all.  Hmm.... if only men lactated, it could be so much sooner.

                                             I see glimpses of the Best Buddy Trio already

~Forestry Mama

**This life is a whirlwind of a ride. You only get one chance, so make the best of it!

Ok, I admit it.  I love Pinterest!  I do a lot of dreaming about all the things I could make from this website.  Realistically, I make what I can, and pin the rest for a later time.

For the next couple of months, we are studying the Earth - primarily geology, land forms, and a bit of geography.  While we will have many learning experiences here at home, I plan to get us out in the field as much as we can.  A potential road trip could bring some awesome possibilities for learning! 

I have had this  Felted Continent Map - Rythm of the Home on my geography board for quite some time, and finally decided this weekend to pick up what I needed at JoAnn's Fabrics.  The hardest part of this whole thing is free hand drawing the continents.  While crafty, I am no artist.  I used the 9" x12" acrylic felt peices in different colors, and a bronze Sharpie to write out the labels on some scrap white fabric.

In conjunction with this felt map, we'll be using our globe, some of the ideas from the Rythm of the Home site, The Seven Continents of the World Jigsaw book, Me on the Map, Maps and Globes.  I also really like to use Enchanted Learning additional worksheets or learning materials.

I'll add more later on in relation to our geology studies.

~Forestry Mama

**This life is a whirlwind of a ride. You only get one chance, so make the best of it!

Hi there!

Welcome to Forestry Mama!

A friend of mine once gave me the great compliment of being the combination of a little Hollie Hobbie and a little Paul Bunyan.  I think it was a pretty good description.  Different parts of my life have moved the balance of these two characters back and forth.  For a long time I worked out in the forest independently and with crews.  It was a huge part of my life until I met "The One".  It is amazing how one person can truly improve your life, when you thought it already was pretty good.

Nowadays, my life has really become one of Hollie Hobbie.  I find myself immersed in the world of homemaking, raising children, and homeschooling.  While I find this time of life much more emotionally tasking on my soul at times, I wouldn't change it for a minute.

Our family lives in the Pacific Northwest part of the United States.  There is such beauty to this landscape.  I feel much gratitude that I get to live in such an area!  The variety of climate, outdoor activities, and abundant local foods makes it a wonderful place to be.

With a new baby, prek and elementary aged children, life is pretty darn busy, but I enjoy writing, and hope that this will be a place for me to share my thoughts on life.  I hope you will join me as I share little glimpses of our daily lives and interests.

~Forestry Mama

**This life is a whirlwind of a ride. You only get one chance, so make the best of it!