Those Moments That Bring Life Into Sharp Focus

It's easy to let life slip by us, isn't it?  I know I'm guilty (too guilty) of finding time to play on Facebook or Twitter, but "forgetting" to do an activity that I told the kids I would do.  Or, I grumble when my Mom asks a favor while I think I am too busy doing something that probably isn't all that important anyway.

I think that there are so many of us that find ourselves caught up in life, but not in the important things -- those things that, if we knew we would die tomorrow, we would wish we had focused on more.  Probably very few (hopefully none of us) would say, "Wow -- I wish I had been more active on my blog."  Instead, I suspect many of us would cite things like our families, our friends, or our church, for example.

Every so often though, something happens that brings life into sharp focus.  You have a sudden clear vision of exactly what is important, and also of what really isn't all that important.  It has been my experience that it usually happens a moment, and it's not something that you expected.

It's something like when we were driving to an All Saints Party in November, and I got the cell phone call from my Mom that started like this, "Dad is at Grandma's house, and he thinks she may have died.  I'm on my way there now."

I vowed that I wanted to bring more focus to my life after that.  But, it's so easy to forget about that once things start to settle.  This seems especially true because those kinds of moments don't usually happen to someone often.  It would seem that I had another one of those moments less than a week ago.  (It doesn't seem right to have them happen so close to each other.)

Let me tell you, while the unexpected death of your 90 year old Grandmother puts a focus on your life, seeing a pediatric cardiologist who is normally jovial walk into a room after "checking some measurements against the normal range" with a serious look and a deep breath, life gets a whole lot more focused.  Then, when words like aortic aneurysm are said as the doctor looks from you to your eight year old child, the priorities in your life become, in an instant, crystal clear.  

I think that over our Christmas break, I need to make some plans to help me live so that my true priorities really come through in my life.  I know all too well that once life settles, it's easy to forget that sharp focus.  But I also know that I need more of it.

If anyone has some great tips of how to manage your time or how to work on priorities, I would really appreciate it!

(I don't really want to get into a lot of medical details right now, but I also don't want anyone reading to worry that we are looking at anything life threatening right now.  Although we'll have to worry about things a lot sooner than we once thought, we're still fine enough for now.)


 





photo by ToniVC

The Art of Egg Arranging

Do you ever do something that makes perfect sense to you only to have someone else think that it's odd?  

I suppose I should have had a clue that my egg arranging was not necessarily the norm when I had to coach Eric about what pattern to use eggs in the carton.  You see, I'm all about there being a nice even weight distribution in the egg carton.  So, if I have to grab out two eggs, I'll grab out one from somewhere in the carton, but then the second one needs to come from the opposite side of the carton from whichever spot will balance out the other empty spot.

I suspect I need diagrams here, huh?  Sorry -- I don't have them.

When one of my sisters was using eggs at my house, I later got out the carton and then said, "You used some eggs, didn't you?"  She asked how I knew, and I said it was because the eggs were out of order.  She laughed at me, and later had to tell some people about what a crazy thing I did with the eggs.  I was relieved when at least a couple of other people said they do the same thing.

With holiday baking coming up this week, I think I'm going to be doing a lot of egg re-arranging.  (Oh, and then a little bit of annoyance each time I can't balance it out exactly.)

Do you have any kitchen quirks that you don't actually think are all that quirky?  









photo by Undeleterious

7 Quick Takes: December 11, 2009 (Volume 24)

~ 1 ~

I have recently read about a lot of people doing more relaxed schooling during December (or some portion of December).  I thought this sounded like a great idea, and so we started doing just that this week.  Of course, with having had a busy week, it was an easy decision.

While we have continued with math lessons and practicing piano each day (and social studies read alouds for the week), our days this week having also been filled with activities like: games, Legos, problem solving at the grocery store, going to Mass, a science lesson of watching someone's heart on an echocardiogram (thanks for taking one for the team, Jack), some video/TV watching (MythBusters one afternoon, and The Nativity Story one night after a Reconciliation Service), lots of free reading time, crafts, and whatever else pops into our head that has educational merit that is something we don't normally do.  Can I just tell you how fun it has been?

Next week, we are looking forward to doing some baking as part of school, as well as Christmas "party" school day with one of our favorite homeschooling families.

~ 2 ~

Happy Birthday today to one of the best men I know -- my Dad.  We love you like crazy!

~ 3 ~

 Why is it that my kids all name jobs that they want to do when they grow up that have nothing to do with going to college?  It's not that I'm a snob about it, but darn it -- I want those kids to all go to college.  When I was their age, I was saying that I wanted to be a teacher.

What do my kids want to be?

1. A Walmart employee (or maybe a hotel owner -- so there may be some hope for college there!)

2. A Build-a-Bear Workshop employee

3. A hair stylist, ballerina, tap dancer who works at Noah's hotel (see number one)

Good thing you aren't allowed to pick your profession when you're five years old, huh?

~ 4 ~

I love kids books that crack me up.  This week, we read Falling For Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox, and that's exactly what happened.  Everyone in the house laughed about it.  It is such a cute story, works on rhyming, and is just down right hilarious.  (It would seem that Rapunzel just can't hear what Prince Charming is saying while she is high in her tower.)

If you haven't read it, be sure to either pick it up or check it out from the library.  Too cute!

"Rapunzel, do you have any rope?"

Rapunzel dropped a cantaloupe. 

~ 5 ~

 Just love the new Dockers "Wear the Pants" campaign that they started.  If you haven't seen it yet, go check it out.

~ 6 ~

 The baby shower that I threw for my sister-in-law last weekend went really well!  It was nice to have so many people over, and she and her husband got a lot of great things.

And, as a side bonus -- we got our house so clean!  Thanks to everyone in the house (and my Mom too!) for helping to clean the house and get food ready.

~ 7 ~

I've been working on knitting (with my loom) a blanket for Christmas.  Christmas is now two weeks away, and while it is the correct width, it is only about nine inches long right now.  I'm either going to have to get to work or I'm going to end up wrapping it still attached to the loom with an IOU with it.

Wish me luck! 

This post is linked to 7 Quick Takes Friday at Conversion Diary.

Photos by: yarn shop - missteee / manipulatives -  jimmiehomeschoolmom

Christmas Shopping for Siblings in The Mom Shop

 

I have written about our Christmas "Mom Shop" before, but it seemed like the perfect time of year to talk about it again, especially since my kids are already saying at least a few times a week, "I can't wait until we do the Mom shop again!" 

 

One of the most vivid memories I have about Christmas growing up was one year when my school had a Christmas shop.  (This was back in the day when they still could have called it a Christmas shop, mind you.)  The idea of this little store is that kids could bring money and shop for their families.  The reason that I remember it so clearly is because I remember the pride and delight I felt to be able to do some shopping all by myself.

 

I realized two years ago that I had never given my own children that same opportunity for a sense of pride and giving come Christmas morning. I knew that I had to remedy that situation.  However, the thought of taking them into a store and asking them to pick out things frightened me.  So, I took a cue from my memory of Christmas shopping at school and carried on with my idea.

The Plan

 

So, two years ago, after a trip to Walmart, I had enough small toys to set up "Mom's Christmas Shop" in my bedroom. I bought a few gifts that I thought would be appropriate for each child -- all costing between $1.48 - $4.98. Despite the various costs, I actually only priced my items right around $1 per item.  (Last year, when the boys were receiving allowance, I charged them closer to the actual item's price.  However, I continued to look for items that were $5 and under.)  

 

Then, I invited each of our boys (then aged eight and six) to shop without each other. For instance, when Noah came to shop, I had one area of gifts to choose from for Jack and one area of gifts to choose from for Molly. I allowed Noah shop for one gift for each of them, and we worked on wrapping the gifts together. Then, I put away the gifts that were possible for Jack, and I put out the ones for Noah.  I invited Jack up and let him shop and wrap. The boys used money from their own allowances to shop.

Last year, we were excited to allow Molly to shop as well.  Since she was only just barely three when we began this new tradition, we envisioned her trying to keep all of the toys for the boys for herself and throwing a fit.  Because we didn't allow her to shop, I just picked out an item from her for each of the boys from the leftover toys.

The Benefits

 

One of the things that I really like with this method of shopping is that I can pre-select things that I think are appropriate, and my kids don't have to be overwhelmed with deciding from a whole store of toys.

I had thought to just return the extras to Walmart for a refund. But, then I realized, "Hey -- why not just keep the leftovers to fill their stockings?" (My kids didn't remember that they are the same.)

 

The Results

 

When Christmas morning has come each year that we have done it, our kids seemed to be literally glowing with pride and anticipation!  While they were thrilled to receive gifts, they definitely were most excited to see their siblings open the gifts that they had chosen.  In a lovely twist, it seemed that the gifts that had come from a sibling became some of the favorite gifts.  Molly cherished the $3 baby doll that came with a bottle, and gave a mild smile to the American Girls Bitty Baby Twins that she got from us.

 

I cannot recommend this method of holiday shopping for siblings enough!  I can already see that it is going to be a cherished family memory in years to come.  And, while gifts may come and go, those memories will be forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday and Finer Things Friday.

photo by allerleirau