Book Excerpt: The Creative Family

Our Summer Theme: Creativity

I'm reading a book called: The Creative Family. Here's an excerpt:

I encourage you to think about letting your child be the guide, director, and teacher, while you try to be a student. Your role is to provide the environment and to watch and learn. Try to forget and put aside all the things running around in your mind-- all the lists that need completing, all the distractions of your day, and all the mess that you might be making (don't even think about the cleanup process yet). Focus on your child. Watch. Never forget to play (and if you've forgotten how, just watch your child).

As difficult as it may be to shift your thinking from that of adult responsibilities such as cleaning up, try as hard as you can to think a bit differently about your chilren's "messes." When your child stomps through a puddle, try to think of the experience gained. When your child slips her hands right into that puddle, think of the way she is touching the earth, getting a sense for how things change in the soil. All of their messes are really lessons about life and the earth. Don't be afraid to get dirty. Be in the moment as much as you possibly can, and follow your child's natural, creative imagination where ever it may lead you both.

It's a great book. Two thumbs up.

Bloggers Block

I was never much of a writer, at my best I got B's in English, and I own enough blank journals to start a small Hallmark, but when I found the BLOG-o-Sphere, I was changed in the click of a button.

When I first started I only knew one other blogger personally, so I had no inhibitions. What ever popped into my scattered little brain was posted: closet pooing toddlers, sagging unmentionables and the heart break of losing a loved one, it all got written.

I loved the idea of having a record of our family adventures, random thoughts, daily doings, and testimony building experiences. I would love to read about how my mom dealt with day to day life. So, I guess I write with the assumption that one day my kids might be interested in my day to day life. And, I plan on printing it into a bound book for my kids, one day.

But, in the last year I find myself holding back so many of my real thoughts and what I would write if I knew no one was looking, that it's losing it's appeal to me. I was talking with Racheal awhile back and we decided we would write how we wanted, because the only people's opinion we really cared about were those who loved us anyhow, and since they would expect some odd posts about subjects like quilts, pooey mishaps, and Mommy rants, it would make us just that much more endearing. But alas, I digress. I still find myself writing carefully, and cautiously. Sometimes I just write freely with the expectation that I will just save the post as a draft and post it right before I print.

I've contemplated going private with only subscribers being able to read, but the truth is I love to read other mom blogs, I gain ideas, insight, and perspective from reading about their daily mishaps and adventures and I want to share those things with others too. I really am inspired and strengthend by the things I read on friends blogs, so I just don't know. What do you guys think? Anyone else having the Private? Public? Issue?

Confessions of "That Mom"

"That Mom". It's such an versatile phrase full of cynicism and insinuation. Today as I used this ambiguous phrase, I couldn't help but contemplate which part of 'That mom' I am. I suppose...

I am "That Mom" who hangs the kids latest and greatest on the Fridge. The kind that has more than one cute expression for ugly words or body parts, ie. "baby's milk", "girl parts", "fort" & "squeak". I'm sad to say, this year I was "that mom" who planed the Preschool Valentine's Party but, forgot to supply my kiddo with Valentine's. The kind that teaches her 3 year old VCR skills, so she can catch more zzz's.

"That Mom" who serves cereal for dinner and cold pizza for breakfast and kisses her kids so many times in a day, they have perma-dention in their foreheads.

I am "That Mom" who wipes away dirt with a licked thumb and hold kids over public potties. The kind who buys xtra underwear to avoid laundry and has a "Company's Coming!" drill. I am "That Mom" who cries a little each time she folds the kids out grown clothes and wishes they'd never grow up and grow up quicker, all at the same time.

I am "That Mom" that sweeps crumbs under the stove and kicks toys under the couch when noone's looking. She who forgets to change the non-smelly diaps and every once in a while forgets a kid here or there. I am "That Mom" who throws the occasional and not-so occasional tantrum along side her preschooler, loves dress-ups, twirling, and polishing tiny toe nails.

I am "That mom" who blogs away her lifes complaints, loves to sew mediocre creations, and do "yo-go". What more can I say sometimes we're all a little bit of "That Mom".

Thought Provoking Questions

• Why do they sterilize the needles for lethal injections?
• Why are a "wise man" and a "wise guy" opposites?
• Should vegetarians eat animal crackers?
• Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here and drink what comes out"?
• Why is it that when trasporting stuff on a car its called a SHIPment, but if transporting stuff on a ship its called CARgo?
• They say kids brighten the home. That's because they never turn the lights off.
• Whose cruel idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have a "S" in it?
• Why does "fat chance" and "slim chance" mean the same thing?
• Why do we drive on the parkway and park in the driveway?
• The "Psychic Friends Network" went out of business... didn't they see it coming?
• Can you get cornered in a round room?
• If something "goes without saying," why do people still say it?

"I Dressed Myself" -the button.

Where do you find a button maker at a time like this? It's not in the yellow pages under Button Making, I know I've looked. I just need a few buttons that say, "I dress myself". And, maybe one that says, "My dad picked out these clothes." Ky's at that age, where I would rather keep my sanity, and my hair, rather than force her to wear anything that matches. Her dad on the other hand just has to sprinkle some daddy charm and, "poof" she obeys. This is where the "My dad picked out these clothes" button comes in.
Last week I was a little behind getting ready for church, so Jess took over dressing the kids. Mistake, I know. I'm the mom who had to hang my head in shame as my 'little orphan' daughter walked around with syrup in her matted hair, and two different shoes. No exaggeration. I'll have to make more time on Sundays. But, there's still the daily fashion dilemma. Remedy: Daddy's charm. Beg, borrow, steal, I just need a little.