Little Miracles

I keep forgetting to post this, but better late than never I suppose.
One morning in early December our "low tire pressure" light came on.  Since it was a cold morning after a long string of warm weather we thought we just needed to fill the tires up.  No big deal.
It turned out that yes, we did need to fill them up, but were we also aware that we were in need of new tires?  Hmm.  No, we weren't. Rats.
We spent a few days price-checking and then decided to bite the bullet and get new tires before the snow and ice came along.  On a Thursday morning I brought the car in and bought new tires.  When I was checking out, I was asked if I wanted to purchase the certificate that guarantees that if they can't patch a hole, they'll replace the tire.  I called King.  He said no- I said yes.  Since he knows much more about cars than I do, we were going to deffer to his opinion.  That was until the man decided to offer a terrific coupon that made it almost impossible for me to resist.  Hey- a girl knows a bargain when she sees one.  It still took a mighty hefty swallow to swipe my credit card.  Who knew tires were so stinkin' expensive!

Fast forward two days. 

Yep. TWO.


King and the oldest two had taken a free front runner ride down south while I stopped off at a bridal shower before heading down to pick them up.  Their ride took two glorious hours of standing room only... but that's another story.
Heading south at the point of the mountain, there was a nice little jolt to my car.  I hadn't seen anything in the road!  I looked in my rearview mirror just in time to see a little square of... who knows! flying away.
My initial thought: "No big deal."
Three seconds later: "Big deal!"
My car was driving funny and the pesky "low tire pressure" light was on again.  Being in the carpool lane, I pulled to the left side of the road.  Millaker, thankfully, was sleeping soundly at this point.  I climbed out of the car into the FREEZING, blustery wind and commenced checking the tires.  Front drivers side? check.  Front passenger's side? check.  Back driver's side? check. Back passenger side... completely flat.
Now I'm not sure where my brain had gone, because my first response was to climb back in the car out of the freezing wind and call King.
ME:  Hey! I blew a tire! How am I going to get home?  I don't have to call 911 just to get a tow truck do I?
Told you my brain was gone.
KING:  Uh... we have a spare.
ME: Oh yeah!  And I know how to change it! Oh, wait! Someone is pulling over to help.
My guardian angels!
A nice family of four pulled ahead of me and backed up.  I explained the problem and the dad and his fifteen year old son climbed out of their car in nice, button-down shirts (no coats!) and proceeded to change my tire on the VERY cold, very dangerous freeway side.  I tried to give them money since, REALLY they were incredibly helpful- but they refused.  They said it was good practice for their son.  Before they drove away, the cautioned me to only drive 25 mph on the spare, and good luck.
I was going to need it.
Praying awfully hard, I manuvered my car to the OTHER side of the freeway and somehow managed NOT to get hit. Miracles still do happen.  Don't ever forget it.
Then I proceeded to limp down the freeway, hugging the side-line, with my hazard lights on.  All the while, King had found me the nearest tire store.  15 miles down the road I pulled off and find the well-hidden store.  Thanks to the certificates we very nearly didn't purchase,  the new tire and the labor were all free.  They were even kind enough to not make me purchase a NEW certificate for the new tire.
The significance of this story is this.

NO, its not great to fork over money for new tires.
NO, its not great to blow a tire on the freeway.

HOWEVER-

Had we not had new tires, the technician thought we would have rolled or at least crashed!  Whatever I hit had punctured a whole bigger than his hand and he could put his whole fist in our tire. There was no patching that tire!
Had we not purchased the certificate, we'd be out many, many more pretty pennies.
Had I had all three kids- I can GUARANTEE the whole episode would not have gone as smoothly.  I can still picture the possible mayhem in the car as I tried to help with a tire!
Had we not had kind, wonderful, generous people stop to help, I would have been on the side of a dangerous, freezing highway for a VERY long time changing my first tire by myself.  Not an ideal scenario.
I'm grateful for the little blessings- that come about in ways we don't expect, or imagine.  I'm grateful for the kindness of strangers and the unseen help from above which I can GUARANTEE helps and protects us more than we realize.

Have you checked your tires lately?

Before I forget.

I dropped the ball.  Not just kind-of.  I dropped it.  Here I was, rolling through November listing my blessings... and then I disappeared.  Still here.  Just slacking.  Here are some posts I'd started, but never finished, and a few updates.  They should be recorded. 

I am thankful for a fenced back yard.  I love being able to send these two out back.  They have such a good time.  Eddie kicked off her shoes and was pushing them around barefoot.  Crazy girl- she's got to be freezing!

I am grateful these two are such good friends.  This was an unprompted-by-mom event.  Glad my camera was close.

I'm grateful for our annual "Thanksgiving Tree."  Guy got really into this year.  He was constantly grabbing a leaf and sounding out a word.  I wish I knew how to take better pictures.  Some of his words are:  rth: earth, thnkfl for sci (sky), ... ooh! I'm sad I didn't write more down.  Maybe you can decipher them!  

I am tremendously grateful for cellphones.  It's hard to tell, but Guy is talking to King.  Randomly throughout the day they'll announce they want to tell dad something.  I'm glad we can call him (and I'm glad he can answer even though he's at work!)  Some days this little piece of technology is my lifeline.  L.O.V.E. it.

I'm grateful for sweets (now that I am not on my "month-of-no-treats"!) and for sweet, sweet smiles.  These two can turn on the cheese in an instant.  It's great for pictures if they're cooperative.  We decided to make gingerbread cookies and frost them.  Eddie had a bit of help from King.  Guy did his own- hence the TON of candy he loaded onto that thing.  Maybe that's the REAL reason for his cheesy grin.

 Millaker was just glad to eat them.  No frosting needed.

Here's King and My masterpieces.  Thank you very much.

I'm thankful for laughter

Me:  Son, why don't you tell me the Christmas story?
Guy: Ok.  There were three guys with gold that came to baby Jesus.
Me: You're getting a bit ahead of yourself, but ok.  Do you know what we call those, "three guys?"
Guy: No, what?
Me: They're called the wisemen.
Guy: I thought the wisemen built their house on a rock?

Noteworthy.

Music.

Running a little late.

I may or may not have missed more than a few days.
Let's catch up.

1) I love Thanksgiving.  It might seem a bit silly to be grateful for Thanksgiving.... too bad, it's not your list.  I love Thanksgiving.  It's my favorite holiday.  Why? Family, food, potatoes, chiffon pumpkin pie, a day where you go around saying grateful things, more family, even more family, and more pie.  What a great day.

1.5) Even though I love a good deal, I am NOT thankful for Black Friday, and I am NOT grateful to see it creep in on Thanksgiving time.  People trampling others for the "deal of a lifetime" does not have to END someone's lifetime.  It's outrageous.  I probably made 12 more enemies.  Sorry to all you who love it... I don't.

2) I love traditions.  Today we ate pumpkin pie, played Manheim Steamroller, and set up the Christmas Tree.  Granted, I was a tad short on patience what with lights not working, King's two trips to Lowes, a messy house, toddlers running everywhere, outbursts of crying, and a one-year-old taking things OFF the tree faster than we could put things on... but still.  I love putting up the tree. Every time I turn on Manheim I feel like I'm nine, sitting on the carpet in my family's living room, filling my little body full of music and letting my imagination run wild.  Maybe I should try that as an adult, I bet my kids would love it.

3) I am grateful for organization and cleanliness.  I know those are choices and habits- but still.  We were trying to deep-clean (aka seriously dust) the living room today which led to me unloading half the book cases, sorting through books, re-arranging shelves etc.  It took the ENTIRE day what with the Christmas set-up, phone calls, visitors, nap-time, salesmen at the door etc, but now that it's done- it feels GREAT.  Even if the casual observer can't tell a difference, I can.  It helps to have control over one tiny detail in my surroundings.  I have been working on happy attitudes with toddlers for MONTHS with no avail, but one day with my bookshelves and they are in line!

4)  I am grateful for pumpkin chiffon pie- this is not the same as Thanksgiving.  It's just something I love. 

5) I am grateful for the internet and pictures.  I just checked facebook and blogs and feel like I just saw my sisters' homes and kids, even though it been months.  That, to me, is a miracle.  It doesn't feel the same as a real visit, a hug, and a pop-in-and-say-hello, but it is nice and somewhat comforting all the same.

Night.

Details

I'm having a hard time finding something original.  Every time I think of what I'm grateful for, the obvious come up- again and again: King, my kids, my family, great friends, my nice home, food, king, my kids, my family... you get the idea.
So lets be more specific. 

1) I'm grateful for Rembrant Canker Sore Toothpaste.  I'm allergic to the foaming agent in regular toothpastes (sodium llauryl sulfate) and after lots and lots of searching- I've found a toothpaste that a) yes, costs an arm and a leg yet 2) doesn't taste like baking soda and  3) is nice to my mouth!!  I grew up with constant, constant canker sores.  I'd almost always have one, if not two, three or even thirteen (seriously!).  I'd heard everything from, "brush more!" to, "they're cold sores," to,  "it's just you."  Thanks helpful people.  Turns out those weren't accurate assessments.  When my uncle was in dentistry school he saw my mouth complete with several canker sores and a giant one to boot- he took a picture and sent it to a professor who quickly suggested taking away normal toothpastes.  Genius.  I need to find out who that was and send him a note!!  The extra cost for toothpaste is definitely worth the mostly-pain-free mouth.  It turns out all that extra brushing all those years were just making it worse!  I still get cankers (especially when my children whack my head/mouth with their little heads when sitting on my lap!) but they are MUCH fewer and far between.  Hence, I'm grateful for different toothpaste.

2)  I am grateful for popcorn.  Salty, somewhat healthy (as in its not full of sugar), quick, and delicious.  I love you, yummy snack.

3) My cousins.  I have a TON of cousins.  On my mom's side alone there are... 47? Is that right? I might have missed some.  That does NOT include their spouses, their children, or my siblings.  If you count everyone from Grandma and Grandpa down there are over 100 of us!!  I grew up with built in friends, buddies, companions, shoulders to lean on etc.  I love, love, love my cousins! Last night I got to play games with a cousin and her husband and I LOVED it.  I'm not sure how I got to be so lucky!

Food

I love food.  Really.  Not a huge variety of it... but the stuff I like... I LOVE.  My favorites are all things Italian: pasta, noodles (uh.. pasta), LASAGNA (also a pasta), french bread, garlic bread, most Mexican food: tacos, taco salad, burritos, chimichangas, American food: steak, roast, potatoes, chicken, salads, breakfasts foods of ALL kinds, baked goods of all sorts: cookies, cinnamon rolls.  That was not a real sentence.  Far too many commas, colons and a run-on-list. Sorry.
Why am I listing food? I'm making myself hungry.
The point is, I have so much.  Besides voluntarily fasting, I have never been TRULY hungry- and I'm not even sure going 24 hours without food qualifies us as HUNGRY.  I'm grateful I have food in my fridge, my freezer and the pantry is stocked.  I'm grateful I don't have to worry where the next meal for my children will come from.  I'm grateful for healthy food that keeps us feeling great!  King and I recently ended a a month challenge: no sweets.  It about killed me.  Really.  But it made me more aware of how the food I eat affects how I feel.  I ate a bowl of ice-cream last night and thought it was terribly sweet!  I don't think that had ever happened to me before!  I can honestly say I feel better and (after two weeks) crave sugar less than I did a month ago.  I'm grateful my biggest addiction is to baked sweets and for the counsel of the Word of Wisdom.  I have a pretty sweet life.  No pun intended.

Saturdays

This is officially Guy's (and my) favorite day?  Why? 
Ask guy- he has the universal answer,
                   "Cause Daddy doesn't have to go to work!!"
We've had breakfast with grandparents, played a game together, picked up Bountiful Baskets, and we're headed to DI to find pants for a four-year old with holes in the knees!  It's going to be a great day.

Naps!

All Naps in all forms- particularly the long form:
Baby naps, toddler naps, my naps!  What could be more wonderful?
Nuf said.

Its the little things that count.

Did I mention I'm grateful for great friends?  The ones who come work out with you, who inspire you, who motivate you, who help you watch your kids.  The ones... wait, oh yeah.  I did already.

On to the next item.
Raman Noodles.
Go ahead. Laugh.
But my one-year-old, previously fantastic eater, has turned on the picky-eater gene.  Foods she previously loved she despises.  Delicious foods don't appeal.  Case in point: her cupcake for her birthday was eaten as follows: bite - spit. bite - spit. bite - spit.  I'm not sure she swallowed any of it.
Hence.  I love raman noodles. She loves them. Devours them. Does not throw them on the floor or spit them out or dump her bowl.  Not to mention its as cheap as dirt and I can throw eggs, peas, and corn and there sneakily.  Ha.  Got your vitamins anyhow.  Thank you inventor of Raman.

I am also terribly grateful for music.  Good music.
Guy has been listening to the scripture mastery scriptures put to music.  Genius idea to the "Sons of Ammon."  I've known for a while that my children respond well and learn quickly through music.  Since they're bound to learn lyrics,  they might as well be learning scriptures.  Its working!  Guy has surprised me by randomly singing scriptures I had no idea he knew.  Its a beautiful thing- and yes, I might be bragging and slightly biast.  Even better, Eddie girl is picking up tidbits.  I've been trying to play uplifting, good, upbeat, good music in the mornings to help us start the day off right.   All in all I love, love, love good music.

Dates

I love dates.  That might have something to do with who my date is...
Last night we dropped the kids off at Grandma and Grandpas and hit the town.  After re-finding our favorite scone shop (NOT scone-cutters) we went to see the BYU Young Ambassadors.  It was fabulous!  Good music. Dancing. Cabaret.  A funny date.  A chance to dress up (very, very slightly... we were still in jeans...).  It was wonderful.
Not only was it good music, but good entertainment always leaves me wanting to improve.  Be a better me.  A better wife.  A better mom.
Good timing.
My first test came at 2:30 am when the toddler threw up for the first time... and then again at 3:00.  Needless to say, we had a napping party (or at least I did) during church while she watched a movie. 

Snow

My better half.

I'm not sure what I'd do without my better half.  Be half as good- that's what.  I'm thankful for his smile.  His great sense of humor.  His kindness.  His hugs when I've had a hard day.  His great attitude.  His great dad skills.  His thoughtfulness.  His concern for others- ALL others.  Just him in general.  You'll never meet another quite so good at accepting and loving others, despite how much he knows about them and their shortcomings.  He sure makes my live a whole lot easier, a lot better, a lot more meaningful.
That's all.  I love him a lot.  Lot, lot.

Sentimental

I'm feeling quite sentimental. Today I'm thankful for touch.  You know, hugs, holding hands, holding kids on my lap while I read them a story.  Seeing old couples hold hands as they walk down the street.  Giving my honey a squeeze before he walks out the door to work.  It spells comfort and love to me. 
Today as I laid my baby down for her nap she wrapped her little arms around my neck and laid her head on my shoulder.  Uncharacteristically, she stayed there.  Normally she is so busy she just wants to go, go, go and see new things!  Today, she sat.  I loved every single second of it.  I held her for a few minutes, standing in her dark bedroom, thinking about how much I love and treasure my sweet girl and my great kids.  Sadly, I was the first to let go since the two-year-old downstairs was starting to call for me.  But I am still grateful for those sweet, tender moments. 

Fine Feathered Friends

Today was a lovely day spent in the companionship with a dear, old, friend.  Not old in age, nor particularly in terms of years known.  What is it now?  Eight years since we met?  I digress.  It was a lovely afternoon with a lovely person.  Which brings me to today's item of gratitude: friends! 

 (Note: pictures aren't exceptional, chronological, all inclusive nor in order of importance.  They just ARE.)

I have marvelous, stupendous, exceptional friends.  Some have helped me through the toughest, most frustrating situations of my life and continue to love and support me despite the gained insights into my state of sanity.  They are kind.  Loving.  Inspiring.  Joyful. Individuals with testimonies of truth be they members of the church or not.  I am grateful for the mentors and help they have been along my way.  I sure love. love. love. them. 

Books are great

I've been trying to read good books! I love them! I am so grateful for them.  Some are self-improvement books, others are the word of God.  Others are just a good story, and still others are based on truth.  I have always loved to read and will always, ALWAYS be grateful for a good book to read.

Current or Recent Reads: The Power of Positive Thinking, The New Testament, The Book of Mormon, A Joyful Mother of Children...

Thanks, thanks, thanks.

A tad behind:
I'm grateful for strollers.  Silly, I know.  But I love having ours to take kids walks in rather than holding the baby and trying to keep Eddie out of the road.  Thank you stroller inventor: specifically the sit-n-stand inventor.  You make my days easier.
I'm thankful for King. Obviously.  He lets me take naps after church when I just. can't. stay. awake.  Subbing for nursery will do that to you!!  He also helps immensely when I'm in a bad mood.  Its hard to stay mad when the nearest intelligent source is cracking dry jokes and smiling at you. Bless you, dear husband.  He inspires (and motivates) me to do better, to reach farther, to push myself.  I am no good at that.  Give me an organizing task or a to-do list: fine.  But ask me to push myself, to exercize, to do something (ahem: no sweets) hard?  I need King at my side first.
I'm also very, very glad we get to vote.  I may not like the tone of the campains, I may not like who is elected, but at least I got to vote!! 
Just one more:
I'm very, very grateful for popcorn.  Going without sweets is made bearable by this salty little kernal of joy. 

Gratitude Day 1

November: the time I remind myself- REALLY remind myself- to be grateful.
Thank goodness the first day is easy.

 My baby turned one.  

I'm not quite sure how that happened.  Last Halloween I was walking around, sticking out a mile, and wanting this baby HERE!  Today she is B.U.S.Y.  She's our earliest walker, our happiest (post-colic) baby, our most social, our largest, and I'm thinking our most active.

 I love that her siblings dote on her and spent so much time and energy making her happy.  She spends a lot of time every day pushing the kitchen chairs around the dining room- using them like walkers, though she doesn't need them.

 We love her smiles, her funny/quirky expressions, and her joy when Daddy comes home.

We sure love you Millaker!! We are SO very, very grateful to have you in our family.  Happy Birthday little one!

Focus

Parenthood.
It's all consuming these days. 
But isn't it supposed to be? 
I have been thinking a lot since General Conference two weeks ago.   My favorite talk so far was given by Elder Perry.   He counsels us to take the time to become goodly parents.  He encourages us to focus on a healthy, strong family culture.  Since he by far more direct, elegant, and clearer than I will ever be, I'll just quote him. 
        "Lessons taught in the home by goodly parents are becoming increasingly important in today’s world, where the influence of the adversary is so widespread. As we know, he is attempting to erode and destroy the very foundation of our society—the family. In clever and carefully camouflaged ways, he is attacking commitment to family life throughout the world and undermining the culture and covenants of faithful Latter-day Saints. Parents must resolve that teaching in the home is a most sacred and important responsibility. While other institutions such as church and school can assist parents to “train up a child in the way he [or she] should go” (Proverbs 22:6), this responsibility ultimately rests on the parents. According to the great plan of happiness, it is goodly parents who are entrusted with the care and development of Heavenly Father’s children."

It's reasurring and validating to have someone so important echo the thoughts running through my head.  He gives specific directions including prayer, family time and worship (scripture study, Family home evening, family meals), using your resources such as teachers and leaders to influence your children, sharing our testimonies and creating deep, meaningful family cultures.  This last one made me smile a bit- I've been reading loads of books by the Eyres.  They must have been studying principles of the church when they came up with their concepts and books about creating family cultures, economic systems etc.  I could go on and on ...  I won't. 

So I've been searching.  Inwardly and outwardly.  I want to do better.  I want to reaffirm my commitment to my family and improve my behaviors and how my home is run so I CAN have this kind of family life.  I've set some goals after reading a few different sites.  I've also started looking good and hard at my list of goals.  Scriptures seem to be leaping off the page when they address my weaknesses.  Shall I elaborate?  Take James 1:18-19.  I'm not quite that far in the New Testament, but ran across this anyhow.

 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Ouch.  That may or may not have been written directly for me.

Other goals have been the fore-front of my mind as well.  Since I truly believe no commandment given of God is just for our physical benefit- but spiritual also- I've coerced (literally) my family (the ones I grew up with and their spouses) to do a month-long fitness/health challenge.  It includes getting your daily intake of water, fruits and veggies, limited sweets, exercize, and eliminates extra eating at night.  It's already helping me- really, truly.  I can tell.  As much as I HATE, DEPLORE, and DESPISE!! passing by treats (Costco!!), and though the book-club may tease me for turning down cookies (also TERRIBLY uncharachteristic of me), I think it will be worth the struggle in the long run- so long as I don't sprint for the nearest cookie the day this challenge is over.  I've also got a few more goals up my sleeve that I fully plan to implement.  I just need to focus.  THIS is important.  My FAMILY is important.  And improving myself so I can better teach, lead, and serve them is worth every effort- no matter how difficult.

I found the best poem today.  It perfectly defined many of my current feelings about motherhood. 
And since I can't think of a better way to summarize my ramblings- I'll let her do it.

Warp and Weft

Somewhere along the line,
your friends dispersed
like seeds scooped from a sack,
a few slipping through fingers
and back in the bag with you —
the rest flying out, pitched to far cities,
to root down in places
other than here. Here, you inch forward
in a line of cars, wondering if
the other mothers dropping off kids
are like you, or if they would like you —
and pondering the irony
that you are alike at least in this:
each of you has narrowed
the scope of your focus
to encompass only
the most pressing needs
of your family.

But you remember
when you’d woven your living
in with the weft of your friends’ —
not planning social events
in the cracks of packed schedules,
but pooling your leftovers
to share improvised meals.
Most days, now, you improvise alone —
if you don’t mind defining alone
as shadowed by a chattering child —
and later you commune with friends
through a cold screen.
You spend your time observing
your child’s likes and dislikes
and which scraps of thought
she chooses to voice;
you try to see these
as seeds of her adult self —
like fiddlehead ferns
with their Fibonacci spirals,
slowly unfurling.
You can picture, down the line,
the fully opened fronds
and how they’ll form a crown of green —
this is how you remind yourself
that in time, and with luck,
she’ll become your dear friend.
But it’s not enough, or it’s too much
that you’ve concentrated on one spot,
like a magnifying glass
clutched in patient suspension,
intensifying the rays of the sun
to the point of combustion.
You must widen your gaze.
Recall the critical importance
of dropping your shoulders
and allowing your chest to rise,
to draw open your lungs,
to permit the intake
of a full breath. And then —
remember your need
for friends to stand beside you
and breathe too.
© Sarah Dunning Park, 2012. All rights reserved.

Understatement.

Exclamation points don't do this statement justice.  I am not sure why I am so much more excited for General Conference this time around.  It does come around every six months, you know.  BUT IT'S HERE!  CONFERENCE WEEKEND!!!  Happy watching folks!

Ha: as I go to hit "Publish" I fully realize that all ten of you reading this know and watch Conference anyhow.  Oh, well.  Spread the enthusiasm!!  I am so stinkin glad its here!  Come watch with me!  We're making popcorn!

Things that make me smile

My children are finding new ways of being cute and ever so funny these days.  For example:
 
Eddie likes to choose her outfits.  It comes with being two I suppose.  The other morning she pulled on her baby sister's shirt (albeit a tad big for Millaker) and a turtleneck of hers.  She thought the turtleneck was a dress... with a tail.  No matter how much we explained there was no changing her mind.  This WAS a dress and it DID have a tail.  She liked it that way I guess.  I wish we could have gotten a better picture.  It was darling.

Today Guy had a few playmates over as we had two kid-swaps going on simultaneously.  I was listening from the kitchen when I heard! 
Friend 1: Why did you turn off the lights?
Friend 2: Because its dark in space.  There's no lights.
Guy: Yes there is!  There's the sun!!
Pause...and change of subject.
Friend 1: The enemy!  He's northwest!
Guy: No! He's SOUTH west!

What?  Since when was he smart enough to figure out the sunshine could light space, and since when does he know directions - particularly Southwest? 

Millaker has decided to join the entertainment business.  Every meal she sits in her chair and claps until she has her siblings (and parents) joining in!  Ignoring her and continuing to eat doesn't phase her.  She keeps right on going- staring you down- until you comply.   She also shakes her head "no" before and during almost every bite and makes Guy giggle till he's choking on his own breakfast.  From looking at him, you'd think she was the next Bob Hope.  It might make meals a tad trickier, but they are far more interesting and cheerful! 

Not to be forgotten, she's found her first crush... the bishop.  Now our girl is by no means shy, but when we're around she'll usually go to someone for a hug and then come right back.  Not with the bishop.  TWICE, yesterday, when she saw him, she leaned out of our arms to go to him- once planting a big, fat, open-mouthed kiss on his head.  I'm glad he's kind- her own uncle would have had a sour face at that one! 

If these don't sound terribly funny to you- trust me, you had to be there.

Children Will Learn What They Live

On the counsel of our Stake President we came home tonight and googled this poem.  I think I'll be hanging it in my kitchen.

CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE

Dorothy Law Nolte

If a child lives with criticism,
he learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility,
he learns to fight.

If a child lives with fear,
he learns to be apprehensive.

If a child lives with pity,
he learns to feel sorry for himself.

If a child lives with ridicule,
he learns to be shy.

If a child lives with jealousy,
he learns what envy is.

If a child lives with shame,
he learns to feel guilty.

If a child lives with encouragement,
he learns to be confident.

If a child lives with tolerance,
he learns to be patient.

If a child lives with praise,
he learns to be appreciative.

If a child lives with acceptance,
he learns to love.

If a child lives with approval,
he learns to like himself.

If a child lives with recognition,
he learns that it is good to have a goal.

If a child lives with sharing,
he learns about generosity.

If a child lives with honesty and fairness,
he learns what truth and justice are.

If a child lives with security,
he learns to have faith in himself and in those about him.

If a child lives with friendliness,
he learns that the world is a nice place in which to live.

If you live with serenity,
your child will live with peace of mind.

With what is your child living?
 

Dreaming

I've written a 30 before 30 list.  You know, a list of goals with a deadline (getting ever nearer!).  On that list is to write a children's book- not published- for my own children.  We read piles of books around here.  My favorites to read are by Bill Pete, Sandra Boynton, Shel Sylverstien, and Dr. Seuss.  They would make a dream-team if you ask me.  I hardly ever tire of them.  You know they're getting to you when you start dreaming in rhymes. Seriously.  But, oh! I'd love to write a book that children would LOVE to read! That would make them (and their parents) giggle and want to read another one!  There's not a point to this post other than to make my goal known so I have people to be accountable to.  Check.

So there. That's done.  I've said my fair share,

Now on to writing while there's still time to spare.

Let's get the brain going, start the cogs and the wheels,

... and perhaps polish up on my mad, rhyming skills.

Four

*Written Yesterday- to go along with our crazy night.

Now that you've seen what our crazy nights have been looking like, I need to tell you about our four year old.

This kid has an angelic streak. (And a stubborn one... but its much smaller.)

He has become the worlds best helper in the mornings.

Usually (3-4 times a week) he wakes up before me in a chipper mood.  LOVE IT.

Since he's been banned from coming up to wake up Mom until 7 (hopefully I'm up by then, but if not it was probably a bad night so leave me alone!),  he's taken up other activites.

These include but are not limited to:

Unloading the dishwasher. Side note: we've had to tape an arrow pointing to the clean "light."  He's not allowed to touch the dishwasher unless that light is on.  We've come down many-a-morning to a multitude of stacked dishes: all dirty. :D

Setting the table.

Getting everyone water (complete with straws).

Getting out cereal.

Pouring cereal. (Why don't I have photos of these?)

He occasionally will pull out ingredients he thinks I will need to make breakfast: vanilla, salt and pepper, cinnamon, bowls, and spoons to mix.

And this morning? He made toast. Eight pieces. Toaster setting: 2 (only gets them slightly warm- not fully toasted). 

Did you catch that? EIGHT pieces.  

Thank you son. 

 I'm glad everyone likes toast.

King discovered his helpfulness when he was preparing to walk out the door (I was still lying in bed in denial that morning had come so soon).  He came back upstairs to tell me what Guy was up to prefacing it with, "Don't be upset- he's a good boy and is trying to help."

 That is the beautiful part about it.  He's truly trying to be a big helper.  And he is!  What other four year old takes such an active part in serving his mother so early in the morning?  He is so kind to me!  King stayed a little later this morning to help him toast the bread properly and made us eggs to go with it.  (I have a wonderful husband!)  During breakfast, Guy noted my tired expression and jumped out of his seat and came and kissed my arm.  (He likes to kiss whatever body part of mine is closest to his mouth.  Sometimes its my arm, my shoulder, my knee, my leg.)  Not wanting to be outdone, Eddie jumped out of her seat and came and kissed my elbow.  I love it when he teaches kind things to his siblings!

 

He is a fairly patient boy and tries his hardest to mind.  This is a difficult thing at four.

(Especially when his sisters are doing their own thing!)

 

He has the biggest stick and rock obsession on the planet.  He wanted to include them in family photos.  We obliged for a few.

 

All in all, four is great.  He is a great learner, a great helper, and a great server.  I hope four goes this well for the rest of the children.

*In case you were wondering- I slept a full eight hours last night with NO ONE waking me up. Bliss.

Sleepy

This was supposed to be a post about the four year old- but it needs some preface, so bear with me.  The next post will be about him.
I'm a tad sleepy (and hence grumpy) grumpy today. 
You see, I have three children (obviously). They are old enough to sleep through the night.  And yet lately, they don't.  Case in point.  Last night.
11 pm: King and I finished watching Anne of Avonlea (which we started a few nights ago) and hence got to bed a tad late. Well, late for us! 
Come 11:45 Eddie starts to stir. "Please go back to sleep! Please go back to sleep!" I start to chant in my mind.  No use.  She starts to cry- which will soon wake up Millaker if I don't hurry.  She can't find her "siddy tup." Luckily, mom knows.  Now, PLEASE go back to sleep!
12:30 Millaker starts crying.  I stuff a pillow over my ears.  In five minutes she's asleep again.
1:30 ish (its getting blurry here): Eddie comes in.  "I want to sleep by you." No-sir-ee. Back to bed with you!
2:30 ish: Guy comes in.  "My mosquito bite itches." I hold him for a few minutes so he won't scratch it until it stops itching.  I fall asleep in the process.
2:50: I wake up again. Time to go to your own bed, kiddo.
4:30: Millaker wakes up.  No ammount of ignoring is helping.  This time I petition King.  "PLEASE! You get her a bottle! I need sleep!"  The kind husband blindly stumbles for the kitchen to make a bottle.
4:35: "Hon, what do you put on mosquito bites- Guy says he can't sleep." Ug. Lavender- above the fridge- wait, he's STILL UP?!
4:35.5: I'm already back to sleep.
6:15 My phone alarm rings. I turn it off.
6:30 The alarm clock by the bed rings.  I turn it off.
6:40 Eddie is up. She has to go potty.  Once done, I send her back to bed
6:45 She comes back in- she has to go potty again (this happens all the time!).
6:55 Though Eddie returned to her room, all she really managed to do was wake up Millaker.
7:04 King groans in resignation.  It's time to wake up. We lost the battle.  It might be a long day.

If this were a once-in-a-blue-moon scenario we might be ok.  Sadly, that's turning out to not be the case.  We (I) sat down and had a serious discussion with the kids this morning.  We are going to STAY in bed.  You can get out to go potty. Period. That's it. End of discussion. Mosquito bites are not good justification for waking half the household. Water will have to wait till morning (they have a sippy cup in their room so they can get a drink and go back to bed! If its empty by now- too bad!).  NO coming in to sleep with mom. The answer is NO!  Do you think any of this information sunk in?  I highly doubt it- its so hard to be consistent at night when you're only 1/3 awake and tired as all get-out.  Here's hoping tonight goes better!  In the mean-time- we're napping today!  (And the struggles with napping will be saved for a later post!)

Two

Two is a frightfully hard age for a Momma.  You see, two means own opinions, a stubborn sense of "do it my my self!",  a longing to help baby sister- though baby sister HATES the two-help.  

Two means a curiosity for all things moving and a love of bugs which often get smushed in fingers whether that was the intention or not.  Two means a glimmer in the eye one minute and a world-class glower and pout the next.  

Two is sucking fingers and twirling hair...endlessly.  Two means herculean efforts at bedtime to stay up longer.  Two means messes and dirt.  Lots of dirt. And sand.

Two is cheesy smiles when you pull out the camera (though four doesn't look much better). Two is wanting to be four and following four, and pestering four, and mimicking four, and hugging four.

  Two is reverting back to baby talk (and walk) when you are feeling silly or don't know how to cope with a situation. 

Maybe its because you are slightly jealous that everyone things ten months is so darling. 

(Cause she is!)

Two is helpful.  Two is being "BIG!" Big enough to help with morning and dish jobs.  Big enough to go potty by herself (unless she's tired or in a bad mood). Big enough to want "ake-up" like mommy (make-up). Not yet, Two!

Two is spontaneous smiles and waking up READY much earlier than either mom or dad.

Two is being genuinely happy about little things.  Two is liking dresses and pretty things.  Two is sweet hugs when Momma is sad.  Two is sweet hugs when ANYONE is sad.

Two is a one-sided sense of fairness mixed with an unexpected dose of sweetness and sharing (...sometimes).

 

Two is pigtails, sitting on Momma's lap, and stories. Lots and lots of stories.

Two is bare feet and dancing. 

Two is still wanting to snuggle when you first wake up.

Two is sweet.

Two is actually not so bad for Momma.  Two is great.