When Randall left for the Priesthood session the party began. My Mom came over to spend the evening and we made good use of our time. First we decorated a haunted gingerbread house. As always I have a hard time at first just letting the kids go crazy, knowing it won't turn out how it looks on the box. I was amazed at what a great and creative job they did, mostly by themselves. It was a good reminder that they are capable and it's good for me to step back and encourage from a far and let them take pride in their "masterpiece" For the most part I love the ages and stages of my kids right now. We certainly have our days were I need a break, but most recently I am trying my best to slow down, be more patient, and enjoy the crazy and creative moments. It's so great to see them concentrate so hard on something and then be so pleased with their accomplishment.
After the gingerbread house we made carmel corn. Then Mom and I watched a movie while the kids watched theirs. I feel so great when I do fun things with the kids. I'm sad to think that my children have stored memories of me losing my patience, not always being kind and not always doing fun things. I'm glad that we took the time to do these fun things in hopes that my children are also storing away many of the good times and fun things that we do together.
My mom told me of a time when she was probably in 1st grade and she was given the assignment to color a flower. She chose green and colored both the stem and flower green. When her teacher saw her completed flower, instead of praise and adoration at her creativity, the teacher scolded her for doing it "wrong". The teacher asked my mother if "she had ever seen a green flower". After the scolding my mother was given a 2nd flower to color "correctly". While it makes me sad that my Mom now many, many years later remembers this negative experience, I'm grateful that I can choose not to have that perspective in molding and teaching my children. I want to do my best to make sure that I encourage my children in their strengths and weaknesses and always praise them adequately, even more so if they choose to color the petals of a flower "green". I'm glad that I just let go and that in the process of decorating the children's haunted mansion a happy memory was made, and in the end their mansion looked even better than the picture on the box.
6 comments:
Your kids are just like you...very creative and good at what they do! That haunted house is very cute. I bought one a few days ago but we haven't got around to it yet. I love conference too. I feel like Pres. Monson's talk (I think the one on Sunday morning, but he spoke so many times that I can't remember) on how to live in the moment and cherish each one because time goes so fast. Obviously you did that while the boys were at Priesthood.
Wow--such good times for you guys lately. I'm excited to see you've posted so much. I appreciate all your thoughts on everything. Sometimes it's funny how I read your blog and realize we've been thinking about the same things during the same week. Love the pictures!
My mom has a rose bush that occasionally will produce green roses! I am not kidding! I pointed it out to my parents one day and they wouldn't believe me. But a few weeks later my Mom called me to report she just took a picture of a green rose on her bush--so G'ma Barrett was right!
Nice job on letting go, Ash! That is hard to do!
I think you have the talents of Grandma Rhea! She was so artistic, but I remember she, too, had a hard time letting us help. Ethan and Anna's spooky house looks wonderful and they must feel such ownership when they look at it. Good job! By the way, Ethan's hair style in the pictures has him looking like his Papa Barrett when he wa a boy. Cute kids!
I love your cute little Haunted House. We made one on Sunday and yours definetly looks more creative. I happy to see your doing well. Miss you.
What a cute idea, to decorate a haunted house. Fun mama!
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