Treasure the Moments!

I've said it before - our children are only small once. Don't rush through this time - enjoy it, savor it, memorize it. Clean houses are over rated!

"The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. … I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.” Anna Quindlen

My Interior Decorator

Last night I hear this scratching sound and when I look I see this face smiling at me:

Holding this crayon:

And my walls look like this:

My instant response was to grab the crayon and ask why? After his crying outburst he told me that the walls just looked so plain - he wanted to decorate them for me.

He is the sweetest child! So I gave him lots of hugs, reassurances that he didn't do anything that awful (crayon does come off), the artwork was beautiful (but should be on paper) and most importantly, I love him no matter what! Then I gave him the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and put him to work:

Brownies

Isabel went to a Brownie meeting on Tuesday and hasn't stopped talking about it yet. She got picked to be the Flag Bearer at the meeting - a treat. Then all of the girls said the Pledge of Allegience followed by the Girl Scout Promise:

On my honor, I will try:
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

I will do my best to be
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong,
and responsible for what I say and do,
and to respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place,
and be a sister to every Girl Scout.

The girls then worked together to complete the 'Wave The Flag' Try It. Afterwards, they made brownies, played some games and just talked. A good time for all.

So, it looks like she will officially join the troop! Of course, having one good friend in the troop and another best friend come to the meeting helped make her decision all the easier. The troop has four nice girls plus 2 if Isabel and Casey both join and we are looking forward to our first outing with them on Sunday to Monarch Madness at Bear Branch.

At Monarch Maddess:

Bendaroos

Thanks to Grandmom we have Bendaroos. Isabel & Nick made designs for Daddy last night.

Nick's snowman & snowball...

Isabel's message to dad...