Friday, January 20, 2012
Wordless Wednesday (+2 days): Jan. 20, 2012
I miss my Word(less) Wednesday posts and I had some pics I wanted to post, so why not a Wordless Wednesday on a Friday. Natalie and I went to get her some new boots today for the Stock Show and she fell in love with the hat, too, and wanted some pictures taken. I'm thinking we may need a longer shirt so that it stays tucked in (UGH!). She is so very excited for Stock Show though! :)
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
And now we get onto the tough stuff
Of parenting, that is. The tough part where the lessons you had been working on and toward - that seemed to be working - suddenly seem to be derailed. The tough job of developing character.
We have been running into some previously foreign issues around our house lately with regard to work ethic, maturity, hard work, taking the easy way, etc. I'm not sure where it's coming from, but it's entirely maddening!!
This is my eight-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Natalie Grace and the offending math assignment she was asked to do. As you can see, there is one square blank. Obviously, the problems are not difficult for her (as evidenced by the following ones which are the same type).
[In case it's not clear, she can't figure out: 24 ft = ____ yd or 42 ft = _____ yd. But she can figure out that 13 ft = 4 yd 1 ft, 40 ft = 13 yd 1 ft]
However, just as obvious is her disdain for the expectation that she do her work on her own. How dare I, you know?
We have been battling some issues with these types of behaviors for the last few (six or so) months and while I know I'm not alone, this is certainly a ride I'd like to get off!!
To be honest, I thought that the fact that we were consistent and firm in our parenting style from essentially Day One with her ~ and the fact that we had a hard-working, driven, self-motivated child ~ basically exempted us from this stage. I was clearly wrong.
That said, I am encouraged by knowing that she has it all in there and she is (more than) capable of stepping up to the plate. However, I'm discouraged by the fact that we're having to do some of the tough parenting and poke and prod her along. No, that's not helping in the self-motivation department, but it is helping in the hard work, accountability departments.
I know this is just scratching the surface of some of these bigger parenting hurdles regarding character and more, but it's certainly throwing us for a bit of a loop.
In good news, we had a nice evening complete with hard work on some Spanish work, good effort at diving, and off to bed without any further adieu. Hallelujah!!
We have been running into some previously foreign issues around our house lately with regard to work ethic, maturity, hard work, taking the easy way, etc. I'm not sure where it's coming from, but it's entirely maddening!!
This is my eight-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Natalie Grace and the offending math assignment she was asked to do. As you can see, there is one square blank. Obviously, the problems are not difficult for her (as evidenced by the following ones which are the same type).
[In case it's not clear, she can't figure out: 24 ft = ____ yd or 42 ft = _____ yd. But she can figure out that 13 ft = 4 yd 1 ft, 40 ft = 13 yd 1 ft]
However, just as obvious is her disdain for the expectation that she do her work on her own. How dare I, you know?
We have been battling some issues with these types of behaviors for the last few (six or so) months and while I know I'm not alone, this is certainly a ride I'd like to get off!!
To be honest, I thought that the fact that we were consistent and firm in our parenting style from essentially Day One with her ~ and the fact that we had a hard-working, driven, self-motivated child ~ basically exempted us from this stage. I was clearly wrong.
That said, I am encouraged by knowing that she has it all in there and she is (more than) capable of stepping up to the plate. However, I'm discouraged by the fact that we're having to do some of the tough parenting and poke and prod her along. No, that's not helping in the self-motivation department, but it is helping in the hard work, accountability departments.
I know this is just scratching the surface of some of these bigger parenting hurdles regarding character and more, but it's certainly throwing us for a bit of a loop.
In good news, we had a nice evening complete with hard work on some Spanish work, good effort at diving, and off to bed without any further adieu. Hallelujah!!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Oh, to be a little kid again
This post dedicated to Erin because you will "get it" and laugh the way I did.
I think I'd like to be 8 years old again. At least for a day. Natalie spent some time this afternoon in her room playing with her "Snap Circuits" (great toy, by the way!). She asked me to stop by her room to see what she made and I walked in to a water/saltwater conductivity experiment ....
Under the canopy of her Fort Kit:
Rope everywhere. Note Toby barely awake from his nap up in her bed.....
The light on means there is water ;)
Toby starts out tolerant .... gets a bit annoyed with pictures ....
And is just done ....
But the girl sure looks happy and content, right? :)
Clock Makeover
Just a fun and quick project for our Wednesday mid-morning:
Just an aside on the analog clock situation: I am one of those crazy parents that basically didn't let my daughter have a digital clock in her room until she could sort of tell time. She has a digital and an analog clock right by each other still and I still encourage her to use analog. Why? I don't know. I realize the world is rapidly moving into an all-digital era, but it was just something that was important to me at an early age and with that importance, we put an analog clock in her room very young. At least by age 3. [Yes, I know - If I'm so hell-bent on the old school way, why not install a sun dial, too - but you know, I can only do so much :) ]
Anyway, this is the clock we started with from Ikea:
And apparently, over time, the white background - not made out of paper, but more a plastic-ish material begins to break down. We had large cracks going from the 12 to the center and the 11 to the center.
So I got a wild hair idea and decided to make a new face. Simple, really. I would take the old one out, trace it onto some cute paper, add some labels, and reassemble. Except that when I went to take the clock apart, the entire background just cracked and crumbled like an egg shell. Everywhere.
So I improvised and just traced, cut, trimmed, added some scrapbook sticker numbers in the general vicinity of where I think they go (Good thing she's not still learning how to tell time ~ that could prove to be more than a bit frustrating), and reassembled the clock mechanism.
The final product:
I love how it matches her bright polka dot room perfectly .... and I didn't have to throw away a "perfectly good" clock!
Just an aside on the analog clock situation: I am one of those crazy parents that basically didn't let my daughter have a digital clock in her room until she could sort of tell time. She has a digital and an analog clock right by each other still and I still encourage her to use analog. Why? I don't know. I realize the world is rapidly moving into an all-digital era, but it was just something that was important to me at an early age and with that importance, we put an analog clock in her room very young. At least by age 3. [Yes, I know - If I'm so hell-bent on the old school way, why not install a sun dial, too - but you know, I can only do so much :) ]
Anyway, this is the clock we started with from Ikea:
And apparently, over time, the white background - not made out of paper, but more a plastic-ish material begins to break down. We had large cracks going from the 12 to the center and the 11 to the center.
So I got a wild hair idea and decided to make a new face. Simple, really. I would take the old one out, trace it onto some cute paper, add some labels, and reassemble. Except that when I went to take the clock apart, the entire background just cracked and crumbled like an egg shell. Everywhere.
So I improvised and just traced, cut, trimmed, added some scrapbook sticker numbers in the general vicinity of where I think they go (Good thing she's not still learning how to tell time ~ that could prove to be more than a bit frustrating), and reassembled the clock mechanism.
The final product:
I love how it matches her bright polka dot room perfectly .... and I didn't have to throw away a "perfectly good" clock!
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Just an Ordinary Sunday
Today was just an ordinary Sunday around here. Tons of cattle work as we get ready for the Fort Worth Stock Show coming up which meant alll day outside. We even ate lunch on our feet in the barn. Guess you could call it 'training' for the show :)
Natalie and her baby, "Honey":
I may be biased but I think this girl is gorgeous. All-American-girl, hair a mess, etc - but beautiful and real.
I think Ranger was ready for us to go inside so he could join:
JJ livin' on the edge - literally.
And of course some time on the trampoline - this pic makes me giggle at her intensity.
Happy Sunday!!
Natalie and her baby, "Honey":
I may be biased but I think this girl is gorgeous. All-American-girl, hair a mess, etc - but beautiful and real.
I think Ranger was ready for us to go inside so he could join:
JJ livin' on the edge - literally.
And of course some time on the trampoline - this pic makes me giggle at her intensity.
Happy Sunday!!
Friday, January 6, 2012
Do I Enjoy Parenting?
I saw a blog today via my Facebook feed that resonated deep for me - on a few different levels. It was titled "Don't Carpe Diem." Okay, I'll bite. I'll click and read what this is about. And as I read, I found myself nodding along and giggling a bit at some of the antics of the writer's children (particularly in the Target check-out line). But moreso, it made me really take a step back and question "Do I enjoy parenting?", "Do I Carpe Diem?", "What will my advice be years from now?"
Do I enjoy parenting? If I take the collection of the last 3,077 days (the above was done yesterday), the answer is a very simple: Yes. Yes, I do.
But it isn't always easy. There are certainly days and even weeks where I just don't want to be "the mom." It has nothing to do with being her mom. I just don't want to be the mom. I don't want to be the one who has to correct the behaviors, devise behavior systems, come up with appropriate consequences, give the life lectures, etc.
I, however, wouldn't trade all of that for the lovely talks we have almost daily while driving, the opportunity to see her learn things so easily and to figure out how her brain exactly works (not like mine!), play games, read together, talk about our observations of the world, do art projects, go outside to see her latest trick on the trampoline (as I was just asked to come see mid-blog), and the opportunity to simply be a mom in every sense of the word.
Admittedly, it was easier to enjoy the time, collectively, when she was younger. Not because she's a bad kid, but just because she's older and with more of a mind of her own - and the words (tone) to express her likes and dislikes.
And that's what I think the older woman in the above blog was trying to say - to enjoy the time when they're little because it only gets harder. I wholeheartedly agree with her and my kid is only 8 (still very little in the grand scheme of life).
Do I Carpe Diem? Sadly, this depends on a number of factors ~ what else is going on in life, behavioral choices, etc., etc. But overall, I would say yes. Each day is just that - each day. It's easy to let yourself get bogged down by the demands of life and lose sight of the littler things each and every day have to offer, but it's certainly something I try really hard to do and certainly want to take this opportunity to make a better effort.
What will my advice be years from now? I'm not sure that I'll be doling out any advice. I don't think I've done everything right to this point (I know I haven't - and I know I'll make more mistakes from this point forward, too), but I do think that Zane and I set out to parent in a particular way and we're more-or-less staying the course and getting the results we hoped to get (again, in the bigger picture). My biggest advice, particularly for my own daughter, would be to be realistic about what parenthood really is. I had a friend wanting to get pregnant with their first child aks me my thoughts about it and I remember writing a heart-felt response with the general idea of "If you want a cute little baby, then no, don't do it - but if you're interested in actually raising a productive member of society and all of the ups, downs, frustrations, heartache that entails, then yes - and good luck."
Parenthood is incredible. Incredibly rewarding and incredibly frustrating ~ often times at the exact moments! It will make you full of pride, full of despair, and everything in between - but most of all, full of love. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world and I'm so very grateful for the title of "Mom."
Now, off to go play in the beautiful 72-degree January day! Life is good. Carpe Diem! :)
Do I enjoy parenting? If I take the collection of the last 3,077 days (the above was done yesterday), the answer is a very simple: Yes. Yes, I do.
But it isn't always easy. There are certainly days and even weeks where I just don't want to be "the mom." It has nothing to do with being her mom. I just don't want to be the mom. I don't want to be the one who has to correct the behaviors, devise behavior systems, come up with appropriate consequences, give the life lectures, etc.
I, however, wouldn't trade all of that for the lovely talks we have almost daily while driving, the opportunity to see her learn things so easily and to figure out how her brain exactly works (not like mine!), play games, read together, talk about our observations of the world, do art projects, go outside to see her latest trick on the trampoline (as I was just asked to come see mid-blog), and the opportunity to simply be a mom in every sense of the word.
Admittedly, it was easier to enjoy the time, collectively, when she was younger. Not because she's a bad kid, but just because she's older and with more of a mind of her own - and the words (tone) to express her likes and dislikes.
And that's what I think the older woman in the above blog was trying to say - to enjoy the time when they're little because it only gets harder. I wholeheartedly agree with her and my kid is only 8 (still very little in the grand scheme of life).
Do I Carpe Diem? Sadly, this depends on a number of factors ~ what else is going on in life, behavioral choices, etc., etc. But overall, I would say yes. Each day is just that - each day. It's easy to let yourself get bogged down by the demands of life and lose sight of the littler things each and every day have to offer, but it's certainly something I try really hard to do and certainly want to take this opportunity to make a better effort.
What will my advice be years from now? I'm not sure that I'll be doling out any advice. I don't think I've done everything right to this point (I know I haven't - and I know I'll make more mistakes from this point forward, too), but I do think that Zane and I set out to parent in a particular way and we're more-or-less staying the course and getting the results we hoped to get (again, in the bigger picture). My biggest advice, particularly for my own daughter, would be to be realistic about what parenthood really is. I had a friend wanting to get pregnant with their first child aks me my thoughts about it and I remember writing a heart-felt response with the general idea of "If you want a cute little baby, then no, don't do it - but if you're interested in actually raising a productive member of society and all of the ups, downs, frustrations, heartache that entails, then yes - and good luck."
Parenthood is incredible. Incredibly rewarding and incredibly frustrating ~ often times at the exact moments! It will make you full of pride, full of despair, and everything in between - but most of all, full of love. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world and I'm so very grateful for the title of "Mom."
Now, off to go play in the beautiful 72-degree January day! Life is good. Carpe Diem! :)
Monday, January 2, 2012
Hello, 2012!!
A new year. Another trip around the sun complete. 2011 was a tumultuous year and I'm grateful to leave it behind and begin 2012 hopeful for great things. Day 2 and so far, so good.
I am going to focus on a few things this year.
1. Myself. I need to find some better balance in my life. I need to be better at prioritizing and time management. Much of this can be accomplished with the use of the calendar ~ scheduling and sticking to things. I am notorious for blowing off things that are for me and I need to stop doing it. It seems like the "easy" solution in the moment but it's eating away at my own happiness longer term and fueling resentment and frustration. From scheduling time with Zane (see #2), Natalie (see #3), my friends (#4), to even the mundane things like going to the eye doctor, dentist, etc.
2. My marriage. Obviously, this is a huge need and priority. A marriage should always be a high priority, but mine is especially precarious after our crisis last year (that sounds really good to say it was "last year") and I really want to continue to work diligently in this department. I grew up dreaming of being a wife and a mom and I know that I've fallen short on even my own expectations of myself in both areas. I know the type of wife I need to be and I know that the rewards of those efforts are so plentiful. It is truly a matter of just doing it. And I'm going to.
3. My parenting. While I spend a lot of time with Natalie Grace, I am really wanting to focus this year on spending better time with her. She is at an age where she still very much wants to hang out with us and do things with us. I know that I sometimes think about schooling and the driving to practice and think "I spend TONS of time with her" but just in the last couple of days, I have made a pointed effort to make some time to just have fun and play. Not that we didn't do that before, but it was getting to be less and less time and I want to change that pattern. I really enjoy her company and love doing things with her ~ and I want her to know and feel that!
4. My friends. This is a big one despite being #4 on my list. I definitely end up seeing my friends a lot less than I should. It is no one's fault other than my own. I don't make the time. I need to get on the phone and schedule get-togethers. I need to just make it happen. I love my ladies dearly and we all need that time, so I'm going to be better about that in 2012. :)
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