I was just thinking about all the things I’m really fizzling at right now, like keeping my house clean enough and staying on top of my laundry. It’s 12:10 in the afternoon and I’m still in my bathrobe. What does that tell you about my morning?
But as I was passing my extremely sticky and overcrowded kitchen sink and floor (today’s excuse: I spent six hours in the ER with Harry and a slightly/almost/but not really broken wrist yesterday afternoon and into the evening so there wasn’t time to do the dinner dishes…or sweep) I spied Georgia’s apron.
A month or two ago I accidentally happened upon a really good idea that has been working like mad for me. Then I thought about two or three other things that I’m doing right now that don’t completely suck. Then I thought, I should write these ideas down for my posterity so they know that sometimes I managed to pull this mothering gig off.
Idea #1. Cheap home made birthday gifts. Due to a lack of attention/overcrowding of brain last December, I forgot that June had a birthday party to attend on a Saturday. Because it was right before Christmas and I was totally out of gift money I decided (an hour before) to throw together a little apron using one of the girls’ aprons as a pattern. I came up with the cutest thing using some fabric that was mostly horrible but turned out wonderful, then sent her off with a bag of cookie mix and the apron. The best part was that June totally helped me make it.
Three weeks later the exact same thing happened (procrastination is not my best pattern). Again we pulled out the fabric bin and made an apron. I could kick myself for not taking pictures, they are all different versions of this one that I made Georgia and they were all absolutely darling.
Super cute.
The day third birthday party (in six weeks) June asked me, “When are we making Hannah’s apron?” Since it was saving me some serious cash and forcing me to have quality mommy time with my girl I decided that it would be our new “thing” for birthdays. But when I went to grab a cookie mix we were out. But I had mason jars, so we made cookies in a jar instead. Best birthday gift ever. We even matched the apron fabric to the cookie jar lid.
I secretly can’t wait for the next five-year-old-friend birthday.
Idea #2. Reading with Rex. I got an email from a teacher a few weeks back who has been teaching kindergarten for something like 30 years. She said that of all the things she has done that have brought about success with children who are struggling with reading, a timer and ten minutes on the couch a day where the child reads orally is the absolute best. Something about it stuck in my brain.
Knowing that Rex thrives on routine routine routine, I decided that we needed to be more strict about exactly what, how and when we read everyday. I took her idea to heart and we have a special book bag that we read from. He and I set the timer and he reads to me for ten minutes then I read to him. It’s not that we weren’t reading before but it wasn’t the same thing. We would fit it in at different times and places where now it has become our special little routine and I think it’s really helping him (which makes me crazy happy).
Idea #3. Using the internet to study my scriptures. My good friend Yvonne was telling me a few weeks back that she finds her personal scripture study is far more successful when she has some kind of study guide and really sticks to it. I decided that I would try using the new Come Follow Me online youth curriculum during my personal scripture study since the lessons are full of links to scriptures and talks. I only do about 15 minutes a day but I find it’s been so easy and delightful to use the online system. I don’t usually get very far in the lessons because it regularly leads me to finish a chapter or look further, but it definitely makes my time in the scriptures a little richer and more fulfilling.
Three things that are right in my life today. I’m going to go take a shower and enjoy a fourth.
You rock. Own it. 🙂
Oh, you just gave me a great idea for a 6 yr. old birthday party this Sat. I think I might add a chef hat.
And I’m sure you rock at more than 3 things, but good for you for finding those 3.
Hi Annie, Here I did it again, reading your posts and loving your blog and I stop with your page open. Gotta’ tell my Bree to read your post today and that she’d love it. I’ve so been there with 6 children and yeah, a broken wrist was my little Bree-Bree. She was about 6 and was skating on our new sidewalk around our house. She broke her arm (and she was not new to roller-skates) I was so calm. I couldn’t look at her arm so my Webelos son took over and stabilized it and put a sling on her and brought her in the house. I hurried-out of my PJ’s, put my clean clothes on from the laundry, and went to brush my teeth real quick while Dustin took Bree to our car. I totally spit on the whole counter of the sink and when we got to the Dr. My son said, “Mom, why are you wearing your clothes inside-out?” I was so upset and crying, her arm looked completely ugly. But my little man stepped-up and went in carrying Bree all the way. The Dr. asked my boy to leave while he set her arm and Dustin said he wanted to hear to bone pop back-in and hold her shoulders, so she wouldn’t be scared. She was shaking, shivering and in her bathing suit. Sheesh! I have pictures Bree and her sister in their skates that morning. The Dr. came out and told me Bree-Bree would be fine and she threw-up all over the waiting room. Dustin helped me clean it up. My boy is a Firefighter Captain with his dad, CaptLaz, in our same town.
You may see a couple hours from California on your stats. I’m thankful for my journal, so I can recall those moments and wonder how I managed. Your post is so honest and I guess that’s what I love about reading and visiting your blog. Life isn’t all roses, Wait! It is! Life just comes with some thorns and those, I can put my hand around them anyway and appreciate as many roses as I’m blessed with everyday. I love the pink roses from France that look like ballerina’s tutus. BTW. The doctor, on my next visit told me that my eleven-year-old son was “morbid.”
I love this post Annie! I mean honestly, I just really love you. I feel like we’re two peas in a pod and I love your honesty! And I have to give you a special thank you for the scripture idea, I’ve been feeling lackluster and I was wondering what to do, I think this is really going to help me! So cheers to you, you’ve done something else good! 😉