Days of the Week

Do you know the song? I think it's to the tune of the Addams Family. "There's Sunday and there's Monday, there's Tuesday and there's Wednesday, there's Thursday and there's Friday, and then there's Saturday. Days of the Week *clap! clap!*

Getting kids to do chores... is a chore!

There are countless studies and articles that proclaim the value in getting kids to do housework. I don't doubt it - and not only is it good for their development... sheesh! Duh - who wants to do all of the chores?? I would really like more time to make Savasana Socks!

I was vacuuming this morning and it occurred to me to assign chores by the days of the week. You know how there's #ThrowbackThursday on social media? What if there's More on the Floor Monday? You'd pick up anything on the floor that day! Now I have to think of the rest of them.
Maybe it's Trash Tuesday. So you'd get all the trash out of your rooms, backpacks... take out the trash!
What about Wednesday? Windows! And I have the perfect cloths and enough for both kids to tackle this project with just the cloth and water!
Thursday? Tabletops?
What about Friday?
Saturday?
Sunday is Sunday Fun Day for sure!

This post will evolve, it's a goal! If you have some ideas for my remaining days, please leave them in the comments.

What Might Have Been (and wasn't!)

I feel compelled to just blurt out somewhere in type all of the things that didn't happen this past weekend. Depending on your perspective, it was both eventful and uneventful at the same time. I am very thankful for both the events and near-misses that have me seriously wiping sweat from my brow and lifting my eyes to the heavens and whispering my thanks quite often even still. Maybe I should just get right down to it. I do still have to clock in and get some work done today; maybe emptying my head of all of this will help move that intention forward.

Here is what didn't happen:

Angel prevents fire, then reveals herself in a dream

• We didn't have a house fire (almost, but thankfully, nope!)
• We weren't stranded in town with both keys and phone locked in car (for long, anyway)
• We didn't have to cancel any play dates
• We didn't have to not share pie with loved ones
• We ceased to have to fight about whose turn it is with the iPad
• We didn't have to cancel a special ladies day I planned two weeks ago

Here's what happened:

• My quilt rack in the bathroom caught fire
• I locked my keys and phone in my car while grocery shopping
• We hosted two play dates
• We baked and shared a homemade blackberry pie with my brother, dad and a handful of nieces and nephews
• I had a wonderful chat with an angel (in my dreams, but aren't dreams the very best place to find inspiration and enlightenment?)
• The iPad fell into a coma (issue remains unresolved, the only "Hanging Chad" of the weekend)
• We had a lovely little breakfast, just mom and the kids, at Bob Evans
• I made it to the Trillium Lodge for Sip 'N Paint with my mom and sister

Here are some take aways:

• New house rule: If someone lights candles in  your home, that person should be personally responsible for making sure they are all extinguished. When you are so fried you compel someone to draw a bath and light your candles for you... you are in no shape for taking responsibility for extinguishing them - really, you are not
• It might be a good idea to give your nearest neighbor a spare key to your car (my nearest neighbor gave birth to me, this seems a wise move)
• At the ages of 8 (and up I hope!), play dates amidst chaos do not seem to add more chaos, and even seem to reduce chaos at times
• iPads need Otterboxes
• When sharing pie with loved ones, bake two pies... because life is always better with more pie!
• Sip 'n Paint... as much as humanly possible.

  

  Sip 'n Paint Friends - can't wait to do this again!

A Note for My Daughters

I have one birth daughter, but feel that the young ladies coming up in the world after me are, in a sense, all my daughters. As such, I have an obligation, to share what I've learned, to tell you the truth, to show you what the view from there looks like from here, and vice-versa.

Thirty-eight seems like a lifetime away when you are 13, 18, 23... but honestly? It is a blink. The older you get, the faster it goes. Let me let you in on a little secret: Life ain't over when you hit 21. You are not old at 30. The reality is, your life, the life you will love and enjoy most, is only just beginning. You will have some realizations in your 30's that will absolutely floor you. You will regret some things from your youth, and you will celebrate some great things you didn't even know you did at the time.

Here's my advice to you:

1. Care for your skin as if you were already fighting wrinkles and sun damage. When you are at the age where you actually need to worry about wrinkles and sun damage, you will have less to worry about. In short, you do not need a tan.
2. Drink water. Please don't even talk to me about pop or alcohol! Forget your friends, your body is your TEMPLE, and will be with you long after your friends have moved on. Water is the perfect drink. Give thanks for it, and partake often. 

   

   No makeup at 38.
   You don't need it either Teen!

3. No makeup required. Wear it if you want, whatever. But one day, you will be comfortable in  your own skin. It is then you realize that your bright eyes don't need a frame of heavy lashes and eyeliner - maybe such beauty shouldn't be contained in painted frames anyway. 
4. Dress for school as you will one day dress for work. School is your job. If you do not plan to be a hooker when you grow up, please do not dress like one to go to your current job. Boys pay attention to hookers, boys also notice the young ladies who act like they have some self-respect. You will intimidate some. You will also save yourself some heartache.
5. Be nice to the people other people are not nice to. Some day, they will write you notes about kindnesses you extended that you do not even remember, and it will remind you that even your early years had meaning and value.
6. Don't curse in type. Don't post slutty pictures of yourself on the internet. It will get you attention, yes. But if you do this and then start whining about all the nasty boys who want to date you (and do way more than that, believe it!) you will get no pity from me.
7. If you want to repel adults and people who might one day seek to employ you, ignore #6.
8. Get outside. Life is short. Computers have a history. Phones have voicemail. Leave it all in the house and Get. Outside! Take a book or some things to draw with. Go for a walk, fly a kite, I do not care!!! Get outside and make some memories. When you are older and stuck in an office, you will have some stored happy to keep you smiling.
9. Your parents love you. Yep. I promise. You think they hate you because you can't go with so-and-so and stay out all night or whatever the stupid thing is they are making you do that irritates the crap out of you. Believe me, they are not trying to torture you (yes, I thought mine were torturing me too). Truth is, you scare them. You are beautiful and full of potential and the idea that something might in some way compromise that, scares them to death. As well it should. No one in this world will love you like they do, so suck it up and deal. A hug and a "thank you" from a child has never killed a parent either, just sayin'...
10. Your lumps, your bumps, your moles, your glasses, your teeth, your hair... oooooh honey. They are perfect. Just perfect! Stop worrying and breathe a little, would you please? Just because you do not hear "you are gorgeous" every day does not make it any less true. No one likes a conceited, self-absorbed little snot. Worry about being smarter, not thinner. Worry about if you are working hard enough to attain your goals, not if you are doing the right things to get the attention you think you need.

Ten guidelines may be a lot to remember, but you can come back and re-read them as often as you need. You know what? Sometimes I have to remind myself of them too. I love you. The universe Loves You. Be good to you and treat yourself right, OK?