While on the way to the pool....
Jolene: "I can watch the Bernie (a kids show) movie whenever I want."
Me:"You can?"
Jolene:"yes, it's in my head."
Adele: "Me too!"
Jolene:" I can watch it wherever I'm at because I remember it all in my head."
Me: "I see."
Five minutes of silence....
Me:"Are you watching it now?"
Jolene:"Yes."
Me:"What part are you at?"
Jolene:"The dragon part."
a few more minutes of silence....
Jolene:" I'm going to turn it off now."
Me:"OK"
Jolene:"I can watch the rest of it when we get to the pool."
Me:"Sounds like a plan."
25.8.10
Creating
I found this book and a butterfly poster at an opp shop. As soon as I saw the book an idea of how it should be transformed popped into my head. This is the end result.
Book - A chrysalis harboring ideas and thoughts, serenely waiting to burst free.
-Anonymous
13.8.10
Rice Day - the aftermath
Rice day has come and gone. Here are some observations on how it went.
Morning -
Adele surprised me and ate two helpings. Gideon liked it as well and had a bowl and a half. Jolene had five bites and said that if she had to eat any more she would vomit. I gave her some toast.
I have learned that morning rice should be somewhat more mushy/creamy than rice served at lunch and dinner. If it is not on the more mushy side of things the rice tends to just float in the milk and look rather unappetizing. We did put some salt and sugar in which made it more edible. At every meal I reminded the girls that all the little extras we were adding to our rice others in the worked might not have.
Lunch -
We had rice with some soy sauce, avocado, shredded carrot, capsicum, and snap peas. Rather gourmet really. I likened it to sushi that fell out of its blanket. Adele loved this meal. She loves sushi ( I might add that she says "sushi" in a very cute way" ) and soy sauce. She says it like this..."soooie sauce." Jolene ate a bit more of this meal. Gideon dumped his out and proceeded to throw it all over the floor. He ended up with a PB&J sandwich.
Dinner -
Dinner was the same as lunch but I added some spring rolls and dim sims. The girls were pretty hungry by this point. I was sick so my will was not strong.
Snacks -
Apples, carrots, and at the end of the day a granola bar. Like I said, I was sick and really just wanted to lay on the couch with a pillow over my head to keep out the light and noise. "Starving" kids were not going to help at this time of the day.
Overall -
I think it was a good idea and in the future would like to do it again. Perhaps as they get older we can take away some of the condiments. The following day I found myself very thankful for the cereal we had, as well as butter and other tasty additions to the food we ate. I believe doing this sort of thing from time to time revitalizes the senses that have become dull from too many options. We do have so many options to choose from. Sometimes it seems like they are bombarding us constantly and to deal with it we just switch off.
I believe we will have rice with soy sauce and avocado more often. Easy to make, simple, and tasty. Adele will love me on those days for sure :-)
Until our next family experiment.
Morning -
Adele surprised me and ate two helpings. Gideon liked it as well and had a bowl and a half. Jolene had five bites and said that if she had to eat any more she would vomit. I gave her some toast.
I have learned that morning rice should be somewhat more mushy/creamy than rice served at lunch and dinner. If it is not on the more mushy side of things the rice tends to just float in the milk and look rather unappetizing. We did put some salt and sugar in which made it more edible. At every meal I reminded the girls that all the little extras we were adding to our rice others in the worked might not have.
Lunch -
We had rice with some soy sauce, avocado, shredded carrot, capsicum, and snap peas. Rather gourmet really. I likened it to sushi that fell out of its blanket. Adele loved this meal. She loves sushi ( I might add that she says "sushi" in a very cute way" ) and soy sauce. She says it like this..."soooie sauce." Jolene ate a bit more of this meal. Gideon dumped his out and proceeded to throw it all over the floor. He ended up with a PB&J sandwich.
Dinner -
Dinner was the same as lunch but I added some spring rolls and dim sims. The girls were pretty hungry by this point. I was sick so my will was not strong.
Snacks -
Apples, carrots, and at the end of the day a granola bar. Like I said, I was sick and really just wanted to lay on the couch with a pillow over my head to keep out the light and noise. "Starving" kids were not going to help at this time of the day.
Overall -
I think it was a good idea and in the future would like to do it again. Perhaps as they get older we can take away some of the condiments. The following day I found myself very thankful for the cereal we had, as well as butter and other tasty additions to the food we ate. I believe doing this sort of thing from time to time revitalizes the senses that have become dull from too many options. We do have so many options to choose from. Sometimes it seems like they are bombarding us constantly and to deal with it we just switch off.
I believe we will have rice with soy sauce and avocado more often. Easy to make, simple, and tasty. Adele will love me on those days for sure :-)
Until our next family experiment.
11.8.10
Rice Day
Our girls have recently been complaining about everything under the sun. They don't like the clothes I pick out, they don't like the food they are served, they do not like the hair clips I have chosen, etc.
It has become quite wearisome and so we have decided to bunker down on a few rules.
If you complain about the clothes you are given you cannot wear a skirt or dress to church that Sunday. Depending on the amount of complaining you might lose the privilege for the entire week. This is a huge deal for the girls especially Adele who likes to dress like this most days.
Complain about hair accessories and you get a plain, boring, black hair tie.
Complain about the food and no dessert.
I have realized that these are all punishments and have tried to think of more positive reinforcements.
A couple of days ago the girls and I were sitting around the lunch table discussing social problems as you tend to do. We were talking about the floods in Pakistan and that there are many people who have lost everything. In some areas they are even struggling to find food. That brought us to how we get to eat lots of tasty food and should be thankful for every meal even if it isn't to our liking. This is especially hard for Adele, she tends to have more selective taste buds.
I mentioned that it might be good for us all to eat rice for a day to help us understand how others eat in poorer countries. The girls were excited about doing it and so here we arrive at the title to this post. Tomorrow is rice day. As a family we are going to "try" and eat rice for the three main meals. We are not making the girls do this. I want them to want to do it. Of course Gids can eat whatever. For snacks, we all tend to eat 5 times a day, they can have only a little fruit or veg. Only water and no desserts.
For breakfast I think I will be adding milk, some salt, and maybe a little sugar to the girls' rice. Adele was enthusiastic about all of this when she went to bed tonight. She however is not, I repeat, not a morning person. She may crumple into a heap with loud cries if she arrives at the table with just a bowl of rice.
I'll report back tomorrow evening on how this whole experiment went down. Brandon is cooking his rice for work as we speak.
It has become quite wearisome and so we have decided to bunker down on a few rules.
If you complain about the clothes you are given you cannot wear a skirt or dress to church that Sunday. Depending on the amount of complaining you might lose the privilege for the entire week. This is a huge deal for the girls especially Adele who likes to dress like this most days.
Complain about hair accessories and you get a plain, boring, black hair tie.
Complain about the food and no dessert.
I have realized that these are all punishments and have tried to think of more positive reinforcements.
A couple of days ago the girls and I were sitting around the lunch table discussing social problems as you tend to do. We were talking about the floods in Pakistan and that there are many people who have lost everything. In some areas they are even struggling to find food. That brought us to how we get to eat lots of tasty food and should be thankful for every meal even if it isn't to our liking. This is especially hard for Adele, she tends to have more selective taste buds.
I mentioned that it might be good for us all to eat rice for a day to help us understand how others eat in poorer countries. The girls were excited about doing it and so here we arrive at the title to this post. Tomorrow is rice day. As a family we are going to "try" and eat rice for the three main meals. We are not making the girls do this. I want them to want to do it. Of course Gids can eat whatever. For snacks, we all tend to eat 5 times a day, they can have only a little fruit or veg. Only water and no desserts.
For breakfast I think I will be adding milk, some salt, and maybe a little sugar to the girls' rice. Adele was enthusiastic about all of this when she went to bed tonight. She however is not, I repeat, not a morning person. She may crumple into a heap with loud cries if she arrives at the table with just a bowl of rice.
I'll report back tomorrow evening on how this whole experiment went down. Brandon is cooking his rice for work as we speak.
10.8.10
Convictions - sticking to them is not always easy
From the time we got married, Brandon and I decided to set Sunday aside as a special day. A day where we would go worship the Lord, spend time in fellowship with other believers, and take part in needed rest.
In the BK (before kids) era this wasn't too challenging. We understood why we were doing it and that was all there was to it.
Now in the DK (during kids) era, sticking to those convictions is a little more challenging. We have felt unsteady at times in our resolve to honor the Sabbath day in the way we feel convicted.
Our kids are now in programs. These programs have end of the year gatherings where you tend to display the knowledge, skill, and achievements you have gathered during the past 364 days.
Our girls take dance classes. In the past years the concert has been on a Saturday. This year there were no Saturdays available and so it has fallen on a Sunday.
I told the girls' teacher that we would not be attending the concert due to it being on a Sunday. She asked why and I told because we attend church on Sunday. She countered with a "you can come after church." I countered her counter offer with a "ummm, I will talk to my husband." Yes, so decisive I know. At the time I just could not coherently make the right words come out. I suppose I was also wondering if perhaps it might be alright for us to do it just this one time.
Brandon and I talked and we decided that no, we would not participate. So the next week I went back with concrete sentences weighing on my mind. After the lesson I explained again that we would not be participating. I explained that as Christians we felt convicted to keep normal activities at bay on Sunday. She then countered with "well it is only this one time." *sigh* My three kids are running around the hall, little girls are yelling, and I am trying to argue my point. Arguing, in the debating sense, is not a strong point of mine. I finally said that no, we would not make exceptions and that we had to stick to our convictions. I said hopefully the concert could be held on a Saturday next year.
There have been trying times at the following dance classes. The teacher brings in costumes for the class to try on but does not ask if my girls would like to try them on. This has reduced Jolene to tears several times. After all, who can resist a pink, sparkling, tutu that bounces and swirls when you move? My girls have also lost their placed in the dance line and have been shuffled to the back of the line. They don't care so much as they are just confused by the new places they have been assigned. Now I don't think the teacher is trying to be mean. Why should the girls try on costumes that they will not wear? It makes perfect sense to place them at the end of the line so that their absence doesn't confuse the others on the day of the concert.
I have to tell you that seeing the girls' disappointment and tears has nearly broken my resolve. I have really wrestled with placing our conviction on the girls. Especially when I am not sure they fully understand the reasons. It is tempting to say "yes, it is only this one week. Go ahead and do it"
Through all of this my thoughts have become slightly more clear. I realize now that I should have told the teacher not only do we as a family want to rest but we would like her to have a day of rest too. We don't want her to be running around like crazy all Sunday morning, afternoon, and evening. Instead we would rather her come to church.
Yes this is only one day of the year. But how many more of these events will we have in the future? As our kids grow older I think we might end up with a dozen or so of these. Meaning that we could miss around 1/5 of the worship services for that year.
It is hard making the girls do something that they may not fully understand. However, as Christian parents we need to teach them how to keep God's commandments. Through all of this I have had opportunities to explain the gospel to the girls. I explain to them that we are trying to keep the fourth commandment. Even at our best we cannot keep God's commands perfectly. This shows us we need help. We cannot save ourselves. We need a savior, Jesus Christ. I also try to explain to them how God has given us six days to do our work and that he asks us to set apart Sunday for him. We should want to spend time in his house with other believers. Instead of resisting we should be thankful for such a gift.
In the BK (before kids) era this wasn't too challenging. We understood why we were doing it and that was all there was to it.
Now in the DK (during kids) era, sticking to those convictions is a little more challenging. We have felt unsteady at times in our resolve to honor the Sabbath day in the way we feel convicted.
Our kids are now in programs. These programs have end of the year gatherings where you tend to display the knowledge, skill, and achievements you have gathered during the past 364 days.
Our girls take dance classes. In the past years the concert has been on a Saturday. This year there were no Saturdays available and so it has fallen on a Sunday.
I told the girls' teacher that we would not be attending the concert due to it being on a Sunday. She asked why and I told because we attend church on Sunday. She countered with a "you can come after church." I countered her counter offer with a "ummm, I will talk to my husband." Yes, so decisive I know. At the time I just could not coherently make the right words come out. I suppose I was also wondering if perhaps it might be alright for us to do it just this one time.
Brandon and I talked and we decided that no, we would not participate. So the next week I went back with concrete sentences weighing on my mind. After the lesson I explained again that we would not be participating. I explained that as Christians we felt convicted to keep normal activities at bay on Sunday. She then countered with "well it is only this one time." *sigh* My three kids are running around the hall, little girls are yelling, and I am trying to argue my point. Arguing, in the debating sense, is not a strong point of mine. I finally said that no, we would not make exceptions and that we had to stick to our convictions. I said hopefully the concert could be held on a Saturday next year.
There have been trying times at the following dance classes. The teacher brings in costumes for the class to try on but does not ask if my girls would like to try them on. This has reduced Jolene to tears several times. After all, who can resist a pink, sparkling, tutu that bounces and swirls when you move? My girls have also lost their placed in the dance line and have been shuffled to the back of the line. They don't care so much as they are just confused by the new places they have been assigned. Now I don't think the teacher is trying to be mean. Why should the girls try on costumes that they will not wear? It makes perfect sense to place them at the end of the line so that their absence doesn't confuse the others on the day of the concert.
I have to tell you that seeing the girls' disappointment and tears has nearly broken my resolve. I have really wrestled with placing our conviction on the girls. Especially when I am not sure they fully understand the reasons. It is tempting to say "yes, it is only this one week. Go ahead and do it"
Through all of this my thoughts have become slightly more clear. I realize now that I should have told the teacher not only do we as a family want to rest but we would like her to have a day of rest too. We don't want her to be running around like crazy all Sunday morning, afternoon, and evening. Instead we would rather her come to church.
Yes this is only one day of the year. But how many more of these events will we have in the future? As our kids grow older I think we might end up with a dozen or so of these. Meaning that we could miss around 1/5 of the worship services for that year.
It is hard making the girls do something that they may not fully understand. However, as Christian parents we need to teach them how to keep God's commandments. Through all of this I have had opportunities to explain the gospel to the girls. I explain to them that we are trying to keep the fourth commandment. Even at our best we cannot keep God's commands perfectly. This shows us we need help. We cannot save ourselves. We need a savior, Jesus Christ. I also try to explain to them how God has given us six days to do our work and that he asks us to set apart Sunday for him. We should want to spend time in his house with other believers. Instead of resisting we should be thankful for such a gift.
Psalm 122:1 - I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord."
4.8.10
Conversations with a toddler and preschooler cont.
So tonight we were talking about growing up. I told the kids that when they have their own kids I would be their kids' grandma. They thought that was pretty funny. Ha, me a grandma!
I then asked them what they would name their kids. Here are the names Jolene and Adele have picked out so far.
Jolene: "Lily, Snowflake, Spot, and Butterfly"
Adele: "Pink sparkly heart, pink sparkly heart butterfly, and pink sparkly heart spot"
Me:"Those are all very unique names and I have never met anyone going by any of those names."
Me: "Did you know Gideon will be a daddy when he has kids?"
Jolene: "But he has to find a girl first."
Me: "Yes, that is true."
Adele: "I'm his girl!"
Me: "Wellll, that is not really allowed."
Gideon: gives Adele a big shove and wrestles with her on the couch.
I then asked them what they would name their kids. Here are the names Jolene and Adele have picked out so far.
Jolene: "Lily, Snowflake, Spot, and Butterfly"
Adele: "Pink sparkly heart, pink sparkly heart butterfly, and pink sparkly heart spot"
Me:"Those are all very unique names and I have never met anyone going by any of those names."
Me: "Did you know Gideon will be a daddy when he has kids?"
Jolene: "But he has to find a girl first."
Me: "Yes, that is true."
Adele: "I'm his girl!"
Me: "Wellll, that is not really allowed."
Gideon: gives Adele a big shove and wrestles with her on the couch.
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