Grains of Sand

For Today March 31, 2014 Outside my window... the sky is white, reflecting the patches of snow on the ground and charcoal gray clouds are moving in. I am thinking... of my neighbor who is going through a difficult time. I am thankful... for a taste of spring over the weekend.  The forecast looks wintry for the next few days. In the kitchen... the oven is clean, fingerprints have been wiped from the refrigerator and there is Parmesan cheese on the cheese board. I am wearing... a red Wisconsin t-shirt in honor of my pick to win the college basketball championship. I am creating... a photo album for Clinton and Assana. I am going...  from there to here and here to there.... From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere. Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/dr_seuss.html#ZVa9TyReOMgjdVoU.99 From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere. Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors...

What do you get when you take an empty baked bean can, some snazzy craft paper and a lot of chores written on small slips of paper? You get another something sitting on your counter, a bunch of chores done, children who might think about the consequences of their actions and a mom who is more emotionally stable! I made a 'Consequences can' and it has worked wonders for our relationships.   Before the consequences can, the kids would misbehave, I'd yell, hurt their feelings and we'd all be upset for a while simply because I yelled.  Not because they had misbehaved.   This can filled with consequences has allowed me to remove my emotions from the equation by being the immediate punishment for the offense.  Now when transgressions are made I can simply say, "Pull a consequence".  While the child is carrying out the consequence it gives me a much needed time-out to sort through my initial emotions and gather my thoughts for a constructive teaching m...

We recently enjoyed a tropical vacation in the Dominican Republic.  The sky was blue, the water was turquoise and the sand was white.  It was beautiful. On one of our days spent at the beach, a small white fish with blue spots washed up on shore.  It was rather a surprise to us.  One minute we are alone on the beach with the waves crashing at our feet.  When the next wave left the shore, it also left behind this fish.  As we approached the fish to get a closer look, it began to struggle.  We attempted to help it, to no avail.  Every time we bent to redirect the fish toward the water, it would flip and flop so quickly it escaped our assistance.  This poor little fish was stuck on this sandy beach with only the wind in its gills.  Not a good place for a fish. The waves kept coming in but none reached high enough to save the struggling fish.  We thought this fish was a goner.  And then it happened. ...

Megan and Mason were enjoying some candy hearts together at the kitchen table.  Megan was reading all Mason's hearts to him one by one.  He would ask, "What does this one say?" Megan would respond appropriately.  Then Mason would share with me and Patrick what the heart said before popping it in his mouth. This went on for quite a while.  (Megan certainly has a lot more patience than I do.)  Her patience does have a limit though.  Mason asked again, "Megan, What does this one say?"  To which Megan replied, "Be Mine, now stop asking me." Mason turned to me and Patrick and said, "This one says, Be Mine now stop asking me."  Too cute!