~Home~

So I went away last weekend.
It was wonderful.
It was quiet.
(If you've met my family in person, then you know how important that was.)

I rested, read, prayed, planned and just enjoyed the break.

Back home, I decided I needed to be intentional about incorporating the elements of the retreat into everyday life here.

Atmosphere means a lot to me and affects how I feel quite a lot.  To that end, I've got to figure out a balance between what I need to be happy and what everyone else here needs to be happy.  Those things aren't always the same.  Go figure.

Flowers, candles and beautiful music fill me with joy.  I need to have a peaceful place I can step into where I can comfortably create things and rest.  Everyone else wants places to play.

So, I cleared off my bedroom vanity of the crazy piles of books covering it and laid out the big lace runner.  Then, I only put back on the things I love and really want on it.  I've got my Bible open on the center, candles all around, a beautiful rock, a seashell, more lace lovelies, and flowers.

I made this arrangement the other day and just love it.  It's a little wild, but it makes me smile.  I've refreshed the white flowers and pulled out the droopies as needed.  I brought in a little creamer filled with lillies of the valley so that I can sketch them today.  Lavender blossoms fill the little heart dish by the candle as well.

I also hauled all my craft supplies that I'd been storing and put them in the school room.  I even set up a little corner that I can sew in.  My hope is that with everything more easily available, I'll create more.  It also makes it more conducive to encouraging the kids' creativity as they can use my supplies as well.

So far, I've only done some simple watercolour samples to teach the kids some painting techniques, but I've got lots of plans.  The kids have also been making their own felt play mats and been introduced to the glue guns.  It might get a little crazy around here.

I decided I needed to stop hoarding all my special things and let the kids discover what they can do.  I hate wasting things and cleaning up all the messes, but the time seems right to let go of all the rest of my much-hated perfectionism.  I don't want to pass that onto them.  Plus, they are now able to help and not just make the mess.

It's been a full week trying to arrange things and being more open to it all.  I feel like I was gone a lot, but don't feel harried.  Maybe because I can retreat to our room and enjoy the peace in there.

I'm also happiest when I am creating beauty.  I even took a couple hours one evening with my Dad and learned from one of his friends how to make a wooden spoon.  It was a blast and I hope to make a ton more.

 
 The kids and I went to a neighbour's home who is an artist one afternoon as well.  She and I are discussing planning an art and craft sale here at our home out under the cherry trees.  It was fun.  Maybe I'll make and sell some spoons along with all my other stuff.


This will be our last week of regular school lessons.  I'm certainly looking forward to being done.  I'm ready to be done, especially with math.   We've also got planned a field trip one day with other home schoolers to a local candy factory.  That should be fun. 

Well, I need to see about making lunch now.  Sweetheart made pancakes this morning for everyone.  They were delicious!  But I think everyone is probably about ready for lunch.  Hope you have a great rest of your weekend.