Tag: young children

A four-year-old boy and his mom

Published on by Jennifer4 Comments

Micah is a thoughtful child and he has a way of saying things that my other kids didn’t necessarily verbalize. Here are three recent little exchanges that give us glimpses into the heart and mind of a four-(soon to be five)-year-old boy.

We have a little section of wall in the hallway where the kids mark their height from time to time. We were looking at it a few days ago and remarking over the growth of each one.

Me: “Wow Micah, you are getting so big!”
Micah: “Well, I don’t want to grow up and get married. I’m never going to get married!”
Me: “Why not?”
Micah: “Because then I will have to go away from you. I’m never going away from you!”

Continue reading “A four-year-old boy and his mom” →

Where children flourish

Published on by Jennifer5 Comments

Anything created by God will flourish best wherever it is placed by God. Remove that created thing from where God placed it, and it will die (at worst) or not reach it’s full potential (at best).

“…the wise tried to see where God placed individuals in the natural order of things, the assumption being that since God is good, the environments that He puts things in naturally help them to flourish.” – C.R. Wiley

As we seek to raise a child so that he will thrive, not just survive, in this harsh world, we should remember where God placed the child to start with. The child is placed within the mother’s body first, and then in her arms, and then by her side– and all within a home and in a family. This placement has everything to do with allowing the child to flourish.

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Gift Ideas! Toys our children have loved over the years.

Published on by JenniferLeave a comment

Here are five classic toys that have been well loved and well played with at our house. Maybe this will give you some gift ideas for your younger kiddos, during this portion of the holiday season also known as mom-wracking-her-brain-for-gift-ideas.

1) We’ve had Color & Shape Bingo for a long time. It’s requested over and over by my little ones. An adult can manage about four young children participating in this game. (As you probably know, this cannot be said of many games.) Great learning reinforcement of colors and shapes, and good for short attention spans.Bingo4 Continue reading “Gift Ideas! Toys our children have loved over the years.” →

A hidden gem on Amazon Prime video

Published on by Jennifer3 Comments

In the craziness of the past few months, I will readily admit that my children have had too much screen time. Nixxing the flix has (sadly) not been happening. We have been in survival mode. However, through this period of insanity, we have found a little treasure on Amazon Prime video. I wanted to share it with you! Continue reading “A hidden gem on Amazon Prime video” →

Guest Post: The hidden secret of organization/A Mom of four littles organizes her family’s move

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I’m thrilled to be posting the very first guest post here on Treasuring Home! 

Author: Esther Aardsma

{My comments are in italics. Everything else is from her.}

esther3
Matthew and Esther and their family, March 2018.

About Esther: Married to my brother Matthew. Mother of four, ages 5 (almost 6), 4, 2 and 2 months. Currently in the process of moving from one state to another as Matthew nears the completion of his doctoral degree. Esther enjoys homemaking, sewing, spending time with her husband, and playing Memory with her kids. Continue reading “Guest Post: The hidden secret of organization/A Mom of four littles organizes her family’s move” →

Mom, You are Priceless (seeing yourself through the eyes of your child)

Published on by Jennifer2 Comments

{I shared these words back in 2011, when speaking at an event for a gathering of mothers. I hope these words encourage you today. We had a break in the cold weather recently and Katelyn took these pictures of the girls in the pine needles and sunlight. Neither of these girls were yet born when I first shared these words.}

All of us here today have at least one thing in common, and that is that we are mothers.  We have been privileged to bring at least one life in to the world, and the well-being of that little person has been completely committed to our care.  It’s a miracle and an awesome privilege.

I am expecting my fifth child in just a few months.  It’s a boy, which makes four boys with one girl right in the middle.  I am thankful to God for blessing me with these children, and for ALL that He has taught me through it.  I do not stand here today as a mother who “has it all together.”  I am not a super-mom. Continue reading “Mom, You are Priceless (seeing yourself through the eyes of your child)” →

It’s OK to live a cluttered life (there are many things worse).

Published on by Jennifer11 Comments

I have just emerged from the basement, where I am making a valiant effort to de-clutter.  I almost drowned in a sea of game pieces, puzzle pieces, stuffed animals, dress-up clothes, wooden blocks, trains, dolls, legos, and everything in between. I have lived to tell the tale, but the clutter is not conquered. I would say I made a dent in it.

Minimalism. We see it talked about all over the place. And hey, I get it. Materialism has taken over America. Americans seem to live to get more things, and then need time to take care of those things, and then need time to get rid of things, Continue reading “It’s OK to live a cluttered life (there are many things worse).” →

Homeschool chit chat: readiness of the child, state laws, and the question of October birthdays

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This blog post is going to be conversational in nature. That’s because it was an actual conversation that happened via texting recently, between myself, my younger sister Rachel, and my Mom. Rachel’s first child is not yet school age. My sister-in-law Esther pops in at one point as well! These ladies have kindly given me permission to publish our conversation here. 

Rachel: Mom and Jennifer, what age did you start first grade? And did you do a year of learning to read before first grade, or did they learn to read in first grade? Continue reading “Homeschool chit chat: readiness of the child, state laws, and the question of October birthdays” →

How to Begin Training Good Workers (spoiler: Don’t say “Go clean your room”)

Published on by Jennifer3 Comments

An adorable little freeloader enters your world. First, he creates mounds of laundry and dirty diapers. Not long after, dirty dishes begin to multiply. Then suddenly, the entire kitchen floor becomes sticky and grimy in 1.9 seconds of your back being turned. Books and knick knacks litter the floor, because your little freeloader has also become a little ten-month-old tornado. Continue reading “How to Begin Training Good Workers (spoiler: Don’t say “Go clean your room”)” →

Golden Tones of Late Summer (with kids crying in the background)

Published on by Jennifer4 Comments

The loveliness of the Shenandoah Valley welcomes the change of season a little more each day; days of late summer mixed in with days of early fall. Katelyn and I have been enjoying the scenery on the drive to and from the farm where she and Ethan work on a butchering crew.  So we took a drive out that way the other day, to try to capture some of it on her camera. Yellows and golds are some of my favorite color tones, both inside my home and outside of it. Goldenrod may be Continue reading “Golden Tones of Late Summer (with kids crying in the background)” →