Moving with Kids: Tips and Tricks

 

So I was thinking today...  

We move a lot, and it seems that people are taking notice.  I can't tell you how many comments I've gotten from friends and family this past few weeks!  This weekend we will be embarking on our 10th move in 9 years.  We move so much that it doesn't feel the slightest bit strange to have our house all packed up and to be sleeping in my living room (it saves Jeff from having to move our heavy mattress downstairs on moving day and allowed me to clean the master bed and bath ahead of time.) 

But even being the experts that we are (he he), moving with kids can be stressful!  Just caring for your family's basic needs is a full-time job, so it can be a little tricky when you add in everything that a move requires.  

Some of our past moves have been a little rough, but thankfully we've figured out a sort of system that works for us.  Here are a few tips and tricks!

  

Keep Christ as your center.

For me the most important thing is to keep my focus on the Lord.  I try to not sleep in though I'm especially tired from the extra work.  In those early morning hours, my Lord gives me strength for the day and I am never left without encouragement and instruction.


Keep the kids nearby!

I don't know about you, but sometimes I fight frustration when I'm working on something and my kids are all the way in another part of the house and have a disagreement or a need that requires my presence.  I have learned that it's so much easier to have them close by! 
 

Special moving activities!  

A few of my kids' favorites are:

 

Making box castles! 

Box castles make a big disastrous mess, but they keep kiddos busy for hours, so it's worth it!  I just give them a space that I'm not going to be working in and tell them to not bend the boxes too much.  In the above picture, I was working on the kitchen and they were in the living room. 

Decorate the boxes!

Why not?  What does it hurt?  Give the kid a pen and tell them to go nuts, but ONLY ON THE BOXES!!!  I usually use washable markers for the little ones so I can rest easy and get some packing done while they create masterpieces!  Megan once drew out an entire story on the sides of a box.  It was so neat!

Change it up!

I think it's also fun to change things around during a move.  Don't try to keep life going along as normal because you will be very disappointed when you can't keep up!  Instead, go with the flow and live the adventure!  (Right, Tonya?)

One thing that they LOVED was getting to swap beds, just to see what it was like for everyone else to sleep in this house.  They also had lunches picnic-style on the floor and got to stay up late and play Legos (which made them sleep in the next day--YES!)

Jordan didn't want to sleep in a "boy bed" because "Princesses don't sleep in boy beds."  I'm sure Jeff is very happy with that resolve.

Put 'em to work!

Another thing that is important but can be more challenging is to actually have them do some of the work.  They want to help so badly, so why not take a minute or five and let them have a go at it?  Yes we can do it better and faster, but why is better and faster better?  Did you follow that?  ;)  Jeff is especially good about taking the time to involve the kids.

This week he had two of the kids mow the lawn.  The kids had a blast helping their daddy, and practiced a skill too!  Never mind that it took much longer than usual...

Today Jackson decided that he was daddy's helper.  I love watching my little man work alongside my big man.  How he tries to copy everything his dad does.

I have to admit though, this did not end well.  Jackson grew tired of loading the truck and began to wander a little, so Jeff sent him in the house.  

Jackson came upstairs with teary eyes and said:

"Daddy fired me!"

Stifling laughter, I asked "Well do you know why?"

"Yes," he said reluctantly.

"Why then?"

 (Thoughtful for a moment.)

"I don't think I want to talk about it."

Ha!

Well that's all I've got.  I hope that you have enjoyed the pictures of my ragamuffin children (because that's another tip of mine:  Don't worry about lookin' pretty while you pack!)

We're so excited to head out and begin the next chapter of our journey!

-------------------------

This will most likely be my last real post until after we are settled on the coast, but I'll try my best to add a few pictures (for the grandparents.)

Lord bless you and 

Bye-bye central Oregon!

Our Year in the Desert: A Reflection

Smith Rock

After a year here in the desert, I am so happy to say that the Lord has seen fit to send us back home to Brookings! We are in the process of packing up and Lord willing we'll be out of here in less than a week! In all of the busy-ness and mess it's been very necessary for me to rise early and have a little quiet in the mornings. Today as I was asking and praying, the Lord reminded me some of the fruit that came from this year in the desert, and I wanted to write it down so I don’t forget it.

This year has not been a time out. We were not plopped down in the desert and left alone. No. He has been here with us, working in a new way. A way that we would not have had time for if we had been busy with our old lives. But in the solitude and forced quiet, with all that has been stripped away, we have been able to see the things that were lacking in ourselves and our lives. It has been a year of painful reflections. Often whispered to by the enemy of my soul, at times I've felt so torn down and beat up when reminded of what a miserable person I have been. I've had to learn to speak truth to myself when those times come and to take every thought captive. I am still working on that, but it has gotten easier.

God has been so good to always remind me that HE is bigger than all of that, and that none of it matters anymore. That was my old life, the old person who is no more. And that it's actually good, for I can’t glory in my flesh or be boastful about God’s blessings when I remember how weak I was. I can’t cling to the things of this world if I remember where they lead me to. To God be the glory for every good thing in my life, because it certainly was not me!

This year I rejected doubts about who I am and focused instead on asking God to show me who He is. I saw the "iron" that the Lord has placed in my life and began to allow it to sharpen me instead of fighting it and trying to get away. I repented. Before this year in the desert, the tickle had turned to a rash in some situations and relationships; now I pray thanks for the trials and challenges that are before me. It was necessary to learn to die to myself again and again, laying down my rights and trusting that God is my justifier and guides my path.

This year I spent more time holding my husband. Listening to him, loving him. It's amazing how much the quiet times profit a marriage. Above everything I feel like this year was a gift to Jeff and I.

This year I learned that worship is something that happens in my spirit, not something that happens at an appointed time when a church group gets together. And that when I live to worship God, the world is bright and full of purpose, even when my circumstances seem dim.

In this past year, I've done real battle with my past and my fears. They have been stumbling blocks to me and I'm sure that they could be again. I always think of that song. That when I am fixing my eyes on Him, "the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." And that is really true! I remembered that this year in the desert.

So, so many other things too. I pray that they stay with me always and that I don't have to re-learn what the Lord has taught me. As we look toward this new season of life, I pray that He will be magnified in our family. Worshipped, glorified, emulated, and pleased.

Little Boys...

(Nearly) Wordless Weekend: Camp Sherman

Yesterday we drove out to Camp Sherman and spent a few hours at the fish hatchery.  The Prater's flat travelers are headed back to Alabama this week, but we had a lot of fun taking them all around!

The fish before food and after food. The kids loved getting splashed! 

The Metolius River

                          "Jordan, be a tree!"

 "Where are your branches?"

Brother will help! 

Even more branches!


                                

Don't you think it's funny that I dressed all of my children in GREEN on the day that we were going out to hike in the forest?  Not the smartest move, probably.  We practically had to play Marco Polo to keep track of our little trailblazers!

A Day Worth Remembering

Yesterday was a day worth remembering.  It was one of those days with no rushing or hurrying and not a single spilled beverage.  The kids joined in and gave their parents a day free of excess noise and injuries!  They had happy, quiet spirits the entire day.

Some of the highlights were:

 -During our drive, Jeff and I enjoyed the sound of three little voices singing worship music with all of their might.  We rode it out as they repeated the same lyrics over and over and over and over.  And over.  I think that it was a sweet, sweet sound to His ears.

-As we reached our first stop, I heard Jordan explaining to Meg: 
"That's what armpits are for, silly!  For tickling!"

-We ate lunch at Pilot Butte Burger, which has the best burgers I've ever had in my life.  You just have to be willing to wait for a table.  Make sure you eat here if you ever visit central Oregon.

-Jeff was overly excited after fueling up:

"Doesn't having a full tank of gas make you feel good?  I could go so far right now!" 

He had me laughing all day long with his sillyness. 

He's the best travelmate ever--for road trips and for life.

-We went to High Desert Museum next.  Here are some pictures:

                       

                                  

-Jackson sat down and tried to "tie" his shoes.  He's so sweet!

-Megan and Jackson ate suckers with real crickets in the center.  Yuck!

 

Megan ate the top part then said, "I'll eat anything except cricket bottom!"  Jackson had no problem helping his big sister out!

-Jeff had the kids do their PM list and they were ready for bed before I even realized that it was bedtime.

-at Bible time, Jeff said, "Well children, what shall we read tonight?" and they all shouted,

"Surprise us, Daddy!  Surprise us!"

I just keep praying that the Lord won't let me forget any of this.  I am so thankful for my little family.

Homeschooling (In Pictures)

I took a break from blogging and most media this week.  Just needed a little quiet, and it was good for my spirit.

We're really moving along with our school work and are nearly finished for the year in some subjects.  Here are a few pictures from this week:

 

Science

James and John, our tomato hornworms, are huge!  We read up on the little critters and look forward to watching them become hawkmoths.  I'm told that they usually die before that happens, but we have hope!

Health

Last week we learned about our skin and after we were done studying I gave the girls their first facials!  They were pretty tickled about the whole thing.

Math
Megan, making her 8 multiplication flashcards. 

Reading
Jordan is finishing up the 2nd grade readers and is so excited because she gets to "move up" to the next level.  Megan is finishing up "Justin Morgan Had a Horse."

Art
We haven't done any real  crafts in a few weeks, but that doesn't stop the kids from making creations of their own!

These children are such a blessing to me!