Abbey is six!

Abigail Frances. My second born. Do you know, I imagine I gave a fair amount of bad advice, or at least naive advice, after I had my first daughter? There's this strange thing that happened to me after I had a child. I felt powerful, and confident in many ways, and terrified and nervous in others. Then I had a second daughter and was even more confident I knew all about girls since I already had one. But this girl, this Abigail, was different from my first daughter (and I don't mean that in a bad way). She is also a very different personality from me (and this could be a good thing)!

Licking candles at Grandpa & Grandma Hess's house.

Abbey is diligent. She will get her work done. Whether it is school work, practicing piano, tying her shoes, telling a story, etc.

Counting on her fingers just to be sure she has the right answer.

Abbey also tends to be a bit of a perfectionist. She takes at least two times longer than anyone else to get everything done - all. day. long. It doesn't matter what it is, it will take Abbey longer to accomplish a task than anyone else. (Getting dressed, brushing her teeth, doing her homework, practicing piano, putting on her shoes, telling a story, etc.) This used to drive me crazy, especially when she was really small. When she was about a year and a half she decided she was going to put her shoes on by herself when we were already running late. I remember scooping her up into my lap and attempting to quickly shove them on her feet so we could race out the door. This just did not work for Abbey. She threw the biggest fit I ever saw. It was frustrating for me because I didn't think she was physically capable at her age to put her shoes on herself. However, she had seen big sister doing this, and she was determined she was going to do it as well.

Focused despite the distractions.

This is a common sight - head down, focused on her work in front of her. She prefers quiet.

Abbey is probably the most dedicated child I have ever met. She is a hard worker at all she puts her hand to. She may get frustrated if it looks hard or challenging, but she will always come back to it and throw herself completely into it and accomplish what she set out to do.

Abigail is extremely compassionate. She has such a tender heart for people. She hasn't learned how to fully express herself yet, but she is trying. She is the best of playmates with little sister Maggie. She is the best of schoolmates with big sister Anne. She is a tender older sister to little Caroline.

Maggie adores Abbey.

 Generally Abbey does not like change. I was honestly rather concerned about how she would handle the transition after we had Caroline. But it has been the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Abbey dotes on Caroline, she is so patient and loving with her. She was the first to ask when Caroline will get to be a big sister (still to be determined - if ever). Abbey loves to read books to Caroline. Abbey and Carrie share a love for soft blankets to sleep with.

Abbey is just about finished with first grade coursework which she completed with big sister Anne. She is working an entire grade level ahead of her age. I can't take credit for this. Abbey really is diligent in her studies. She may complain from time to time and throw a fit here and there, but on the whole, I have seen tremendous growth in her self-control over the past year. It has been so amazing to watch her learn and hear her read at higher and higher levels.

Abigail continues to love flowers. She was my biggest helper this past weekend when we worked on the flower beds. She probably helped pull weeds for a solid 30-45 minutes without once complaining or wanting to stop. It was really special for me to enjoy that time with her.

planting a flowering Japanese cherry tree.

Diligently digging up too old tulip bulbs.

Each of the girls gets to go on a Daddy-daughter date on their birthday. This year Abbey chose to go to the wind caves (which is where Anne went on her 6th birthday), out to lunch at a little restaurant, and to spend her $5 gift card to the Dollar Tree given to her by her Sunday School teacher. She saved her $6 from Nana and Great-Grandpa until she could decide what she wanted (bike tassels).


Abbey continues to bring joy and laughter into our home. She has such a great sense of humor. She absolutely loves to make practical jokes (like texting a picture of a rat to my mom who hates rats, or trying to scare me with a pretend mouse since I don't like mice). She also loves to tell knock-knock jokes. She has the best laugh where her mouth is open but no sound is coming out for about 20 seconds, and then she breaks out with joyful laughter.
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Happy sixth birthday, Abigail Frances, I can't wait to see what this next year holds for you!

So much like her Daddy - I wouldn't want it any other way!

For Such a Time as This?

If you have a moment, grab a cup of coffee and your Bible and read ALL of the book of Esther. It's not that long. And if you don't have time, just continue on with me. A few nights ago I painted this water color using a small portion from Esther 4:14 "for such a time as this".

The full text reads (NIV) Esther 4:14
"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?"

As I was painting the border I originally planned to make a pretty wreath of greens and flowers. But then I got to thinking about the verse and about what it represented. Esther was just going along, doing what she was told to do/knew how to do/was encouraged to do. So I went with the green border to represent the every day events. And wrapped the green around and around the words. And then gently placed the purple among the green. There is much less purple than green. Because the purple is the "big" stuff. And we may not do a whole lot of big stuff in our lives. For Esther, Providence placed before her an opportunity to do something big. It was right there in front of her. She needed the encouragement to do what needed to be done.

Just yesterday a friend shared a blog post about cherishing the moments and enjoying the things our kids do when they are little. And the blogger had gorgeous photos to accompany her post. All the photos showed her children doing the things she mentioned, (running around in a diaper, reading books in a tent, playing on the couch) yet in a pristine, spotless home. No toys or books on the floor. Everything perfectly shelved and clean. She writes about letting the dirty dishes wait, but she doesn't show them to us. She shows these impressive, beautiful hardwood floors that were certainly just scrubbed.

Certainly not an Esther.

 And friends, let me just be real with you right now. Yesterday was just plain rotten. One particular child woke up too early. Again. And this child can get downright vicious with her words. We did not make a pretty picture. There was fighting, arguing, slamming doors, crying, children sprayed by the hose, more crying. We were a broken mess.

We have this monstrosity in our living room because my neighbor hates me loves my kids.



I have laundry still not folded.

 

I have these flowers that have been on my window sill (dead) for a week.



I have a shoe rack that can't keep shoes on it.



I have a counter that won't stay clean.



Friends, I am no Esther. I'm not doing anything big. I am messing up on a regular basis. I'm sorry if I have given you the impression that my life is perfect, because it certainly is not. Yes, I love my kids, and they are a joy (most of the time). But can I just be really honest right now? I will NOT miss days like yesterday. I won't. I don't cherish the time my child told me she hates me.

A brief, joyful moment from yesterday.

Don't get me wrong. I love, love, love my kids. And I try my best to find joy in each day. But I don't feel (too) guilty when I finally get those kids in bed and thank God that the day is over. I AM grateful that today is a new day, and we can show each other grace and move on from the place we were yesterday. But will I miss yesterday? No, I don't think I will.

 

 Okay, fine, I'll miss this.

Mother's Day is on the Way

It's hard to believe that Mother's Day is right around the corner, I feel like we just celebrated Christmas!

Last year was a very busy time for me making signs that were sold through my Etsy store. I wanted to give you all some ideas for moms, and give you a gentle reminder of an order deadline. :)

MOTHER'S DAY ORDER DEADLINE - if you need your sign shipped, please order by Sunday, April 26, 2015!!! If you are local and want to pick up, please order by Tuesday, April 28, 2015. I'm currently at about a 7-10 day lead time, but I have some commitments coming up where I will not be able to work as much.

Not everything is listed in my Etsy store yet. I'm working on a small amount of inventory for us (yes, this includes me) last minute shoppers.

First up - this Jen Hatmaker quote has been my most popular sign on Etsy. At the time of this writing I have one ready-to-ship/ pick up listed in my Etsy store.

This exact sign is available here.

 If you want to customize this sign in your choice of colors, or look at a few other samples follow this link.

This sign for a laundry room/nursery is also available now.

You can find this one also listed in my Etsy Store.

This sign can be customized here.

Those two signs are currently what is trending in my Etsy Store. These makes great gifts for a husband to give to a wife. Ladies, the Etsy links seem to work well for men. Be sure to tell your husband what colors you like.

If you are shopping for YOUR mom, now that's a different story! I have a variety of signs specifically for Grandparents. The two I'm going to share with you have many different options, but none of these are listed in my Etsy Store. You may contact me on my Facebook Page : Mama Hess Painting.

Current prices for these signs are $30 (without clothespins) or $35 with clothespins. These signs are approximately 8"x24". You can customize colors and number of pins. Clothespins can be painted or stained to match your colors. I currently have two signs available.

1. Shown with a black background, cream "grandkids" and gray "make life grand". It currently does not have any pins attached but that can be done if you desire.

This sign is available now!

 2. Grandkids - Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. Shown stained "golden oak" with black lettering. This sign has twine securely attached for you to hang your clothespins from (this allows for more space and is flexible if the number of grandkids continues to grow!)

This sign is available NOW.

This sign can be customized without any pins, with pins attached directly to the sign, or with the twine.

THIS IS SOLD! This is to give you an example of what the sign looks with the clothespins attached.

Thank you all so much for your continued support of my little business! It's truly a joy!

**All PA sales are subject to a 6% sales tax. Prices are subject to change as time progresses. Please contact me via private message on my Facebook Page with any questions.**

A Day with Anne

Today I have a "Guest Blogger". This article was originally written for our church newsletter. The intent here is to give you a glimpse into our everyday, beautiful, messy life. From Anne's perspective. When written, back in September, Anne had just started first grade, and was 6 (almost 7) years old. **All photos are from the two weeks surrounding the date her article was written.**

A Day With Anne Hess

Friday, September 5, 2014

6:40 am – Wake up and come downstairs. Put on my rainboots and go outside with Daddy to feed our six chickens and check for eggs. Only one so far!

Our first egg - Aug, 2014

7:00 am – Read part of a horse book and play with the doll house with Maggie.

7:30 – Mommy wakes up and comes downstairs for coffee. I go upstairs to play with our little horses.

7:50- Breakfast. It's Abbey's day to choose – strawberry poptarts.

8:10 – Go upstairs, get dressed & brush teeth.

8:30 – Watch a movie. Abbey chooses Cinderella.

9:00 – School starts. (I am homeschooled and in first grade.) We do our morning routine – calendar, counting up and down to the date (5^th today), Pledge of Allegiance.

9:05 – Friday is Test day: Spelling test first, I got 8 out of 8!

9:15 – Math Test – I finish quickly so I take Caroline into the living room to play while Abbey finishes her test. I got 17 out of 17! This is the first math test I have ever had.

9:30 – Bible – we read 2 Timothy 3:14-18. I memorized Psalm 1:1-2 for the first two weeks of school. Abbey, Maggie, and I all take turns saying this out loud. Abbey and I work on our handwriting while we listen to Mommy read.

9:40 – History/Geography – locate India on the globe and map. Pray for Hindus. I like to pray for the children who are “untouchables”. We also read about mud huts and different types of houses.

10:00 – Recess outside while Mommy puts Carrie to nap. I play on our neighbor's swingset and chat with our neighbors.

Our neighbors let us play here whenever we want!

 10:15 – Language Arts – practice expression when reading aloud

10:30 – Science – Night Animals. I read our five pages out loud to my sisters. We then answer questions on a worksheet about what we read.

10:40 – Math: Today we are counting by 2s, doing tally marks, greater than/less than, tens and ones columns, and adding. I have two homework pages that I do quickly.

11:00 – RECESS!! Play outside, collect eggs (3!), play “loving family” with my sisters.

Acting out a story with toy animals.

 11:30 – I wake Caroline up and carry her downstairs for lunch (I have a sandwich, clementine, and sweet potato sticks).

{{Sidenote: This is a funny Anne quote during lunch. Anne, “I read in a book that having a pony is a dream for many, but a dream come true for few.” I said to her, “Are you going to be part of the many or the few?” Anne was quick to reply, “The few!” For those of you who don't know, Anne loves horses!}}

I just love being a big sister to this little sweetie!

12:00 – lunch is over. I like to wipe Carrie's face and then play peek-a-boo with her.

12:05 – Take a blanket into our woods for our read aloud time. (Homer Price today)

Our favorite spot to read.

12:40 – Come inside to play. It was too humid to enjoy playing outside. I read a chapter book called “The Worst/Best Christmas Pagaent Ever” to myself.

1:05- Mommy takes Caroline upstairs for nap. I keep reading.

1:25 – Rest time. Mommy reads to the three of us older girls for awhile.

1:50 – Mommy goes out of our room. I read my book quietly.

3:15 – Watch the rest of Cinderella.

4:00 – Rest time is over. I practice piano.

4:15 – Go outside and skip count by 2s. (Jumping every 2 numbers which are written in chalk.)

4:40 – Come inside. A storm is coming. I see my neighbor friend who just got home from school. My mom doesn't let me go outside because of the thunderstorm. I get angry and run to my room and slam the door and cry. I sit in my room awhile. To regain control I brush and braid my hair. But I am still angry. I argued with my mom and made a face at her so I had to be sent to my room.

5:15 – I spy some pretty clothes. I put them on and decide to act like a princess. I dress Abbey and Maggie up too. We all act like princesses. We help mommy crack the eggs for dinner.

5:40- DADDY IS HOME!!!

6:00 – Eat dinner – scrambled eggs, sausage and toast. We eat a lot of eggs these days.

6:40- Finish dinner. I quickly run outside to play with my neighbor. We play at his house all evening. We swing, dig in the dirt, and talk with the grown ups. 

Our neighbors love little Caroline.

7:50 – Time to go home. We get ready for bed.

8:15- Daddy reads to us from “Little Town on the Prairie.” I am very tired. After we all pray I fall right to sleep. 

****Hope you all enjoyed a little window into Anne's world.*****

Shouldn't You Be In School?

I'm often asked what made me decide to home school. It's sort of a long answer so I figured a blog post might be a good way to go with this one!

First off, a very brief note: I know and understand that home school is not for every family nor for every child. Every one is certainly able to choose for themselves what schooling option is best for your family. I hope that nothing I say comes across as judgmental or preachy - that is certainly not my intent.

Now that that's out of the way.....

"Shouldn't you be in school?" This question was posed to my oldest daughter (age 7) this week. She was outside playing in our little patch of woods behind our house. There was an older gentleman cutting wood just beyond our property line and he asked this question. Anne's quick response was, "I'm home schooled!"
 
Part of me cringed when she told me this, because I am acutely aware that we are different. I love people, and I want them to love me. I've always worked SO hard to win the approval of everybody; my parents, my peers, etc. That means I want to fit in.

Is this weird?

 I want to be like everyone else and do what everyone else is doing. I want to be the best at whatever it is I'm doing, and if I realize early on that I may not be the best (i.e. the three years I played saxophone and I did a victory dance when my little brother kicked the case and a key broke) I want to quit. Galatians 1:10 "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." {I professed Christ as my Savior just before my 19th birthday. I am learning to not allow my 'personality' to be an excuse for a lack what I know to be right.}

I never, ever in a million years would have thought I would be a home school mom. Nope. No way. Do you know why? Home school people and their kids are weird. Weird and different are synonyms. I don't like different, I don't like weird. Nope. Not doing it.

Anne reading "James and the Giant Peach" - age 5

You may want to be careful what you say.

I have a teaching degree from Millersville University, formerly known as "the teacher's college". After our oldest daughter was born and growing at an extremely rapid rate (does time speed up once you have children?), my mother-in-law wondered if I would consider home schooling. My immediate response was, "No." I didn't even want to think about it. No way. Not for me. Home school kids are weird.

Our celebration of 100 days of school - 2015

 Then a funny thing happened. The Lord began to work on my heart.

Girls working on their "Heart Journals" - 2015

 As I watched my girls grow (with a special focus on my oldest since she would be the one to go to school first) I noticed some interesting things about her behavior. First of all, she was very much like me. She is so very easily influenced by her peers. For example, when she was about three and a half years old we came home from the mom's group we attended weekly. Anne asked for a cracker at lunch. After providing her with the cracker, she began to chew it like a beaver, letting crumbs fall from her mouth all over her shirt, the floor, and the table. She laughed uproariously and sprayed cracker all over everything. (Can you picture this???) When asked what in the world she was doing she said a boy in her little class did that at snack time and everybody laughed and she really wanted to try it.

Anne reading a Highlights magazine to her sisters - summer 2013 (age 5 1/2)

This became nearly a weekly occurrence in our home. She would see another child do something (always something she knew she probably shouldn't do) and then she would come home and do it. Every. Week. And I thought, "My word! If this is what she does after being with other kids for 90 minutes, what will she act like when she is with them for a whole day?!"

Then something else happened. Anne started reading at age 4. (I didn't even know this was possible.) In my four years of college education and my miniscule time teaching before Anne was born, I had never taught any one how to read. It was a really awesome experience. I can't take credit for what happened next. She picked up her first little book and read it without help. Then our two foster children came into our lives and I no longer had the time to sit and work with her on a daily basis like I had been. About two month after she read that first book I was hurriedly trying to get dinner ready and juggle five children under age five (I don't recommend this). Anne offered to read to the kids for me. I thanked her and went about what I was doing. A few minutes later I peeked on the kids and she had them all lined up on the couch with her as she read aloud from Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl. We had read it aloud together before so I assumed she was just retelling the story in her own words. Until I listened more closely. She was reading, with expression, a book on a second grade reading level.

Anne reading "Peter Pan"- age 5

It was at that point that I started to consider home school as a very real option for our family. None of my friends home school their children, so it was a really tough decision for us to make. The more I prayed about it the more clear it became that this is what I should do. If I had to give two main reasons why we chose to home school it would be these.

1. I want to have more influence in my children's lives than their peers. I want to build a firm foundation based on the truth of God's word before asking them to stand up to peer pressure on a daily basis. I want to be the one who talks to them about hard and controversial subjects. And trust me, we DO talk about them. I am not sheltering these kids so that they have no clue about the world. I would much rather them get facts from me than from their little seven-year-old friends.

A little hike to The Pinnacle in Holtwood, PA to see the frozen Susquehanna River: Winter 2015

2. The ability to meet their unique abilities. Teachers in public and private schools are amazing. We have a really awesome county where there are many many wonderful teachers. When Anne started Kindergarten she was reading at a sixth grade level. It did not make sense to me to put her in a class of children who are just learning to read. (Remember how Anne and I are alike? When something is easy our personality tends to get bored and then we get in trouble.) Currently Anne has about six weeks of first grade left. Her reading level is now at an 11th grade level. Although she reads at that level, she definitely doesn't comprehend fully all that she reads, and her pronunciations are sometimes a bit off on some of the larger words that aren't in our every day vocabulary. Our second daughter is a very different personality from Anne, but she is also very bright. She is five (normally Kindergarten age) and will complete first grade with Anne this year. Her reading level is approximately fourth-fifth grade. Our third daughter struggles with some of the things that came very easily to her older sisters. There are still four letters of the alphabet that, try as she might, she just cannot remember. But Maggie is by far the best storyteller and most creative of the three. I have every intention of encouraging her in those regards.

Anne read The Lord of the Rings series (all three books) in under a week. Winter 2015 - age 7

Abbey working hard on First grade math - 2015 - age 5

The close bonds these four girls have is worth it all!

Tea Party at Grandpa & Grandma's

Hard to believe these two are only 17 1/2 months apart.

Sister-friends

Sister-friends (Caroline LOVES little hats/ handkerchiefs on her head!)

 Whew. Did you make it through all that? I hope that answers some questions for you all! Please feel free to ask questions!