So Cliche, I know!

It's so cliche, I know! Writing a blog post for the New Year, but I can't help myself. I come by it honestly ;) It's the start of a new year, and I'm reflecting on work and life...

I've been thinking about ways to support families who want a parent to stay home, and are looking at home-based daycare as an option. I'm resurrecting my blog with this goal in mind - four years in (second time around) in the family daycare business. A chance to share how I spend my days and why. A chance to elevate the work. A chance to challenge myself.

I'll also chat about teaching, education, homeschooling, and life.

Inspired by some wonderful friends in the blog-sphere who inspire and motivate me daily, I am joining the conversation.

Joyfully writing,
Caz.

A Comfortable Home

Banana Bread working on a collage this week

Since I started running family daycare last September I have been working to find ways to make life more efficient.  I LOVE working from home, but because we are here so much it gets messy. Really quickly.  In the past, I can remember leaving for my day job, dropping the kids at school and returning to an untouched, tidy home at the end of the day... happy sigh...




To give an honest assessment of how the house looks right now:

• George is starting paper mache for his Science poster presentation at the kitchen table. Muffin Mouse if there too working on math.
• Banana Bread is playing (messing things up) quietly in her room.
• The lunch stuff is on the kitchen counters still.
• A half-folded bin of laundry is on the couch in the livingroom.

Science project underway

Over the past year I have found some strategies that work toward my goal of achieving a comfortable home. For me a 'comfortable home' is one that is reasonably clean, tidy (only current projects are out), and well organized.

Oh, and I should mention that I did not replace my housecleaner who came a couple of times per month when she moved. I'm using that money to pay for my horse riding lessons instead... so things are more "comfortable" and less clean than they have been!

• The daycare kids and I tidy the toys and play space three times a day (before outside time, before nap, and before stories at the end of the day.)  This advice came from a long-time family daycare provider and it is so important. It creates an atomsphere of order, but allows for freedom in play (I'm not tempted to tidy as they play.)

• My bi-weekly toy rotation is a big help. I re-create the play space every two weeks (move livingroom furniture, set-up a new dramatic play theme etc.) This routine prompts me to clean under the couches, find lost toys, and dust areas that otherwise go unnoticed in the day-to-day living.

• I pretty much do all the laundry one day a week. If I don't prioritize it on one day it becomes a nasty, drawn-out process for the week (forgetting stuff is in there and rewashing etc.)

• I know I've mentioned it before, but I always come back to it - Flylady is the basic structure I return to when things feel out of hand around the house. Hot darn, it just works.

I've also become a huge believer in home delivery!! 

• Our dog is groomed in a mobile pet grooming van every 2 months for the same price I paid to drop him somewhere in town. This saves me from spending one of my days-off running the dog around town.

•  I have my groceries delivered to my door.  There has been some trial and error with this system, but I now have it fine-tuned.  I have an organic food bin delivered every two weeks from Share Organics. I also have other groceries delivered every two weeks from Thrifty's.  This frees me to spend my time menu planning, and eliminates the couple of hours spent shopping on the weekends.  I do still make a couple of trips to Costco in a month, but I find that more fun than work!

OK. I've got to go put the lunch dishes away before the little ones wake up from nap!

Joyfully comfortable,
Caz.

A life full with grace

Thoughts on cultivating inner calm


I don’t wish for a life of ease and monotony. Well, not most of the time, anyway.

I do wish for a life full of experiences, honesty, challenge, and beauty. But how do I balance this desire for a full life without becoming the frantic, uptight version of myself?

A few years ago I asked two of my friends this exact question. These women embrace a full life with grace. They have demanding jobs, family commitments, volunteer positions, and homes to maintain. Yet, the increasing demands on them are met with joy, humour, efficiency, and a sense of inner calm.

Each of them shared a practical strategy they used to develop this sense of inner harmony. Now, as I consider these ideas, I realize that although their tactics are different, they both nurture self-discipline.

Read more…

George's Camp Pictures

It's George's turn at camp.  Looks like he's having a great time:)

Summer Camp

Muffin Mouse is at summer camp for the next two weeks - having a great time without me (hard to believe, I know....)

Joyfully independent,
Caz.

Birthday Girl

So this blog is mostly for friends and family :) Here are some pictures of Banana Bread's 4th birthday a couple of weeks ago.

We had a family bike ride down town to see an IMAX show and then dinner with family (mmm, grilled cheese sandwiches and fruit kebabs!) 

The local bike gang!

Birthday girl in the lap of luxury:)

Birthday dinner on the deck.

The unicorn cake George made.

Cake is from Parenting Magazine

Joyfully sunny,
Caz.

Family Photo - Sneak Peek

We had a great family photo shoot at Government House in Victoria a couple of weeks ago. There is a "sneak peek" on the photographer's website. Poppy Photography - scroll down to the second photo on the page.  I can't wait to see the rest!

Right Ideas and a Shiny New Bike

Muffin Mouse is the proud owner of a new bike today!  The way the purchase came together was a nice reminder that a right idea has the resources necessary to make it happen.


Muffin Mouse and I have been sharing a bike with her Dad (three bikes for two people) for the past year.  For most practical purposes this works well - there is generally a bike available when you want to ride one. But this sharing did limit our opportunities for family bike rides (and although, perhaps romantic, I am not so inclined to double-up on one bike!)

The inaugural bike ride today.

Our family has been actively working to limit our material wants and have resisted the temptation to run out and buy a new bike on a whim. We set a modest budget last year, but did not find a suitable bike.


We received an email a couple of days ago from family asking if we would be interested in a beautiful bike - it exceeds our specifications and was the price we were planning to spend:)  We are all so delighted with it, and grateful that we will have the opportunity to ride our bikes as a family all summer this year.

Oh, and it included the helmet she needs too!

The statuesque shot so you can see the bike clearly!

Joyfully active,
Caz.

A Key to Success: Daily Study

While in Prince George recently I had the opportunity to attend Timbers Community Church with family. The congregation are currently studying Rick Warren's book 40 Days in the Word.   The key point for the sermon I attended was on the study habit of taking time each day to pray and study.

I know for me taking time to study each day has been critical in learning to live the Principles in my life that matter - making spirituality more about doing, than wishing!  I have consistently started my weekdays with an hour of quiet study time for the past year.   This has been a goal for many years, and there was a slow evolution to form the habit (well-intentioned starts and stops:)

Some of the things I found that support this study are:

• A genuine desire to be disciplined and prioritize my time. As I get ready for bed I take the extra few minutes to complete tasks that may distract me from getting a start on my study in the morning (clear the kitchen counters, program the coffee pot, pick-up toys etc.)

• As I fall asleep at night I consider my gratitude list for the day and say a little prayer about how I am so looking forward to my study time in the morning!  As my alarm clock awakes me, I take a moment to acknowledge how grateful I am to have this time to study and pray.  I know, this is sounding a little idealised... but with practice the prayer becomes genuine, and in the meantime it distracts me as I haul my tired butt out of bed!

• I don't have a fixed agenda when I study, but I do have an idea of how it will unfold.

• Monday - My Bible Lesson, and prayer for church.
• Tuesday - Work on my annual Association assignment (assigned by my Christian Science Teacher.)
• Wednesday - My Bible Lesson, and preparation for upcoming Sunday School class.
• Thursday - My Bible Lesson.
• Friday - My Bible Lesson.

• I keep a journal. It's not a "Dear Diary..." type of thing, but it's pretty and it motivates me.  If I don't have a particular idea in mind to study, I choose an intriguing statement from My Bible Lesson and make notes in my journal about questions, or dictionary definitions that relate. 

• Don't turn on the computer, or check voice mail until after my hour alone - OMG, where did the time go?!  Also, my kids are not aloud to interrupt me if they wake up early.  They check-in and go find something to do until 7:30am (read between the lines... turn on the TV...)

Before I started this habit, I would wonder; "What's the point?" But, I guess the point is that a typical day can be inundated with needs, pressure, distractions... all of which transform from 'big problems' to 'opportunities' when I am in the right head-space. It only takes a few days to notice the benefits of morning study time, and about a month to solidify it into a habit.  I can't tell you what a positive influence this has on my days.

Joyfully studious,
Caz.

Oceanside Hockey Tournament

Those mandatory mouth-guards make for a goofy photo!

Our second week of Spring Break was spent in Parksville at a hockey tournament. George's team received Bronze.  It was their final game together as the hockey season draws to a close.... Ah, except for the June/July Skills Camp and Spring Ball Hockey :)  It is always nice to see how close the team has become by the end of the season - some good friends were made this year.

Mr. Thompson will appreciate George's hat-trick in the final game!

Just in case you forgot what Banana Bread looks like.

Trophy for Best Little Sister!

Joyful hockey mum,
Caz.

Prince George Dance Festival

Muffin Mouse competed in the Prince George Dance Festival this past weekend.  It was a great day of dance and fun to win a trophy at the site of her first competition 5 years ago.  For those of you who follow So You Think You Can Dance you will appreciate why Muffin Mouse was so pleased to see Stacey Tookey's name listed on the trophy from some years ago...

The Laddie

The Highland Reel (right)

The Sailor's Hornpipe

The Sword Dance

Joyfully Scottish,
Caz.

Big White Skiing Pictures

Well, homeschooling really is all work and no play!

The kids and I went to Big White ski hill near Kelowna, BC yesterday with friends. It was the big kids' first time snow boarding and they can't wait to get back there on Thursday.

Joyfully snow-covered,
Caz.

Muffin Mouse after her first lesson.

George taking a break.

George in action!

Gondola Girl. Banana Bread and I rode the Gondola a lot!

Not a bad view

Banana Bread warming up inside.

George (foreground in blue) and Muffin Mouse in the back (in red helmet.)

Lesson 1 begins :)

Muffin Mouse in action (in red helmet.)

The Snow Board Gang