Attitude of Gratitude..

LONG overdue, here is todays' list:

• washing machine --  I am so blessed that I can run downstairs and "throw" a load in at whatever time I want.  (like right now!  almost 11:00pm)  I feel so grateful that I don't have to lug clothing nor children to a laundry mat.
• my neighbours --  I absolutely love my neighbours.  We have a very unique relationship.  They give us "free reign" to their hot tub--and it is SUCH a blessing on a long, trying day.
• my  mother -- upon hearing of my upcoming visitors, my mother made a huge lasagna and shepherds pie, as well as some "sweets" to feed my billets.  She is a gem.
• music -- has the ability to take me from "bad" mood to "good" instantly.  Reminds me of the love of God.  Uplifts and encourages me.
• diet coke -- if you haven't yet realized, this will be on most of my lists.
• favour -- being a child of God has SO MANY benefits. 
• photos -- what a blessing to be able to have memories captured on paper.  I love reliving the "good ole days" through pictures.
• grace

Two peas in a pod...

It wasn't quite as difficult as I thought it would be.  When I told Hannah that we needed to "talk", about her "room", she immediately said "I know mom.  My desk.  It's disgusting.  Papa would not be happy that so much junk is covering his beautiful desk.  Let's clean it"  ((Ahhh....a girl after my own heart!!!))

So, for Mo, here is the finished product.....

She decided that there were only a few items deemed as "treasures" on her desk, and she lovingly displayed them in small, beautiful, shiny, shot glasses. 

I did ask her why those particular items held value to her.  (IE: beer bottle caps that she found outside in a dirt pile????)  

"Well mom" she said as she lovingly lay each cap out on her desk for display.  "See this one, it's beautiful.  Gold and shiny.  But this one it's different.  It's green."

"Don't you like all the colours?" she asked me.  Without giving me a chance to answer she goes on.. "And, well, what if everything was just green.  Your whole world was green.  Everything. EVERYTHING?  Wouldn't that be boring?  Everything only green?"

"Why, yes, I suppose it would be"  I finally answer.

And then she left.  Seemed she thought that was answer enough.  Her desk was clean, and there were pictures to be coloured.

Like mother, like daughter...

NOT!!!

Parenting dilemma #1--(or atleast #1 for today!!)

It seems (for now) that my eldest daughter has none of my organizing/purging qualities.  I am fully aware that she is only 5 years old, BUT, I am also aware that she is half her father...and so, here is the result of "please tidy up your room"(which is a daily ritual in this house--as is purging!!)

Hannah believes that if everything is off of her floor, than her room is clean.   And all of this "stuff" is very important to her.  They are her treasures...  Everyday she comes home with something "BEAUTIFUL" that she has found...a rock, a beer bottle cap, some flowers, beads, blades of grass....(and the list goes on).  Here are some of her favourite items stored lovingly in a  box...

I ask God daily to help me with this child.  I do not want to squelch her creativity.  I do want her to understand tidy.I know this is God's way of teaching me--showing me beauty in things I would label as junk.  He has a way of doing that.  Whilst we teach our children simple, life tasks, he, inturn, allows our children to teach us.  I can see Him now.  Watching me.  As I want to pull out my hair in frustration, he chuckles.  Sends me a little whisper.  Says "slow down my love, shes' a child.  I let you learn.  Please let her".  So, although I would like to go in and empty the entire desk into the garbage, this evening we will set aside time (AGAIN) to go over what is on her desk, what she would like to keep in what containers (as she tells me stories of why the behold such beauty!), and what should be given away (or thrown out!!!!!).  

Actions speak louder than words...

I don't think I've ever heard my son say he wanted to "be just like daddy".  Well, not in so many words.  But his actions tell me that he does.  He wants to be JUST like his dad.  This is his "motocycle" and every night he takes it in the "gawage", gets his "towols" out, and works on it a bit.  Then he lets us know that the "bawery is chawgin".   He is mimic-ing everything that Mike does.  It's priceless.  But scary too.  It is making me take a closer look at myself and re-check the little things I do.  Those little eyes are watching like hawks....  (as Hannah walks by and whispers "For Pete's sake!!!" under her breath)...OOPS!!

"Lord,  just as my little ones watch and mimic me, may I continue to watch and mimic you.  May my actions speak louder than my words.  Because I want to be just like you daddy. "

The difference between boys and girls in my home..

A discussion we had this morning...

A short, yet loud, smelly, "puff of wind" was let off by my 3yr old son...

"Ahaha-ha  Ahaha-ha, I farted"  "Did you  hear me?  I farted" He says laughing the whole time.

I give him a stern look.

"Oops, 'scuse me" He says. So quick and quiet that only a mother could hear and understand.  He continues laughing.

"You TOOTED, NOT farted.  And it's grosse"  Hannah says

I laugh suddenly.  

I sing a silly song.  "Fee fi fo fum, Isaiah has a stinky bum"  

Isaiah laughs.  And laughs.  Hannah gives me a stern look.

"Mama, that's rude.  And it's grosse"  She says.

"Sing it again mama." Isaiah laughs.

Hannah leaves the room.

In search of a good laugh....

Or atleast a smile!
So I went searching in my email to a folder I keep called "funnies"...you know, those emails people forward that get you giggling or gut-wrenching belly laughing. I keep some of them for nights like this. I thought this one was cute and made me giggle..then I went to Shari's blog and laughed right out loud!!

These are answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:
REVISED::: **** The answers in red are from my Hannah about me ***
       ****The answers in blue are from my Isaiah about me (keep in mind he's 3)***

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
4. Take care of us

5.  Because them love you

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.
4. Breathed through his mouth

5.  With toys

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
3. I think it's skin and eyeballs.

4.  Umm..I think with pears

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
3. Because she loves me

4. because she was having a baby

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
4. A human

5.  teeny weeny

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO t o drugs and YES to chores?
4. She needed to meet him

5.  kiss

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
4. Because she liked him

5.  because she loved him

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3 I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
4. Mom and dad. Both. But dad's bigger

5.  Mom

What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
5. Dad's are taller than mom's

6.  daddy's don't have things (???)

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
3. someone visits and mom talks

4.  prays

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.
3. If she had Jesus in her heart! (HAHA!!!)

4.  put weight on (gotta love kids!!!)

If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.
4. Make her wear dresses! (LOL!)

5.  things (typical male)

Silly things....

I read this really funny blog at Amanda's. I laughed out loud and thought I would try this silly thing. You go to google and enter in "name+needs" (name being YOUR name). This is what it said that I need:


1. Amy needs to either wake up or start getting some extra will-power.
2. Amy needs some training.
3. Amy needs help.
4. Amy needs a topic for her film.
5. Amy needs a flu shot.
6. Amy needs three volunteers.
7. Amy needs an article.
8. Amy needs to get another facial expression for deep ponderance.
9. Amy needs a blueprint for her financial future.
10. Amy needs to mend her ways and be more of a team player.
Wow – these next ones didn’t make the top ten (I just kept digging back in my result set), but definitely need to be posted! Let’s keep going with the best of the rest:
11. Amy needs to strap on her personal bomb mechanism and blow herself up.
12. Amy needs to get out the monkeysicle and do some tests on him.
13. Amy needs to stay out of the sun.
14. Amy needs a loving, committed family who will provide structure and stability and have the ability to understand her growing process.
15. Amy needs to decide if this fits her idea of a good relationship.
16. Amy needs to be the only cat.
17. Amy needs to hit the sack.
18. Amy needs to close her legs and open her mind because she stands to lose everything.
19. Amy needs the cooperation of the taxidermists for access to the animals.
20. Amy needs to take off.
21. Amy needs to realize that her family and friends require as much devotion as the horses.
22. Amy needs a new plan and fast!
23. Amy needs to find her credit card.
24. Amy needs to graduate.
25. Amy needs to remain aloof and detached from her decision in order to validate her decision and move forward.
26. Amy needs a hug

I know, it's really silly--but it made me laugh!!!!

Me mudder'd be so prawd o' me.....

I had been talking for years about trying my hand at decorating cakes. I thought it might come in handy since I will have quite a few birthday party's to host in the coming years. I never did get "around to it". Until now. A few months ago my mom bought me Course #1. I think she thought I needed a break. Lol. A nursing mom with 2 other children, she said I was being "too tough" on the kids. So maybe I did need a break? Well I enjoyed #1 so much, that I purchased Course#2. I finished last night. I had so much fun. I am hoping that once I am back to work I will be taking Course #3 and maybe Course #4. Here is my finished product from last nights class. Those of you who decorate, don't look TOO close..lol. I know with practice it only gets better!!

So here you are "mudder". Aren't ya prawd o' me? (HA!)