Yesterday I was out on the driveway with Aiden. He had mastered riding his bike without training wheels, but only after getting a push to get going. We have a long, gravel, not-so-level driveway... it was time for him to figure out how to get himself going. So I gave him a few pointers, and a few more good pushes to get him going, then stood back and watched.
What did I observe? It's REALLY hard to keep your balance on a bike when you're leaned over the side staring at your feet!! He would put one foot up, and watch it as he pushed off a little and put the other foot up. The pedals would make it almost one rotation, then he would tip over and try again with the other foot. I watched this process a few times, then yelled "watch where you're going and quit staring at your feet!!"
Off he went!! He made it all of 10 feet and stopped... then proceeded to stare at his feet and go 2 feet at a time. Again, I watched for a few minutes, then yelled "Stop staring at your feet"...off he went!! That time it seemed to sink in.
And what did I learn? Life goes a lot more smoothly when you keep your focus on where you are headed, and don't get quite so caught up in what your feet are doing.
Focus on what you want to accomplish and who you want to be, and just know that as long as you are doing the things that need to be done, you will get there. As soon as you start getting caught up in the processes that make up your life (waking up early, the to-do list, the house work, the screaming kids) instead of focusing on the big picture and appreciating your life and accomplishing your goals, you lose your balance and the bike stops moving forward.
So look up, decide where you're going, and start pedaling!!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Its May!?!
Mother nature must have been celebrating Mother's Day because I was actually able to take Aiden outside to play and work on projects AND we have grass growing in our yard!!
Last week was a surprisingly good week around here. Normally I'm the one running out of the house after Brian gets home from work. But last week Brian was gone 2 nights after work and half of Saturday, leaving me alone with both boys for most of the week. I say last week was surprisingly good because I managed to keep my sanity for MOST of the week. The nice weather helped that a lot. Aiden and I were able to go out and work on picking the yard up a little...moving rocks, picking up sticks, admiring the pond, etc.
Thursday night Brian and I were both supposed to go to a contractor's appreciation dinner with his parents, but of course that would have required finding a babysitter. Aiden has been less than willing to listen (to me or anyone) at bedtime, and Connor has suddenly decided that mom probably shouldn't leave the room...ever. Of course finding a sitter was also put off til the last minute after being gone all weekend for a wedding and focusing on going to Mason City Monday night for a Mary Kay event.
Thursday arrived, and we had no sitter, so I stayed home and spent half the evening giving the boys a bath. Well, watching the boys give each other a bath. Connor loves to splash in the bathtub, so he usually ends up getting everyone wet. And Aiden is ALWAYS wanting to help, so he gives Connor a bath.
After a long week of lots of time with the boys, Brian still had some work to get done Saturday morning, so I took the boys with me to run errands. We took back cans and bottles, went to the library, made a few Mary Kay stops, then came home and put Connor down for a nap. Aiden and I finished cleaning up the garage and waited for Brian to get home for lunch. Aiden actually took a nap, at the same time as Connor, so Brian turned on golf and I retreated to our room with the first book I got to read in months.
The boys woke up, both pretty happy, and Brian asked Aiden if he wanted to help him take back the movie we had rented and do some shopping. I suggested he take Connor (a MUCH better shopper)with him and Aiden and I would go explore the woods and meet them at grandma & grandpa's when they got done shopping. (Of course I reminded him to get something for his mom & grandma, and not to get me anything) Aiden loved walking up the 4-wheeler path and was immediately "put to work" checking out the new trailer and filling bird feeders.
Brian mostly listened, he had flowers and cards for grandma & great-grandma, and he couldn't resist getting me a card that read...
This week will hopefully be a busy one. I've got meetings Monday & Tuesday, aplay date Tuesday, a party scheduled for Thursday, Aiden has Pre-K graduation Friday, and I've got another party Sunday. I also have 8 more parties to book for Mary Kay's birthday, and I would LOVE to get my garden started this weekend.
Last week was a surprisingly good week around here. Normally I'm the one running out of the house after Brian gets home from work. But last week Brian was gone 2 nights after work and half of Saturday, leaving me alone with both boys for most of the week. I say last week was surprisingly good because I managed to keep my sanity for MOST of the week. The nice weather helped that a lot. Aiden and I were able to go out and work on picking the yard up a little...moving rocks, picking up sticks, admiring the pond, etc.
Thursday night Brian and I were both supposed to go to a contractor's appreciation dinner with his parents, but of course that would have required finding a babysitter. Aiden has been less than willing to listen (to me or anyone) at bedtime, and Connor has suddenly decided that mom probably shouldn't leave the room...ever. Of course finding a sitter was also put off til the last minute after being gone all weekend for a wedding and focusing on going to Mason City Monday night for a Mary Kay event.
Thursday arrived, and we had no sitter, so I stayed home and spent half the evening giving the boys a bath. Well, watching the boys give each other a bath. Connor loves to splash in the bathtub, so he usually ends up getting everyone wet. And Aiden is ALWAYS wanting to help, so he gives Connor a bath.
After a long week of lots of time with the boys, Brian still had some work to get done Saturday morning, so I took the boys with me to run errands. We took back cans and bottles, went to the library, made a few Mary Kay stops, then came home and put Connor down for a nap. Aiden and I finished cleaning up the garage and waited for Brian to get home for lunch. Aiden actually took a nap, at the same time as Connor, so Brian turned on golf and I retreated to our room with the first book I got to read in months.
The boys woke up, both pretty happy, and Brian asked Aiden if he wanted to help him take back the movie we had rented and do some shopping. I suggested he take Connor (a MUCH better shopper)with him and Aiden and I would go explore the woods and meet them at grandma & grandpa's when they got done shopping. (Of course I reminded him to get something for his mom & grandma, and not to get me anything) Aiden loved walking up the 4-wheeler path and was immediately "put to work" checking out the new trailer and filling bird feeders.
Brian mostly listened, he had flowers and cards for grandma & great-grandma, and he couldn't resist getting me a card that read...
Good moms let their kids lick the beaters....GREAT moms turn the mixer off first!
It also came with a mint plant and a bag of limes (both of which were on my shopping list)
After dinner Aiden decided he was staying to help grandpa make pancakes for grandma on Mother's day, and Brian and I put Connor to bed and I read a few more chapters while Brian got the fire pit and mojitos (limes, mint, rum & sprite) ready.
Sunday morning I woke up to only one screaming child, drug Brian & Connor to church, made sure Aiden was at Sunday school, and came home and read, and read, and read some more. The book was pretty good, but being able to sit and read and ignore pretty much everything else was amazing! I finished the book Sunday night before going to bed... an entire novel in a day and a half, I hadn't done that since high school. Happy Mother's Day to me :D
This week will hopefully be a busy one. I've got meetings Monday & Tuesday, aplay date Tuesday, a party scheduled for Thursday, Aiden has Pre-K graduation Friday, and I've got another party Sunday. I also have 8 more parties to book for Mary Kay's birthday, and I would LOVE to get my garden started this weekend.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
on a little more serious note...
This entry is going to be a little more somber than most, sorry. And please, no political remarks... I am merely expressing my thoughts.
I woke up Monday morning and after getting 2 boys breakfast and the kitchen somewhat clean, I finally had a chance to check to see what was going on in the world outside of Camp Swampy. I turned the computer on, checked my emails, and logged in to Facebook. It took me about 30 seconds of reading status updates to figure out what the biggest story of the weekend was.
I still haven't quite figured out how to react to the news of bin Laden's death. Yes, he was beyond a terrible person who is responsible for the death of thousands of innocent people. Yes, he needed to be stopped before he could kill thousands more. If I had the choice of putting a bullet through his head or letting him go free, I probably would have pulled the trigger.
But I'm not ready to dance and sing about the fact that we killed a man for killing people. The message doesn't seem quite right. How do we tell our children that violence is not the answer when we celebrate assassinating an enemy? Its like spanking a toddler while scolding them for hitting someone, they're not going to get the message we are trying to send.
And now what... more violence? higher oil prices? more countries wanting us to come fight their wars and assassinate their tyrannous dictators?
Yes, the man that is responsible for killing thousands of innocent people is dead... but what has changed? Another reason for our children to accept violence as a part of their lives, and another step from a world of peace and understanding.
I woke up Monday morning and after getting 2 boys breakfast and the kitchen somewhat clean, I finally had a chance to check to see what was going on in the world outside of Camp Swampy. I turned the computer on, checked my emails, and logged in to Facebook. It took me about 30 seconds of reading status updates to figure out what the biggest story of the weekend was.
I still haven't quite figured out how to react to the news of bin Laden's death. Yes, he was beyond a terrible person who is responsible for the death of thousands of innocent people. Yes, he needed to be stopped before he could kill thousands more. If I had the choice of putting a bullet through his head or letting him go free, I probably would have pulled the trigger.
But I'm not ready to dance and sing about the fact that we killed a man for killing people. The message doesn't seem quite right. How do we tell our children that violence is not the answer when we celebrate assassinating an enemy? Its like spanking a toddler while scolding them for hitting someone, they're not going to get the message we are trying to send.
And now what... more violence? higher oil prices? more countries wanting us to come fight their wars and assassinate their tyrannous dictators?
Yes, the man that is responsible for killing thousands of innocent people is dead... but what has changed? Another reason for our children to accept violence as a part of their lives, and another step from a world of peace and understanding.
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