So Glad It's Fall!

It's my favorite time of year. I love the fall! Summer is finally over and we can enjoy playing outside without sweating. We've hit the park almost every day this week.
I read our Bible study while the kids eat breakfast, then I make sure phonics and math get done. That's plenty of school work (we call it Half Time- we do half the work because the weather's nice.) By 10ish, we're getting shoes on and heading outdoors.

Sometimes I find the girls just sitting and chatting.

One day last week, we spent the whole day outside. Went to the park right after out bity bit of school, ate lunch there, then went back right after naps. At dinner time, we ran to get something to eat and ate it outside.

The kids have a sudden passion for baseball. Since they didn't bring any equipment with them, they hunted for a branch for a bat and a crab apple for a ball.

I don't want to waste any of this awesome weather! I'm really bummed that I'm going to have to run a bunch of errands today, grocery shopping. (Sprout's for produce, the bakery for bread and tortillas, and the Chinese market for 20 lb. bags of rice and as many rice noodles as they have in stock.) While it's fantastic weather outside, we're going to be inside buying groceries. Grrrr. But I have book club tonight, so I can't do it then. I won't sacrifice anything for my book club.

My goodness, that boy is cute! I sure do love him. I love him enough to pass up good weather in order to buy food for him. The way he eats, it seems like it is all for him.

Too Much Pressure

Yesterday afternoon, I took the kids to the library. We go to the library at least once a week and everyone knows us there. As we were heading into the kids area, we passed a librarian who's always very friendly to my kids and she smiled as we walked by. Later, we were at her desk getting some stuff for the kids and she smiled really big at me and said, "Every time I see you in here, I think: That's me 10 years ago!" She went on to explain: "Whenever I would go places, I'd always have a bunch of kids with me because all the neighbors sent their kids to my house. People would always ask if they were all my kids and I'd laugh."
It never occurred to me that all these librarians who were always so nice to us didn't know these were all my kids! HA!
As we finished checking out, I looked down to see Maya holding a book that was never scanned. I told her to just return it. (It was twaddle anyway.) As she walked away, the other 5 kids darted for the door, unaware of what just happened. Before I could catch them, 2 of them were outside.
They know to stay close by me, but I hadn't reminded them what behavior I expected when we arrived at the library and that always makes a big difference. As I was getting them back in the library, other people were trying to leave and it was a chaotic mess. I was so embarrassed!
Why was I embarrassed that my kids disobeyed and were brought back in line? Because I have a big family and I know I am judged based on that. I want to give big families a good name by making sure my kids behave and are pleasant. Most of the time they are, too, and I should have given myself more grace. But I didn't. I'm a perfectionist and I do worry what other people think. There, I said it!

Honestly,

What's the Future Hold??

What the West Needs to Know

Kyle and I just finished this documentary and I can't recommend it highly enough. Everyone should watch this! It is more than eye-opening; it is shocking!

Virtually every major Western leader has over the past several years expressed the view that Islam is a peaceful religion and that those who commit violence in its name are fanatics who misinterpret its tenets. This claim, while widely circulated, rarely attracts serious public examination. Relying primarily on Islam’s own sources, this documentary demonstrates that Islam is a violent, expansionary ideology that seeks the destruction or subjugation of other faiths, cultures, and systems of government.

The documentary consists of original interviews, citations from Islamic texts, Islamic artwork, computer-animated maps, footage of Western leaders, and Islamic television broadcasts. Its tone is sober, methodical, and compelling.

Encouragement

I've recently discovered this blog of a friend of mine. I think you'll enjoy it. He has recently been blogging about a book I also had strong feelings about- The Shack. I'm curious what you think of his analysis of the New York Times best seller that is touted as a great Christian book.

Good Doctor

Two weeks ago, I went to see a new doctor. I'll call her Dr. Owens. My experience was totally different in every way than with Dr. This Ain't No WalMart. There were several things Dr. Owens did that set her apart. When I walked in, the waiting room was set up like a living room, not a waiting room. There was a candle burning on the sign in counter and the check-out counter. The tv was in an entertainment unit with a bunch of videos lined up underneath it, much like in many homes. There was a basket full of magazines next to the couches. Cozy.

When I saw the doctor, I went into her office instead of into a clinical room with anatomy posters and dipolomas on the walls. Instead the walls were decorated like a home office. She had family pictures and art on the walls. The floor was tiled much like the tile in my home and she had music playing behind her. I sat in a big comfy chair. Dr. Owens was wearing street clothes, not a lab coat. She talked to me like she had nowhere else to be. She looked at me when she talked to me, not at a clipboard or her computer screen. When I told her that I had adrenal fatigue, she asked if I'd read the book by that name by Dr. James Wilson. She wanted me to be educated. That is rare from the doctors I've visited.

I could go on. I was very pleased with her demeanor, not to mention that she cut my bill by half when she found out I was cash-paying. Doctors don't all have savior complexes and shouldn't treat you like you're too dumb to have a medical degree yourself. You know your body better than anyone. Find a doctor who respects that.

Help Me Get Organized

You guys were so much help with my photography dilemna, I thought I should ask your advice more often. But this time, I thought I'd make it more interesting. I'm having a contest!

Leave a comment with your best organization tips. If you send me a picture of your organization idea, you'll double your chances of winning. (I really, really want pictures!)

The winner's idea will be published here, with pictures, and will win a gift card to The Container Store.

So let's have it guys! How do you stay organized?