Looking Inward

So character lesson for mom? not Sharon?  Could it be?  Maybe the events of the last two days were meant for me to develop some qualities that are seriously lacking?  Being a role model is definitely the most direct and influential part of our children's life and I think that is reflecting itself clearly to me this year.   My 12 year old daughter is teaching me huge on humility, obedience and peace.  As she is growing into a young adult she is exhibiting personality qualities that we started teaching her when she was 7.  As I am awoken this morning by my infant hacking gunk up from his chest at about 5 am, after being up every 2 hours, or so, from him teething and wanting to nurse, I decide that he coughs much less if I am standing.  Good morning world.  His coughing does not subside so we shower in hopes the steam clears him up a little.  He seems to be coughing less and ready to get out.  So I let him run around the room while I am lotioning and dressing etc.  He decides to play under the sink.  No I'm not supposed to let the baby play under the sink but there's nothing under there, except maybe that Listerine bottle he just knocked over.  No biggie it's closed....or is it?  I turn my back only to hear glug glub glug glub and the Listerine is pouring out onto the carpet. As I am stomping it up with a towel (my bath towel) Tobias decides to empty my drawer and spread my Q-tips and flossers out.  OK just relax I"ll get those in a minute.  Than I hear the sound of air excaping his little behind, but it's not just air.  Poop is now pooring out of his behind onto the carpet so I grab another towel and try and catch his "stuff" from hitting the carpet anymore.  He gets upset as I am wiping his leg and I have to carry him in a "eww please don't touch me or fling anything on me" hold.  As I lay him on yet another towel to change him, I open the wipes box and the wipes are all dried out.  I command him to stay still (ever tried to command a 9.5mth old) as I reach for more wipes.  Luckily he held and I cleaned and OH Goodness, where are the diapers.  Oh there they are under that pile of laundry that we barely missed with the Listerine.  Diaper on.  Now I have to restomp the Listerine as Tobias fusses because he doesn't feel good. 
What is important in life?  Patience, Peace, Self Control.  With the events of my supermarket experience, and this morning and other small things (another family funeral), that po(o)pped into my schedule and before 6 am this morning I think I need to remember what I prayed for recently.  I don't think the Universe is against me or the stars are out of aline or evolution is trying to make me decide survival or not.  I choose God who is probably working on me so my kids future can be Joyful and Hopeful. He's definitely answering someones prayer and I better be paying attention or the Universe will definitely make my life difficult if I let it control me. 
As best as I can remember from the movie "Pretty Woman",(yes, it's been that long since I've been able to stay awake or get through an entire move), "I choose Who, I choose when, I choose.....Well you get the picture.  Blessings for all those moms out there that think today is going to last forever.  You will look back someday and realize it really wasn't that much time and wish it would of lasted a little more.  So enjoy today, even the Listerine spills, poopy carpets and the insensitive supermarket experiences.  Laugh Love Live  Three areas in my life that definitely need focus.

Color Cut Character

I love Bob Books.  Beginner reading books.  They are short with only one short vowel sound throughout the whole book.  No plurals or silent e's in there to confuse a beginner reader.  Only problem is I can't find my set!  So Sharon is reading out of a reader set that uses plurals.  To make it harder I think I'm dealing with a possible dyslexia issue.  She picks up letters from other parts of the page and she reads the words backwards. I have to cover up the "s" at the end of the plural word and all the other words on the page.  Today's book was a little longer and she was having trouble with her "t's" and "p's".  Very frustrating for her :(.  She did do a character lesson on using night time to rest.  The mission was to color a picture and than to reconstruct it into a puzzle.  Her assignment was to read a bedtime story.  I only thought my first was strong willed and had struggling learning tendencies...my Sharon is a storm of challenges. But if she takes after her namesake she will prevail and prevail with excellence. 

FALL FUN FOOD

This fall is beautiful!  I love the dazzling color changes.  My home sits surrounded by cottonwood, elm, mulberry, black walnut, willow and other trees that are changing in stages.  Sharon's cookies are loved by Shoshana the most.  They do have nuts and raisins in them so not for everyone.  But the fact they don't have sugar doesn't affect the taste.  Shoshana has been crocheting a purse for her BFF for about a month and has finished.  It turned out really good.  I'm very proud of her for sticking with it, even when I would take out rows that didn't quite match.  Abigail is doing a unit study on a novel and made raspberry preserves for one of the projects.  Raspberries are only $1.25 a pint at City Market right now (4 pints for the price of one) so I think we may go back tomorrow and stock up.  Abigail loved it and wants to make more.  I planted 5 raspberry bushes this summer and hope that the 3 that look healthy produce a little next year.  Thanks to Chef Sharon for sharing her blog space.  We have paper pumpkins and homemade wreaths next.  Stay tuned.

APPLESAUCE COOKIES

We cooked!  We didn't video it though.  It seems by the time I get ready to video we're out of time.  Today I just said Sharon let's make cookies.  I mentioned that at 10am this morning and we started at 5pm this evening and made the dough while the pizzas were cookin'.  We made applesauce cookies.  No sugar.  They were sweetened by honey and had raisins and nuts in them.  A perfect fall cookie!!  Sharon measured all the ingredients and even cracked the eggs "perfectly".  I always tell her what the measurements are and than show her how to find the correct measuring spoon or cup.  Tonight it was 1/2.  How many pieces do you have when you cut something in half?  She says "2".  So I show her the 1/2 on the teaspoon,"see it has a two on the bottom and 1 on the top, so that's 1/2 tsp.  How many 1/2's to make 1 tsp Sharon, was the next question? "1" she says.  OK it'll take time and repetition.  She also made the pancakes this morning.  She oiled the grill, mixed the dough, poored the cake and flipped them.  She made all of us angel shaped pancakes.  What a girl!  Now I will work on taking a picture with my web cam of the yummy cookies.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Last month we added two teenage girls to our family for the school year, therefore my time to blog has gone from 3 x a week goal, to once a week, to hopefully once a month.  I'm tired but here.  Today we accomplished so much in Sharon's academics because I decided to focus a little.  Our character mission today was, "to tell a family member you love them".  Sharon colored a heart with the words I Love You on it.  She than cut it out and cut a heart into 6 puzzle pieces.  She put the pieces in the envelope and wrote the name of the one she wanted to give it to.  Well, she decided to write Abigail and Shoshana (her sisters) and than put it on Shoshana's pillow.  She was so excited that 30 minutes later she asked if they had found it.  They didn't find it until late tonight after Sharon was in bed.  She told me that she wanted to make sure they both saw it, so one of them didn't think she didn't love them too.  Awwww.  Just when you think they'll never get along, at least I know they love each other, and love conquers all, right?