Motherhood Reflections Archives

Unplanned Fun

April 30, 2014 By Deirdre

Sometimes you find out something is going to take place and you plan to go to see it. Sometimes you arrive somewhere, find the perfect event, and just enjoy it. That happened to JDaniel and I on Saturday after heading out to the country to get estimates for some of my mom’s furniture at an auction house about 30 minutes from our home. We ended up with unplanned fun!

JDaniel wasn’t anxious about going with me. He really wanted to stay home and play. My husband needed some quiet time to study so, I promised JDaniel a treat if he was good while I ran an errand for his grandmother.

The errand didn’t take long. When we got to the auction house it looked closed up for the day. We went around back and found two guys unloading furniture. They were able to find the lady we needed to talk to and have her unlock the door. In about ten minutes I was able to show a lovely lady at the auction house pictures of my mom’s furniture and get a ball park estimate of their worth.

The auction house is on the outskirts of a town called Traveler’s Rest. JDaniel loves to walk the Swamp Rabbit Trail there so; we headed into town to walk a little. I had heard that there were several causal restaurants along the trail as well as a snack shack. JDaniel would be able to find a treat in one of those places I thought.

The Train Stop ( a fun restaurant with miniature train engine) offered tall glasses of sweet tea and he decided that would wet his whistle as we walked. (Sorry about the tongue twister!) I was worried he wouldn’t be able to walk and sip at the same time, but he did a great job.

After walking about a quarter of a mile, we came upon some men building steps down from the local Methodist church to the Swamp Rabbit trail. One of them was operating a small front loader. On the other side of the trail were several swings. We decided to sit on one of the swings and watch the steps come together.

It was such fun to sit and discuss the tools they were using, admire their hard work and watch the front loader bring the railroad ties to just the right place. After a while, we just watched them work in silence while swinging back and forth.

Later on our way back to the car, I called my husband to tell him about what I had found out at the auction house. When I had finished JDaniel wanted to share with him what we had seen on our walk. He vividly described the restaurant with a train, the taste of the sweet tea, the step building event, and time swinging with me.

I just loved hearing him talk about these unplanned events with such joy. We will need to stop in other local towns to explore them this summer. They may be filled with wonderful surprises and unplanned fun!

Our Spring Break- 2014

April 23, 2014 By Deirdre

Last week was Spring Break in our area. We were all ready to have break for our school routine. It was a time for cleaning and purging. It was a time to play and explore. It was a time to visit with friends and family.

I started the cleaning part of the week by cleaning out every cabinet and closet except the one in JDaniel’s room. (It is hard to purge unplayed with toys with him at home.) It felt great to get things back in their right places and have them organized neatly. By Monday afternoon I had filled the trash can and recycling bin. There were several bags ready to go to Goodwill too.

Things are not usually well organized, but they had become very messy during our hectic winter. With things more settled with mom it was time to bring order back to our house.

With the cabinets and closets done I moved on to dusting and cleaning. I tried to do a deep cleaning so, there will only need to be basic cleaning done later.

On Tuesday a friend called and invited us to come and play at their house and to dye eggs. I was great to chat with my friend Bethany and to watch our kids play together. The pollen count here was high last week so, it was great to stay inside with friends. JDaniel had the best time with them.

The eggs they dyed came out great! Bethany had read about wrapping eggs with rubber bands before dying them. What a cool technique!

We had planned a family trip to a local animal park that we hadn’t been to before called Hollywild. JDaniel’s favorite part was getting to feed the catfish, turtles, and ducks in the pond. My husband loved the lions, tiger, and bears. I really like the baby goats. The worst part of the trip was the bus ride across the field of buffaloes, gigantic cows, emus and assorted other animals. Why? The bus ran out of gas and we had to wait for another bus to come and get us. Normally that would have been fun. After all we got extra time to see them, but the wind was blowing like crazy that day. The bus didn’t have windows so, we were sitting in a wind tunnel waiting for the bus with gas to arrive.

We ended the week with a trip to see my mother in-law. I haven’t left Greenville since my mom got sick. It was great to see Nana and spend time with her. She is such an amazing lady.

Spending Easter Sunday afternoon with my mom was really special. We don’t think we will have her at Easter so, we really tried to enjoy each moment. The nursing home had a wonderful lunch buffet. We all ate way too much. Then we played bird bingo (a favorite game of hers) and learned a lot about birds as we played.

As we look back on Spring Break during these final days of school, we will be filled with wonderful memories. I think that makes Spring Break a complete success.

What did you do for Spring Break?

Kid Talk – My Teacher Says….

September 11, 2013 By Deirdre

I remember being called down to the office when I was just beginning my teaching career to take a phone call from a parent. ( We didn’t have phones in our classrooms back then.) The parent on the phone sounded anxious and frustrated. She was hoping I would do her favor. I replied that I would be happy to help her in anyway that I could. Here is how the conversation continued:“Could you tell my son that I can do math?” she asked.“Sure I can! I replied ( I was hoping and praying she could. Actually I knew she could. I was teaching her son second grade math.)

“He doesn’t think I know anything about the math problems in his homework,” she explained.“What area does he think you don’t understand?” I probed.

“Well, I think two digit addition has changed its terms since I was girl. I know all about carrying numbers from the ones to the tens place, but regrouping the numbers is new to me,” she answered.

“They really mean the same thing, but the term regrouping appears in our text book and will be on the state test,” I clarified.

“Well, I keep slipping up and using the old term when he is doing homework. Could you please tell my son that the terms mean the same thing? He doesn’t believe me! I really want to help him with his work,” she said with a deep sigh.

“I will first thing tomorrow unless you think I need to talk to him now,” I told her.

“Tomorrow will be just fine. (deep sigh) Thank you! I feel so much better,” she said as she hung up the phone.

Last Wednesday JDaniel and I were sitting having our afternoon snack and he shared with me a song he was learning about short vowel sounds at school. I know it was about short vowel sounds, because I heard the sounds in the song. I honestly couldn’t understand any of the other words. After singing the song, he announced that it was homework to practice the song. How can I help him practice a song if I don’t know the words I thought. If we practice it the way he is singing it, he is going to put it into long term memory all jumbled up.

When I asked him to help me unscramble the words in the song I didn’t understand in the song, he said that is just the way the teacher does it. That statement made me remember that phone call from so long ago. I didn’t call or even e-mail his teacher, but I did think about it. I would love to know how the song is really suppose to go.

Have you ever wanted to share during your kid talk that you knew about something they only thought their teacher says?This post will be linked up to Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe Thursday.Follow JDaniel4’s Mom on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Table Talk- Sharing During Snack

September 4, 2013 By Deirdre

Everyday I pick JDaniel up from school just dying to know how his day went. Almost everyday my chatty little boy who has been know to share his every thought shares a few thoughts and then stops. While I love the “My Day at School” crumbs of conversation, I am dying to know what he worked on, what color was he on his behavior chart, who he played with and well anything else he wants to share. Some days he is ready to talk in the car on the way home. Some days I have to wait for table talk.

Taking Time for Table Talk

When we got home last week, the first thing JDaniel wanted to do was to play with the neighbor boys next door. I usually sit outside in a folding chair to supervise their play and I gathered some more information about his day by listening to what he shared with them, but I yearned to hear more.On Monday when we got home, JDaniel announced that he was really hungry and he was dying for a snack. Well, every dying five year old should be given a little something to eat. Nothing big that will ruin dinner but a few bites of something that will help revive a dying boy.I was tempted to give him his snack and head out of the kitchen to take a load of laundry out of the dryer, but I didn’t. I grabbed a small snack for myself and sat down at the kitchen table beside him. As we both nibbled on our snacks and sipped from our glasses on milk something happened. He opened up more about his day. Things like I made a new friend in my class and we got hear about the computer center today were spilling from his mouth.

I sat on the edge of my seat taking it all in. All the things I was dying to hear about were being shared. I was in Mom Heaven.

Every now and then he would stop to take a sip of milk or crunch on his snack. I was so tempted to start asking questions about his day, but I held back and just listened. There would be time to ask questions later while we were having dinner or getting ready for bed.Just listening and sharing an after school snack time with JDaniel satiated my desire to know about his day. I felt like I had a better idea of what his day was like and he didn’t feel pressured to share. When he feels pressured to share he shuts down and refuses to share. It ends up feeling like pulling teeth and I end up feeling guilty for trying to find more about his day.

When he was done with his snack, he headed outside to play with the boys next door. I headed outside to supervise they boys playing. Neither of us was frustrated with the other for trying to share or not share about school.

Taking a few moments sit and enjoy a snack has become a routine with us. I hope it is one we will continue to do for a long time. His sharing during afternoon snack is like food for my heart and I love it.Do you have a special time or way you encourage your children to share about their day? Do you have table talk?

This post is linked to Pour Your Heart Out and Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe Thursday.Follow JDaniel4’s Mom on Facebook and Pinterest.

Motherhood Fail- Easter Treats Found Early

April 3, 2013 By Deirdre

I was busy making dinner last Monday night when I felt JDaniel tugging at the back of my shirt.”Mom! The bunny hid the Annie’s Bunnies cookies and fruit chews in the lower cabinet early.!” “What are you talking about?” I replied trying to concentrate on the ground turkey I was trying to brown. “The Easter Bunny brought my treats early!” JDaniel told me once again. Without even thinking about what I should say I blurted out that I had bought those Easter things. If the words had been hanging in the air, I would have pulled them back. (Saying these words was a motherhood fail.) JDaniel had just been told that I had bought the exact same treats that he had gotten from the Easter Bunny last year. In an attempt to fix or explain what I had said I told him that I had bought them for the road trip to his Aunt Shell’s house Easter weekend.

I think he bought it. Why? The next day without thinking I hid a bag of jelly beans in the same cabinet behind the mixing bowls and several bottles of olive oil right beside the bunny cookies and fruit chews. JDaniel headed straight for them at breakfast the following morning while I was getting dressed. He came to the bedroom door and announced that the Easter Bunny must be leaving new things everyday. This time I thought before I spoke! “Wow!” I said, “He must know that is where I am storing things to take on our trip!” “Yep!” he said, “He is one smart bunny!”

Does he really think the bunny is coming early? I don’t really know. JDaniel is a wise little man. I do know that he believes there is an Easter Bunny and that he know just what JDaniel likes.

I just have to hide they Easter things in some place that isn’t on his level, isn’t where he looks for snacks, and isn’t wear he hides in Hide and Seek. I thought about moving them into a suitcase in the bonus room under a pile of other bonus room treasures. They would be surrounded by the ancient golf bag, an old end table, and a box of Christmas ornaments. I ended up moving them into my husband’s side of the walking closet in our bedroom.

They will never been found there. I hope! This has been a motherhood fail.They will need to later be transported to my sister’s house. We will be spending Easter there.

This post was written last Thursday before we headed out to spend Spring Break with family. I will let you know how it went when I come back.

This post is linked to Alphabe Thursday!

Hectic Schedules: How to Keep a Clear Head

February 7, 2013 By Deirdre

My word for 2013 is strength. I shared with you early this month that I need to work on my diet, exercise, staying in contact with friends and work on my spiritual life. While working on each of these areas will help me work on my word of the year, they will also help me keep a clear head while balancing a hectic schedule.

Hectic Schedules: How to Keep a Clear Head

I had been thinking things would get a little more hectic this summer, but things have really picked up already. I bet we all have such a hectic schedules.

How?

JDaniel has swimming lessons and will hopefully be adding speech soon. He is also interested in joining the children’s choir.

I am teaching Sunday school.

My husband and I are taking a parenting class called Love and Logic which it turns out has homework. I am in a moms group at church that has homework and book reading assignments.

There are blog commitments I have to several blogs including this one.

The house needs a totally purging of closets and it needs more of a mid-winter cleaning than a spring one. I don’t think it can wait until spring.

I wanted to be better about exercise and eating healthy meals with JDaniel instead of getting things done while he eats lunch and breakfast.

What am I doing to keep a clear head?

I found a daily blogging checklist online that I modified and I am trying to follow. It helps me stay focused on what I need to do online and keeps me from going on internet rabbit trails.

Getting up earlier to have my prayer time before JDaniel gets up.

Blogging more at night. I am usually ready to head to the television as soon as JDaniel goes to bed. I am trying to schedule social media in advance instead of the day of. I have been easily able to do that. I have been able to write when JDaniel the two days I don’t have mom’s group at church or in the afternoon when he has quiet time.

I have set up a cleaning and blog post calendar. Knowing what I need to do on a specific day has been such a help.

Exercise has been scheduled too. It turns out that if I have a time set up for it I tend do it.

I am heading to JDaniel’s preschool as few minutes earlier than I need to and bringing the books I need to read with me in the car. I can read for a few minutes before I go in to get him. It is has amazing how many pages I can read when all I have in the car with me to do is a book.

You would not believe how much having a schedule, getting up a little earlier, and using the time I have when JDaniel is asleep or at school to get things done has helped me not to feel oodles of things to do from clouding my head. Keeping my head a little tidier with a routine that is working has helped me feel more balance.

It has opened up more time to spend with my guys and given me more time to touch base with friends. The free flowing life that felt such pressure when deadlines or appointments loomed in front of it wasn’t working. Having a schedule that I can modify if I need to has really me clear my head with a hectic schedule. It is helping me to feel just a little stronger.

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Kids Reading- How I’m Growing a Reader

January 9, 2013 By Deirdre

I need to start by saying that I know that not everyone that was read to as a child grew up to be a reader. Reading to your kids or kids reading is so important and and there are many reasons that they may not have grown into be a reader. They could have had reading or learning challenges. They could have had vision challenges. The list could go on and on, but I do think it is possible to grow a reader. I think I am doing it at my house right now.

Kids Reading Step One -Started Reading to Him as a Baby

From JDaniel’s babyhood I read to him. He never wanted to sleep and seemed to be always awake. I sang to him, I bounced him in a bouncy seat, and I read to him. He mostly got to hear the text from picture books and board books. There were times when he got to hear me read the newspaper, cookbooks, magazine articles, and well just about everything I was reading.He really like to hear the tone of my voice and the inflections I made as I read various texts. He seemed to focus on what I was saying.

Not only was he hearing what I was reading, but he was seeing both my husband and I holding reading material. From a very early age he saw that reading was important to us.

Kids Reading Step Two- Books Were Everywhere

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When I packed the car for road trips, I always packed books. During road trips when JDaniel was little I sat in the backseat and read to him. He had favorites like Goodnight Moon , but he loved it when I packed new books. He really loved books that had texture on the pages like Good Night Moon.Books went with us to restaurants, doctor’s appointments, and on picnics. They were just a part of what went into his diaper bag.

Kids Reading Step Three- Visits the Library

Library trips were really important when he was little and still are today. We would go on treasure hunts to find books I thought he would like and then sit among the shelves on the floor and read them.

It was no surprise to me when at just under two JDaniel would crawl over to one of the book baskets spread around the house to pull out a book and look at it. Literally, I had baskets in the bathroom, kitchen, living room, and each bedroom. If I got busy with making a bed or a meal, he just pulled out a book. He loved to look at books.

This past fall on one of our many trips to the library I walked JDaniel over to the juvenile non-fiction section to show him some animal books. He had never even seen this section before. I was like opening up a treasure chest. There were all kinds of books filled with knowledge on animals, plants, rocks and so much more. He sat on the floor and just pulled book after book down to look at it.

Kids Reading Step Four – Picture Walking

Another mom was at the library with her children when we explored the non-fiction section not long ago. She looked at her youngest and told her to not bother looking at books in this area.”They are too hard for you,” she announced. I cringed. A child doesn’t have to be able to read every book they select from a shelf and neither does the parent. Sometimes I picture walk JDaniel through a book. We look at the pictures and I read him the captions under them along with the some of the text. JDaniel and I talk about what we see in the pictures. Picture walking is vital to reading. Being able to use picture clues to help with text is so important.

Kids Reading Step Five – Rotating Books

I try to rotate the types of books I am reading to him. Our library bag is usually filled with a little of both I think it is important for him to have new books that are fiction and non-fiction. I also have tons of books from when I was a teacher. I try to rotate in new fiction and non-fiction books regularly that are on his bookshelves and around the house.

Child reading or reading to your child is so important. It was on of the basic keys to learning in my book.

How have I worked on growing a reader?

access to books of all kinds that JDaniel can reach for
display that reading is important by reading yourself
read regularly at bedtime or other times during the day
bring books with you when you leave the house
exposed him to all types of reading material (fiction, non-fiction, atlases, dictionaries, etc..)
picture walk through books and talk about what he saw in the pictures.
seek out books on topics my child is interested in.

This post is linked to Alphabe Thursday.

What are you doing or did you do to grow a reader?

21 Days of Gratitude- Thankful for My Kitchen

November 14, 2012 By Deirdre

Yesterday I mentioned to you the 21 Days of Gratitude Challenge List. Well, during November there are bloggers sharing each day on one of the ideas or items on the list. When I signed up to participate in this project, I didn’t look at what I was signing up to share my thankfulness about. Instead I picked a day that worked best for me. Only later did I look at the topic I was going to share about. By then it was too late to change to a different day.

Did I want to change my day to something else?

Yes! I would like something easier. I can jump up and down and say that I am thankful for it.
Am I not thankful for what was on my assigned day of the Days of Gratitude challenge? Well, I am thankful, but I don’t always express my gratitude for it.What is it I am to share thanks for? The thankfulness is supposed to be for something in my kitchen.

My Focus During the 21 Days of Gratitude

Ever since I walked in the kitchen in the house my husband had built many years ago, I have wanted to change it. It is not a bad kitchen. He chose wonderful cabinets and pretty tile for the room. He had curtains made that are nicer than one I would have picked out. It is a pretty room, but it is tiny.

The house I owned before we got married had a wider kitchen with a wonderful island in the middle. It was easy to move around. One person could prep food on the island while another person got things out of the oven. You could open the dishwasher and the refrigerator at the same time if you wanted to.

We have a one butt kitchen. Only one person can be working in the main areas of the kitchen at a time. Whether it be cooking, washing dishes, opening a door or drawer. It is tight and it seems to get tighter when JDaniel wants to jump in and help.Our kitchen gets super crowded when more than four people try to eat in it too. Literally the person sitting with their back to the backyard has to ask for things to be fetched for them once they have sat down and they have to drink very little. It can be challenge to get around the table and get to the bathroom.

So, I pulled out my bible and I read about thanks.

Thinking about their losses has left me with many things to be thankful for.I am thankful for…
1 Chronicles 16:34 O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His loving kindness is everlasting.Psalm 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Then prayed for God to show me things in my kitchen to be thankful for and do you know what happened? I turned on the news and saw victims of Sandy sharing about how they had lost everything. Maybe even their one butt kitchens.

Thinking about their losses has left me with many things to be thankful for.

I am thankful for…

A refrigerator that has lasted eighteen years along with the oven and dishwasher that arrived when the fridge did.
I am thankful for new counter that God provided for last year.
The tile floor that has been so easy to clean up after JDaniel’s spills.
The small distance I have to walk to catch a milk cup falling to the ground while I am trying to get dinner ready.

21 Days of Gratitude- Thankful for My Kitchen

The space that was just the right size to fit my hutch.
The fact that I have a place to have friends and family come and share a meal.I can honesty say I don’t love my kitchen, but now I can say that I am very thankful for it.

What about your kitchen are you most thankful for?

Have you joined the 21 Days of Gratitude Challenge hosted by Inspired by Family and many other fabulous bloggers? Join us and take time to count your blessings and read their how they met their Day of Gratitude challenge!

Teaching Kids- What is Veterans Day?

November 11, 2012 By Deirdre

Every year I take JDaniel to the memorial for veterans in our town. We bring a snack or lunch to eat as we sit on one of the granite benches before the flag memorial and talk about Veterans Day and why we celebrate it. I want him to know “What is Veterans Day ?”

When he was two and a half, I told him the people whose names were on the brick pathway were people who had tried to aid people in faraway lands that needed someone to help them and didn’t get to come back home.

When he was three and a half, we talked about how the memorial celebrates those people from our town and wanted to help others and didn’t make it home. They ended up dying where they were helping. I didn’t talk a lot about death although he understood that what death meant that year. JDaniel’s GranDan died the winter before and he really wanted to see him. I explained to him that while he might want to come see him he wasn’t able too.

This year JDaniel asked me a lot of questions about the soldiers remembered by the memorial. He wanted to know why they died, who they were, and did their families come here too. What is Veterans Day has become more than just a time to visit the memorial for him!

As we started down the path on the memorial grounds to check out all the flags that had been set out, we found someone who could answers some of his questions.

If you look closely, you will see an man down by the tree with rust leaves. We caught up to him and talked to him. He fought in the Vietnam War and had recently moved into our town from Kansas.

He told JDaniel he didn’t know any of the people that are remembered at this memorial. He came because being here helped him remember the friends he had lost in a faraway land. He told him that our country had sent him to help others and that was just what he had tried to do.

JDaniel seemed to understand a little more about why the memorial is important after that. For awhile he just walked down the path by the flags. There were hundreds scattered all across the lawn on both sides of the path.

Eventually he decided walking on the slope of rocks that leads up to the train track on the edge of the memorial was more fun and he was no longer quiet. He giggled and scurried up and down the slope. For a few moments though he took in all that we had told him.

I think our town just decided to put out as many flags as they could. The flags didn’t have a particular soldier’s names on them that had served. But I know that we could probably have covered the lawns up and down our towns main street with flags of those from around the United States that have not made it back.

So many have passed away serving our country though out the years.

I am so thankful to all who have served and to their families. Having loved one possibly in harm’s way has to be a real challenge.

JDaniel and I also talked with a lady who had stopped by the memorial to take a picture to send to her husband in Kuwait on our way to the car. Her husband will be serving there until just after Christmas. She said he would be thrilled to see how their hometown remembered its veterans. She also said she can’t wait for him to get home.

My sister Kate’s husband is heading to Afghanistan right after Thanksgiving for six months. This isn’t the first time a member of their family has been to the Middle East. My sister Kate has been there twice. I prayed for often while she was away. I worried about her often while she was serving overseas although she was on bases both times

If you have would remember to hold my sister and her family in your prayers while he is gone, I would be so grateful.

How will you be celebrating Veterans Day?

Operation Christmas Child #OCCGiving

November 7, 2012 By Deirdre

I usually take JDaniel with me when I am gathering food items or gifts to give to charity. This year I rushed around and gathered things for the Operation Christmas Child Project while JDaniel was in school. It saved me a lot of time standing beside shelves while items to being looked over and gave me the opportunity to select items he might not have picked.

Every time I came home with a bag of items to put in the shoe box I had JDaniel inspect the items. The fact that he wanted to add most them to his Christmas list filled me with hope that the little boy that receives our box will be happy with its contents.

When I had gathered everything we were going to give, we placed them in shoe box that once held my husband’s sneakers. It didn’t seem fair to give a child a box that once held my tiny shoes. (I only wear a 5/2 sized shoe.)

Each item had to be reinspected and placed into the box in just the right place. JDaniel thought the practical stuff should go on the bottom. He felt a child should get to see the good stuff first. I thought that was a great idea. We ended up with most of the toys and candy on the top.

What did we put in the box? There were toys, a flashlight, a notebook with pencil, a throw to snuggle under, candy, a tooth brush, a comb, a brush, coloring pages, crayons, and an inflatable globe.

When the box was filled, we took it to a church in the town right next to ours. Mauldin United Methodist Church was the closest drop of site to our house. What a pretty entrance they had to their office area.

The church secretary there happily lead us to the drop off area and told me that their church passed out 400 plastic boxes with presents last year and they hoped to donate the same amount this year. I am so glad our box will be surrounded by so many other boxes when it is picked up. JDaniel was thrilled to see all of the boxes that have been dropped off already! I am thrilled that he understands the importance of giving.

This holiday season build a box with your family to teach kindness, compassion, and generosity.

Operation Christmas Child and influencer marketing platform BlogFrog have teamed up with 200 bloggers like me to spread the word about this great cause.

If you like this Operation Christmas Child project, here are some more giving to others projects:

Planning a Food Drive

Giving Others a “Heart Attack”

Disclaimer:BlogFrog will match the first 200 boxes that are built. Pledge your commitment below to build a box today on Facebook or Twitter! This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Operation Christmas Child. The opinions and text are all mine.