Object Lesson

I'd like to give our days some sense of rhythm, so I had decided to try using the Kids of Integrity resource from Focus on the Family. I thought 15 minutes of a story/activity on a virture after breakfast every morning would be a great way to start the day. Last night I selected what I wanted to use, randomly choosing respect. Yea, Monday morning of my first week without work and I was feeling very organized.

I told the kids at breakfast that we will get dressed and then I have something fun planned. Before we all finished breakfast, Lanelle had got down and peed on the carpet. Grrr! I put her in the tub while I cleaned that up and Kellen wanted to get in too. Fine, they have a bath and I'll quickly do the dishes first. When I go to get them out I was horrified! They had dumped the whole bottle of my Euclan wool wash (I had washed my sweater last night in the bathroom and fogotten to put it away). It is not cheap! And they have been warned and punished many times about not wasting soap in the tub. It has happened more times than it should. They are not dumb, I know they know better! As, Lanelle later told Dad, "Mommy, got very, very, very angry at us."

Out of the tub, dressed, and assembled downstairs (in record time) we began. I skipped the object lesson. I figured they had made their own. We read and talked about the verses I had chosen - I focussed on the points of listening to your parents. On to the poster about what is respectful and what is not. Lanelle answered the first question of "what is not respectful?" with "wasting Mommy's stuff." She later added that peeing on the carpet is not respectful. Kellen really seemed to get the part about respectful listening. I had calmed down by the end of our "discussion."

I hope they don't create too many of their own object lessons. I think I am still looking forward to these little times together.

just for fun.

making: lip balm with the beeswax I bought yesterday - hopefully this afternoon!
cooking: swisschard and potato soup - tonight
drinking: coffee - just finished the cup
reading: through knitting pattern blogs
wanting: to know if I'm planning for a boy or girl
looking: at my silly Lanelle watching the Dragon movie perched on the back of the couch
playing: with beeswax - soon
wasting: my precious afternoon - here
sewing: a could choose from the stack of pattern and material - projects planned and waiting
wishing: I could go cross country skiing this afternoon with Ian
enjoying: the current (and momentary) slow quietness in the house
waiting: to be done this little exercise to begin some fun
liking: the scarf I am almost done knitting
wondering: what decision will be made
loving: the idea of not having to rush out the door in the morning to work
hoping: I might have this baby early
marvelling: at how quickly my kids are growing
needing: to start working on some Christmas projects
smelling: ?
wearing: my only good fitting maternity pants - which I'm sure you know if you've been around me lately.
noticing: the clock is moving too quickly
knowing: this next year is going to FLY by
thinking: about pulling out the lip balm instructions
bookmarking: the cutest sweater dress I want to knit - in case I have a girl
giggling: at Lanelle's cute voice and expanding vocabulary
feeling: not as overwhelmed as yesterday, a little more thankful than 5 minutes ago, but still so tired.

Finished!

I did finally finish my sweater! I was quickly sewing on the buttons before my ride came for a girls evening out to the Rankin Sisters. I love it! Wish I could have managed a better picture, but it was just me and the camera timer. I'll have to add another picture later - the teeny, tiny bit of wool left over. I was holding my breath the last little bit. I am also finished work now. Hard to believe! Today was the last day and it was actually kind of sad to walk away. I'm looking forward to the holidays and to getting into a good routine at home. Hoping this one arrives a little before the due date, but I'll try to just enjoy the time at home!

Sledding Fun

I sent Ian out to go sledding with the kids so I could have a quiet morning. He even took Ivan and Dominique out too. I was having selfish hobby time, but kept thinking about them having fun sledding and felt like I was missing out! So, I made hot cocoa and packed up some muffins to have offerings to join the adventure. I guess its my own fault that I don't feel like I get enough quiet time - I don't want to miss out on other fun either!

This was my view as I approached the hill.

Only Ian and Lanelle were interested in my offerings. The other kids were having way to much fun to take time for carob chip muffins and hot cocoa!

I'm glad I didn't miss out.

Weekend Getaway

I had the idea to getaway for a weekend and thought the kids would enjoy waterslides. The thought crossed my mind to go to Minot, but that was more of a getaway than I wanted. At the last minute, I tried to find a place in Regina and could not find a hotel with waterslides that had a room! Ian was driving home through Weyburn that night and decided to stop and check at a hotel there. All my plans for shopping while they played on the waterslides disappeared, but lots of quiet (and some knitting time) sounded fun. So off we went. They hated the waterslides, they begged Dad to play with them in the pool (which was too deep for them), and mostly they tortured him...

We actually bribed Kellen with the promise of a new transformer to eventually get him to try the waterslide a second time. Ian had missed catching him the first time and he'd went under the water, which he hates. I was sure he'd end up liking it if he gave it a chance. His first response to my promise/bribe, "It's okay mom, Christmas will be here before I know it." He did try twice more, but it wasn't fun and he wasn't doing it again. In his defense it was a dark, totally enclosed slide and was super fast (Ian can attest to that - it caught him off guard the first time he went down! And he had Lanelle with him that time. It took them quite awhile to come up. Thus, Lanelle's refusal to go again.)

So, the waterslides - not a hit.

However, I did not realize how exciting the hotel would be. I'm thinking it was their first time in a hotel, which sounds like they never travel. They've stayed in a vacation home, in relatives home, in a tent... but unless someone can jog our memory, we're pretty sure it was their first time in a hotel. Their own big bed to share had them over the moon. Oh, and I can't forget the excitement of the elevator or having a turn to use the card to get into the room - seemed to be the most amazing things EVER!

I am often surprised at what is exciting to them. Things that honestly seem a little ridiculous to me. Then, something I am sure they will love - they hate. That's kids, I guess! But then again, who would think a weekend at a hotel in Weyburn would sound like a good idea!?