Imagination

Today I am grateful for imagination. I LOVED my imagination growing up. I could often be seen if you looked out the kitchen window running around the yard back and forth, talking to myself and oblivious to the world around me. I can remember my older brother one time catching me in our family car pretending to drive and talking to myself. I was 13. How embarrasing.
Today Katrina was helping me fold the laundry on my bed and we were singing songs (of course the ones that fabulous song leader is currently teaching the primary). I suddenly remembered an article I had read on ways to help your child develop an imagination. Of course they are going to do it on their own but there are things that can be done to help them along. I started to tell a made-up story and then would pause and say, "and then...." and look at her. She had a little bit of a hard time with it as she would basically try to then end the story with the next sentence. For instance one of my stories started out with a Unicorn looking for a necklace she had lost, and then..."She found it." "No, no, no Katie let's try to add more to the story." Blank look... I know that after a few more tries at this game she'll start to get the hang of it. So then Payton enters the room and is playing our game for a little bit, then he says, "Mom tell us the story of Hansel and Gretel!"
Do you remember the story tellers that used to come to the schools? Our class would be led to the library where we would all sit down in front of an old lady who looked like she might kill over and die any second. She would smile and shake with age as we all settled down, and then, she would began to tell a story. I remember her telling "clash of the titans". I was mesmerized and enthralled as she talked about perseus, medusa, and pegasus. She was so animated and fascinating. I remember being extrememly disappointed when it was over and wanting to hear more.
Anyways, back to our laundry scene. I began to tell the story of Hansel and Gretel (with Payton butting in and correcting me every few minutes). "No mom, first he drops pebbles and they find their way back home and then the NEXT time he drops bread crumbs!" "No mom, Hansel is the only one in the cage! Gretel is doing all the chores for the witch!" Apparently I need a refresher course in twisted fairy tales... So when the story is done I say, "Let's play Hansel and Gretel. I will be the mean stepmom and the witch, you guys are Hansel and Gretel." They think that's awesome. "Can Dad be the dad?" "Of course he will." Says I. So we all head off to the living room to let Dad know his part. We do the pebbles (cheerios), breadcrumbs, walk into the woods (backyard), eating of the gingerbread house (the playset), which has been decorated with a sign identifying it as the gingerbread house and with various items scattered around from our play kitchen food symbolizing "the candy decorations". We fed Payton up fat, Katie pushed me into the fire and they loved it. So there....I've done my good mom deed. That one should be good for like a month right? :)

Today it's Television

Today I am grateful for Television. How else is a poor sick child supposed to pass the time away when mom has a dental appointment and grocery shopping to do and Dad has to work in his office? Although Payton loves school....if you gave him a choice of stay home and watch TV all day, that would be his choice. He's always been a bit of an addict. Probably my own fault. I feed his habit. I'm his supplier. Actually, in the school year he honestly only watches about 3 hours of Television a week and it's ALL done on the weekend. We'll make up lost time over summer vacation I'm sure :)
His asthma/allergies (or is it a cold?) are really bad today. We may need to take him to the doctor if his cough doesn't get under control soon. Has anyone ever had cough medicine actually work for their child?? I don't know if it just doesn't work on asthmatics but it's never cured a cough for any of my kids and I've tried a bazillion. I wonder how much a bazillion really is? Maybe I'll delve into that another day.

A ramble to all mothers (you'll get this)

So I guess our blog is a lot like our house...decorated mainly with pictures of family. Once I realized this I decided I needed my own blog to write (ramble) more about our daily life so people can get to know us better. Maybe we'll get more free pity dinners/babysitting??

Today was a long but really short day. I just barely accomplished all the things I try to accomplish every day and don't really love doing...yet I wish I had accomplished more. Does that make sense? Jay is out doing Elders Quorum stuff and, although I never want him to leave I have realized it's for the wrong reasons. I need him so that I can tell him all the things that need to be done around the house while my own two hands are busy. He's so good to me. He never complains and just takes one look at my face and says "What can I do?" Sometimes I wonder if he feels like my slave... Bought and Paid for!!! (I could get in trouble with comments like that on the internet). This Saturday he wants to go target shooting with his Dad. As he was asking permission (hee hee) I just sort of gave him a look like, "Do whatever you want, I don't care but know that I am NOT going to be happy about it". Then he says "I'll take Payton and even Katrina with me if you like." It's not at all that I don't want to be stuck home with the kids while he's having fun, it's that I'm stuck home with the kids while he's having fun! I don't have fun things to do! I could sit around and breastfeed for awhile, get pooped on, puked on, clean up spilled milk and bacon grease off my floor, wipe a snotty nose 50 times, administer allergy, asthma, and cold medicines, tell my kids to go outside and play or I'm gonna spank their buns and make some cornmuffins to go with a crock-pot bean soup. (that's just some of what I did today). I guess I'm not irritated that he's GOING to have fun, it's that he GETS to have fun. I wish I had some girlfriends that like to play Basketball, go for nightly jogs, jam on instruments, hmmm what else... Sadly that's all I can come up with without having to think really hard. I just want to do activities that don't involve children. I love them dearly but the less I take care of myself the more I resent them. I am so grateful for so many things and ungrateful for probably many more. I will try to be more positive. I resolve to write each day (If I'm able) about something I am grateful for. I'm gonna start a gratitude journal. If you read this blog, start one of your own and we'll link up and start a really fun trend. The rules? No whining/complaining/sarcastic/cranky buns people allowed (like myself) (starting right.....now) GET BACK IN YOUR BED AND QUIT CALLING MY NAME AND IF YOU SNORT WAY DEEP INTO YOUR NASAL CAVITIES ONE MORE TIME I'M GONNA POUND YOU OVER THE HEAD REPEATEDLY WITH YOUR INHALER!!! (Ok right....now.)