If the last 11 years of parenting have taught me anything...it's that I know nothing. However, there are a few gems that I have picked up along the way...
1. If a three year old makes his bed...someone should get a marshmallow.
2. If a four year old tells you you aren't old...believe him.
3. If an eight year old tells you you're beautiful...believe him.
4. If, after you have gone to the hairdresser and said hairdresser gives you a fab do with highlights and everything and your kid who doesn't do well with change wrinkles his nose and tells you that you don't look like his mom anymore...take it as a compliment.
5. When you suggest to your child that perhaps they should get out their art supplies and make something, they will whine and complain about how boring art is, how they can't do anything, etc., etc. If, however, you get out YOUR art supplies they will immediately be inspired to do something that takes a lot of YOUR effort, YOUR art supplies and is worthy of being displayed in the Louvre, you on the other hand will get nothing done and be left to clean up the mess.
6. Chores are fun when there are large pieces of machinery involved.
7. Vaseline is a dangerous household substance.
8. Flour, even just a little, can make your whole floor into a skating rink.
9. One chocolate chip is capable of covering a toddler in chocolate from head to toe including the surrounding vicinty up to 20 ft in any direction.
10. If they loved it today they will hate it tomorrow.
11. If it was fun today it will be boring tomorrow.
12. If they could do it today they will miraculously lose that ability overnight.
13. They cannot hear you when you call them for supper, but they can hear the opening of the chip bag from across the yard...when you're in the far basement corner...under a blanket.
14. If you have recently filled up the soap dispenser, small hands will see to it that it goes immediately to half full. It will, however, remain that way indefinately.
15. Toothbrushing is only fun when there is a full tube of toothpaste.
16. Toothpaste is an excellent, long lasting adhesive.
17. Your bathroom mirror can remain at the same rate of dirtiness for many days. The day it gets cleaned, however, will be the day that someone with small hands will decide that the now full soap dispenser is a good substance for making handprints.
18. If you finally splurge and buy a brand new lip gloss/stick your pre-schoolers will find it and it will be gone...save yourself the dough and use the vaseline...you can probably wipe it off the wall for a long time, it doesn't dry out quickly.
19. If you are missing some kind of liquid that comes in a tube, first check your windows and walls.
20. The toilet paper only runs out when mom is on the throne.
There it is folks, my little bits of wisdom...got anymore!
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Pink Things
This is the "before" shot.
and here is the after. Pink and green and pretty!! Actually the lighter green paint is the same as it was before, it didn't match for the first two coats of light pink, but after the third coat...it was a perfect match! The rest of the walls are the light pink on top...these are the closet doors.
Princess Peanut in her sister's pink chair, holding her sister's pink purse, wearing her pink shirt! Waiting for mommy to make her this!!
I found pink John Deere fabric yesterday! How good is that! I'm making that little shirt and capri pants with brown and pink stuff! Should be cute for my cute peanut!!Too bad she doesn't have that much hair! Though bald is much easier to care for, I must say!
Friday, May 18, 2007
The goings on around here...
Yesterday was our 15th anniversary! We are so young still.......NOT! But we're still cute so there you go, and our grey hair just adds to our distinguished features.
I think I may have to change my name to vegetable lady. I've been planting vegetables for the last three days. Finally I have garden space that my actually accomodate our large family. I'm even enjoying being outside everyday working in all my dirt. Shocking isn't it! I'm even kinda having fun doing it. I got a little discouraged yesterday when my four boys, in two different instances, decided they needed to become 'mudmen' and managed to do some damage to two of my gardens. I wasn't a very happy momma. My husband said, "Welcome to the world of farming, you have no control over the kind or size of pests that enter your field!" How true.
So here are my gardens:
The House Garden - strawberries, peas, beans, carrots, lettuce, rhubarb and some cucumbers for eating fresh.
The Flower Garden (in two parts) - you guessed it...flowers! Peonies, lillies, irises and mums.
The Tree Garden - it houses my new weeping carigana that I got for mother's day, delphiniums, irises, various other little things that I don't know what they are, cucumbers for pickling, parsley, dwarf marigolds and ornamental cabbage
The Cucumber Garden - cucumbers, who knew
The Salsa Garden - tomatoes, peppers, oregan, thyme, basil and some perrenials
The Corn Patch - corn
The Potato Patch - potatoes, rasperries, cherry and apple trees
I also have a few containers for annuals and pretty things.
My gardening days have officially begun! I was pondering why it's so different here than before - gardening and outdoorsy feeling. Maybe it's because there's room to breathe here, room to hear the birds, room to see, room for my kids to roam, I'm not sure exactly but I'm pretty certain it's good.
My big boy is learning how to cultivate, rototill and mow with larger than 'city' machines. He's also managed to get a contract to mow the school yard and make some cash.
What's next...chickens, pigs, cows, who knows....but no more babies, as far as I know! Unlike CWG and who knows who else! We do however have 5 cats, one of which is pregnant, so I guess we are going to have babies. More on the cats later. Lunch time!
I think I may have to change my name to vegetable lady. I've been planting vegetables for the last three days. Finally I have garden space that my actually accomodate our large family. I'm even enjoying being outside everyday working in all my dirt. Shocking isn't it! I'm even kinda having fun doing it. I got a little discouraged yesterday when my four boys, in two different instances, decided they needed to become 'mudmen' and managed to do some damage to two of my gardens. I wasn't a very happy momma. My husband said, "Welcome to the world of farming, you have no control over the kind or size of pests that enter your field!" How true.
So here are my gardens:
The House Garden - strawberries, peas, beans, carrots, lettuce, rhubarb and some cucumbers for eating fresh.
The Flower Garden (in two parts) - you guessed it...flowers! Peonies, lillies, irises and mums.
The Tree Garden - it houses my new weeping carigana that I got for mother's day, delphiniums, irises, various other little things that I don't know what they are, cucumbers for pickling, parsley, dwarf marigolds and ornamental cabbage
The Cucumber Garden - cucumbers, who knew
The Salsa Garden - tomatoes, peppers, oregan, thyme, basil and some perrenials
The Corn Patch - corn
The Potato Patch - potatoes, rasperries, cherry and apple trees
I also have a few containers for annuals and pretty things.
My gardening days have officially begun! I was pondering why it's so different here than before - gardening and outdoorsy feeling. Maybe it's because there's room to breathe here, room to hear the birds, room to see, room for my kids to roam, I'm not sure exactly but I'm pretty certain it's good.
My big boy is learning how to cultivate, rototill and mow with larger than 'city' machines. He's also managed to get a contract to mow the school yard and make some cash.
What's next...chickens, pigs, cows, who knows....but no more babies, as far as I know! Unlike CWG and who knows who else! We do however have 5 cats, one of which is pregnant, so I guess we are going to have babies. More on the cats later. Lunch time!
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
fresh flower delivery
I Got It
copyright 2007, lani wiens
a fresh flowers original
Learning something new is terrifically frustrating. I mean that. It is terrific to learn a new skill, to conquer a new challenge to take a risk and it is frustrating trying to do it. I had a close up personal glimpse as my three year old tried to master buckling himself into his carseat. He's really good at the top one but the bottom part was proving to be difficult for his little fingers. As too often happens, I tried to interfere without asking permission to do so. He got mad at me, how surprising, shocking really. He really wanted to do it himself and I stuck my big hands in there pushing his little ones aside, all in the name of efficiency.
It was the second round of this scenario that God stuck a little flower up my nose. I have to admit, I've been a little blind to them lately (obviously) but this one was hard to miss. My interference in my son's quest to master this little task will cost me time and energy. It is in my best interest (and his) to let him learn this new skill. How many times have I wished that he could do this himself as I am twisted around the driver's seat, smacking my head on the overhead lights, putting cramps in my fingers trying to do that thing up!
A little patience was required. A little instruction was required. A minute or so delay to our next destination was all that it cost me. By the end of our day in the city, constantly getting in and out of the vehicle, he had mastered that skill. He was so proud of himself as he announced, “I got it!” I was proud of him, too, and thankful that God helped me find a flower again.
Once again I marvel at God's ability to let me fumble around trying to figure things out that He could do with exceptional ease. But it's worth it in the end for me to learn these skills, when I finally know what I'm doing it free's Him up to do something else, have things go a little faster. I hope I remember to be patient right away next time I see someone learning a new skill. The Lord knows how much patience I'm requiring just now in all these new things that I am currently learning. I hope I bring a smile to His face when I can finally say, “I got it!”
copyright 2007, lani wiens
a fresh flowers original
Learning something new is terrifically frustrating. I mean that. It is terrific to learn a new skill, to conquer a new challenge to take a risk and it is frustrating trying to do it. I had a close up personal glimpse as my three year old tried to master buckling himself into his carseat. He's really good at the top one but the bottom part was proving to be difficult for his little fingers. As too often happens, I tried to interfere without asking permission to do so. He got mad at me, how surprising, shocking really. He really wanted to do it himself and I stuck my big hands in there pushing his little ones aside, all in the name of efficiency.
It was the second round of this scenario that God stuck a little flower up my nose. I have to admit, I've been a little blind to them lately (obviously) but this one was hard to miss. My interference in my son's quest to master this little task will cost me time and energy. It is in my best interest (and his) to let him learn this new skill. How many times have I wished that he could do this himself as I am twisted around the driver's seat, smacking my head on the overhead lights, putting cramps in my fingers trying to do that thing up!
A little patience was required. A little instruction was required. A minute or so delay to our next destination was all that it cost me. By the end of our day in the city, constantly getting in and out of the vehicle, he had mastered that skill. He was so proud of himself as he announced, “I got it!” I was proud of him, too, and thankful that God helped me find a flower again.
Once again I marvel at God's ability to let me fumble around trying to figure things out that He could do with exceptional ease. But it's worth it in the end for me to learn these skills, when I finally know what I'm doing it free's Him up to do something else, have things go a little faster. I hope I remember to be patient right away next time I see someone learning a new skill. The Lord knows how much patience I'm requiring just now in all these new things that I am currently learning. I hope I bring a smile to His face when I can finally say, “I got it!”
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