Tantrum Tuesday

Let me being by saying I love my kids.  Today we took a quick trip to Publix to pick up a few items.  Also, since when is it ever "quick" with kids?  I digress.  Anyway, we got a race car buggy and set on our merry way.  About halfway through, Kate accidentally caught Jack's eyeball with her nail.  He was crying, she was singing....Anyway, I told him he could get out of the cart and walk with me.  He always stays close and pretty much listens to directions.  Kate on the other hand is a terrible listener and does not stay with me.  Ergo, she is not allowed out of the cart in several places.  I was at the deli counter getting some turkey and she started flipping out crying, tears, back-arching and all to get out and walk like Jack.  I calmly said no every minute or so and sat her down back in the seat (as she was standing and could have fallen out).  Her safety and my sanity were the reasons I do not allow her out of the cart.

A woman approaches and says, "I am a grandma and she is sad.  You should pick her up."  I said no that she is exerting her will and I am not going to let her out.  Let me remind you that I was not terribly pleased with the Kate tantrum either.  Kate was screaming, I was embarrassed and wanted to go, but I needed to get my last item.  The woman then said, "Your parents would be upset that you wouldn't pick her up."  I said no, that they wouldn't give in to her anyway.  I am somewhat "scoff" laughing and trying to sit Kate back down in her seat.  She then says, "Well, I have had a lot of kids and I know more than you."  I was like, "what" and thinking, did she really just say that to me?  I laughed it off and continued to the checkout counters.

I was perturbed to say the least and reassured myself I was making the right decision.  We were halfway to the counters and Kate was still flipping out.  I stopped the cart and told her to sit down, in a calm voice.  I then said, "when we get to the checkout line, you may get out".  This wasn't a negotiation.  Not, if you stop crying, but that was my original plan anyway.  They are not running like crazy there and everyone is safe.  She immediately said OK, sat down  and shut off the tears and crying.  I let her get out at the checkout and they were both just fine.

While loading my groceries on the conveyor belt, another woman says, "Excuse me, I think you handled that whole situation very well."  She didn't hear the other lady, but saw me dealing with Kate.  I said thank you and told her that I had to let her know who the boss was, me.  I didn't feel completely vindicated from the other woman's feelings, but felt confident that the decision I made to overcome my embarrassment and Kate's will was the right decision.  We paid for our stuff and as I was loading my groceries, a man came up to me and said, "what did you promise her (meaning Kate)?"  I said that when we got to the line she could get out.  It wasn't a negotiation.  I was in charge.  I am the boss.

Here are a few things/thoughts I got from this situation:

• I sinned and thought, "I wonder how that rude lady's kids turned out!?"
• I also thought, if I don't set boundaries now, they will start walking all over me.
• I think God provided that second person who told me I handled it well, confirmation that I did the right thing.
• God gave me these kids to I HAVE to get over what is polite to other people (meaning the tantrum) and my embarrassment to establish that Kate's will, will not win.
• And I thought of this verse, Proverbs 22:6 - Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Trust me, I fail A LOT at parenting, but with God and consistency, we can make good parenting decisions.

Let me leave you with my tantrumy, strong-willed, cutie Kate in a shirt I shirred for her...

Happy Tuesday!

Thanksgiving 2011

Another year and another thanksgiving to be thankful for our blessings.  No additional friends or family this year, just the 11 of us.  It truly was a great day.  We divided and conquered with food, had activities for the kids, read the sales papers, chatted and relaxed.

First holiday meal with the kids at the table!  They did great and it was fun.

Kate and Papa stuffing their faces.

Placemats the kids colored for us.  Thanks, Mom for all the great activities for the kids and adults!

Craig's coconut cream pie with awesome meringue - it was amazing.

Pin the feathers on the turkey

Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. - Psalm 100:4

We also got our Christmas bags from my parents.  They were filled with goodies, activities for the kids and Christmas music and a DVD.  That always kicks off the season for us.  This next month will be a whirlwind, but I am excited about celebrating Jesus' birth.

Jack and Kate's Thanksgiving Feast

Jack and Kate's school had their Thanksgiving Feast/Celebration this afternoon and it was wonderful!  Kate's class stayed in their room and some wonderful parents brought in Chick-Fil-A nuggets, fruit and cupcakes.  All of Kate's favorites.  Their awesome teachers made shirts for each of them and cute placemats.

Jack's class did more.  They came trotting into the gym in their Thanksgiving shirts and immediately recited their mega verse - Ephesians 6:1-4.  He seemed a bit timid, but started saying it halfway through.  Then they did an awesome dance for us!

He joined us at the table and we enjoyed Chick-Fil-A too.  Then the kids visited with their friends a bit.  It was so cool seeing him in a setting where he is learning so much about God and His world.

Chief Red T-Rex

Sweet boy is thankful for Mommy, Daddy, Annie, Kate and red scissors.  

Kate and Shelby

I am thankful for a school that has fun, includes family and teaches my kids everyday about God and His love.  

Novembering It

It seems as though my posts are getting farther and farther apart, but life keeps getting in the way.  Thankfully, it mostly routine stuff.  We had our Harvest Party a few weeks back and that was a lot of fun.  Some friends and families from our church came out to my parents for chili, desserts, fellowship, a bonfire and a hayride.  It really was great and the kids seemed to have a blast.

My parents got another cow...Blackberry is on the right

Kate on the hayride with cookie remnants

Hayride with BFF, Kayleigh

We also went to the Greek Food Festival a few weeks back with some friends and their 5 year old daughter. The kids got on stage during the break and danced to the Greek music.  They had a blast and Jack has got some mad dancing skills; must get them from Craig.  We had some gyros, baklava and other Greek foods.  Fun thing to do!

Now we are getting ready for Thanksgiving, which is next week!  What?!  Kate fell asleep the other day on the couch.  This picture encompasses what I feel like sometimes.  Paci on the stomach and all.

And, awesome news!  We head to Disney in a few weeks.  I found an idea on Pinterest for a countdown calendar using paint swatches from Home Depot.  We got all 5 kids together and let them decorate with stickers.  16 days and we are ready to see Mickey and the Princesses!  Kate says we are going to "Didney World and see Cinderwewwa".

It's All Good

What have been doing around here?!?!  Lots o' stuff.  Kate has now started 5 days/week at school and I am working all of those days.  Soccer for Jack is over, but we will still be busy, but this is best time of the year.  We have our Harvest Party coming up, more football, Thanksgiving, a trip to Disney, school parties, school events and all leading up to Christmas!  When I think about it, I get a tad overwhelmed, but I am thankful for this time of blessing and God's goodness.  

He is also blessing me spiritually as well.  I am learning and having fun with Visionary Parenting classes and Common Threads sewing group and learning to understand how God has created me and how I can be used.  I took a personality/Biblical comparison test using Monvee.  You have to sign up, but it is really cool.  My learning style is visual, which I knew and my worship style is Pathway.  My biblical counterpart is Jonathan.  Our personalities are similar.  Social, energetic, peacemaker, but I can also deny real issues and not confront problems.  It shows my strengths and weaknesses and how I can grow in Christ.  Satan is using his cunning ways to attack, but he won't win.

The best moment this week was when I was putting Jack to bed, he told me he wanted to recite his verse.  I said sure and he whipped out Ephesians 6:1-4 - Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—  “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”  Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

I almost cried.  So proud of him and what he is learning at school.