Play

On January 27, 2021January 27, 2021 By EricaGIn family, goals, Uncategorized8 Comments

I have this little fear that is always with me. I fear that I am not a “fun mom.” When my oldest boys were tiny, I was most definitely a fun mom. I neglected every chore for a chance to play with my kids. After dinner, we never cleaned up. We played! We usually plopped on the floor with Little People and cardboard swords. Sometimes we sat around the table with paper, scissors, glue, and Play-Doh. When I got home from my grad school classes or teaching freshmen how to write essays, I dropped everything to play and read with my two sweet boys.

But now…there is always a chore to do, and waiting until after bedtime simply isn’t an option! I’m too tired. When someone wants to play, there is always a sibling to take my place in Candy Land. And brothers and sisters are more fun than me anyway. When we go on an outing (pre-COVID), I’m the one shouting out orders or making sure nobody leaves a hat or water bottle somewhere. I’m not the fun one.

I also have this little voice in my mind that tells me that because I’m with my kids almost 100% of the time anyway, they don’t need my direct attention. I’m a mostly stay-at-home-mom, so they certainly get more of me than they would if I were working. Right? I’m learning that the answer is WRONG. A mom who scurries around cleaning all day or has her face in front of a computer is not the same as a mom who looks into her children’s eyes, puts on silly costumes, and plays endless games of Go Fish. That’s the mom I want to be.

I’m trying though! I want my grown children to remember that they were more important that clear countertops or an empty sink. (Besides, my countertops are rarely clean anyway! Who am I kidding?)

I said YES to sledding when we had a nice big snow before Christmas. I insisted that Charlotte take pictures to prove that I can be a fun mom, too. This is important! It is as important to me as anything else I do to create a healthy, safe, and memorable childhood for my children.

I am trying to embrace my kids’ interests, even going as far as joining Fletcher in his sword lessons (which I love!) and having a lovely hand-me-down flute refurbished so that I can learn along with Charlotte. I am trying to show my whole family (husband included!) that being with them is better than any task I could complete. If COVID has shown me anything, it has taught me that home with my crew is my favorite place to be. Now I need to simply demonstrate that with real action that they can see and feel.

A Fresh Start

On January 12, 2021January 12, 2021 By EricaGIn faith, family, Uncategorized3 Comments

(taps microphone) Hello? Hello? Can you hear me?

Welcome back to Warm As Pie. When I posted in July of 2019, I did not anticipate that I wouldn’t come back until 2021. I did not anticipate that in the meantime, our world would experience a pandemic that would change life for every single one of us in some way.

So many days during our lockdown, I thought about writing on this blog. I wanted to record our experience and remember the strange time of quarantine. But…it felt complicated. I realized pretty early on that I was not having the same experience as my friends and the rest of the world. I worried that my cheery posts about board games and pajama parties and learning the cello would only hurt the feelings of folks who experienced job-loss, illness, and fear. I learned a lot through 2020, and perhaps I will share some of those lessons here and there. But I am cognizant of the fact that my joy can exacerbate others’ pain, and that is the last thing I wish to do.

What have we been up to? In the last few years, some things have definitely changed. When I started this blog in 2009, I was a grad student in Education with two very small boys. Now, I am a professional birth doula with five wonderful kids. Those tiny boys are 15 and 12! My baby girl is 4 years old. Ack. I can’t take it!

In these years, our commitment to our faith and our church family have grown many times over, and our family is deeply involved in martial arts now. Almost all of us. (Just haven’t convinced Cory yet!) Tang Soo Do and Haidong Gumdo (Korean sword) are regular parts of every week. We are taking classes over Zoom these days, but it is still a lot of fun and hard work.

Photo by Moments Created Photography, August 2020

In all of our moves and changes, we have learned that some things never change. The moon still hangs in the sky. The sun rises in the morning. God is faithful. Love remains. We can learn together in any and all circumstances.

Homeschooling is still our education of choice. I was never more thankful for that decision than I was in March 2020 when schools closed, and teachers and parents had to scramble to find a way to make learning happen during unexpected and challenging circumstances. We kept on as usual, minus our amazing homeschool co-op. Like many homeschoolers, I reached out to help people trying to find their footing, and I watched as people dug deep and pushed up and over obstacles. New relationships were made and communities formed. New skills were discovered. We kept plugging on, aware of the blessing of norms staying normal!

Now, what? I hope to be back here at Warm as Pie each week, finding my writer-self and getting to know her again. I still have dreams in the realm of writing. I can feel that drive again. I see it peaking over the horizon, sending a few pale rays up into the blue. I hope you will join me as I figure out what that means and where it might take me.

November – The Big Purge!

On November 1, 2018November 2, 2018 By EricaGIn family, goals, homemaking, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I am delighted to join Kristin from “Kristin’s Chaotic Life” and Heidi from “Heidi Sonboul” for a pre-holiday decluttering session.

FREE printable here >>> CLICK!

I will be following along with Kristin and Heidi as we purge our clutter and get our homes clean and tidy for the holiday season. My hubby and I have been getting rid of bags and bags of stuff throughout October, so this is a continuation of our efforts. To be fair, all of our time has gone to cleaning out the basement, so we don’t have a lot to show for our work. The Big Purge is just what I need to transform our living spaces, too.

If you would like to join in, visit the YouTube channels, grab your free printable, and comment on this post.

Happy November!

Back to Homeschool

On September 24, 2018September 24, 2018 By EricaGIn autumn, family, homeschool, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I love the back-to-school season! I get so excited about all the big possibilities. I love the return to a settled routine. I love reconnecting with friends and trying new things in our homeschool. When we made the decision to educate our children at home, I wondered if we would miss out on the excitement and festivities associated with returning to the school year. What about school shopping and new school shoes and photos before jumping on the school bus? Would I regret giving up those things?

I quickly realized that the traditions of back-to-school are easily mirrored in homeschool life. We go back-to-school shopping, but we aren’t following a prescribed list. We get new shoes (Thanks, Grandma!), but we aren’t worried about having “the right” shoes based on peer pressure (at least not yet). And I love snapping first-day-of-school pictures and comparing them to previous years. Boy, these kids grow like weeds. Here’s a quick look at our start to school for 2018-2019:

Happy Independence Day!

On July 5, 2018July 5, 2018 By EricaGIn celebrations, faith, family, gratitude, simplicity, summer2 Comments

Summer is undeniably here! We have been in the midst of a heatwave that has left us feeling a bit wilted. Despite the high temperatures (for our climate), yesterday was a picture-perfect fourth of July. The sky was as blue as could be. The water on the river glistened in the sun. The corn on the cob was sweet and crisp. Can I brag about my peach pies?

Just a good, good day.

I must confess that the news and all the junk coming across my Facebook feed (more about that later) have put a damper on my patriotism. It’s hard to feel the warm ‘n fuzzies when things are kind of a mess in our nation. However, those feelings do not erase the gratitude I have as I live in a place where I am free to speak, free to worship, free to pursue any dream I can imagine. Now, I just pray that we can make those freedoms available to every American. Let’s make that happen, okay?

In the mean time, I’m going to rest in my gratitude and the joy I feel in living here with a family I love, a job I enjoy, and a faith that sustains me. Even while I experience fear and concern and sometimes disbelief, I can cling to God’s sovereignty and know my hope is secure. I can look to the men and women who have worked and died to build and protect our nation, and their sacrifice is not lost on me.

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Days like yesterday affirm that the world is beautiful, that my family is a gift. I haven’t been posting here at all. I want you to know that nothing bad has happened. My days are often filled with too much GOOD, allowing little time for editing photos and typing blog posts. But as I flipped through my photos this morning, I felt the familiar urge to share here. I got excited! I remembered how much joy Warm as Pie has given me over the years. I thought about the factors that pull me away from this space and evaluated how I can make my way back. So many times, I’ve returned with a good dose of enthusiasm and dropped a basket of promises in your laps–promises I failed to keep.

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So today, I’m just going to say “Thank You” and “Happy Independence Day!” I hope to see you very soon.

~*Erica*~

Art: A Busy Mom’s Manifesto

On October 14, 2017October 14, 2017 By EricaGIn art, creativity, family, Uncategorized3 Comments

I pledge to make room for art in my life.

I will create art with words.

I will make art with my camera.

I will make art with clay and paper and ink and paint and fiber and pencil–even if I only have fifteen minutes!

I will explore new modes of art, and I will relish the experience.

I will make art with my cello and with my voice, even if it’s out of tune.

Even though it is hard and makes me shy and embarrassed, I promise to make art through movement. I will dance with my children. I will dance with my husband. I will dance alone. I will stretch my comfort zone and my muscles. I will feel wind in my hair as I turn, and I will imagine a time when I could do that without worrying what others thought. (Was there ever a time?)

I vow to make art for its own sake.

I will be a “process over product” maker, and I will ignore those internal voices that say my work isn’t good. I will hear the “why bother,” and I will remember that the value of *my* art is in the making, not in anyone’s assessment of the results.

I will claim creativity as a core value in my life, and as such, creating will sometimes come first on my to-do list with no guilt attached.

I will celebrate art in my community and honor the people around me who create in many forms. I will seek opportunities to see others’ making or displaying art, and I will cherish those experiences with my family.

I will say yes when my kids want to paint, sculpt, or draw. I will join them.

I will bring art into my home, but more importantly, I will treat the art that is made in my home with the respect it deserves.

Picasso said, “Every child is an artist,” and I am a child at heart.

(Photo from World Ballet Day 2017)

Instead.

On October 2, 2017October 2, 2017 By EricaGIn autumn, family, Uncategorized7 Comments

The post I planned for today seemed inadequate after I woke to the news of the shooting in Las Vegas. I was going to talk about something rather personal, and suddenly, it felt too self-centered. When tragedy strikes, we often find comfort in unity. For a time, we are bound by our common shock and our collective mourning. My post would have been inappropriately individual. It can wait for another day.

Plans change. Our morning was supposed to begin with breakfast and school work. Typical. Pleasantly ordinary. Instead, our dogs escaped the fence, and we spent over two hours searching for them, crying, and even making missing posters. One child lost a tooth in the midst of everything. We did find our dogs. We read about the shooting and talked about it. We talked about violence and hurting people. Hurting people and people who hurt. We talked about peace and about anger that sits deep inside a person. These were hard conversations.

We abandoned our plans.

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Instead, we had a picnic in the park. We walked to a local historical site and let our imaginations take over. We enjoyed the perfect weather on an October afternoon, commenting on the remarkable blue of the sky. We made note of the leaves just beginning to change and remembered how fleeting autumn color is. What will the trees look like in a week or a month?

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My oldest son asked why shootings happen. I don’t have all the answers, of course, and I certainly cannot control what other people do with their hurt and their anger. Heck, I can’t even control my Monday morning that was supposed to be ordinary and predictable with math workbooks and phonics practice. But I can make a little home where peace is a priority–where love comes before all else. I can create gentleness in my kids, hoping that they will pass it along. I can try.

Summer 2017: Recap #1

On September 20, 2017September 20, 2017 By EricaGIn creativity, family, summer, Uncategorized3 Comments

{Don’t forget Warm as Pie‘s official re-launch on September 22nd. I’m welcoming autumn and celebrating 8 years of blogging all in one fun swoop.}

The summer flew at top speed. It came in wet and cool, and it seems to be going out with a brief return to summer’s heat. Or at least the kind of heat we are used to in the northeast.

We had a nice summer. We didn’t go on a grand vacation to an exotic place. We didn’t take a road trip or climb a mountain. Instead, we worked. I had a few doula jobs, and we made some changes to the house. We enjoyed sunshine and family time. We grew a garden with moderate (but joyful!) success.

In July, we spent a fun day at a Lego extravaganza! It was a colorful and energetic event with so many things to touch and explore.

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Leading from Behind

On November 30, 2016 By EricaGIn autumn, family, Uncategorized2 Comments

As a parent, leadership is a daily job, and it can be all-consuming. If we don’t direct the day, will teeth get brushed? Will math be practiced? Will bedrooms be cleaned? Will Bibles be read and prayers be said?

If we don’t walk at the front of the line, will these little ones go astray? Will they know where to go and how to get there?

We are placed in the position of authority in our homes, and that isn’t a job to be shunned or taken lightly. However, being in charge can lead us to put on blinders as we focus intently on the goal of raising healthy, responsible adults. We can too easily miss the wonderful people these kids already are.

Early in the fall, we had a remarkable day with glorious, sunny weather. My mom and I took the kids for a big walk. We strolled behind as my children walked ahead of us, happily brandishing sticks (and light sabers!), picking up interesting finds, and relishing the warm day. I called out to them from time to time if someone drifted too close to poison ivy or became too enthusiastic with a stick. But overall, I simply chatted with my mom and observed the wonderful way that children learn even without direct leadership. Their curiosity comes naturally, so I can’t help wondering if their learning actually happens more readily without my interference. Certainly their joy seems to!

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But this post isn’t simply an attempt to say “get out of the way” of kids’ learning, I have something a little different mulling around in my brain as I reminisce about that particular afternoon and reflect upon some things that I’ve observed in the last few months of homeschooling with a newborn in our family.

When I stand behind the action and watch from a few steps back, I am still leading my family. I am leading them toward MORE of what they are doing. I am showing my children that their activities are productive, their conversations are important, and their observations are valuable. I am leading them to do more of the same, to see their choices as good. By not interrupting, I am saying, “You are doing good things. You are smart, curious, and important.” I tell them by my actions that we are on the right track. School is going well, and they are growing as amazing people on this beautiful planet. I do have to step in at strategic points in our week. I do have to make concrete plans from time to time and take the first steps into new activities and new lessons. However, the more I lead from behind, the more I see the leaders that these kids are becoming, and I have the ultimate pleasure of watching it happen.

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Getting Back to the WHY

On October 12, 2015February 28, 2016 By EricaGIn autumn, family, Uncategorized4 Comments

We hit a rough patch early in the fall. We had been working hard on the house–painting, cleaning, organizing, and decluttering. That’s exciting! All good things.

But then there was the flat tire, the dented car door, the leaking sink,the dentist appointments, the strange little stomach bug with a slight fever, the lost library books, and those pesky multiplication facts. Sigh. Real life.

Suddenly, in the midst of all that LIFE, I kind of crumbled under a whole lot of self-doubt. Have you ever been there? You’re working hard to do all the right things–to check off all those boxes–but you always feel behind and inadequate. That’s where I wallowed for awhile. Homeschooling, in particular, was feeling like a bunch of “get dones” instead of the joyful privilege that it can be.

I’m not one to linger in a bad mood for long, and I knew I needed to do something to shake the funk. I reached out to a group of homeschool moms who might understand. Their responses were incredible. They were practical, offering actual help for spelling and reading. They were whimsical and inspirational, reminding me that I’m not alone. One friend told me to get back to the WHY of our decision to homeschool–to return to all the things I love about educating my children at home. That advice was a true answer to prayer, and I followed it immediately.

In our homeschool, getting back to the WHY means experiencing the outdoors. It means learning through all of our sense. It means learning by doing. It means reading lots of things from a variety of sources and subjects. It means learning together as a family. And it looks a little something like this: