Making Dark

Each evening when we announce that it is time for bed Buddy Boy starts to run through the house "making dark", turning off all of the lights. It was cute and funny at first, but it is starting to wear a little thin. I think that it is one of his many delay tactics.

Autumn or Spring?

I can't decide which season is my favorite. I love spring and fall. I love the times of transition and the rapid changes. I love the way the light changes and the colors change. In spring the drabness of winter gives way to spring flowers and fresh new leaves. In the fall summer's green which has gotten a little dull and dusty changes to rich golds, orange, red, and even purple. With the changing seasons there is a freshness in the air. In the spring the cold and wet are freshened with warmth and the smell of things blooming. In the fall the hot stale air takes on a fresh crispness that I love.


Here in Northern California these seasons are a little more subtle and sometimes a little mixed up. It is September and we were planting peas and pansies as we watch the leaves change. Buddy boy kept checking to see if the peas were growing. I told him that it takes more than a day. He keeps checking and watering.

+4 teeth

Here she is with her 4 new teeth. Yes, 4 teeth coming in all at once. You can't see them, but they are there. No wonder she hasn't been sleeping well. Hooray for Tylenol.

Wordfull Wednesday: This is Me

When I first saw this topic I thought of a previous post also inspired by a song. According to a certain personality test I am an ISFP, an introverted, sensing, feeling, perciever. I think it describes me fairly well. But things such as this don't really capture the essence of a person.

For a long time I had a hard time letting others see the real me, what I thought and what I felt. It was easier to try to project an ideal rather than just be me. It can be difficult to let others see your true self, warts and all. At times it is even more difficult to acknowledge to yourself and others the things that are good or great about yourself. I used to feel like if someone else did something better than I did then I wasn’t good at it. That doesn’t make much sense when I see it written out that way, but I still felt that way. I have gotten over that for the most part and I am doing better at accepting my weaknesses and acknowledging my strengths.

This is me…

I am…

Smart – not because of years in school, but because I know what I don’t know and I am always learning.
Beautiful – not because of the way I look, but because I seek for beauty.
Artistic – not because I can draw, but because I like to create things with my hands that are expressive or bring me joy.
Spiritual – not because I go to church, but because I am a child of God.
Stubborn – sometimes this looks like strength or tenacity, usually it is just stubborn.
Loving – because my family loves me.

All of these attributes and others help me fill my different roles. At different times I have been or I am…

A wife, mother, sister, daughter, scholar, professional, artist, musician, chef, athlete, friend.
At different times different roles take priority. Sometimes they fall away for awhile or dominate, but they are still there and a part of the way I see myself.

Chocolate On My Cranium: Wordfull Wednesday: This is Me

Colorstrology?

I believe in astrology about as much as I believe in fortune cookies. Having said that, here is an interesting take called Colorstrology. I really love colors so I found this fun when I saw it on another blog. According to this I'm Aspen Yellow (definitely a favorite color), radiant, uplifting, and intellectually energizing (maybe). What color are you?

Red apples and giant strawberries

Buddy boy started preschool this week. He was anxious to go and excited to go back. He comes home pretty quiet. I think he is tired. The first day all I could get out of him was something about apples and red and yellow. That went along with the red fingerpainting masterpiece. Today it was something about giant strawberry stories. It is all a bit of a mystery, but at least he says it is fun.

Ophelia and Cain

I have recently finished reading two books about raising children and protecting their emotional growth. In each case the examples of the lives of children and teens were less than encouraging about the situations kids face today. It would be easy to assume that at some point all kids will be victims of or perpetrators of violence or cruelty, and discrimination or disadvantage based on their gender. I had to remind myself that the authors were therapists who saw the worst cases and didn't deal with healthy happy kids very much. While they quoted statistics showing the frighteningly high numbers of kids with problems, there are still many, very many who run the gauntlet of junior high and come out OK and perhaps even stronger for the difficulty.

For as disconcerting as the stories were at times, I am glad that I read them so that I can help to prepare my kids from a young age to be empathetic and strong. Not an easy thing to do.

For as much as I might want to at times, it is impossible to keep kids out of harms way. You can't shelter them forever. You may be able to delay their entry into the "real world", but then they may miss out on the growth that can come from the interaction.

The take away message for me was that kids do best when both parents are present physically and emotionally, and when the kids know they are loved for who they are and at the same time know the limits of acceptable behavior. I am very blessed to have a husband who is empathetic and shows emotion. I am also blessed to have examples of Christlike behavior to teach the kids about. The author's advice on raising boys ran through my mind as I listened to the Sunday School lesson last week on Captain Moroni, Helaman and his warrior sons. They were couragous and strong, but still had a spiritual soft spot and loved their mothers. I love the example of Queen Ester and her courage to stand up for her people. She was a great example of strength.

I'll do my best, then pray.

Wordful Wednesday - Finding Joy

Do we find joy or does it find us? I don't really know the answer to this question. I guess it depends on how we go about it.

I find joy by "living the good life" in my own way, pursuing life, and joy comes along.

If we pursue joy, happiness, pleasure while ignoring all else, we aren't likely to find it. We may end up missing it if our focus turns inward and becomes self centered. You aren't likely to find joy if you constantly ask yourself why you aren't happy. That approach only amplifies the negative. Instead of chasing after it, notice it when it happens. Every once in awhile my husband will look up and say, "I'm experiencing domestic bliss." (Yes, he really says domestic bliss.) These are usually times when we are just hanging out as a family, nothing special. He reminds me to enjoy the moment and recognize the good times when joy found me.

other thoughts on Wordful Wednesday

Moderation and shades of grey

I have heard the advice to do all things in moderation, including moderation. I generally agree. Extremism rarely, or never, leads to a good end. Taking a more balanced, measured approach has usually served me well. But sometimes you just have to go for broke, take the plunge, make a stand, put all your eggs in one basket etc. This doesn't just apply to doing things, but also to taking a stand on an issue or belief.

Similarly, some argue for moral equivalence, where there is no good or bad, just believe what you want. Others may argue for moral relativism where every judgment and decision depends on the situation or context. It is true that we don't live in a black and white world. Most issues are complex and require consideration of more than just the surface claims and exist as shades of grey. However at some point you have to draw a line and decide what you believe and where you stand. There is such a thing as an absolute truth.

Because they taste better that way...