Childhood memory

4.  What is your happiest childhood memory?  What makes it so special?

This is a hard question to answer.  I had a happy childhood all around. I have to choose an event that occurred more than once.

 My happiest memories are boating with my entire family. There is just something so fun about packing up a lunch and spending the day at the river. I loved every part of it.  I loved tubing behind the boat. I loved swimming in the water.  I loved building in the sand.  I loved riding in the boat. When I think back to all the time we spent on the boat, I'm always happy.  Everybody was always having a good time.  There was lots of laughter and fun. It was a time when we all came together to get things done. We all helped load and unload, pack and unpack, and we all worked together. 

I can still close my eyes and feel the warmth of the sun, smell the exhaust from the boat, taste the sunchips, and hear the fun and laughter. I can remember the happy, tired feeling driving in the car on the way home. If I could recreate one event with my family, it would have to be a day on the boat.  

What’s the most sensible thing you’ve ever heard someone say?

3.  What’s the most sensible thing you’ve ever heard someone say?

Good question!

Whatever we do for our children, they will never learn to do for themselves.

I am sure there are many other things I could choose, but at this point in my life, I'm choosing this one.  It's true.  How are kids supposed to learn other than by doing? I once had a student in 5th grade who could not tie his shoes, button buttons, zip zippers, etc.  There really wasn't any physical reason he couldn't do these things, but his mother always did it for him and never encouraged him to learn how to do it.  Can you imagine?  He came to school in elastic waisted pants or shorts and velcro shoes. I sometimes wonder what has happened to that student.  What was his mother thinking??

I try and always let my children do things for themselves.  Of course I will help and guide them when they need it.  Giving them opportunities to succeed  gives them confidence.  Sometimes they fail, but they usually try again and figure out how to succeed.  I also love that they are interested in doing things themselves.  Katie has decided she really wants to be able to cook a meal for the family.  I'm glad she feels confident enough to do it. She's made a few simple things on her own such as corn bread and pancakes, but soon I will let her plan and cook the meal.  Of course, I will be right there to guide her along.

What about you?  What is the most sensible thing you've heard someone say?

Who do you sometimes compare yourself to?

2.  Who do you sometimes compare yourself to?

There are a ton of people I compare myself to for different reasons. 

First, I compare my self to my mom. I often wonder how she was able to be so calm with us kids all of the time.  What did she do when she was a stay at home mom? Am I showing my own children the same kind of love that she showed us? I compare myself to her is good ways too.  I tend to notice the differences between our lives and things how things are done.  For example, I prepare meals in a completely different way than she did, but still serve a few of the same dishes that she did. She didn't have nearly as many outside the home activities as I do.  Was she satisfied?  There are so many times I wish I could talk to her about her life when she was my age. I guess I find it intersting to think about how we are alike and how we are different.

I often find myself comparing my accomplishments with newsmakers.  I'm always impressed when someone my age or younger has made great contributions to the world or has become very successful in their career. It's not that it makes me feel bad about myself, I just find myself taking some time to contemplate my own successes.  I usually end up thinking about my greatest successes, Katie & Alex. Although it does make me wonder what I could accomplish if I put my mind to it!

I also compare myself to my friends.  I have thought about how our families are different, our life styles, and interests, accomplishments and marriages.  I have learned so many things from the people in my life and been inspired to change in little ways.

Food for thought!

Trying something new!

Really?  It's been since November that I've shared any thoughts?  I love reading everybody else's blogs, but I have a hard time motivating myself to write about anything. I guess it's because there aren't any really exciting things to post about. 

So, I found a great sight that lists all kinds of thought provoking questions.  I also found a list of 356 thought provoking questions. http://thoughtquestions.com/  I think that's a good place to start. I need to be more contemplative in my life.  Feel free to join along with me as I attempt to answer a question a day (or let's be honest, maybe a question a week!)

1. When was the last time you tried something new?

Hmm..   In the past few years of adulthood, I've tried quite a few new things.  I've tried a ton of new foods and found quite a few new favorites. I've tried new genres of books and found some books I really liked that I would not have chosen on my own. I can't think of any new experience that I've tried recently, other than new recipes which I try very often.  I guess the newest thing to me was trying Indian Food at an Indian Restaurant.  Thanks, bookclub!

Who has a suggestion for something new I can try? I'd love to hear your thoughts.  What have you tried lately?

2nd grade girl

Second grade has been challenging for my girl so far. Let's face it, it's been challenging for me too. It started the first day of school when she told me on the way home that she hated second grade.  I didn't take her too seriously, even when she told me before going to bed that she was going to call in sick in the morning.  It still didn't really sink in....until the next morning when she barricaded herself in her closet and refused to come out.  After some coaxing, she did come out and ended up having a better day. 

We are still struggling to love second grade.  Now, don't get me wrong, there are way more good times than there have been bad, but it has been breaking my heart to see Katie upset about school and homework. 

Katie is a thinker.  She always has been.  She understand things most kids her age don't.  People have commented on her "old soul" for most of her life. She is sensitive.  She has REAL emotions that she has to express. She is a girl who cries while watching a movie, both when things are sad and when they are happy.  I've seen her wipe tears away many times, she really feels what is happening. She is super caring and puts other people first. She is the first to give away things to someone who needs them more than she does. She's beginning to understand that she is a fortunate girl and that she is lucky to have such a caring loving family.

She still doesn't love second grade. She cries about doing homework. She doesn't like that her class gets in trouble.  She doesn't like getting punished as a class for things that she didn't do.  She doesn't like that other students talk and are disrespectful. She doesn't like writing. She feels stressed about doing work. She is a smart girl and has great ideas.  Her area of struggle is writing.  It takes her FOR EVER to write things. She is a horrible speller. These things cause problems when you are in second grade.   I wish for her that things would come easier. I hope and pray that she is learning some valuable lessons by having to struggle to do things.  There are so many things that she does well.

She has become a pretty great reader. She loves books and is gaining some confidence in her reading ability. She has to memorize a new poem every week, and by Tuesday morning she's got it down.  She doesn't just recite the poem, she performs. My girl has music inside of her.  She loves to sing and dance and she does so with gusto.  The girl has moves!  She's also a great problem solver.  She thinks logically and is good with numbers. She's also confident in most things. She's confident in her own style and is comfortable in her own skin. She doesn't sit back and let someone tell her what to do, she makes her own decisions and sticks to what is right for her.

Katie is a great big sister.  She loves her brother and would do anything for him. She is quick to sacrifice what she wants to make him happy. She always includes him in things and she lets him be a leader in their play. Alex is lucky to have a big sister who loves to help him.

I am blessed to be her mother.

3 new ones!

There are three new posts below this one. Don's miss out on all of the fun! :)

A Five Year Old!

On August 3rd, Alex turned 5 years old.  It really is amazing how fast they grow up. For his birthday, we had a family party. Alex choose to have ravioli for his birthday dinner. I insisted on making homemade ravioli.  I stuffed almost 100 raviolis.  Next time, I'll buy the frozen kind! 

Of course, the big theme for his birthday was Monster Trucks.  As his big gift, he got a room makeover. His room was painted Grave Digger green and the wall are now adorned with a giant Grave Digger Decal and lots of smaller Monster Truck stickers.  He loves it!

Blowing out the candles on the homemade icecream cake!

Wipeout! Wii game.

Do you think he liked the Monster Jam K'Nex set?

On the Saturday after the big day, we heading down to Sky Zone for a jumping good birthday party.  The kids had an hour of jumping on the trampolines, then it was time for pizza and cake.  I think all of the kids and the dads had a blast jumping. Alex had a great birthday!

Celebrating at Sky Zone!

Thanks for helping us celebrate Alex's birthday!