Task #7 and some funny stuff

A friend gave us this cool jar for fixing 5-layer bars Paula Dean style! The graham crackers were in a baggie at the top and I had to cut them open to get them out - how in the world did she cram all that stuff in there? The couple we kept were awful tasty!


This is Jade's new smile-for-the-camera face. LOL!!!


About 10 minutes before bedtime - WIPEOUT!! He has not been feeling great today and he just curled up with Dad and zonked out.

ASSIGNMENT:
Task #7 simply comes from the heart & where it leads you: donate to a local charity.

This can be in the form of clothing, toys, cans, food, recyclables or time.

We are doing this on the honor system here. If you can somehow show me what you donated or did, great – otherwise just add a comment here on the blog and/or on facebook to share where your item or time donation went.

Deadline is noon on Friday.

COMPLETED:
We took 5 boxes / bags worth of clothes and toys down to the Interior Alaska Center for Nonviolence. Then we made 5 layer bars for the volunteer firefighters down the hill. Feeling pretty darn good about the world right now :)

A whole conversation!!!

So Slater is really coming along in his speech. He has been holding honest-to-goodness conversations with us and with other people. The following is the cutest one that I have seen so far. It was between him and a little red headed boy that is going to be joining his pre-school class.

He walked up and smiled at the kid and said : "You so cute kid!" (which he totally was)
Little red headed boy: "Hi, what's your name?"
Slater: "My name Slater ... What your name?"
LRHB: "Wyatt"
Slater: "Nice to meet you Wyatt."
At that point I said, "Hey buddy, we need to go."
Slater: "See you morrow Wyatt."
Wyatt: "Bye"

LOVE IT!!! It is amazing to converse instead of drag words out of him.

Did someone say SPACE???

THE ASSIGNMENT:
While places are amazing … spaces are just as fun!

SHOW ME your favorite room in your house … and tell me WHY that is so. (Yes, a picture – from today – the space we love, in all its everyday glory.)

Current picture (iphone, smart phone, point n’ shoot) & why … due no later than noon on Wednesday.

YOU MUST HAVE A SIGN IN THE ROOM THAT SAYS January 2011 – that’s how we’ll know it’s current ;)

Post it to the MachC Facebook Fan Page



SO HERE IS TASK #5:


The "room" or "SPACE" :)
Under the stairs also known as: fort, cave, tunnel, kitchen and today as a scene from Empire Strikes Back. This little space is one of my children's favorite places to play. Located right next to the kitchen it houses the phone, the calendar, the computer, and our latest MachC Photography pictures. Many happy hours are spent here and it is a space that has already been photographed by our lovely contest hostess :)


Why are the boring Storm Troopers his favorites??? O-yes that is a pacifier that you see there too, baby Jade felt the need to contribute.


All recently acquired by Slater here are a R2D2 lunchbox, Chewy, and a vintage lunchbox that was a Christmas present from Uncle Dan. Every time we host a party, get-together or pig roast this staircase is clamored on by our friends children - I can't count the number of cute pictures I have received of little ones peering through the bars, such good times with family and friends.


In case this is difficult to read: 1/2011 in Star Wars figures


This last one is for a fabulous photographer - just another reason this is one of my favorite rooms in the house.

Slater's Resolution ...

New Years Resolution ...

Wade and I made it a goal this year to teach the kids about Random Acts of Kindness (RAOK) and doing community service (Practicing Acts of Kindness PAOK). We want our kids to appreciate all the things that they have and understand that not everyone is as fortunate as they are.

Things that we are thinking of:

AT HOME:
Being kind to one another
Sharing (sooooo hard at one and three)
Helping Mom and Dad
Doing things without being asked

AT DAYCARE AND SCHOOL:
Being kind to others
Sharing
Helping teachers and caretakers
Doing things without being asked

IN THE COMMUNITY:
Picking up trash
Being kind to others
Santa's Clearing House
The Foodbank

Although this looks like a list for the kids, we know that actions speak louder than words and we are resolved to be the best examples that we can be. Which means ...

No more saying derogatory things (under out breath or otherwise) about other drivers on the road
Practicing positive words and showing them how to talk about frustrations
Asking them politely when we want their cooperation
Saying thank you when they complete a chore
Taking the time to appreciate others in our lives
Being kind to each other

Some of these sound so simple and seem like they use to be the natural thing to do, but some days we get caught up in the exhaustion that is raising young kids and get frustrated. With better sleeping children and fresh resolve we know that we can raise kids that are respectful of the world around them. In our most important teaching post I hope that we can be as good as so many of our "teachers" were.

Sharing and dog breath

Working on the idea of sharing with the three year old ... it is a loooonnnnggg and difficult road. Tonight we made Kettle Korn and after Slater ate his fill he started "sharing" with everyone. A piece for Jade, a piece for Mom, a piece for Dad. It was quite cute and we were excited to see voluntary sharing!! Then he handed us both a piece, after we had them in our mouth he said "Piper (the dog) no eat these, Piper lick these."

And think a few short months ago we were worried about his communication skills.

The ups and downs of parenthood ...

So this weekend was the weekend of illness.

All parents know it, the kind ...
...where the washer and dryer never stop running...
...where the shower is the only real way to clean them up...
...where you are touched that your child wants to just be held and you can make everything in their world OK for awhile...
...where you are not so thrilled by their frighten face as they run to you scared about how their body is feeling and then throw-up all over you...
...where little hands pat your face and say "I sad, mommy", "Just cuddle me" or "I wuv you"...
...where your spunky, never slow-down, dive head-first into everything son doesn't move except to crawl off the couch and go back to his bed ...
...where you wind up getting it yourself and listening to your babies cry while you are in the bathroom breaks your heart...

Well that was our weekend, thank goodness it is over. But after all the chaos died down there were some wonderful moments. Today I was tucked into bed by my son and then he pulled out his lincoln logs and started to play next to my head. He was so intent on what he was doing, examining each log, linking them together, tilting, twisting and arranging. Suddenly I realize that he was assembly cannons and firing them off at imaginary targets. His big brown eyes were fascinated by the little pieces, his mind caught up in a world of his own making, just content that I was there to share it with him.

These are the moments that families should be all about. The quiet time that we take with each other, stopping and watching. Not rushing to take a picture, running out the door to get on to the next thing, feeling frustrated by the un-done chores or projects. I hope that our Christmas will be filled with moments of wonder, wandering the neighborhood looking at Christmas lights, listening to a choir sing, decorating the tree, sledding and laughing.