Contentedness...Where do you find it?

Why is it so hard to be content? Why do we always want what someone else has? Seems to me, that should be something we conquer well before we exit high school, and yet here I sit, well past high school, and still at times, I find myself wishing...wishing for a leaner body, more hair, a day when everything I plan gets done! A day when I do everything right with my kids, a day when I love my husband up so much, that he never doubts his place in my life. A day when I don't disappoint someone with something that I did (or did not do)...

So what's a girl to do? Let's look at these one by one and try to apply some logic here:

1) leaner body - well, I could walk every day, even if it is on the treadmill and not outside; I could make better food choices, and not justify the yucky stuff I eat. That's a good place to start.

2) more hair - well, not much I can do about that! I just did not get the thick hair gene, guess I will just have to be thankful I have hair!

3) a day when everything I plan gets done - maybe the pronoun is the problem here. What about what God has for me today? Did I take the time to spend some time with Him, this morning, to hear what He thinks is important for the day? "The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way." Psalm 37:23

4) a day when I do everything right with my kids - Maybe my kids need me to play with them, to curl up and read all day, or to not say, "Mommy's busy, I'll be there in a minute." (ten times). I know that these days are short and before I know it, my children will be out doing what God created them to do...I need to savor the time I have with them right now. And I need to cut myself some slack. Being a mom is hard work! Harder than I ever thought it would be. But I know that when I spend time with my Father, then I am a way better mother to the kids He has given to me.

5) a day when I love my husband up so much, that he never doubts his place in my life - And, look, here he is, at the end of my list again! I really need some help here, Lord! I so want to be the help-mate for my husband that I was created to be... it is my heart's cry.

6) a day when I don't disappoint someone with something that I did (or did not do)... - I think that too often, I let this one rule over the rest. I will drop everything to go help someone else, but does my husband get this same devotion? My kids? Sadly, they do not. So I guess what I am saying is that there may be more disappointment outside my house, but more contentment within. I am sorry (in advance), if I have to say 'no' to you, when you ask me for something, but I really need to get my priorities in order so that I can be the woman of God, wife, and mother that God intended in those long ago days, when He created me. "My frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in your book they were all written, the days fashioned for me, as yet there were none of them." Pslalm 139:15-16

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The Dinos Have It!

We had so much fun at Co-op today! We are doing a unit on Dinosaurs, so this week and next we are learning about them and the following week, we will go to Dinosaur Ridge and see real Dino footprints! We have the distinction of living near the edge of an old sea bed that was pushed up during the flood. So all the cool footprints that were preserved for thousands of years, have been gradually exposed by erosion, and now you can see them!

Anyway, today we were talking about six dinosaurs, Velociraptor, Apatosaraus, Seismosaurus, Iguanodon, Ankylosaurus, and of course, our old friend: T-Rex. The coolest thing was when we laid out the length of the dinos (anywhere from 6 feet to 150 feet long!), and then the height. I found a website that suggested taking balloons and string and measuring a length of string the height of the dino. Tie the balloons to the end, and let them go (after you stake it to the ground ;-))! If the wind isn't blowing, which sadly, it was, then the balloons will float up to the height of the dinos head. The kids were so amazed, especially when they saw the "Seismosaurus" looking at them over the top of the house!! That monster was 84 feet tall!

Somehow, with six moms here, we did not get even one picture, so you are going to have to imagine it yourself (or head to Safeway and buy some dollar balloons and try it yourself!). Just a tip, if you do the "big ones" make sure you get 4-5 balloons to get up to the real height. And don't worry about getting it exact, who can tell when you are at 45 feet, or even 23 feet, like a T-rex! Besides, it's a good way to introduce estimation!

After lunch, the moms were sitting at the table, mixing up sand, tapioca flour and water in dixie cups so that we could sink plastic dinos in them. Once they harden, the kids will get to be "palentologists" when they dig to find out what is hidden in the 'rock'. The kids came in, and wondered what we were doing. We shooed them all out, so they would not see the 'surprise', and then the backyard was abuzz with "The Mommies are making a mess!!!"

Hopefully, I will get pics from next weeks activities!

What the boys do while we do school...

Sweet Potato and I were finishing up school when I heard a lot of giggling coming from the den. I went to investigate, and this is what I found!

Just in case you ever wondered...Ask!

Kid Questionnaire

L: 7 years

E: 4.5 years
A: 3.5 years

1. What is something mom always says to you?
L – If you do something wrong, I am just learning how to do it.

E – good night
A – no banging and no pulling

2. What makes mom happy?
L – When I obey

E – buying toys for me
A – not screaming (him not me!)

3. What makes mom sad?
L – When I disobey.

E – not buying anything
A – for screaming

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
L – by making silly faces

E – by um…telling me funny jokes
A - tickling

5. What was your mom like as a child?
L – I dunno, cause I wasn’t there.

E – I don’t know…where you like that?
A – don’t know

6. How old is your mom?
L – 64

E - 16
A - 3

7. How tall is your mom?
L – 20 feet tall

E – 90 feet
A – big, like that big

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
L - read

E – buy toys
A - cook

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
L – work on the computer

E - pray
A - cook

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
L – by doing the most loop-de-loops

E - you
A – I going to be four…I want to be four…

11. What is your mom really good at?
L - painting

E - art
A - play

12. What is your mom not very good at?
L - math

E – replacing windows
A – can’t eat pancake

13. What does your mom do for a job?
L – keep us safe

E – work on the computer
A – clean up everything

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
L – pad thai

E – hummus and bread and goat cheese and rice
A – pizza!

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
L – when she cooks the best food

E – that she gets to stay home
A - pancakes

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
L – Larry Boy

E – my mommy
A – a boy

17. What do you and your mom do together?
L - school

E - school
A – make cookies

18. How are you and your mom the same?
L – same colored hair

E – we have brown eyes
A – I don’t know

19. How are you and your mom different?
L – we don’t have the same color eyes

E – because we don’t have the same shirts on
A – I don’t know

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
L – by how she keeps us safe

E – that’s from all your kisses
A – mommy loves me

21. What does your mom like about your dad?
L – that he works hard for us

E – you like to talk to him
A - playing

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
L – to see Aunt Marianna

E – GA!
A - park

23. Who is your mommy’s favorite person?
L - Grammie

E - Grammie
A – I’m your person!

At the Breakfast Table

Sweet Potato: "Mommy, can we please get some napkins, the next time we are at the store?"

Note: we have been out for more than a few days...and she sets the table, so she notices more than I do...

Me: "Of course. We should have gotten some when we were at the store yesterday, but I forgot".

Jalapeno: "I knew it, but I forgot".

Me: "If you forgot, then you didn't know it".

Jalapeno: "I knew it, but it was in my foot".

Really?....If I had only known that that was a place to store things, I might have gotten more done in my life!!

Argumentative!

Argumentative!

OK, so you know that whole thing about the duckbill platypus showing that God really has a sense of humor? Well I am sure that He does.

Exhibit A: My son, Pineapple. The child was born to argue. Everything. Whether it is really something he wants, or not.

Example 1: Said child argues every morning about eating oatmeal. Every morning. This morning, being the kind momma that I am, I decided to make eggs for breakfast, to give them a change.

When Pineapple asked what we were having for breakfast, I said "Eggs!", thinking he would be so excited!! Was he? NO. "Mommy, I want to eat oatmeal!!! I don't want eggs!!" So, I gave him oatmeal, and what did he do, you ask (do you really have to ask?!)? He argued about eating the oatmeal!! AAGGGHHH!!!!!

So, I do believe that God has a sense of humor. I also believe that my Mom (and probably my Dad) are laughing hysterically too, because God has given me a child just like I was when I was a kid. No matter the genetics involved, that old adage about your kids being like you, well, it's true.

And for that matter, my husband is probably reading this and thinking, "Yep, just like his Momma!", because I still argue about lots of things too.

Oh, well. Keeps life interesting, I guess!

Quote(s) of the day from Potty Boy!

Pineapple (aka Potty Boy) came down stairs with his pants falling down, asking me to help him. I picked him up and said "If you had a butt, your pants would actually stay up!" His reply? "Mommy, where can we get one?"

And, I came upstairs from walking on the treadmill and heard Potty Boy crying and calling for me. He was in the bathroom on the potty, and as I came up the stairs, I heard him wail..."Mommy, why are you taking 2o years?" Side note: you must imagine that last one said in a long, sad wail.