Pink Cows!

Pink Cows OH MY!!!!!!

Only in Texas!

Vacation!

Thought you might enjoy theses sweet pics taken while on vacation in a tiny beach town-

My little ones so adore doing what ever they are told that they jump for joy at the prospect of school and chores!

O.k. maybe they are still learning to appreciate rules, and perhaps they they aren't always quick to jump to action when told to do something. 

But one thing I know for sure is that I've hit on something golden in the are of chores! 

My three love to clean anything and everything! In fact I'm hard put to find chores tht are safe for little hands to do, as they are constantly asking me if there are any chores they can do!

If I stand over them and direct, they soon tire of the task -But left to what they believe is "doing it all by themselves "they stick to it till the job is more than done! They really do a good job and I'm thrilled that they are thrilled, and so busy not getting into trouble!

We try to keep daily tasks fun and interesting by turning them into games or simply special time with one of us- folding clothes with Daddy or Mama doubles as a semi date, (much needed personal time with each one of our children).

Of course our days aren't just filled with exciting chores, there is loads of time for creating and playing and being silly! Even homeschool has gotten easier with a few incentives in the picture- Praise God for Creative ideas!!!!!!

Busy enough to "Smell the Roses"

So often I find myself so entrenched in every day activities that I've failed to see the wonderful eccentricities of life. Like how sweet it is that my children are playing happily (finally) together, or how exciting it is that Mr. Chattersworth, the backyard squirrel, has finally got up the nerve to ask his sweetheart to marry him, or how preposterously funny it is that no matter how much laundry I do, the hamper never seems to empty!

That last one was'nt so wonderful, but when mundane household tasks seem never ending, one must find    find the silliness in it all!

We know our family,friends, and especially our personal time with God is more important than the busyness of life. But that knowledge seems to fade when you are up to your elbows in dirty diapers, floors that need sweeping, rooms that need organizing, laundry that needs folding, and kids bickering over who's turn it is to do just about anything!

I recently found myself in this rut of never ending "doing", when suddenly with what seemed like a ray of light from Heaven, I stopped what I was doing and looked, REALLY LOOKED. Despite the dirty floors and smelly laundry my children were doing just fine, in fact they were better than fine!

 There they were, giggling and chasing each other around the living room, jumping over the furniture and crashing into prized collections like the little angels they are.

Hold on now, No I don't make it a practice to leave out prized possessions or allow jumping on the couch and racing around the couch. But as any mother knows, "things" happen no matter how together we think we are! 

The point is, that I realized that even the not so lovely moments can be just that, LOVELY, when I choose to see the beauty in the small, ordinary, and absolutely wonderful, everyday "things" that fill up my life.

That ray of light from Heaven that I spoke of is just a poetic way of saying God got ahold of me and gently reminded me to give all my worry, weariness, and exhaustion to Him. When I did, He gave me Joy unattainable without Him, and an outlook on life that is more than rosy!

 I've always loved my children more than words could express and even enjoy the sometimes mundane tasks of being a Homemaker. It's just that busyness can so easily overtake us that we forget to stop and smell the roses!

This week I invite you to join me, wherever you may be, as I purposefully stop what I'm busy doing to say "yes" to reading a book,playing blocks,watching a movie,or taking a walk with my kids when they ask me too, instead of forever saying "Not yet" or "In a few minutes" because what a joy it brings to our lives when we decide to set aside time to just be happy with the ones we love!

Well these are my ramblings- it's time for bed as tomorrow holds new adventures with my small fry in tow