May 12, 2008 by KellyH.

Warm weather brings so many distractions: prepping the pool for summer; hikes in the nature park; parking farther away from building entrances to get more exercise; cleaning up the yard; and the list goes on. Although I’m not much of an ‘outdoor’ person, I do enjoy relaxing outside while visiting with friends and relatives. Last week I had the opportunity to do that while visiting my mom.

My two youngest were daring enough to swim in the lake at Grandma’s house. These two are fish; they had splashed around in our in-ground pool the day before as it was filling. I think the lake was slightly warmer, but not by much!

Church activities and out-of-town visitors are another big distraction. Two of my sons are helping with the Upwards football evaluations this week, keeping them busy after supper each night. My cousin called today and we hammered out plans for her to visit with a few of her children. I say “a few” because she has twelve. Yes, I said twelve, and the ten youngest are boys. She’s only bringing five boys, leaving the other five with their older sisters and father.

How can I best utilize these distractions for educational purposes? I’m hoping to keep the children informed and involved in all that’s happening and being planned. I’ll keep them focused on seeing the world through God’s eyes with guided discussions and questions when possible. I’ll also use the distractions to keep the children busy while I plan out our next unit of study!

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May 8, 2008 by KellyH.

A few years ago I made myself a new dress just in time for Mother’s Day. I also made my daughter a matching dress, and we attended a Mother/Daughter luncheon at church in our new outfits. I’d never made myself a floor-length dress before, and it was a challenge finding somewhere to hang it for pinning the hem. I decided I needed a Singer® 151 Adjustable Dressform. I’ve made three more dresses from the same pattern since then, and I simply love the way they fit!

It’s been fun teaching my daughter about using the dressform, and showing her how it helps to make dresses that fit properly. I think, as Mother’s Day approaches again, that it’s time I bring my dressform out once again and make myself another dress!

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