Lord, That I May See

"Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair." --G.K. Chesterton

  Sunshine loves dogs!  We have several plastic Schleich dogs and recently I collected a few more at a consignment sale.  When she brings them to me chirping "Daw-Daw!" I try to give her a language lesson by naming the different breeds of dogs that she's holding.   We have a Jack Russell Terrier, a Husky, a Dalmatian and its puppy, a German Shepherd, a Saint Bernard and a Black Lab.    It's simple and easy to expose a child to the richness of language this way, if I just remember to take advantage of the opportunities! From The Joyful Child : A child wants to learn the name of every object in his environment, and the meanings of the words he hears others using. He wants so much to be able to communicate about daily life with his family! Give him the names of kitchen objects, toys, food, vehicles, dogs, etc.—anything found in the home and the community. "There is a 'sensitive period' for naming th...

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ FOR TODAY  August 29, 2011 The Martyrdom of John the Baptist Outside my window... beautiful cool wet air, and bright sunshine.  The weather after the storm. I am thinking . . .  how these bottles of bubbles, pictured the day we bought them, reflect my girls' personalities.   The blue one is Rosebud's.  She is clumsy and careless so many times over, focused on and reveling in the present moment of happiness and fun with no thought or worry for the future.   She is usually unconcerned by setbacks and often tells me, "It's okay, I don't mind about that" (even when others think she should mind!).  She is flighty and easily distracted from one moment or excitement to the next, but her smile is constant and sure, filled with the joy of living.   The pink bottle is Turtle's.  She is more sedate and cautious, almost fearful of the future.  She is willing to forgo the pleasure of the pres...

 I love the age that my little Sunshine is!  She's 20 months now and right in the middle of my favorite stage of toddlerhood.  Her sweet smiles and darling attempts to be a big girl make me happy. When I find her using a chair to get herself something to drink and cascading "wa-wa" all over the floor, or dragging that chair to reach something I don't want her to have, like her "papsy" (pacifier), I am proud of her resourcefulness.  Every new word that comes from her little rosy lips is music to my ears.  When she throws her little fit, fake-pouting her face and throwing herself strategically on the floor in the corner, I try to hide a laugh.  When she plays trains or dollhouse, carefully and precisely just the way her sisters do, then I love how she is following them.  When she spends the whole day with a purse on her arm, or cries for "flah-flahs" (flip-flops) like her big sisters, or is devastated when she doesn't get to run errands with D...

I've been remiss in posting recently.  Time, inclination and creative juices have all been lacking.  I have a few posts planned for the future, but for now here is a overview of some of our summer activities. Most frequent summer pastime #1:  applying bug spray.  Our yard is lethal with mosquitoes! Pushing sisters in the hammock Strawberries Backyard slip n' slide First corn-shucking Feeding friendly sheep at the farm Outdoor painting The Pool Making a banner with Aunt C. and Uncle R. to celebrate my parent's 30th Anniversary