"...Christmas future is far away, and Christmas past is past..."
Looking at the Christmas decorations still up and the tree still lit. The recycle bin overflowing with cardboard packaging and powdered sugar still being found in remote kitchen corners. Christmas was different for our family this year. I did all the baking and treat making I usually do, but wasn't able to ship it out. Most of our family were unable to travel due to the snow, so we celebrated with our immediate family.
This was odd for me. I made a turkey dinner, we played carols on the radio all day. We watched some children's Christmas specials and read books, the children played with their toys. I cleaned up wrapping paper and packaging and all of those twistie ties!!! My 7 yo son, hoping to show us in one action, how responsible he is, found a great place to put his treashured legos and bionicles away. He's been putting them away every day now! Yeah! It isn't, however, enough responsiblity to prove that he should have the privilege of staying up late like his 12 yo sister. Oh, man!
He was told, however, to keep up the good choices and privileges will be awarded as appropriate.
His happiness abounds even today.
The 'holiday season' is still upon us. Children are still on vacation from school, DH has extra time off work. Treats still fill the kitchen counter. Another party is scheduled for the near future. There is still something fun and inviting to look forward to. We are in the lazy, after Christmas, before New Year stage. Sipping the homemade hot cocoa and playing another midnight game of Monopoly.

Let it Snow

Complain, grumble, whine, stomp, mope. That's me, about the snow. It is piled up all over the place! Walks and drives have been shoveled and re-shoveled. It's blowing off the roof tops, and they are still covered!
I am tired of being stuck in the house. I am sick of cooking and cleaning it up. I am tired nearly to death of the laundry resulting from forays to play in the snow.
Someone pointed out the beauty of the snow. How it covers everything and makes it look so clean and fresh.
Okay. I can buy that. It looks clean and fresh - but what is underneath? A bunch of icky muck. Of course, with this much snow, by the time we see the end of it, it'll be spring and new growth will be evident.
This is what I have been seeing at home this week. I may have been 'stuck' at home with my children all week, but much good has come from it. For one, there has been much consistancy in dealing with discipline issues. Discipline has been lax at our home for a few weeks. Ever since the newest was born and the holiday season began, our routines have been disrupted. The children's behavior had become out of hand. It was so easy to see that these children had been undisciplined. This week, I have been able to be consistant with the praise as well. I made it very clear to one of the older children that it isn't just the bad choices that I notice. I also notice, look for, and really hope to see when good choices are made.
God's word tells us that those who refuse discipline are fools. That calamity befalls their lives. It tells us that those who choose to live by God's word (obey your parents...)will be blessed. It works. A couple of rough days have given way to better communication and good choices. On the parents part as well as the kids!
They sure got on me when I threw a tantrum. Foot stomping and all! They let me know what I did wrong and how I should have acted instead - and why!
Yes! They hear us! and they understand!