Ahhhhhhhh....silence. Everyone in the house is either out or in bed except for me so I'm relishing the quiet. As the mom of a non-stop talking 4 year old (naps and bedtime are a wonderful thing!), I seldom have the luxury to be alone with my thoughts! But, I know that one day, I'll be longing for those interruptions so I savor the silence now when I can. :o)
Yesterday, I ruined Krista's grand plans of doing nothing and taking a break for the day. Jacob was out so I didn't want to lose the opportunity to clean the entire house in one day! I made three list---Krista was in charge of vacuuming and mopping, putting away her's and Michael's laundry, cleaning up the game cabinet tabletop, clearing her computer desk in the office, changing her bed sheets and straightening up her room. Michael was in charge of emptying all the trash cans and putting in new liners, dusting, removing all the rugs and bringing them upstairs to the laundry room and cleaning all the doorknobs and light switches with Lysol wipes. I took care of scrubbing down the kitchen and clearing all the counter tops, cleaning all the bathrooms (don't even ask me when was the last time I did a deep clean on them), doing the laundry (comforters, bedsheets, whites, darks and towels seem to be breeding these days) and cleaning out and organizing the hall closet.
I enjoy cleaning because it's therapeutic (only when I can do it within my time table which is all in one sitting without interruptions!!!) and the results are instantaneous! I started taking out all the school supplies out the closet and then I had to stop to do more laundry, answer Michael's questions and then supervise him while he was dusting and cleaning the door knobs and switches. I returned to the closet to throw out art supplies (I'm so done with modeling clay that doesn't harden!) and finished organizing the shelves when it was time to stop and fix lunch (I had forgotten about it until Michael said he needed food!). I got back in the closet to remove all the empty boxes that have been stored there for who knows how long (we're prepared for a worldwide box famine disaster) and then had to stop and give Michael his bath and throw in another load of laundry. After cleaning him, I let him play in his little bathtub while I ran downstairs to continue organizing the closet. I was barely tossing things out of the closet when Michael was finished playing in the tub (Whhhhhat?!? I was expecting him in there longer!).
Can I be honest here? By now, I was ready to scream in frustration!!! All I wanted to do was finish cleaning and organizing that little closet and it was taking me so long to finish my task because I had to be a mother!!! All I wanted to be was just. the. maid. and do everything on my list in one swoop.
It's the world's smallest closet packed with a gazillion and one things and it took me so long just to do one task at a time in it. Sigh. I ran back upstairs and got Michael out of the bathtub and dried, creamed and dressed, told him to play and not ask me any more questions while I finished folding the laundry, started another load and then ran back downstairs to continue clearing out the closet. By the time it was Michael's nap time, I had to apologize for being so cranky with him. I told him I couldn't be the mommy today because I had to be the maid and that meant he needed to let me do my cleaning job and not require help with his Lego project or ask me all his questions. He solemnly forgave me after telling me I hurt his feelings (this always happens when I tell him to please stop talking which is probably like asking him not to breathe). Now, I've probably scarred him for life...all because I lost sight of what really matters in life.
I felt so horrible. My type A personality has a way of rearing up its ugly head when it comes to my expectations of fulfilling my lists. And now, the hall closet is a visible reminder of how easy it is to get derailed of my calling as a mother. Thank God for forgiving children and a new day! we try to keep Sundays as our Sabbath days where we focus more on "rest" and less on "work." Sometimes we eat out, go out or just hang out. Today was a combination of all three. Michael and I built a motorcycle from his Lego kit and we spent the afternoon just hanging out and relaxing in our freshly cleaned house!
Tomorrow, I will finish washing the comforters and then work on Krista's competition dress. I love the outcome of the finished product but gluing the crystals on is not on my list of favorite things to do with my time! (Probably because it takes up so much of my time...!) But for today, I will just rest by reading in leisure!
In Exodus 20:8, the Amplified Bible puts it this way, "[Earnestly] remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy (withdrawn from common employment and dedicated to God)."
And that's why we worked like crazy yesterday so today would be different.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
"I'll Take An iPhone, Daddy! I Want One!"
I haven't been sleeping well (or sleeping much!) with the strange weather changes here in soCal. Driving to the rink everyday stretches me as I would much rather be back in bed under the covers! However, I can count on Michael to keep me awake with his a billion-one-questions. He'll ask me "Mommy, tell me everything you know about cars" (on days I'm alert, I'm happy to go into detail about the little I know about cars but on days I'm barely able to concentrate I give him the short answer: "Very little.") or "Mommy, tell me how to drive the car" (Ummm, why? Are you planning to drive for me? And of course, his answer is YES!) or lately, he's been curious about moss (and this is NOT because we came across it on a hike or something outdoorsy because I don't do hikes or outdoorsy stuff! It's because I bought a shirt that was the color of moss green when I was shopping with the kids one day), so he'll go, "Mommy, I want to know everything you know about moss. What does it look like? How does it grow? Can you find it by waterfalls?" Sadly, I've had to tell him I know very little about moss other than you can probably find it in the forest or on rocks near waterfalls and he replied, "We better look it up!"
Sometimes he can make my brain hurt with all his random questions!!! I usually try to do my best to answer him with as much detail as possible because I want to encourage his questions and curiosity. I was thinking today that I can't wait til he can read so I can introduce him to those Dorling Kindersley (the DK books that are so detailed and age appropriate!) reference books for kids!
Michael LOVES the color green. Ironically, he's not a fan of ingesting green things unless they're green gummy bears, green Jelly Belly's, green Skittles, etc.! Today, I made a spinach salad with Craisins, mandarin oranges, crumbled bacon and croutons with a Asian Sesame dressing (I get mine from Costco!). Michael was eating everything but the spinach with gusto. Naturally, right? So I made him eat one little piece to try it (hey, I even put it on top of a mandarin orange so it wouldn't taste so bland!) and he wanted to spit it out immediately. I told him he had to chew and swallow it and he started crying while sputtering, "Bleh! This is disgusting! I never want to eat it ever again! It's so disgusting!!!" Seriously? You barely had it in your mouth before wanting to eject it. Now, tell me how you really feel...! Sigh. He'll eat baby peas with crumbled bacon and broccoli on occasion. Otherwise, he's trying to live a green free life.
Ahhh...ya gotta love kids and technology, right?!? Tonight I got to hang out with some of the women from our small group and the whole family tagged along (they were at a different table so I was switching places constantly!). It was really fun, but I couldn't stay long because Michael needed to be put down early since he missed his afternoon nap. Plus, I got in after midnight after a MOMSnext leadership meeting and didn't get to bed until after 2am so I was feeling a bit peaked.
In the car, Michael was playing with Krista's iTouch and we were commenting how we never saw the Apple deal about purchasing a computer and getting a free iTouch. Jacob was telling Krista she should just get an iPhone but she was more interested in getting the newer iTouch. Here's a snippet of that conversation...
Krista: But I like my phone! It's small and sleeker. The iPhones are so big and clunky!
Me: Yeah, I don't know that we need a iPhone because Krista would rather have the new iTouch.
Michael: I'll take an iPhone, Daddy! I want one!
He has been asking for an iPhone whenever we discuss Apple products and the funny thing is, the conversation is usually between Jacob, Krista and I, but Michael always finds a way to inject himself in our discussions!
This child LOVES electronics. He's very comfortable with the computer, computer games, the Wii (he can set it up himself as long as we give him the remote that's too high for him to reach!), hand held devices, etc. We have to have all sorts of parental controls and passwords set up on the computer because he's going to navigate his way around the internet and stumble on something that's not appropriate. In fact, I know exactly what he loves because he's very happy to verbalize it!
The Bible is very clear about the link between our hearts and our mouths. In the Amplified Bible, Luke 6:45 goes like this, "The upright (honorable, intrinsically good) man out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart produces what is upright (honorable and intrinsically good), and the evil man out of the evil storehouse brings forth that which is depraved (wicked and intrinsically evil); for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks."
I also love how the Amplified Bible puts Proverbs 4:23: "Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life."
You can't get much clearer than that, right?!?
Sometimes he can make my brain hurt with all his random questions!!! I usually try to do my best to answer him with as much detail as possible because I want to encourage his questions and curiosity. I was thinking today that I can't wait til he can read so I can introduce him to those Dorling Kindersley (the DK books that are so detailed and age appropriate!) reference books for kids!
Michael LOVES the color green. Ironically, he's not a fan of ingesting green things unless they're green gummy bears, green Jelly Belly's, green Skittles, etc.! Today, I made a spinach salad with Craisins, mandarin oranges, crumbled bacon and croutons with a Asian Sesame dressing (I get mine from Costco!). Michael was eating everything but the spinach with gusto. Naturally, right? So I made him eat one little piece to try it (hey, I even put it on top of a mandarin orange so it wouldn't taste so bland!) and he wanted to spit it out immediately. I told him he had to chew and swallow it and he started crying while sputtering, "Bleh! This is disgusting! I never want to eat it ever again! It's so disgusting!!!" Seriously? You barely had it in your mouth before wanting to eject it. Now, tell me how you really feel...! Sigh. He'll eat baby peas with crumbled bacon and broccoli on occasion. Otherwise, he's trying to live a green free life.
Ahhh...ya gotta love kids and technology, right?!? Tonight I got to hang out with some of the women from our small group and the whole family tagged along (they were at a different table so I was switching places constantly!). It was really fun, but I couldn't stay long because Michael needed to be put down early since he missed his afternoon nap. Plus, I got in after midnight after a MOMSnext leadership meeting and didn't get to bed until after 2am so I was feeling a bit peaked.
In the car, Michael was playing with Krista's iTouch and we were commenting how we never saw the Apple deal about purchasing a computer and getting a free iTouch. Jacob was telling Krista she should just get an iPhone but she was more interested in getting the newer iTouch. Here's a snippet of that conversation...
Krista: But I like my phone! It's small and sleeker. The iPhones are so big and clunky!
Me: Yeah, I don't know that we need a iPhone because Krista would rather have the new iTouch.
Michael: I'll take an iPhone, Daddy! I want one!
He has been asking for an iPhone whenever we discuss Apple products and the funny thing is, the conversation is usually between Jacob, Krista and I, but Michael always finds a way to inject himself in our discussions!
This child LOVES electronics. He's very comfortable with the computer, computer games, the Wii (he can set it up himself as long as we give him the remote that's too high for him to reach!), hand held devices, etc. We have to have all sorts of parental controls and passwords set up on the computer because he's going to navigate his way around the internet and stumble on something that's not appropriate. In fact, I know exactly what he loves because he's very happy to verbalize it!
The Bible is very clear about the link between our hearts and our mouths. In the Amplified Bible, Luke 6:45 goes like this, "The upright (honorable, intrinsically good) man out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart produces what is upright (honorable and intrinsically good), and the evil man out of the evil storehouse brings forth that which is depraved (wicked and intrinsically evil); for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks."
I also love how the Amplified Bible puts Proverbs 4:23: "Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life."
You can't get much clearer than that, right?!?
"Excuse Me, Mommy, Would You Please Pause Your Prayer While I Take A Break And Go To The Bathroom?"
Good News: Michael has graduated from Toilet Training School and is contentedly wearing big boy underwear these days.
Bad News: He still has the bladder of a gnat.
Michael went to the bathroom 14 times today (6 of the times were while we were out and about running errands!!!) and I'm wondering if...
A. He has a UTI infection (can boys get that?!?)
B. This is a typical trait of last born siblings because his older sister only went three times a day and that was only because she was forced to use the bathroom by a mother who was afraid she would develop kidney stones or something awful for holding her bladder so long!
C. This is normal behavior for boys
I don't know the answer to that question yet, but I will definitely be up doing some research on that topic! There is nothing more annoying than having to escort him to the bathroom three times in one hour while shopping and running errands (of course the bathroom is on the second floor or on the other side of the building!). Now, he's listening to his body way too much and I have to figure out a way to train him to hold his bladder longer! LOL!!!
For the past couple of nights during our prayer time, he's been interrupting me by tapping me continuously and saying, "Mommy! Would you please pause your prayer while I take a break and go to the bathroom?" Then he scurries off my lap and off he goes!
It's been crazy. I've been giving the kids piano lessons and Michael is also learning to type. Yesterday was hilarious! I finished Michael's lesson and set him up for his typing tutorial on the computer. I told him he needed to say the letters out loud as he typed. Then I went to give Krista her piano lessons (she is learning to play Laputa's Theme while learning to read music from Michael's lessons) and as we were working on her piano piece, Michael starts belting out "A S SPACE A L ; SPACE etc.!" He was yelling the letters out and it was so loud that we could hardly concentrate (and we couldn't stop laughing as we listened to him yelling those letters out!).
We're living at the ice rink as Krista prepares for the State Games of America competition in August and I still haven't figured out how I'm going to crystal her dress (thankfully, I only have to crystal the skirt portion since the top is made of glittery/sparkly material...whew!) yet. We haven't done anything fun this summer because Krista's been busy with summer school, math class and skating. Maybe we'll be able to do something after the competition...
There hasn't been a lot of time to read but I just started To Die For by Sandra Byrd. This is a novel of Anne Boleyn and it's so interesting that I wish I could just read it while I'm driving since I seem to be doing a lot of it these days! Look for it in early August.
Well. I have a confession. I haven't been exercising on the Wii since after the first three months of the year. Sigh. I wish I could add exercising to my long list of things I'm already allergic to, but the truth of the matter is, I'm unmotivated aka L-A-Z-Y!!! Unfortunately, as my waistline expands and my body morphs into something I no longer recognize (actually, it's quite frightening!!!), the verdict is in. I'm sentenced to begin exercising again!!! I will start tomorrow and I'm sure Michael (the underweight child who does NOT need to exercise) will be excited to join me...! He is definitely very encouraging!
We all need someone like a little Michael to encourage us in doing the right thing, don't we?!? In Hebrews 10:24-25, the Amplified Bible states it this way, "And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities,
Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching."
So, whom will you be giving attentive, continuous care to today?
Bad News: He still has the bladder of a gnat.
Michael went to the bathroom 14 times today (6 of the times were while we were out and about running errands!!!) and I'm wondering if...
A. He has a UTI infection (can boys get that?!?)
B. This is a typical trait of last born siblings because his older sister only went three times a day and that was only because she was forced to use the bathroom by a mother who was afraid she would develop kidney stones or something awful for holding her bladder so long!
C. This is normal behavior for boys
I don't know the answer to that question yet, but I will definitely be up doing some research on that topic! There is nothing more annoying than having to escort him to the bathroom three times in one hour while shopping and running errands (of course the bathroom is on the second floor or on the other side of the building!). Now, he's listening to his body way too much and I have to figure out a way to train him to hold his bladder longer! LOL!!!
For the past couple of nights during our prayer time, he's been interrupting me by tapping me continuously and saying, "Mommy! Would you please pause your prayer while I take a break and go to the bathroom?" Then he scurries off my lap and off he goes!
It's been crazy. I've been giving the kids piano lessons and Michael is also learning to type. Yesterday was hilarious! I finished Michael's lesson and set him up for his typing tutorial on the computer. I told him he needed to say the letters out loud as he typed. Then I went to give Krista her piano lessons (she is learning to play Laputa's Theme while learning to read music from Michael's lessons) and as we were working on her piano piece, Michael starts belting out "A S SPACE A L ; SPACE etc.!" He was yelling the letters out and it was so loud that we could hardly concentrate (and we couldn't stop laughing as we listened to him yelling those letters out!).
We're living at the ice rink as Krista prepares for the State Games of America competition in August and I still haven't figured out how I'm going to crystal her dress (thankfully, I only have to crystal the skirt portion since the top is made of glittery/sparkly material...whew!) yet. We haven't done anything fun this summer because Krista's been busy with summer school, math class and skating. Maybe we'll be able to do something after the competition...
There hasn't been a lot of time to read but I just started To Die For by Sandra Byrd. This is a novel of Anne Boleyn and it's so interesting that I wish I could just read it while I'm driving since I seem to be doing a lot of it these days! Look for it in early August.
Well. I have a confession. I haven't been exercising on the Wii since after the first three months of the year. Sigh. I wish I could add exercising to my long list of things I'm already allergic to, but the truth of the matter is, I'm unmotivated aka L-A-Z-Y!!! Unfortunately, as my waistline expands and my body morphs into something I no longer recognize (actually, it's quite frightening!!!), the verdict is in. I'm sentenced to begin exercising again!!! I will start tomorrow and I'm sure Michael (the underweight child who does NOT need to exercise) will be excited to join me...! He is definitely very encouraging!
We all need someone like a little Michael to encourage us in doing the right thing, don't we?!? In Hebrews 10:24-25, the Amplified Bible states it this way, "And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities,
Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching."
So, whom will you be giving attentive, continuous care to today?
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
"Mommy, I Suck-ed My Finger and It Made Me Sneeze!"
Don't you just love those random thoughts that spring out of your child's mouth?!? Michael has me cracking up all day long!!! When he tries to be funny, he's not, but when he's just being himself, he's a regular comedian around here!
We've all been fighting something ever since Michael came down with a fever two weeks ago. And to top things off, I'm trying to keep up with my reviews (usually I take the summer off and just chill). So, do me a favor and click on the tab at the top that says "Five Star Books and More Newsletter" and check out my latest reviews for this month!
Comments can be sent to me at thereadingmom@gmail.com :o)
We've all been fighting something ever since Michael came down with a fever two weeks ago. And to top things off, I'm trying to keep up with my reviews (usually I take the summer off and just chill). So, do me a favor and click on the tab at the top that says "Five Star Books and More Newsletter" and check out my latest reviews for this month!
Comments can be sent to me at thereadingmom@gmail.com :o)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)