The Dreaded Sauerkraut

Without consulting each other, the following was spoken:

Skeeter - "Mommy, what is that HORRIBLE smell?"

Scooter - "Mommy, what is THAT smell?"

Skipper - "Uck, what you cookin Mama?" 

It was Pork & Sauerkraut.  Daddy's homemade kraut!  And I threatened them.  The more you complain, the more helpings you'll get.  And DADDY will give the helpings.  (He does not proportion according to Blossom age, size and birth order, as Mommy does.)  They ate it.  They ate it all.  They weren't even at the table for hours!  Victory.  I wonder what I can do to get that smell out of the house before people start stopping over...

On Being Overwhelmed

I woke up feeling yucky.  Really it's just sleep deprivation.  If I don't zealously guard the time I go to bed, I don't go to bed.  And, surprise-surprise, then I get less sleep.  Then I am not nearly so nice (meaning GODLY).  Sometimes I call and talk to my Rugged Mountain Man to help me gain perspective, instead of just wallowing in my oh-my-gosh-there's-so-much-to-do moments.  He's a great guy and he helps me.  One thing he said today hit me like lightning.  It was good practical advice just when I needed it.  He said, "Maybe if you spent more time with the girlies, the house wouldn't be such a wreck."  A little context here before you throw something at my husband (watch out, I have a mean tae-bo kick that I wouldn't hesitate to use)

- The house is generally tidy.
- I do spend time with the girlies.

He knows both of these things.  However, I see all that still needs to be done, after school is over for the day, the cooking, the wash to be folded and the deep cleaning that feels like it won't get done til my children's high school graduation... and I go into panic mode.  Only work, work, work, work.  Balance is the name of the game.  And that's the heart of what he was saying. 

He was bringing balance. 

Which is why I was almost speechless with the wisdom of what he said.  The house is generally tidy.  So, I shouldn't feel compelled to accomplish every item on the task list at the expense of time with the Blossoms.  Balance.  They go crazy-rowdy when Mommy goes into hyper-accomplishment mode. 

Crazy-rowdy equals bad things for tidy houses.  And that's makes Mommies sad.

I like the balance he brought.  It was a timely word.  And then he said, "Have a cup of Earl Grey tea." 

And I had two. 

Why do I call them Blossoms?

Your mouth says what your heart believes.  Conversely, sometimes your mouth says words so much, your heart starts to believe it.  Like when I was a teenager and I started laughing along with the dumb blonde jokes.  I started cracking those jokes about myself too.  Then, I caught myself thinking I really was a dumb, ditzy blonde.  Cue abrupt end of dumb blonde jokes here.  I know I'm smart.  I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  I'm pretty sure that was the number one verse my Mama taught me. 

I noticed that folks say all sorts of things about their offspring.  And that's their business.  My business is the raising and training of our girlies.  I don't want those little pitchers that have big ears to tune into some conversation some time and hear something that they'll live down to.  I believe these girlies are treasures.  I believe that we are training them up in the way they should go and when they are old they won't depart from it.  I believe the girlies are pearls, cultured pearls.  Beautiful tapestries woven by the hand of God.  Not just kids.  Not monkeys.  Not hoodlums.  Not brats.  So, God helps me to call them Blossoms.  A flower that's rooted and planted in God's love and God's Word.  Growing.  Branching out.  Blossoming.  Into the Rose He intends.  Lifting up a fragrance to the Master.  Our Blossoms.

Where is the Sugar & Spice?

Everybody says that girls are Sugar and Spice and everything nice, but when my the Rugged Mountain Man's colleague sends home hand-me-down socker-boppers
(http://www.amazon.com/Big-Time-Toys-Socker-Bopper/dp/B004SCELN8/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1385078368&sr=1-1&keywords=socker+boppers),
I begin to wonder if the person who penned those words really knew what they were talking about.  Yes, there is punching.  Yes, there is grunting.  Yes, there is giggling.  I realize giggling is girlish... but it's giggling about punching each other!  Thought you might like to see what a real evening here in our happy little home looks like.  It certainly isn't just braids and bows and dress-up.  (Although, about an hour before they were knocking each other's block off, they were playing dress-up and "going to a ball" with Daddy as the prince.  They ambushed him at the top of the steps when he got home from work.)  As I sat there nursing Sweet Pea, listening to Celtic Christmas music, I enjoyed the giggles.  When Skipper decided to give the socker-boppers a go, she took a running leap at Skeeter, slashed her arm wildly in the air with a wild punch and then lost her balance and landed on her hinder.  And they all dissolved into a pile of giggles.  Sugar and spice and everything nice.  Thank God for little girlies. 

Learning the Grunt part of Work

So, Scooter and Skeeter are baking til the cows come home.  Seriously.  Every night they bake a double batch of Jake's Cakes, their homemade dog treats.  And, it has been a test in perseverance.  They are getting tired of it.  Part of me thought, "Oh no.  They don't like this.  It isn't fun." 

(Stepping back making a look of disbelief at myself!) 

I never advertised that this project would be fun, at least that wasn't my main emphasis.  I'd advertised that they could earn money. 

I'm glad they see the connection.  Work is work.  It isn't pretty.  It isn't (always) fun.  It's messy.  It takes TIME.  I like that they are realizing that money doesn't come out of the microwave.  The Bible never condones get-rich-quick schemes (Read Proverbs.)  I really think it's healthy to understand that slow and steady gets the job done.  Last year, after it was all said and done, Skeeter said, "That was a lot of work, but it was worth it."  This is why this Jake's Cakes project is so important to me for the Blossoms.  That's what Scooter and Skeeter are learning.