Dear Lindsey,
Have you ever had one of those nights when you can’t sleep? There have been times when I have fallen asleep in exhaustion, only to lie awake a few hours later, because the conflicting thoughts are back into my head. 2:18am, 3:18am, 4:18, maybe I should just get up…no! I’m tired! I doze before the morning alarm rings, but wonder, “Did I ever sleep?” I think my body collapsed and my mind stayed vigilant all night. Read the rest of this letter
Dear Lindsey,
Ha ha! I remember Dr. Dobson taught that when teaching children verbiage for referring to certain body parts or bodily functions, we should use caution, because it will be screamed across the church pews, or in the middle of the grocery story or at a grandfather’s funeral. With this in mind, we chose carefully how the Brady Brood would be referring to the Read more of this letter
J.R. (6), who is smart as a whip, is just learning phone manners. I try to teach my 
kids to answer our home phone, “Hello, Brady Residence, this is _______,” as I was taught as a child.
He has even memorized my 10-digit phone number. He called me once last week, and it went like this:
Me: “Hello?”
J.R.: “Brady residence, this is J.R. Who is this?”
Me: “This is Mom. You called me, so you don’t say the ‘Brady residence’ part, ok?”
I have been playing the piano for Casey’s school choir one day/week. Since I homeschool the younger three (ages 11, 8 and 6), they are left by themselves- a new thing now that the 14-yr-old goes to school. I guess, because it is new that they are home without Casey, they feel the need to call me. (even when Chris is home!!) Last Monday, my phone had seven missed calls from the “Brady residence” in the one hour I was gone!
So Friday, when I left for a short appointment, I gave more explicit instructions. “I am only going for one hour. Please do not make my phone ring, unless it is your last call before dialing 911.”
I was gone ten minutes when my phone rang.
Me: “Hello?”
J.R.: “Hi Mom, what time is it?”
Me: “3:00”
J.R. “ok, thanks.” click.
I said a quiet prayer, thanking God he hadn’t called 911…yet.
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“The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.” – Mark Twain
Dear Lindsey,
I took three of my kids to the dentist this week- the normal every 6 months habit. We walked into the waiting room, books in hand. (Aside: I really believe if I bring my book, my wait is less. If I forget my book, the wait is longer. It is like a Murphy’s Law for me!) The television had been playing to an empty room, and was set to a morning talk show. A commercial came on with a famous female commentator asking a woman, “Did you kiss her? Did you like it?” I had no idea what was coming, but I quickly jumped up to turn off Read more of this letter
Book Lists by category
Did you ever want to find the perfect book to read as you snuggle as a family and read by the fire? Did you ever want to see your pre-teen boy thinking on the adventures of being the hero of the family? Have you ever wanted your little girl to be curled up on the couch with all of the Little Women of whom Louisa May Alcott wrote? I have! I love lists and I would love to sit here and tell you all of my wisdom of what books to read and at what age. However, after reading Thomas Jefferson Education, I see that my list would simply be plagiarizing the list that Oliver DeMille previously wrote, so I will not. Instead, please go to the resource list of classics at DeMille’s site, TJEd.org to see his list of recommendations for family reading, followed by links of other classics by category. I couldn’t agree more with his list.
Another list that has been helpful since it is divided into age groups is found at Amblesideonline.org. Ambleside is a free homeschool curriculum that uses reading as its core teaching source. It has a list of “normal” public school grades with a link to a booklist for each grade. Though their books are mostly intended to be schooling, they also have a “free reading” list in each grade, which I believe I pretty much own.
I am thankful for HSLDA and their free webcast about the following list of books for boys. Below are notes from a meeting which I “attended” online in 2011. The meeting was to discuss “Books for Boys,” which is such an important topic, I wanted to tell you what I learned!
After bedtime, Casey (3) was at the top of the stairs yelling for me. When I arrived, he said, “Can you please get me the bug swatter thing? There are two bugs: one here [by the gate] and one in your room.” I said , “What were you doing in my room? You’re supposed to be in bed.” His eyes got HUGE as if to wonder how I knew he was in my room. Finally, he answered, “I was looking to see if you had any bugs.”
Dear Lindsey,
When J.R. was 3, I had such an embarrassing night! I invited my pastor’s wife and daughter over for dinner, since our husbands were traveling together. She innocently asked who would like to say the prayer and J.R. was the first with his hand up. His prayer went like this: “Dear God, please make all these people go away so it can just be our family for dinner.” Read more
Dictionary.com defines it as “systematic use of intimidation to achieve some goal.”
I never thought of using it to describe my child’s methods, but Chris was using the word correctly (of course!) when he referred to our 17-month-old.
The word could well describe the methods of many mothers, husbands, wives, friends, bosses, children, and …of course foreign radical religious leaders. Read more of this letter
Dear Lindsey,
I was just remembering a funny story I HAD to share for the laugh of it!! Come with me to laugh
“These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family.” Esther 9:28
I have tremendously enjoyed taking a few days off this week – as much as any mother of four can take a few days “off”. I have read more, slept more, worshipped more, “blown more bubbles” (my term for whiling away the hours with my children–in their love languages) and wondered why I don’t do this MORE?!
In these days of rush-hour lives, it seems almost impossible to slow down and fight against busyness (B.U.S.Y. = bound under satan’s yoke) to enjoy each other. It’s easy to let hours, days or years go by and wonder where they went. Families need to combat the unraveling and stay tightly knit; one way is through family traditions.
“Chips!” my three-year-old screamed when he came down one Christmas morning, despite the toys that surrounded the chips. On video, it truly sounds like a 4-letter-word, but our funny home video reminds the Bradys that Christmas mornings bring chips, since our son’s food allergies prevented the “normal” Christmas morning sweets.
As Christmas approaches, fresh cranberries are strung with popcorn to hang on 
the Brady tree; Chris’s favorite cookies are decorated, and the Legend of the Candy Cane is repeatedly read. Dad’s calendar is opened to reserve a day for “stealth” family shopping and an evening for ornament painting. We buy (or make) one new labelled ornament for each child, so when he or she leaves the home one day, his or her new tree will bear years of memories on which to build new ones.
Some traditions bless others while creating family bonding. When I was growing up, my mother would volunteer to work holidays at the nursing home where she was a nurse. My father, brothers and I would then join her and convene with the elderly, bring dessert and lead singing. My 14-year-old son recently worked 5 hours at the Operation Christmas Child warehouse – something that could become a tradition as our family gets old enough to participate. Caroling in the neighborhood, adopting a family, cleaning the house for toys & coats to donate, visiting the sick, and making cards for the elderly are great ways for the family to act as a team in blessing others.
Most important would be those traditions that revolve around God’s message to us. Traditional attendance of a church service, memorizing Scripture, and singing songs are wonderful “habits” for my children to take along to their own families one day. One family of nine visited us last Christmas and simultaneously recited all of Luke Chapter 2 at the dinner table (upon our request once we heard it was in their repertoire). What a great family Christmas tradition each of the children will remember forever!!
What are your traditions? I would love it if you attached a comment below with a tradition- even if it is one already mentioned -even if it seems silly, like “chips!”. (note: Comments here stay with this letter, although Facebook comments disappear with the timeline.) You may inspire another reader -including myself- with a new tradition that knits families for generations to come.
Enjoy your family,
Terri
Letters to Lindsey 