Well...we went at it again! This past week we drew the country: China! Tuesday the kids and I made the Great Wall out of Legos! We got a history lesson from daddy and then made egg rolls, homemade chicken and fried rice, and homemade fortune cookies! It was so yummy and educational!
Today we ventured out to the movies to see How To Train a Dragon 2 (which was amazing), came home had stuffed clams, venison, smashed cauliflower and green beans. We also got our learning lesson about Norway from daddy again. We drew our new country tonight after our meal and we are super excited to learn and eat more! Justin and I are both so excited that the kids get excited as much as we do. We are more excited that we are having a blast with our kids by doing something so easy and inexpensive. Again, we are enjoying every moment with them this summer. Each day is a gift we will never get back. My Repurpose for Today : Remember that each passing moment is a moment we cannot get back...I am also trying my best to keep a special surprise from my kids for two more nights!
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With Maddie and Macaiden playing little league soccer we have really gotten into the World Cup this year. We are not 100% sure where Macaiden has received his soccer skills but it is amazing to watch him and see what he can do. We are super proud of Maddie to see her improvement and her confidence build as she learns a new sport as well! Lets face it...we are a football family. We live and breathe for Gator football games. Saturdays stop when the games are on. We eat, drink, and watch football. Well...that is what we are doing for the World Cup! We are eating, finding new recipes, and enjoying a game about which we are all learning from. It is amazing to me how there are all of these countries that come together to play the exact same sport and yet all speak different languages. The same rules apply. They play the same positions. They play with the same type of ball. They speak a different language. Why is it that we have a world that is constantly at war but yet we can stop to play a game that brings joy to so many? Why is it that we can communicate through a sport but yet communicating to make peace is an impossible goal? Why is it that world peace cannot exist? Why is it so difficult for me to explain all of this to my kids? When my children ask me what country I am going for... in a certain game....Justin and I look at each other, sometimes disagree, and then have to explain why we are cheering for certain teams. It is still difficult for me to understand why in a world where we can all benefit from each other there has to be war. The World Cup is an amazing event. It is also a time where each country can come and wave it's flag, shine, and be proud of who or what they are....no matter what they have accomplished. They have made it to the World Cup! I know many parents who can share this frustration. We are all trying to instill in our children right vs. wrong but are all doing it in our own way (or language). The cool thing is that we are all learning from each other. If only countries could learn from each other as well. If only the world could see the World Cup and learn something from it. If only we could still speak different languages and get along. If only we could all have a sense of pride of our own country without fighting. It is a very difficult concept for me to accept and even harder to explain to my kids. In the long scheme of things....humans all share a love of sports. We all share a love of competition. We all share a love of pride for our country. My Repurpose for Today : (this one is a little hard for me...) I need to try and explain to my kids that humans share a love for a lot of the same things....sports, food, acceptance, religion...and yet we are all different. It is not our job to judge but to love and share the same love. Today is President George H.W. Bush's 90th birthday. One of my favorite things to do in the morning during summer is to watch the Today Show. I love sitting, drinking coffee and watching that show. Today, Jenna Bush Hager got the privilege of interviewing her grandfather. I learned something new today.
When George H. W. Bush was in WWII he had to jump out of his fighter jet. According to him he jumped wrong, and landed on part of the plane and hit his head. Thank goodness he was rescued by a USA submarine. After that jump he said that he wanted to redo the jump but... do it right. Today, he once again, jumped out of a plane. A 90 year old man sky dived! All politics aside, this story hit me hard. A man who has experienced WAY more than I have or probably ever will wanted to redo jumping out of an airplane to get it right!!!! That blew me away. The last month or so our daughter has...well...I guess you could say has begun premature puberty. Attitudes have sky rocketed and behavior has not been the best....nor has mine. After each argument, fight, words said, I always feel sad and sorry. I was always told that I would never know how much it hurt until I became a mom....well...it hurts. The "it" is the punishing of your own child. I hate punishing my kids. I used to think my parents enjoyed punishing me....with how much I seemed to get in trouble, well...I now know how much it hurts. Sometimes when I get mad I say things I shouldn't say or do thing I wish I didn't do. George H.W. Bush had the choice to stay in his damaged aircraft or to jump. He chose to jump, but jumped "wrong?" This brings me to ask myself. When my "aircraft" is damaged am I going to jump? Do I stay and try to fix what I have said or done? OR do I jump? The problem with my jumping is that I might never get the chance to redo my jump. I am a mommy once. I do not get a second chance nor will I get another batch of kids. They are my plane and it is my job to protect them, do my best to not let them get damaged, and my job to NOT jump. President George H.W. Bush was full of great wisdom and his story was very impactful to me today. I am so grateful for what he did for me and my country. He also made me think about have the chance to redo a jump. My Repurpose for today : Polish, steer, and guide my "plane." Remember I won't get a second flight being a mom. So...summer has begun. I have heard from many that summer time is hard for parents...hard for parents that work that is. Justin and I work...we work a lot. We work more than I would like to work. We are teachers. Those of you who are teachers will completely understand what I am saying. Without summer, I honestly do not know what I would do. I love being a teacher. I love the reward I get when I see my students soar, however, it is a job that requires way more than 40 hours a week. So....summer has begun and to ME, that is when my "mommyhood" goes into full effect. I am a mommy during school hours but...sadly...that is the one area that I miss more than anything in life....school season. During summertime....they have my full attention!
Last year we started a fun tradition. At the beginning of summer, each of us picks two different countries we would like to learn something interesting about. We write them down, fold the paper into fours, put them in a basket, then take turns drawing from that basket. During the week we discuss that country's flag, the map, the capital, the religion, government, climate, the food, and an interesting fact. I think I might enjoy this a little more than the kids. This past week we drew and picked one of Macaiden's countries....Italy. We had a blast picking our fresh basil and even picking our fresh tomatoes. The kids learned that mozzarella cheese is not just some shredded cheese that we can only buy in the grocery store...it is way better, and even has a different taste. We made our own homemade Margherita Pizza with fresh ingredients and it was yummy. It is our goal to learn to say one sentence in the country's language and do a fun craft. I am telling you this as a mom...summer does not have to be a time where we are on the hunt for summer camps. You can create your own summer camp and let your kids know that they are the focus of your life. To the moms who still work during summer....make this an adventure for you. Cook a yummy meal with your kids. Make a homemade gelato...all you need is an ice cream machine! You too can do this. Any mom that is out there....know that summertime can be the time that we can show our kids that they are our Repurpose. Summertime is MY time where I can show my kids that my work is not the only thing that matters. For more recipe ideas visit : www.pinterest.com/macmaddies My Repurpose for today: "To remember that my "work" during summertime has become the continued work of molding my kids to know that THEY are my reason for "re-purposing"...and eating yummy food." |
AuthorI am an everyday mom who likes everyday things. I love taking everyday items and giving them a repurpose. Our number one seller is our candles! Archives
October 2019
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