The Combs Krewe

Brooklyn and Braelyn are 10 months old! We are continually amazed at how different they are! Here's what's going on in their little lives.    Braelyn Joy: -Is on the move! She crawls on her stomach ALL AROUND. She has also learned how to sit up from crawling position and is attempting to pull up more and more. -Is still nursing! Although she does enjoy solid foods now. Unlike her sister, she does not care for purées. She much prefers feeding herself! -Is a BIG TIME mama's girl. She loves me so much she has to sleep by my side each night. -Is getting more and more hair. It's blonde and forming a cute little duck tail in the back.  -Still doesn't have any teeth!  -Can say Mama (occasionally) and bye-bye. Brooklyn Jubilee: -Does NOT crawl. She most often prefers being carried but sometimes sits and plays. -Is still nursing! She likes some purées and yogurt as well as just about anything else she can get her hands on although she is not so great at chewing and chokes on

Today I decided to "unlike" a certain Facebook page. It's sad really because in the beginning I found it to be a source of encouragement. Lately however the page owner has shared some ideas she is presenting as Christian that I feel strongly against.  First of all, several weeks ago her husband guest blogged about how their marriage had endured a very rough start and how it changed. At the guidance of controversial author Debi Pearl, this wife decided the way to increase the intimacy she so strongly desired with her husband was "to please him." From the sound of it this basically meant being his servant even through ailments including brain cancer! Having a servant's heart is one thing, genuinely desiring to do those little things in order to put a smile on your man's face is one thing, putting aside petty differences and a nagging attitude is one thing--but ladies, it cannot all be on you. I wholeheartedly believe we should be right with God first. For

Today the boys each made a pilgrim couple out of toilet paper rolls. I'm not sure the pilgrims clothes are approved colors especially Ryland's pilgrim ladies blue hair! Tomorrow we will be talking about Squanto and making some Native American crafts.

This week instead of our regularly scheduled schooling the middles (namely Jathan and Ryland) and I are studying about Thanksgiving. Jathan and I have already been reading a great historical fiction series about the Pilgrims called The American Adventure. Book one tells about life in England and Holland as well as the treacherous journey to America. Book two is centered around the experiences of the two main characters, siblings John and Sarah, in their new home, Plymouth.  Today we used the Abeka book Thanksgiving flash-a-cards to talk about how the Thanksgiving story began focusing on the Mayflower. After reading we got crafty! I had taken an empty orange juice container and cut off one side. Jathan cut strips of brown construction paper then glued the "boards" into place on his ship.  Later we cut sails from white construction paper and hole punched them at the tops and bottoms. We slid them onto a dowel rod and secured it to the inside of the boat using a piece of clay. T

Tonight, per a certain three-year old's request, I squished myself onto a (very sturdy) toddler bed. I laid there beside him stroking his hair while he curled into my body and whispered "I love you" and "Do kangaroos have arms?"  His nightlight behind me, I made shadows on the wall.  He didn't mind that I can only do a duck and a spider. Then he tucked his head into the crook of my arm and stayed there until his breathing became slow and steady and his body grew heavy with precious rest. He didn't see the bittersweet tears streaming down my cheeks. I'm so thankful that despite all the times I've failed him, I must have done something right to deserve this sweet boy's love. 

Did you know that our family has lived at or below poverty level for US standards for years? And yet we have never gone hungry and have an abundance of clothes (no matter how I feel picking out a church  outfit on Saturday night!). Not only that but our home has always been filled with beautiful things that we love and our children have always had way TOO MANY toys! Despite that fact they always want more. They are always bored. And I'm always tripping on toys and nagging them to clean up.  Then I read a very interesting article I found on Pinterest. You can read it here:  http://www.becomingminimalist.com/why-fewer-toys-will-actually-benefit-your-kids/ So I decided to finally do something about the great toy trap our kids had fallen into, and on Saturday I sorted all of their toys and boxed almost all of them up according to their type. Role play/dress up went into one box, cars into another, action figures another, and so on. I found all the pieces to those little play sets and g

Today Jathan created some phases of the moon cards. I was going to review with him by calling out the name of the phase and him picking up the corresponding card. "Let's play a harder game," he said. "You don't say it, I'll just pick one."  "You want me to just think of one and you try and guess what I'm thinking?" I asked. "Yeah," he said.  "Okay," I told him, "I will concentrate on one moon phase and you guess which one I'm thinking of." I then focused on picturing one particular moon phase and repeated its name in my head. Guess what? He guessed each one correctly? Coincidence? Maybe. But it was cool at the time!  Just don't think too loud around him just in case.

Lately I've been intrigued by the Charlotte Mason style of homeschooling. There are many things I could say about it but for now I only want to mention how lately we've delighted in the nature study it encourages. Jathan is forever a boy after my own heart--we share many thoughts and interests including exploration, and it has been wonderful seeing him enjoy learning. Both Jathan and Keeleigh have nature journals and are beginning to sketch and label their observations. Today while Keeleigh was at a friends house the younger kids and I went outside to explore the backyard; we each took a camera. Here are a few pictures of things that caught my eye.   

With each child a parent grows and changes in their parenting styles. Oftentimes you look back and wish you could have a second chance armed this time with experience and knowledge. As one friend put it, you do your best until you know better, then you do better.  Even though I've done this whole baby thing four times before and have changed drastically over the years, I still find myself plagued with insecurity at times especially since there are so many variations in the ways my friends and family parent. It's hard not to look around and compare myself or my babies to others. So I mentioned in the twins' 5 month update that we were planning on doing baby led weaning. I truly believe in the benefits of breastfeeding and that babies do not need any other food than their mothers' milk for a long time. Culturally we are led to believe that babies who don't sleep though the night or who nurse frequently must not be getting enough milk but this is hardly ever the case.

So, hypothetically speaking, what would you do if your husband was called to preach at a little country church revival. And you took your six children almost doubling their usual attendance. And it was actually the first time you have all sat (and I use the word "sat" loosely) together through a service. What would you do if, when you're nursing one fussy twin and your oldest child is holding the other twin who you know is also growing hungry, your other children proceed to poot, retrieve boogers from their nose, holler "I want Daddy!", and dissolve into giggle fits?  A. Calmly whisper in the children's ears to please be respectful of those in attendance. B. Scowl sternly. C. Whisper threats of physical violence. D. Cry. E. Laugh.  F. Sneak around making pictures to document the hilarity of the moment later. G. All of the above.