Tid-bits
1. When I see a pile of books waiting to be read. I'm excited about all the new worlds and new things that reading can bring into my mind.
2. Somehow when I listen to a book on tape, the story gets immeasureably better just by having someone read it in an English accent.
3. When I cook pancakes one inevitably gets burnt. I have recently decided to purposely burn the first one to get it over with so I don't have to worry about burning one later, sort of like an offering. Okay, not really. I never burn them intentionally. The other day when something had spilled in the oven and was burning, one of my boys said, "It smells like pancakes."
2. Somehow when I listen to a book on tape, the story gets immeasureably better just by having someone read it in an English accent.
3. When I cook pancakes one inevitably gets burnt. I have recently decided to purposely burn the first one to get it over with so I don't have to worry about burning one later, sort of like an offering. Okay, not really. I never burn them intentionally. The other day when something had spilled in the oven and was burning, one of my boys said, "It smells like pancakes."
4. Why do little boys think that actually peeing in the toilet is optional?
5. I was at the gym trying to gain some heart health, emotional health and a little thigh power when Warrick called me from home and said that his brothers woke him up and that some serious action needed to take place. I tried to explain that it was probably an accident and that if we were all punished for small little accidents, this world wouldn't be too fun and that we'd spend more time in time-outs than actually living and learning in life. It took me some talking but when I explained that if I put them in a time-out for waking him then any time he woke them up, he would have to go to a time out. That put it in perspective. As soon as I hung up, the lady whom I was well aware was listening to me but unable to do anything about it, said, "Parenting is so hard isn't it." Statement, not a question. I said something that I thought was clever, but after I thought I should have said something else. But my point is that parenting is HARD!!! Sometimes I wonder if I would have signed up for this knowing what it would entail. It is something in my life that I just can't seem to do up to my ideal standards. I want to do better. I want to stop messing up, but I continue to live, learn and wish somethings were left unsaid or were not left but addressed sooner. I feel I'm a pretty capable person, but sometimes I wonder what in the world I'm doing. I don't read as much as I used to on the subject, but try to use the Spirit and intuition. I hope for the best. I realize that my job is to do my best and that the rest is up to God and the agency of the child. I realize that I don't have complete control over these little men that grace my home. I don't even have control over myself every now and then, but I keep plugging. I keep praying. I keep messing up and sometimes I do actually do things right or at least good enough. One of my favorite scriptures says that by small and simple things great things come to pass. That's what I'm hoping for. I'm hoping for resilience and I'm hoping that the small things that I do will make a difference and that the large things I don't do won't matter because aren't the small things really the big ones? I'm getting too philosophical to even understand myself at this moment. Believe me, this isn't a cry for help, but rather a reminder to all the moms out there, that while we're fighting in the trenches, it is okay to have hard days and it is okay to be sick of wiping the counter and it's okay to tell someone to "wipe your own bum". It is okay.
6. I remember practicing a particular showy and fancy song on the piano and opening up the windows so I could impress the neighbors. I was so proud of what I had learned. What I didn't consider was that even the most advanced song looses it's impact when played every day SEVERAL times over and over. And then played again.
7. Laser tag is our new family game. Even Stafford crouches down and slithers against the walls. Glenn and I take turns being with Stafford. When I'm with him, I let him lead the way. If he gets shot then I know we're in enemy territory and I need to be on guard. Yes, I sacrifice the kid and feel okay about it. He feels brave for going first and I'm able to see what direction the hit comes from and then I attack. Win-Win. When I get shot through a window, I grab Stafford and pop him up so he can see through the opening. All of a sudden a kid appears, framed in the window, armed and ready. Pow!
8. I believe it is okay to take a nap. It took me awhile to learn this, but it is a good lesson.
9. I tried to kill a spider last night. He got away. I don't like the feeling of knowing there is one prowling around. I hope he forgives me and doesn't come for revenge.
10. The cat on the PBS show The Cat in the Hat creeps me out. I would NEVER leave my kids alone with him.
5. I was at the gym trying to gain some heart health, emotional health and a little thigh power when Warrick called me from home and said that his brothers woke him up and that some serious action needed to take place. I tried to explain that it was probably an accident and that if we were all punished for small little accidents, this world wouldn't be too fun and that we'd spend more time in time-outs than actually living and learning in life. It took me some talking but when I explained that if I put them in a time-out for waking him then any time he woke them up, he would have to go to a time out. That put it in perspective. As soon as I hung up, the lady whom I was well aware was listening to me but unable to do anything about it, said, "Parenting is so hard isn't it." Statement, not a question. I said something that I thought was clever, but after I thought I should have said something else. But my point is that parenting is HARD!!! Sometimes I wonder if I would have signed up for this knowing what it would entail. It is something in my life that I just can't seem to do up to my ideal standards. I want to do better. I want to stop messing up, but I continue to live, learn and wish somethings were left unsaid or were not left but addressed sooner. I feel I'm a pretty capable person, but sometimes I wonder what in the world I'm doing. I don't read as much as I used to on the subject, but try to use the Spirit and intuition. I hope for the best. I realize that my job is to do my best and that the rest is up to God and the agency of the child. I realize that I don't have complete control over these little men that grace my home. I don't even have control over myself every now and then, but I keep plugging. I keep praying. I keep messing up and sometimes I do actually do things right or at least good enough. One of my favorite scriptures says that by small and simple things great things come to pass. That's what I'm hoping for. I'm hoping for resilience and I'm hoping that the small things that I do will make a difference and that the large things I don't do won't matter because aren't the small things really the big ones? I'm getting too philosophical to even understand myself at this moment. Believe me, this isn't a cry for help, but rather a reminder to all the moms out there, that while we're fighting in the trenches, it is okay to have hard days and it is okay to be sick of wiping the counter and it's okay to tell someone to "wipe your own bum". It is okay.
6. I remember practicing a particular showy and fancy song on the piano and opening up the windows so I could impress the neighbors. I was so proud of what I had learned. What I didn't consider was that even the most advanced song looses it's impact when played every day SEVERAL times over and over. And then played again.
7. Laser tag is our new family game. Even Stafford crouches down and slithers against the walls. Glenn and I take turns being with Stafford. When I'm with him, I let him lead the way. If he gets shot then I know we're in enemy territory and I need to be on guard. Yes, I sacrifice the kid and feel okay about it. He feels brave for going first and I'm able to see what direction the hit comes from and then I attack. Win-Win. When I get shot through a window, I grab Stafford and pop him up so he can see through the opening. All of a sudden a kid appears, framed in the window, armed and ready. Pow!
8. I believe it is okay to take a nap. It took me awhile to learn this, but it is a good lesson.
9. I tried to kill a spider last night. He got away. I don't like the feeling of knowing there is one prowling around. I hope he forgives me and doesn't come for revenge.
10. The cat on the PBS show The Cat in the Hat creeps me out. I would NEVER leave my kids alone with him.
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