Inspired By You Wednesdays

Happy New Year!

I've decided to make Wednesdays a post that one of your amazing posts inspired. Todays inspiration comes from Annie over at anniethology.blogspot.com, sorry I am still working on the link in the text body thing.

Annie has the assignment of teaching teenagers about manners, she asked for ideas on how to approach this tough assignment. So hurry on over and leave her a comment.

Here is my little idea. I find it's effective for kids of all ages.


My Momma always said, "Manners is to do and say the kindest thing in the kindest way."

I like to illustrate that point with this little story.

A large noisy family sat down at a local restaurant. They perused the menu with much jostling, and joking, until the waitress approached to take their order. The waitress ask each family member in turn what they would like to order and, as it turned out, everyone ordered roughly the same meal, a hamburger shake and fries. Finally the waitress turned to the last person left to order, a quiet 4 year old boy carefully studying a menu that he couldn't read. "And What would you like young man?" Asked the waitress looking him in the eyes.

"I'd like a..."

"Oh he'll just have what the rest of us are having!" Interrupted his Mom.

The waitress ignored the Mom and again asked the boy, who's lower lip was beginning to quiver, "What would YOU like to order young man"

The boys eyes lit up, the quivering lip firmed, "I'd like a hot dog, with ketchup," He replied.

As the waitress moved away the little guy looked up at his Mom with wonder in his eyes, "Wow! She thinks I'm real," he said.

Teenagers need to remember that adults are real and adults need to remember that teenagers are real. We should treat each other like we treat our coolest friends. I try to remember what it felt like to be a teenager and how emotional everything felt. I expect that my teenagers will remember that I'm new at this parenting teenagers thing and communicate calmly both my successes and failures.

Being noticed and listened to is one of the greatest feelings any of us can have. Children of all ages respond to feeling really seen and heard. Listening to our children and being willing to learn from what they tell us open the lines of communication and willingness for them to learn from us.
I am not a big one for New Years Resolutions but it's been on my heart to really open up to and with my children. They amaze me everyday with their amazing gifts of life, their talents and compassion, they need to hear it from me everyday, heaven knows they hear enough of my complaints and frustrations.

So there you have, it my one and only New Years Resolution: Notice and listen to my children, Husband and everyone that crosses my path in such a way that they will say in amazement, "Wow, she thinks I'm real."

Toothsome Tuesday

Recipe For a Christmas Breakfast Tradition

Combine:
5 inches of fresh snow on top of the foot or so already fallen.


12 lbs of bacon, and 8 lbs of sausage links, cooked by Adorable Hubby.

14 batches of German Pancakes baked by Boy Mom.

10 lbs of potatoes boiled and hash browned.

Mix in :

6 Gallons of Orange Juice, 2 gallons of chocolate milk.


Sprinkle all surfaces liberally with:



21 tired adults,
30 assorted, excited kids, 1 lonely neighbor boy, and my crazy neighbor lady in sandals and a house dress looking for her twins.


Pack tightly and enjoy!

Mondays Muttered Mumblings

Not to many years ago a Christmas gift I got.
Just thinking of this wondrous gift makes me kinda hot.

He's always there what e'er my mood he knows the secret trick.
To make my grumpies disappear and make my ole' heart flip.

My love hides in the closet, by the dusty broom and pan.
It's not that we're embarrassed; but, that some don't understand.

His talents are impressive, his attachments drive me wild.
To say I'd never let him go is putting it too mild.

My seven boy life doesn't phase him in the least.
Lego's, gym socks, stinky drawers, are to him a feast.

How could I love another so, when I've got a real good guy?
Come on over, try him out, then you'll not question why.

Make no mistake though ladies, you'll have to get your own.
'Cause my sweet Ridgid Shop-Vac doesn't leave my home.

Enduring To The End

Our modern Christmas is a great symbol of enduring to the end. I work and strive to prepare and do every little thing I can to get ready. I worry that I'm getting my fair share then guilt rushes in and I worry that maybe I have to much so I rush out to help others. I try to accomplish each of our traditions and a few really great ones I've read or heard about somewhere. I worry myself0 sick with cooking and cleaning and preparing. I stew over each child and whether they have enough of each little thing that is popular and will help them successfully answer the question, "What did you get for Christmas!"

Then suddenly I wake up and it's Christmas morning, no more work or worry or preparation I'm naked, as it were, before the spirit of Christmas finding that all the stress and worry did was detract from my enjoyment of the season. The Joy of the holiday makes up for all the things that I thought I had to get done but didn't . With a sigh of relief I realize that Christmas really is a season of Christ, that his birth is the reason for the season and the fact that I ran out of time to make sugar cookies and do more than stick a bow on a present or two is made up for by the love of the Savior.

I'm glad that it's all over for one more year and with Gods insight maybe I'll be able to apply the lesson to my life.

Twas The NIGHT Before...

I'm ready, I've only got two denim quilts to sew, 4 batches of cookies to bake, 80 unwrapped gifts, and that partridge to catch...you know, the one for the pear tree!

The Merriest, joyfulest, Christmas Hugs and Mistletoe kisses, from Boy Home to your Home!

Mondays' Muttered Mumblings

Yellow snow. Yellow snow. It's Christmas time here at boy house.
Ding-a-lings... ok, enough of that.

I like a pristine snow covered yard, walks carefully shoveled, trees and bushes frosted with winter white.

What do I get? Foot prints, scattered snow shovels, and suspicious areas of yellow snow left by really, really tall dogs or perhaps... grrrr.

Son, of God

The greatest gift ever given to the earth is the gift of a babe, Jesus son of God. He came as an infant, "he increased in stature, and in favour with God and man". As he grew into the awareness of his role in his "Fathers business" his mother "understood not, but kept all these sayings in her heart". (Luke 2:49-52)

He came as a son to do the will of his Father, his life brought salvation to each of us, leads each of us in our journey to the presence of God. The will of the Father is for each of us to partake of the salvation which his son, begotten in the flesh, made possible. The parent child relationship does more to teach of Godliness then any other experience in life.

Every child that is born into our little world teaches us with a unique blend of inherited strengths and weaknesses, combined with their own amazing gifts and challenges. As we live hand in hand, heart in heart, teach, nurture, and seek Gods direction in behalf of our children we grow to understand how deeply and passionately our Heavenly Father wills everyone of us, as his child, back into his presence.

As I've held my newborn child I've felt something of what Mary must have felt as she gazed into the face of her Son, her Savior her Salvation. As I grow with my children stature, gaining experience, grace, and understanding may I learn from them of my Heavenly Fathers love and will for me. May we savor the relationship of parent and child. May we share in the joy of salvation brought to the earth, as a baby son in Bethlehem.

Merry Christmas


For My Son

He has Mom's nose, Dad's, bluer-than-sky, eyes, and a voice all his own, the voice of an angel. He is beautiful when he sings, a beauty that transcends earth and mortality a voice rising from the heavens, soaring to the heavens. He is flesh of our flesh, evidence of our joyful union, sent from God to lead us to Godliness. His passion and life love inspire. Melodious strains cleave senses to a pinnacle of present joy, flow to silence, rise renewed to greater heights. Sing son of our eternity, sing us to God, to Christ to salvation.