Clothed With Scarlet

"As unto the bow the cord is, so unto the man is woman,
Though she bends him, she obeys him, though she draws him, yet she follows,
Useless each without the other!"  ~~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

In my pilgrimage...

 

"Woman was the finishing grace of the creation. Woman was the completeness of man's bliss in Paradise. Woman was the cause of sin and death to our world. The world was redeemed by the seed of the woman. Woman is the mother of the human race; our companion, counselor, and comforter in the pilgrimage of life; or our tempter, scourge, and destroyer. Our sweetest cup of earthly happiness, or our bitterest draught of sorrow, is mixed and administered by her hand. She not only renders smooth or rough our path to the grave, but helps or hinders our progress to immortality. In heaven we shall bless God for her aid in assisting us to reach that blissful state; or amid the torments of unutterable woe in another region, we shall deplore the fatality of her influence!"

             ~~ John Angell James, Female Piety, 1853

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I pray that I will always be companion, counselor and comforter to my beloved husband.  God help me to always greet him with a sweet cup of happiness.  May I always render a smooth path and help him every single day.  And just as important, help me to prepare and teach our daughters to be the finishing grace to their husbands...as God intended.

 

 

 

posted by Mrs. Aaron Klause
October 19, 2012

"I caw it...."

Heeheehee....

Darcy: Mommy, dere's a ant; come git it.
Mommy:  You can get it; just grab it with a paper towel.
Darcy:  He might git me.
Mommy: Well, how about using the fly swatter.
Darcy: Okay.  -- She gives this a try with two fly swatters; no success. --

Darcy: Mommy, Ooo wiwl hab to git it.
Mommy: I will be right there!
Darcy: Mommy, what dat ant cawled?
Mommy: Ants do not have names.  It is just an ant.
Darcy:  Oh.  I caw it, "Ant."

I love two-year-old little girls!

~~~~~~~~

posted by Mrs. Aaron Klause

Heeheeheeeee...

Contrary to culture....

...I fully agree...

"Obedience requires faith to do what I cannot understand; to believe what may not make sense."

"...Fundamental to all that we teach our children should be a denying of self, at all costs, and a “seeking first the kingdom of God”..."

Mrs. Crawford at Generation Cedar has written an excellent article.  One that flies in the face of today's culture... 

Why I’m Not Teaching My Children to Follow Their Dreams

“What if your daughter wanted to be an interior designer? Go to school and become a professional? I’m only asking what if. Would you push her to stay at home or to follow her dreams?”

I was asked this question during a topic about a woman’s calling to be a “keeper at home”.

I could write a book about all the ways a woman is free to “be all she can be” and still remain in the realm of helpmeet and keeper at home, about the glories of being freed from the slavery of someone else’s clock and schedule and agenda.

But before all of that, we must be grounded in the basic teaching of Scripture about the call of a Christian, which directly opposes the teaching of feminism.  
...finish reading the article here...

~~~
posted by Mrs. Aaron Klause

Blessed is the man that trusteth in him...

Psalm 34

 ¹I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

 ²My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

 ³O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

 ⁴I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

 ⁵They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

 ⁶This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

 ⁷The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

 ⁸O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

 ⁹O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

 ¹⁰The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

 ¹¹Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

 ¹²What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

 ¹³Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

 ¹⁴Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

 ¹⁵The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

 ¹⁶The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

 ¹⁷The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

 ¹⁸The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

 ¹⁹Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

 ²⁰He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

 ²¹Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.

 ²²The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

................

posted by Mrs. Aaron Klause

Funny.

Wanna hear a funny?
  

We have an Italian Greyhound.
Sadie Sue.  Our little Darcy cannot say Sadie or Sadie Sue so now she is often called "Sa-Sue".
We have had IGs for 18 years now. 

IGs are quite lazy and truly spend most of their days lying about in the sun or under a blanket but when they decide to get up and move about, the run a lot.   
They R-U-N to the water bowl. 
They R-U-N up the stairs to hop in the bed covers.
When they get out of bed, they stretch and then they R-U-N top-speed to the back door to go outside. 
They run in short bursts. 
 
Last night I forced Sadie Sue out from under the blanket in the living room when we were ready to retire upstairs for the evening.

She ssssst-rrrrrrrretched and only loped over to the door, knowing it was cold outside and that I wouldn't take the time to put on her coat.

All done out there...I let her back in and she ran top-speed from the back door to the water bowl which is in our downstairs bathroom. 

Then she sat outside the Doggie Diner (a.k.a. the downstairs bathroom) and watched me gather my things to go upstairs.
 
I called her to go to bed as I walked through the kitchen.
Sadie Sue set out, as fast as greyhound legs could run, to the stairwell (which is only about 8-9 feet away).

She was traveling so fast as she rounded the corner that her feet spun out on the tile and as she headed up the stairwell, bounding like a deer!

She miscalculated the curve....and.....
 

 
SLAM!
 
...she hit the stairwell wall...
 
Now.
One would have never known that this had even occurred if you had not been traveling up the stairwell with her as she bounced, much like one of those little rubber balls and never missed a beat and continued at top speed running up the stairwell, into the master bedroom and....
p-o-u-n-c-e...right onto the master bed to burrow under the covers as if the worst blizzard had just started blowing in.
 
Funny.

:-)

................................................................................................

Learn more about IGs at the Texas Italian Greyhound Rescue.

Like them on FaceBook and you get to meet all the dogs that are waiting for their Forever Homes.
Even if you cannot adopt, you can help in many very small ways.

..............................................................................................

posted by Mrs. Aaron Klause
February 14, 2012

 

Woman

"Woman was the finishing grace of the creation. Woman was the completeness of man's bliss in Paradise. Woman was the cause of sin and death to our world. The world was redeemed by the seed of the woman. Woman is the mother of the human race; our companion, counselor, and comforter in the pilgrimage of life; or our tempter, scourge, and destroyer. Our sweetest cup of earthly happiness, or our bitterest draught of sorrow, is mixed and administered by her hand. She not only renders smooth or rough our path to the grave, but helps or hinders our progress to immortality. In heaven we shall bless God for her aid in assisting us to reach that blissful state; or amid the torments of unutterable woe in another region, we shall deplore the fatality of her influence!"

             ~~ John Angell James, Female Piety, 1853

..................................................................................................................

posted by Mrs. Aaron Klause
February 2, 2012 

EITHER/OR

"Before I can preach love, mercy and grace; I must preach sin, Law and judgment."

                                                                                                                             ~~John Wesley

God provides...

 

For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.  II Kings 3:17 

What's goin' on in there?!

When we make bread, we do it the old-fashioned way.  It is fun.  It is easy.  We can make several loaves at one time.  And...the girls LOVE to make homemade bread...

Well, it occurred to me the other day that I do have a breadmaker.  My dear husband bought it for me years ago and it saw some use for a while and then it got tucked away in the back of a cabinet.  I decided to drag it out and dust it off and see what she could do for us now-a-days...

The children were facinated by this contraption that they poured all of the ingredients into at once and then pressed a couple of buttons....

  

Tee-hee-hee...

:0)

It works well in a pinch since it has an option to make bread in an hour.  But the single loaf is barely big enough for the girls and I to all have a sandwich.  Last week my brother visited and Bailey had to run the machine three separate times to make sure we had enough bread for a meal.

Aren't they funny?  Peering into that tiny window...

Tee-hee-hee..
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.^{Proverbs 17:22}

~~~~~~

posted by Mrs. Klause
October 7, 2011
Music:  Ladybug Picnic

I'd climb right up to the sky....

19 years ago today, I married the love of my life...

 

  

I'd climb right up to the sky
I'd take down the stars
Just to be in your arms
I'd go and capture the moon
That's what I would do
Just to hear you say that you love me

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall be one flesh.  ~Genesis 2:24

~~~~~~

 

I love you more than any words or actions could ever begin to express.

 

~~~~

posted by Mrs. Aaron Klause
October 3, 2011
Music:  Just To Hear You Say That You Love Me

There is no alternative...

"If you will not have death unto sin, you shall have sin unto death.
There is no alternative.
If you do not die to sin, you shall die for sin.
If you do not slay sin, it will slay you."

         ~~Charles Spurgeon

 

posted by Mrs. Klause
September 26, 2011

 

My Crown of Glory!

I wrote this a few years ago...my thoughts have not changed in the least...
~~~~~~~
Birthdays are so different now that I have my own children.  It is a wonderful day to celebrate a life...a life breathed into existence by our Heavenly Father!

 I decided some years back that I was going to grow old God's way.  I decided that I was going to refuse the world's way of everlasting youthfulness and embrace the blessing of growing older, whatever that may bring.

Bailey stood beside me a few years ago as I located my first grey strand atop my head.  Bailey  questioned my excitement.  I laughed and said to Bailey, "My words are not adequate, let me just read it to you."  She was fast on my heels as I spun around and headed toward my bible.

Here is what I read to my eldest daughter:

The hoaryhead is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.  ~~Proverbs 16:31

I explained to Bailey that hoary means grey.  Then I read it again like this:  "The grey head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness."  'Bailey, that means that God has started making my crown of glory!  My grey hair can be a crown of glory if I walk in righteousness with the Lord!  Isn't that exciting?  :0)'

 

:0)

With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.  ~~Job 12:12

It never fails.  If we look around us, we find that this old world twists every aspect of God's way for our lives.  I don't want any part of that.  He created us!  He knows how many hairs we have upon our heads...it is his hand that begins to "paint" each of those strands grey.  How can we possibly choose not to embrace God's perfect design?

There are many years to come before I resemble this lovely woman.  On each August 11th, I choose to be thankful for whatever the Lord brings in my next year of life. 

~~~

August 11th is also a day that think of my own mother...as she cared for a newborn infant and began her journey into motherhood.  If you are a mother, you know exactly how wonderful your child's birthday is. 

Happy Birthing Day Mother!  ;0)

  

~~~

written by Mrs. Klause

originally written on August 11, 2008

Music:  Moonlight Sonata in honor of my Mother & my Grandmother Bettye

 

 

Cucumber & Grape Salad

Our family is striving to eat more healthy, whole and clean foods.

Today we came up with a new and tasty salad...

Bailey chopped cucumbers into bite-sized pieces and added just a drizzle of olive oil, a few shakes of garlic, a shake of salt and it tasted wonderful.  Then, I decided to throw in a handful of sliced purple grapes.

! ! !

What a yummy salad!  It would also be tasty to add a bit of feta cheese but we are opting out of dairy for a while so we will have to try that later on.

~~~~

posted by Mrs. Klause
August 9, 2011

Mr. Huckleberry found his Forever Home!

Yippee!  Last week Mr. Huckleberry met his new family on Monday and they took him home on Thursday.  I think he will be so very happy there with folks home during the day but still active and ready to take him for a run.  Plus, there are other dogs there and he does love to play with other dogs.

I will miss him.  He is a good dog.  The girls wanted to take a "goodbye picture" with Mr. Huckleberry.  'Twas not easy to get four children and a dog to sit still and look at the camera! 

 

I hope you live a long and happy dog life Mr. Huckleberry!

Love,
The Klause Family

~~~

I'm Real

It was only in the last few years that I read the story of The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams.  The story begins on Christmas morning when a little boy finds a stuffed rabbit in his stocking.  The boy liked the rabbit and loved on him but in the bustle of the morning, the little rabbit was forgotten.  The rabbit lived here and there in the nursery and the other toys were not very nice to him.  It was only The Skin Horse that was kind to the little rabbit.

"The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away, and he knew that they were only toys, and would never turn into anything else. For nursery magic is very strange and wonderful, and only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the Skin Horse understand all about it.  "What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"  "Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."  "Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.  "Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."  "Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"  "It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."  "I suppose you are real?" said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive. But the Skin Horse only smiled. "The Boy's Uncle made me Real," he said. "That was a great many years ago; but once you are Real you can't become unreal again. It lasts for always." "

Have you ever felt as ragged as the Skin Horse?  Feeling shabby?  I know that there are some days in our home that I feel shabby.  It is a blessing however to have a dear husband and four little girls to love off most of my hair, cause me to get loose in the joints and feel as though my eyes have dropped out.  :0)   My husband and my children have blessed my life beyond any measure.  I am thankful that I am "Real", like Skin Horse.  I am thankful to have a husband that knows I am here to take care of him.  I am thankful that God has entrusted me to raise up and teach three little girls.  I cannot imagine life without my husband and children.  Wife to my beloved husband of nearing 19 years and Mother to four little girls...I would not have it any other way, not even for one single day.

"28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  ~~Matthew 11:28-30

"Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come."  ~~Proverbs 31:25

posted by Mrs. Klause

October 23, 2007

Music: 4 a.m. by Candlelight by David Nevue

Hello again.....Mr. Huckleberry.....

We are fostering Mr. Huckleberry while we look for him a Forever Home.

 

He is just over a year old and is 23 pounds. He is an Italian Greyhound/Manchester Terrier cross. He is playful but not rambunctious….but he is still a considered a puppy. 

  

He is a sweet dog. Sometimes we call him Mr. Freckle Speckles.. :)
All those black dots are his freckles on his skin under his coat!

He is housebroken and sleeps all night in his kennel happily.

His bark is very deep and alerts when someone comes to the door.  I check to see why he is barking and if all is well, I tell him, "Good dog, all is well, be quiet now," and he shushes easily.  He will keep barking when I tell him to, "Bark and be brave, Mr. Huckleberry!"  

He does pull some on the lead but is getting better.

 

Like any other IG, he enjoys sunny outdoors.

 Boy can he run! He is faster than our Sadie. It is a blast to watch these two dogs run at top speed.

He loves to chase a toy and bring it back to you just close enough to make you think you can grab it before he runs off with it again.

Mr. Huckleberry needs a Forever Home.

 

He is good with children of all ages. 

 
Sadie & Mr. Huckleberry

He gets along well with the 3 year old female IG that is ours and she will scold him if he is trying to play when she is trying to rest. He takes it in stride and goes on his way.

 **** If you might be interested in adopting Mr. Huckleberry, please let me know or contact Robin at the Texas Italian Greyhound Rescue at [email protected] ****

 

Mr. Huckleberry & my nephew playing in the kennel...out of the kennel...in the kennel...out of the kennel...    :)

 

Tired Mr. Huckleberry (a.k.a. Mr. Freckle Speckles)...

 
He is so expressive with his ears.  He holds his left one up all the time or folds them both over on top of his head. 

 
One of his favorite places to sleep....

This sweet Little Boy IG needs a forever home.  Visit the Texas Italian Greyhound Rescue to learn how you can adopt him.

Italian Greyhounds do not like baths...

 

 

...especially when you use the sprayer on them...

 

We tried to treat her while in the bath with some peanut butter.

But she refused...

 

Italian Greyhounds would rather walk around with that spot of ketchup on their head for two weeks than take a bath.  They are much like cats when it comes to water.

:0)

 

~~~~~

Music:  How much is that doggy in the window?

posted by Mrs. Klause

May 11, 2011

Mothers and Daughters

A few of my favorite pictures... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
......

posted by Mrs. Klause

May 8, 2011

 

 

 

Bailey's Quilted Pillows -- For Sale

I didn't start sewing until I was over 30.  My girls start sewing when they can sit in my lap at the machine and keep their hands in their own laps. 
So...about age two.     :)       Hehehe.....

Bailey started on the machine by herself at age six and she really enjoys sewing.   She turned nine in February.

She made the pillow on the left for Aaron's mother for her birthday (sshhh, it is in the mail now) and the pillow on the right for me for Christmas.

 

Back side of the same pillows:

 

She has made others for family members as well.

..............................................................

She has an entrepreneurial mindset and is always trying to think of something she can do or make that can be sold.  Some friends of our have a tiny consignment shop just for children to place their handmade goods to sell.  She made a few bookmarks and has turned over a tiny profit from those.   

She has not been convinced that folks would buy her pillows but I think she is wrong.  She has decided to give it a whirl.  

This is her first pillow that she is hopeful to sell.

 

Spring Pillow - $15
It measures about 15 inches X 15 inches.
It is lovely! 

She plans to make more and we will post them here as she plans and completes them.

Her next pillow will be Prairie Coneflowers...
 

Send me an email if you are interested in purchasing a pillow from her:
[email protected]

 

Always helping out...

The three older girls have their responsibilities for helping get the kitchen and dining room cleaned up after a meal.  Darcy is only 15 months but she thinks she is much bigger than she is.  :)

She helps push wet laundry into the dryer.  She helps put away clean laundry.  She helps carry books to the library.  She helps put away toys.  She always likes to set the table.  She wants to stand on the kitchen stools to help cook because that is what she sees all three of her sisters doing.

One of Bailey's chores after a meal is to clean the pans and wipe down the stovetop.  We use mostly stoneware and cast iron at our house so she has pans to clean in the sink after every evening meal.  She had started cleaning a stone pan one evening and I stopped her because it was time for her to go up to get ready for bed.  I told her I would finish her last pan. 

Someone beat me to the kitchen to finish the work...

 

And she was even cleaning the stoneware exactly like you are supposed to!  Little brown scraper and all...

 

:0)

~~~

posted by Mrs. Klause

March 4, 2011

 

 

At least I don't need 52 gallons a day!

Water.

It is good for us.

We all know this.

Our family has been learning more about how our bodies use water and how much water we really need each day.  I have had some medical issues that we think may have something to do with my lack of adequate water intake.  My doctor tells me that we all need to take in 70% of our body weight in ounces.  So, for example:

50 pound child - 35 ounces of water

100 pound child or adult - 70 ounces of water

150 pound adult - 105 ounces of water

!   !   !

That is a lot of water.  If you are a nursing momma, then you need even more on top of that. 

I don't drink very much water.  I am more like the Kangaroo Rat...

 

...she recirculates the moisture from her exhalation for her water needs!  Haha! 

It has been a huge task to increase my water intake and to encourage the children to drink plenty of water every day. 

We have a dry erase board that hangs in the dining room and we have started keeping track of how many glasses of water each of us drink each day.  To motivate the children, we have studied about how our bodies use water; common medical problems that can occur or that are affected by not taking in enough water.  The tally marks on the board are helping me as the children see how much I am drinking and they are constantly prodding me along during the day...  "Momma, you are only on your second glass of water!  You need to drink more."   :0)

To further encourage and change our habits, I have set up a contest for the children.  We will have a drawing every week for the next two or three weeks.  For each glass of water that each child drinks, she gets to put her name on a slip in the jar:

Once per week, I will draw out a name and the winner will get a prize. 

Of course I am taking the opportunity to teach the math of probability and ratios as we go.      ;0)

~~~

The good news is that I don't need as much water in a day as an elephant.  Apparently she is the animal that takes in more water than any other animal in a single day.

...about 52 gallons per day.

:0)

~~~

posted by Mrs. Klause

February 3, 2011

Spring Cleaning...Items For Sale & Items For Free

This post will be updated and changed as I clean and as I sell or give away things.

I believe all items are at a fair and reasonable price but if you really need the item and do not have what I am asking, please make an offer:  [email protected]

Last updated:  July 30, 2011 @ 2:45 p.m.

 

 
FOR SALE:   Pastel "rag rug"

100 inches by 50 inches

$15

...............................................................

FOR SALE:  Farm table and chairs.  It is larger than the one in the photo but has the same color scheme and is the same style of table.  Ours is well worn but has plenty of life left in it.  It comes with six chairs or four chairs and a matching bench.  $65

I will try to get a photo of our table posted soon.

 

..................................................................................................................

 

Used but lots of life in it.  There is a little toy bar that clicks into the tray..just didn't have it on in the photo.

..............................................................................................

 

 

 

.

 
.........................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................

I believe all sale items are reasonably priced but if you really want it and just don't have what I am asking, please make an offer.

Email:  [email protected]

 

 

Teacup Tuesdays - 18 Bumble Bees

 

Let's see....I guess it would have been three months, two weeks and one day ago that my beloved husband gave me this porcelain teapot and honey pot.  It has tiny bumble bees on it. 

There was also a spoon rest...

 

And...a single teacup and saucer...

 

Some years back I started using the anniversary gift list when searching for an anniversary gift for my beloved.  It has put me on many fun and interesting paths and I have found some neat things that I would not have considered for him otherwise.  The 18th year is porcelain. 

So...for my 18th anniversary, my dearest husband gave to me something that he knew I would enjoy.  I love my bumble bee teacup, when I hold it in my hands, steaming with tea or coffee, I have the privilege of remembering the celebration of our 18th year of marriage.  I get to remember our dinner that he picked out so carefully just for me.  I get to remember an evening of walking and talking with my hand in his. 

Every time the swirling steam rises above the little yellow and white cup, I feel the warmth of his hand in mine and I am thankful for our 18 years together and I selfishly plead with the Lord that we will have at least 18 more. 

~~~

posted by Mrs. Klause (rhymes with house)

January 18, 2011

Music:  By Your Side

Decently & In Order

 

Books...

I love books. 

My children love books.

We teach our children using the Ambleside curriculum and so our learning is literature based.  We think it is just grand.  Living books...books that sweep you up off of your feet and carry you right into the story.  Books that you cannot put down...   This is how we learn about art, music, geography, the lives of others, world history, American history, church history, science, grammar, spelling...everything but math, foreign language and typing.

The use of and love of books brings about the need for bookcases.

:0)

We only have four right now.  A wise woman once told me when Bailey was a toddler that I needed to determine my method for classifying, categorizing and shelving my books and begin when I only had a few books.

I researched methods of classifying a library of books and have opted to use the Library of Congress Classification System.  It is fairly simple.  Bailey and I have started labeling books but am realizing that even though I thought I was heeding the advice of my dear friend, I should have started earlier.  We currently have about 675 books.  I know what books we have on what topics and where I have had them shelved. 

Problem:   The children don't know what is in my head.  :0/     They are able to shelve the books based only on where they found them.  The girls are old enough to understand the very basics of shelving books according to their topic. 

One child not shelving books properly is one thing...but four children not shelving books properly just makes a big fat mess!

:0)

So, I am working to get our little library in order by looking up each book and recording the LOC classification number on the inside of the back cover of the book and then placing a small sticker on the base of spine.

 

Planning...

Logistics...

Follow-through...

I pray that the goals of our family would honor the Lord and bring Him glory.  Our little library is only a small part of our home that we are working to reach and maintain order within.  I am thankful for my beloved husband who encourages me and leads me in doing things decently and with more order.  May we continue to work together to plan and carry out what is right in our home.

Let all things be done decently and in order.   ~~I Corinthians 14:40

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posted by Mrs. Klause

January 13, 2011

Matters of Motherhood on Mondays - Chores for the Long Haul

 

Chores and chore training...

Lessons of late for this momma:

Assigning a chore for too short a duration has been an error in our home, I think.  I met a family over the past year that assigns chores to their children for a year.  When first hearing this, it seemed like a very long time for a chore assignment.  I watched this family and listened over the year; I thought lots and my beloved and I talked much...

1.  A long-term chore assignment gives opportunity for the chore to be truly learned and mastered. 

2.  It gives opportunity for the child to know, without a doubt, that they "own" this responsibility and any complaining or grumbling is truly futile; there will be no getting out of the task. 

3.  Long-term assignments give opportunity for the chores to truly become a habit in their routine.

..................

My children are still on the young side.  We have made changes in our household routines and will continue to add chores this year as they progress with the ones already assigned.

Bailey is eight.  She is tasked with making sure her room is cleaned daily before bed.  Items left out of place become the property of her father and I (some items are tossed/given away, some are retained and must be purchased or earned back).  She has daily chores depending upon the household areas to be cleaned on that day.  Today is Monday and we clean and declutter the kitchen, living rooms and the dog's food area.  She is responsible for cleaning the microwave and toaster and the countertop that they sit on.  She is also responsible for decluttering and dusting all tables and bookcases in those rooms.  And on Mondays, she does her two loads of laundry (her sheets will be washed with her light load).  Bailey and Kennedy unload the dishwasher as a team every day.

Kennedy is five.  She is learning how to make sure her room is cleaned daily.  In the kitchen, she cleans the outside of the oven, fridge and dishwasher.  She makes sure that all of the movies are put away and tidy.  She vacuums the sofas.  Kennedy and Bailey unload the dishwasher as a team every day.

Addison is four.  She used to work alongside her sisters more but we have pulled her out of most of the chores, for now...   I have determined that the two big sisters need to learn to work more as a team, providing an example to the younger two.  Addison is learning the steps to keeping her room clean.  Her chores are to help Mommy with whatever Mommy is doing. 

Mother has learned that she must not just come to check but must remain at the side of her child and encourage and lend a hand....at least for now....for many weeks....  

Lending a hand and "catching her where she falls"... lots of encouragement without the critique...

The children learn each day but I think it is the momma that does most of the learning on most of the days.

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posted by Mrs. Klause

January 10, 2011