"You have a great smile" he said. "I'd smile like that more often if I had a smile like yours." This compliment was bestowed upon me by a young guy, the cashier at my local Good Will store. I walked in earlier, self-conscious that I forgot my hat at home and overly concerned about my frizzy, unkempt hair and greasy 10 hour old make-up. I walked out feeling like a million bucks and with a spring in my step. I replayed that conversation in my head at least 5 more times on the drive home.
And it made me realize, I don't want to be a cynic anymore. I want to see the kindness, the goodness in others above all else. I don't want to concern myself with their ulterior motives. I can't control them anyway. It's exhausting being on guard all the time and trying to be "right" about the motivations behind why some people do the things they do. It leaves me crabby and stressed and leery of interaction with strangers and even friends sometimes. It puts me on guard around my own children, sometimes paranoid that if I let my guard down, they'll walk all over me for the rest of my life.
That 30 second conversation made me realize my life doesn't have to be that way. That living in fear of being taken advantage of actually robs me of the ability to do someone a kindness. So I'm done with my old ways. I'm ready to start looking for and seeing the good. :)
Friday, August 16, 2013
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Monday, December 24, 2012
CtC - Day Twenty-Four: Open a Christmas Eve Present
Day twenty-four - present time!!
We usually spend Christmas Eve with the Ducheks and the boys loved opening presents from Grandma, G-dad and Aunt Amanda!! I think the photos speak for themselves. :)
We usually spend Christmas Eve with the Ducheks and the boys loved opening presents from Grandma, G-dad and Aunt Amanda!! I think the photos speak for themselves. :)
Sunday, December 23, 2012
CtC - Day Twenty-Three: Make a Snowman
Day twenty-three - snowman time!
So I had totally counted on winter to deliver us some snow by this late date. But of course Chicago's unpredictable winter weather was again elusive. While we did in fact get some snow before this activity came up, it was nowhere near enough for making a snowman.
Fortunately, I had planned for this possibility and thought outside the box. Despite not having a lot of snow outside, we still found a way to make our snowmen!! :)
Both boys did extremely well with this craft. I had everything pre-cut and ready to assemble, and it went very smoothly! I knew Caiden would catch on quickly, and I was pleasantly surprised to see Ezra catch on almost as fast! :)
So I had totally counted on winter to deliver us some snow by this late date. But of course Chicago's unpredictable winter weather was again elusive. While we did in fact get some snow before this activity came up, it was nowhere near enough for making a snowman.
Fortunately, I had planned for this possibility and thought outside the box. Despite not having a lot of snow outside, we still found a way to make our snowmen!! :)
Both boys did extremely well with this craft. I had everything pre-cut and ready to assemble, and it went very smoothly! I knew Caiden would catch on quickly, and I was pleasantly surprised to see Ezra catch on almost as fast! :)
Saturday, December 22, 2012
CtC - Day Twenty-Two: Make a Christmas Ornament
Day twenty-three - ornament time!
I was surfing Pinterest looking for an easy idea for making ornaments with the kiddos and came across this cute little guy. I certainly seem to be drawn towards snowmen with these crafty things!
The boys also enjoyed making these and it was really easy to do with them. They got to stuff in the "snow" and pick out the earmuff colors. I helped them glue on the pieces and draw on the faces.
I was surfing Pinterest looking for an easy idea for making ornaments with the kiddos and came across this cute little guy. I certainly seem to be drawn towards snowmen with these crafty things!
The boys also enjoyed making these and it was really easy to do with them. They got to stuff in the "snow" and pick out the earmuff colors. I helped them glue on the pieces and draw on the faces.
I love seeing these on the tree!!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
CtC - Day Twenty: Go on a Christmas Lights Drive
Day Twenty - Lights!!!
I have been waiting for this one to come up on the cards!! I love love driving around and looking at all the decorated houses. We lucked out and found some great neighborhoods just a few streets away!! One neighborhood banded together really nicely and all decorated trees with green trunks and red lights up on top. So pretty!! The boys seemed to enjoy it too. I'm glad they are getting old enough to have their interest maintained and not get bored with mom and dad just aimlessly driving around. :)
I have been waiting for this one to come up on the cards!! I love love driving around and looking at all the decorated houses. We lucked out and found some great neighborhoods just a few streets away!! One neighborhood banded together really nicely and all decorated trees with green trunks and red lights up on top. So pretty!! The boys seemed to enjoy it too. I'm glad they are getting old enough to have their interest maintained and not get bored with mom and dad just aimlessly driving around. :)
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
CtC - Day Nineteen: Play Christmas Music and Sing Along
Day nineteen - Christmas carol sing along!
This one was a little tough to make special since from Thanksgiving all the way up thru Christmas there is near constant Christmas music playing in our house! So turning on some Christmas tunes and singing along is a near daily event!
So lucky for us, we did have a special little impromptu sing along come our way thanks to Ezra! He seems to rather like "Up on the Rooftop," and really digs the "ho ho ho" part. So here's a little peek of Ezra singing his song. :)
This one was a little tough to make special since from Thanksgiving all the way up thru Christmas there is near constant Christmas music playing in our house! So turning on some Christmas tunes and singing along is a near daily event!
So lucky for us, we did have a special little impromptu sing along come our way thanks to Ezra! He seems to rather like "Up on the Rooftop," and really digs the "ho ho ho" part. So here's a little peek of Ezra singing his song. :)
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
CtC - Day Eighteen: Have a Pajama Jam
Day Eighteen - dance party!!
Tonight's activity was to have a pajama dance party around the Christmas tree. Caiden wasn't quite sure what that meant at first, but he got right into it once the music started! This one was a lot of fun, and I think it will become a regular weekly addition in our house! :)
Tonight's activity was to have a pajama dance party around the Christmas tree. Caiden wasn't quite sure what that meant at first, but he got right into it once the music started! This one was a lot of fun, and I think it will become a regular weekly addition in our house! :)
Monday, December 17, 2012
CtC - Day Seventeen: Play a Game Together
Day Seventeen - yay gameday!!
This was a fun and easy activity for us as Caiden and I often play games together. Caiden picked out Candy Land which is a favorite of ours, and he usually beats the pants off me! Today, however, victory was mine! LOL
This was a fun and easy activity for us as Caiden and I often play games together. Caiden picked out Candy Land which is a favorite of ours, and he usually beats the pants off me! Today, however, victory was mine! LOL
Sunday, December 16, 2012
CtC - Day Sixteen: Donate a Gift to Charity
Day sixteen - toy donation!
In our pursuit to teach the kids that Christmas is about giving, Caiden got to donate a toy to charity. Normally I'd like for the kids to pick out the toy at the store, but we were tight on time, so I chose something that I thought Caiden would be likely to pick while I was out. When we showed him what it was, he told us that another kid "is going to be very proud to get these toys for Christmas!" Then he wanted to pick out some of his own toys to donate too. I had to explain that this donation place only takes new toys but that we could donate some of his toys on another day. :)
In our pursuit to teach the kids that Christmas is about giving, Caiden got to donate a toy to charity. Normally I'd like for the kids to pick out the toy at the store, but we were tight on time, so I chose something that I thought Caiden would be likely to pick while I was out. When we showed him what it was, he told us that another kid "is going to be very proud to get these toys for Christmas!" Then he wanted to pick out some of his own toys to donate too. I had to explain that this donation place only takes new toys but that we could donate some of his toys on another day. :)
Saturday, December 15, 2012
CtC - Day Fifteen: Shop for Food Pantry Donation
Day fifteen - donation day!
Last year we started the tradition of shopping for a donation to make at our local food pantry. I think this really stuck with Caiden as he often mentioned it when we went back to the store where we made the purchases. I am thankful that we have enough so that we can give to others who are in need. I am also thankful that we can start instilling this desire in our children. I want them to learn to embrace that Christmas is more about giving than it is about getting.
This year it was a boys trip out. Brian when with Caiden and Ezra while I took care of some things at home. They checked online what was needed at the food pantry before journeying out in the wet weather.
On the way out of the store, Brian's box broke open and he was trying to wrangle the kids and gather up the spilled items in the rain. Fortunately, two kinds souls quickly lent helping hands and they were able to get everything gathered up quickly.
Unfortunately we've been stymied by the limited drop off schedule at the pantry. However, we can drop off the items at our church and they will be delivered before the holiday. :)
Last year we started the tradition of shopping for a donation to make at our local food pantry. I think this really stuck with Caiden as he often mentioned it when we went back to the store where we made the purchases. I am thankful that we have enough so that we can give to others who are in need. I am also thankful that we can start instilling this desire in our children. I want them to learn to embrace that Christmas is more about giving than it is about getting.
This year it was a boys trip out. Brian when with Caiden and Ezra while I took care of some things at home. They checked online what was needed at the food pantry before journeying out in the wet weather.
On the way out of the store, Brian's box broke open and he was trying to wrangle the kids and gather up the spilled items in the rain. Fortunately, two kinds souls quickly lent helping hands and they were able to get everything gathered up quickly.
Unfortunately we've been stymied by the limited drop off schedule at the pantry. However, we can drop off the items at our church and they will be delivered before the holiday. :)
Friday, December 14, 2012
CtC - Day Fourteen: Pick Out a Gift for Your Teacher
Day fourteen - teacher gift!
Today we get to pick out a gift for Caiden's teacher! To be honest, he's still a little too young to pick out gifts for adults, so we went over to our fall back teacher gift store - The Chalkboard. I picked up a gift certificate while the boys played with the train table and trucks. :)
Sadly, Caiden couldn't give his teacher his gift in person because he stayed home sick on the last day of school. Luckily whatever was troubling him passed quickly, and he was back to himself within a couple of hours. To make sure his teacher got her gift on time, we sent her card and certificate in the mail.
Today we get to pick out a gift for Caiden's teacher! To be honest, he's still a little too young to pick out gifts for adults, so we went over to our fall back teacher gift store - The Chalkboard. I picked up a gift certificate while the boys played with the train table and trucks. :)
Sadly, Caiden couldn't give his teacher his gift in person because he stayed home sick on the last day of school. Luckily whatever was troubling him passed quickly, and he was back to himself within a couple of hours. To make sure his teacher got her gift on time, we sent her card and certificate in the mail.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
CtC - Day Thirteen: Watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
Day Thirteen - Watch Snoopy and the gang :)
This one came up on Brian's birthday, and we had plans in the city. But I told Caiden it could be a special activity for him and Ezra to do with Aunt Cathy who was babysitting that night! So I don't have a photo of the actual activity, but I can tell you that Caiden and Uncle Bryan got to watch it together and Caiden thoroughly enjoyed this one! He couldn't even be interrupted when Aunt Cathy tried to sit with him on the couch. Then he told me the next morning that Linus has the same color blanket as he does. :)
This one came up on Brian's birthday, and we had plans in the city. But I told Caiden it could be a special activity for him and Ezra to do with Aunt Cathy who was babysitting that night! So I don't have a photo of the actual activity, but I can tell you that Caiden and Uncle Bryan got to watch it together and Caiden thoroughly enjoyed this one! He couldn't even be interrupted when Aunt Cathy tried to sit with him on the couch. Then he told me the next morning that Linus has the same color blanket as he does. :)
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
CtC - Day Eleven: Make Holiday Greeting Cards for Our Friends
Day eleven is making cards!
My mom's group set up a great activity for the kids. We had the opportunity to sign up to send and receive cards for the kids so they could get in on the fun for the season too! I picked out some fun holiday cards and Caiden and I set to work signing them. I particularly like how this one turned out.
Of course, Caiden wanted to give a card to his cute little friend from school, Peyton. She is coming over for a play date on Tuesday, and HE CANNOT WAIT! He's even picked out what he is wearing already. :)
We're looking forward to getting lots of cards from our friends!
My mom's group set up a great activity for the kids. We had the opportunity to sign up to send and receive cards for the kids so they could get in on the fun for the season too! I picked out some fun holiday cards and Caiden and I set to work signing them. I particularly like how this one turned out.
Of course, Caiden wanted to give a card to his cute little friend from school, Peyton. She is coming over for a play date on Tuesday, and HE CANNOT WAIT! He's even picked out what he is wearing already. :)
We're looking forward to getting lots of cards from our friends!
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| Peyton's card written in purple - her favorite color :) |
Monday, December 10, 2012
CtC - Day Ten: Write a Letter to Santa
Day Ten - Time to write the guy in red a letter!
Today's activity was a fun one! I knew Caiden wouldn't quite be up to writing a letter on his own to Santa, so I helped him out a little. First I had him dictate his letter to me, I wrote it in big clear letters and then he copied what I wrote onto his own page. It worked out surprisingly well! And it was just short enough to keep his interest and keep him from getting too frustrated. Yay!
Today's activity was a fun one! I knew Caiden wouldn't quite be up to writing a letter on his own to Santa, so I helped him out a little. First I had him dictate his letter to me, I wrote it in big clear letters and then he copied what I wrote onto his own page. It worked out surprisingly well! And it was just short enough to keep his interest and keep him from getting too frustrated. Yay!
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| Dear Santa, I would like a recycling truck side grabber and a backhoe please. Love, Caiden |
Sunday, December 9, 2012
CtC - Day Nine: Take a Picture Every Hour
Day nine - photo mania!
So naturally this year is a big learning experience with this project as it is our first time doing it. Not surprisingly, there may be one or two activities that just don't work for our family for one reason or another. This was one of them. :) The kids are just too young for this one to be terribly effective - especially when it doesn't get opened until late morning too. But since they have naps/quiet time between 1:30 and 4/5pm, that's quite a few lost pictures. And with an 8pm bedtime - even more lost pictures! Plus there was the fact that we just had a hard time remembering to snap a shot!!
But we tried, and we did get a few pictures. So here they are!
So naturally this year is a big learning experience with this project as it is our first time doing it. Not surprisingly, there may be one or two activities that just don't work for our family for one reason or another. This was one of them. :) The kids are just too young for this one to be terribly effective - especially when it doesn't get opened until late morning too. But since they have naps/quiet time between 1:30 and 4/5pm, that's quite a few lost pictures. And with an 8pm bedtime - even more lost pictures! Plus there was the fact that we just had a hard time remembering to snap a shot!!
But we tried, and we did get a few pictures. So here they are!
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| 9am Hour |
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| 10am Hour |
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| 11am Hour |
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| 12pm Hour |
Saturday, December 8, 2012
CtC - Day Eight: Watch a Holiday Movie and Eat Popcorn
Day 8 - time to sit on the couch, watch a holiday movie and munch some popcorn!
Normally my go-to choice for this would be A Charlie Brown Christmas, but that's got a whole activity of its own, so we made do with Rudolph's Shiny New Year. It's been a long long long time since I saw this one!
We popped up some popcorn, settled in on the couch and enjoyed our movie. :)
Normally my go-to choice for this would be A Charlie Brown Christmas, but that's got a whole activity of its own, so we made do with Rudolph's Shiny New Year. It's been a long long long time since I saw this one!
We popped up some popcorn, settled in on the couch and enjoyed our movie. :)
Friday, December 7, 2012
CtC - Day Seven: Take a Winter Walk
Day seven - walking in a winter wonderland!
Well...with the unusually mild December weather we've been having, we actually had to put this one off until we had a little bit of snow on the ground!! And that didn't happen until just a couple days ago!! Since we're also getting awfully close to Christmas, we had to get clever and jumped on the good fortune of combining this one with a stop at a particularly festive house on our Christmas lights drive (more details in a later post on that one).
There is a house over by Fermi Lab that really goes all out and not only decorates the front of their house, but the back as well! There is a nice little path set up to guide your tour. So we clambered out of the car, bundled up real good and took our little "winter walk" oo-ing and ah-ing at all the decorations this household had to offer. It was a quick walk, but it was winter and there was snow on the ground so it qualifies! :D
Well...with the unusually mild December weather we've been having, we actually had to put this one off until we had a little bit of snow on the ground!! And that didn't happen until just a couple days ago!! Since we're also getting awfully close to Christmas, we had to get clever and jumped on the good fortune of combining this one with a stop at a particularly festive house on our Christmas lights drive (more details in a later post on that one).
There is a house over by Fermi Lab that really goes all out and not only decorates the front of their house, but the back as well! There is a nice little path set up to guide your tour. So we clambered out of the car, bundled up real good and took our little "winter walk" oo-ing and ah-ing at all the decorations this household had to offer. It was a quick walk, but it was winter and there was snow on the ground so it qualifies! :D
Thursday, December 6, 2012
CtC - Day Six: See the Larsen House Lights
Day 6 was a drive out to Elburn to see a local favorite - the Larsen House!
I should also mention that this was a day late since schedule conflicts prevented us from doing this on the day it was drawn, so we'll have to do double duty on Saturday to catch up. :) This one is a little tough to squeeze in since we don't want to get caught up in the crazy long lines that weekend traffic would bring plus we have to work around dinner/bath/bedtime schedules. Luckily things worked out Friday night and we were able to go check out the lights!
A little background info - this guy puts up a quarter million lights on his house out in the "country" and coordinates the light show to a music broadcast on a low frequency radio band. The entire show is at least 30 min long. It's pretty dang amazing, and I'm already a sucker for Christmas lights as it is. :)
We checked it out last year, and that was, well, a disaster. Between a 20 min drive and a long wait to get to a point where we could really see the light show, Caiden just melted down. It was NOT a pleasant experience.
This year we managed to somehow get there at a time that was less busy, and both boys were way more interested in the show this year! I didn't even need to break out my prepacked "waiting in the car" entertainment! In fact after sitting and watching for almost an hour, they were upset that we were leaving! Having cooperative kids made it a much more enjoyable experience this year.
Here is a little bit of video that Brian took of the show. Can you find the dancing/conducting Santa?
| Photo from the Kane County Chronicle |
A little background info - this guy puts up a quarter million lights on his house out in the "country" and coordinates the light show to a music broadcast on a low frequency radio band. The entire show is at least 30 min long. It's pretty dang amazing, and I'm already a sucker for Christmas lights as it is. :)
We checked it out last year, and that was, well, a disaster. Between a 20 min drive and a long wait to get to a point where we could really see the light show, Caiden just melted down. It was NOT a pleasant experience.
This year we managed to somehow get there at a time that was less busy, and both boys were way more interested in the show this year! I didn't even need to break out my prepacked "waiting in the car" entertainment! In fact after sitting and watching for almost an hour, they were upset that we were leaving! Having cooperative kids made it a much more enjoyable experience this year.
Here is a little bit of video that Brian took of the show. Can you find the dancing/conducting Santa?
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
CtC - Day Five: Read a Holiday Story
Tonight we had a super easy activity - read a holiday story. I originally had intentions of going to the library and picking up some new books, but we ran out of time, so instead we made do with some old favorites.
I also realized that this activity would be a great candidate for a video recording (or two)! :) Now you can enjoy holiday story time with us too!
I also realized that this activity would be a great candidate for a video recording (or two)! :) Now you can enjoy holiday story time with us too!
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