Friday, December 4, 2015

The Quest To "Cure" Boredom... this Holiday Season


and...

"Mom, I'm bored"

are three words that simply make me cringe

(to which I've learned to respond)

wash the dishes
clean your room
fold the laundry

(causing children to miraculously disappear for hours)

And I know that sometimes

they get bored
I get bored
we get bored

because we are just
looking for something

different
special
fun

to do

So here are some things
to try this Holiday Season...


Make Something



Bake Something

An activity...
and a snack?

Yes please, and thank you!



Pretend Shopping

Give yourself a shopping limit
(or just pretend shop) 

get creative, and have fun

November 2015

Have a Sleepover

Having someone else over
may help spark a little creativity

(like the time the girls made)

a fort using only

a blanket
a backpack
a jump rope

May 2014

Plan Next Year's Birthday Party

   


June 2013 and  July 2013

because the key
to "curing boredom"

is to engage in something

relevant
meaningful
real

(so get out there and find them) 

to eliminate
"Mom, I'm bored"

once and for all!

Saturday, November 21, 2015

The Quest To "Cure" Boredom... During Thanksgiving Break

The kids will be home an entire week 
during Thanksgiving Break

And I am already...

anticipating
planning
thinking about

things we can do to prevent and
"cure" boredom before it even begins!


-------------------------------------

Here are a few...

Create a

"Gratitude Picture Collage"
with things we are thankful for


------------------------------

Revisit Lessons from their... 
Summer Business

Color*full Creations
creating a life full of color


---------------------------

Read a Book


-------------------------

or...

Clean/Reorganize
their bedrooms


My daughter was so into "Owls" last year... 





(but recently informed me
that she now likes "Pandas")


This should be interesting...

What are your kiddos
up to this time of year?

(curing boredom during the Holidays)

Friday, November 6, 2015

Five Minute Friday- I Never Dance Alone

He taught me how to dance

music on
hands up
boogie down

just like that

and I was a quick learner

the music found me
and led me

across the floor
across the yard
across the play ground

as I found myself

sharing
learning
laughing

while dancing with my girls

during recess

just like that

and eventually
the music slowed down as

I fell in love with dancing
and him

requiring the lesson to
start all over again

as I taught our children

music on
hands up
boogie down

just like that

So this morning, I took one look

at him
at them
at us

and the prompt for the day

grateful for all of the times spent

dancing with daddy
dancing with my girls
dancing with my man

and my kiddos

realizing that I am blessed
with many dance partners

which fills me
with an overwhelming sense of

freedom
fun
joy

to hold me even during those times when...

I dance alone

Monday, August 17, 2015

Let Him Flood Your House... (One Year Later)

I kneel here daily to pray
(and as I speak to Him)

I find peace
in the place 

that once offered only panic


And this time?  Today?

He speaks back

says...

open your eyes
look up
remember


And as I do, I am aware that it has been almost one year

in this very spot
where I am

kneeling
praying

that my ceiling landed on the floor

And it's almost as if I can feel Him saying...

Yes, that was hard, but look up.
You have things now that you didn't have then

And I open my eyes to see

fresh paint
recessed lighting
a new ceiling fan

and soggy carpet that has been replaced
with hardwood supporting my full weight

as I worship here on my knees

Then once again my house begins to flood
(only this time with tears)

because you can only know Him like this

if a house floods...
when a house floods...

So, my dear friends, I want
to encourage you to please

Let Him flood your house

because yes,
you will

worry
cry
question

wonder and experience
the most vulnerable moments of your life

you will come to know

both calamity and comfort
fear and faith

and perhaps you may even panic

(right before you remember to praise)


But then, and only then,
can you look up to discover...

that the things you have now are

even better
much better
way better

than the things that you had then


"Faded memories are better than no memories"
- my Momma

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Just Try... A Lesson From a Stranger

This Five Minute Friday shout out is to James
from Bella Gelateria in Vancouver
for his reminder to... "Just Try"

___________________________

We met him on vacation
and he captivated us right away

Ever met someone like that?

Someone with whom you feel completely

content
comfortable
familiar

And the irony is that although we had waited

in line
outside
for over 30 min

just for an opportunity

to experience
to taste

his internationally award winning gelato

he made us feel like celebrities

While...

gold medals
honors
news paper clippings on the wall

(proved that he was the best)

tasting his gelato and actually meeting him

(proved why)

Because just as we were leaving...

he pulled up right beside the crowd
and began manually unloading his own truck and

he saw us
he noticed
he stopped

to

thank us
talk with us
encourage us


And maybe he felt it too...

that we were

content
comfortable
familiar

because he invited us in
showed the kids how to make gelato

and told them

stories
secrets
successes

that reminded us to

"slow down"
"love what you do"
"embrace failure"

then "try again"

because as he simply put it...

Most people in life are afraid to fail, so they never try
which means... they have failed already

Thursday, April 30, 2015

How To Use What You Have This Mother's Day

We'd recently discovered 
some ways to use clearance items to celebrate

Valentine's Day
St. Patrick's Day and Easter

 and with Mother's Day quickly approaching 
I needed to remind my family

"Do not buy me anything this year"

(because I really do have enough stuff)
 
and I am

grateful
thankful
happy

to share and celebrate some of the
simple ways we have learned to just...

"use what we have"

---------------------------

Handmade Art

like the masterpieces the children
create during our studio time

    
        

---------------------------

A Small Surprise

prepay for a service that she uses often
put a little cash in her wallet along with a note

or you can even surprise mom
by leaving a few pictures on her phone or camera

(Imagine my delight the day that I found this photo of my daughter)


---------------------------

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
 

 
 

and I was so proud of my daughter who
"used what she had" to make these special treats

Items used

5 leftover "school fundraiser chocolate" bars
1 small basket of strawberries

Total spent... only 99cents!
---------------------------

And the first batch were so delicious
I asked her to make more to share with
the other mothers in "our village"

because I have also learned
that it takes many mothers!!

---------------------------

Milk and White Chocolate
Dipped Strawberries w/toppings



 

(sharing this today)

Happy Savings and Happy Mother's Day!