Rocking & Rules

When Sophi and Natalie have violin lessons, Peter and Katharine usually always come with us. I ask Peter "Do you want to go to teacher's house?" and he knows that that means the violin teacher. And at the violin teachers house is a train table, puzzles, and lots of books! Books are their favorite part. Katharine loves the tiny board books - they fit perfectly in her little hands. She will read them as she sits on the small step around the fireplace, or while she sits in this little one year old sized rocking chair. So cute. 

I'm inspired by the violin teachers house and her lesson room. I hope to be more organized someday. I like routines. It does help life run more smoothly, I think, when we all know what the day is going to bring. We had spring break last week for the older kids (Thurs - Monday off) and this past weekend idt was the same for the elementary kids. Today is their last day off. It will be good for them to be back in school. Next time we have a break, we should probably do something. They seem a bit lost when they're just at home. I sill kinda wish we homeschooled everyone so that we could create our own family routine and rhythm, but that's ok. I guess whether in school or not, there are always things that come up - flooded basements and home renovations, sickness and vacations, pandemics and reunions, births and deaths. We gotta be resilient with whatever life throws. One thing my sister Beka shared with me recently - our mortal experiences are different, but the emotional journey we are all on is the same. We are all here to learn love and faith over pride and fear. 

Anyway, one other pic from today - This morning I took this photo of one of the things I despise: shoes at the bottom of the closet. 

I hate it because everyone has a shelf or a cupboard for their shoes! We have SIX FREAKING CUPBOARDS for kids shoes!!! 

And yet the shoes wind up all over the floor at the bottom of the stairs (Thank you, children, for trying to not wear your shoes on the carpet) and that drives Corey crazy, so he'll put them in the closet. I'm getting to the point where I don't care if they are put in the wrong cupboards and the kids can't find them... Any cupboard will do. So we probably suffer from too many shoes, and/or children who cannot follow the most basic instructions. I tell them everyday "Put your shoes in your cupboard" and they will still wind up on the floor by the garage, then are kicked under the couches, or are left on the grass in the backyard, or at the bottom of the closet. I don't know how to enforce things. "ALL I ASK" (ok that's not entirely true...) is that the kids learn where things go and then put them there without me having to constantly remind or tell them. Sigh. Someday.