Simple Joys

I found the most lovely blog recently. I love to go there each day and see what the mother posts. Her blog is about the simple, lovely joys of everyday life. Last year, in my personal journal, I decided I needed to write a joy each day. That lasted for two days. I just didn't pull out my journal each day. Perhaps it is time to try again. It is so easy to focus on the bad things. There are so many trials each day. My four children fought all day or the house is a complete disaster, someone was rude to me at the grocery store or my husband is making me mad. So often I focus on these things, allowing them to control my day. I need to think more on the good things that happen each day. There truely are so many good things.

Today, we played in our pool. The laughter that comes from the playing together is priceless. I love the way my 19 month old's face lights up when Daddy pops up out of the water.

My second son has the most fun laugh. It isn't loud or silly, it is just a funny giggle. I love to hear him laugh. Today he and his older brother were playing a game that had the younger son in histerics. He laughed and laughed. I could hear it in any room down stairs and I just laugh when I hear his laugh.

My sweet daughter sings when she plays with her dolls. They sing and dance. Her playing is done in a song. The tune is her own and the words I don't usually understand, but she sings and it is beautiful. Today she was "typing" a letter to her imaginary friend, JennyJenna, and she would tell us about "conversations". That is her favorite new word. It is funny to hear a three year old say conversations.

My oldest son so wants to please. He tries so hard to talk in a more grown up way to me. He is making the transition from young child to older child. If he likes what I cook he will tell me it is the best meal I've ever made.

I must look for those sweet simple joys. Tomorrow is Sunday. It is a day of worship, but when you are taking four small children to church, it is a day of stress too. I must think more of the Lord and less of the problems the kids are creating. The two youngest are especially difficult right now at church. However, I need to remember, the older two were difficult when they were this young age, and now, they are very good at church. Time will aid me and as long as I keep taking the young ones to church, they will learn they ways they should act when in the Lord's house.

I hope now, to post a few moments of joy often and I hope that if anyone reads this, you too will think of joy. Have a simply lovely, joyful day.

Was I that rude?

Last night I was up at the church, doing an activity with the girls who are 8-11 years old. I only had three there last night. They were a rude bunch. We had a fun activity and it was a service project too. All they could say was "I'm bored!" "I don't want to do this." Finally I said, ok, if your bored, leave. Two of them did. Next time we meet for our activity, we are going to be having a lesson on manners.

It isn't just those girls either. So often I see very rude kids. The neighbor kids who come over, knock on the door and peak through the window to see if anyone is coming to the door. I hate that. I'm thinking of putting up curtians over those little windows. Another neighbor girl that use to come over would come to our house and say, "I'm hungry" It didn't matter what time of day it was. Usually I said, well, go home and get a snack, you only live three houses away. Another time she demanded I get her a band-aide. The cut was tiny and in the time it took her to say it, she could have gone home an gotten her own band-aide. We often invited her to eat with us if she was here for lunch or dinner. She would comment negativly on the food I cooked. It was frustrating.

I don't remember being that way. I didn't go to my friend's house to eat food. We went to play. I didn't make comments or demands to my friend's parents. Most of the time we tried to avoid the grown-ups. I always said please and thank you, never demanding anything.

I guess it comes down to the parents. My mom taught us to be polite. I guess these kids don't get taught that. I'm trying to teach my children and I hope that they are polite when they are at a friend's house. Some times I want to invite all these kids over to my house and we have a manners lesson. Well, I may not be able to change the neighbors, but I'm going to double my efforts on my kids.

(Just as I finish this, my nine year old comes in to tell me that his seven year old brother just bit him) Aghh!

my first picture

Oh ho! Add pictures, yes, I'm getting smarter. These were some bagles that I made. They were ugly but tasty! One day I'll try it again. I think the yeast I used is getting old. Stuff just isn't rising when I bake and end up looking, well, like this.

a long time

It has been a long time since I used this blog. I thought I had lost the account and I couldn't figure out how to get back into it. Today, I tried again and was able to get through all the passwords and such and finally, I've found my blog.

I'm so happy. Now I need to figure out how to combine my other blog with this one. There may not be a way and I'll just have to link the two together.

http://mlbaron.myblogsite.com/ It is also titled Random Thoughts.

Now, there are some features of this blog that I need to figure out how to use. I'll be playing around with it for a while I guess. That is, until more random thoughts come to mind.