the joys of older children, Jonah edition

As a general rule, I don't pine for days gone by. I do suffer bouts of nostalgia the other night, but it's not a common occurrence (yet?). I don't often sit and miss having little babies in the house. I like parenting older children and I'm actually looking forward to having teenagers.

One of my favorite parts of older children is getting to really talk about things. I can share book recommendations, debate the merits of various foods (or movies or sports) and get their opinions as well. Jonah left me a note on the table the other day about a scripture he read and liked and thought I would like to ("because we both like to talk): "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold and pictures in silver." (Proverbs 25:11) Babies may curl up in your arms and smell like nothing else on earth, but they can't do that.

That said, there are some parts of parenting older children that are more difficult than the early years. I can't fix everything (or anything!) by driving us to a construction site to watch the excavators or pulling popsicles out of the freezer.

A few days ago, Jonah and I had a rough afternoon. There was more yelling than I'd like to remember and I just felt crummy. I was expecting parenting to get more difficult and the concerns to get weightier as my kids aged, but I have been surprised at how hurt my feelings get when my kids fight with me.

After the aforementioned difficulty with said eldest child, Caroline, Miriam, and I headed to soccer practice. That wasn't the only reason I was frustrated, mind you. It had been a long day, a few things went wrong, and Josh wouldn't be home until after nine. I came home prepared to usher my girls into bed and clean up dinner only to find the table cleaned off, the food put away, and a note from Jonah. Good job, kid.

what I want to be when I grow up, part 2

I have recently done some life planning and soul searching in an attempt to find a career. Or maybe I don't want a career, but a lower-key job and my life's passion will be my homestead or writing or some other side gig? If you can't tell already, I'm still in the searching phase of this journey.*

The other night, however, Josh was reading through some old blog posts from the very early days of this blog—days when I had a desk job and not enough work to do for months out of the year but a mandate to stay at my post in case a customer came in. Those blog posts were much more creative (and long!) than what you get these days. Blame smart phones, 3 children, and 5 acres for that if you miss the old style. Anyway, he was reading titles out loud before clicking on any post that interested him. When he read, "What I Want to Be When I Grow Up" I told him I needed to know what it said. I've never been much of a journaler, so this was my best chance to find out what 2007 me wanted in life. I thought that maybe it would give me the clarity I needed and help me figure out the next 10 years.**

Lo and behold, here is what I wanted (based on a conversation I had with a friend while shopping for Christmas gifts): "After I rambled off a few non-related criteria, she produced two books so perfect that I had to buy both. Not only did she know what I meant, but she had actually read said books herself and could give a summary and review of each...I want to be the kind of person who always has a good book in mind for a friend in need."

Ha! There's always more reading to do, but I can say that I have met that goal. It's been 12 years since I wrote that and just today I responded to a friend with multiple recommendations based on what she was looking for. I don't know if any of my suggestions will be as spot on as Anna-Lisa's were when I asked her for ideas all those years ago, but I am feeling really happy with myself that my past decade improved me in a way I can feel proud of.

Good job, me.



*Thanks to the help and advice of some very smart people, however, I feel like I've narrowed it down to just a few options. More on that another time.

**For what it's worth, if I was more like Anna-Lisa in another 10 years, I would count that decade as a success, too.

PACKING LUNCHES************Jonah Mays

The Art of Packing Lunches   By Jonah Mays😁




A perfectly packed lunch includes protein, vegetables, fruit, and something tasty.
One of the most satisfying things I know is having a healthy, well-organized and YUMMY lunch fit perfectly into place, not a space unused.
Here are a few tips on how to make your lunch away from home better.     -Jonah 



   *PROTEIN

I think protein is the hardest one..unless you have some chicken lying around. (I'm part carnivore)
Some good options, however, are Hummus-A mushed up chickpea dip that is GREAT on pita chips/veggies- Rotisserie Chicken-which is good cold if you're too lazy to get a thermos- Eggs, hard-boiled, egg salad, deviled..they're egg-sactly what you need in a time of turmoil- Or good old Peanut butter (although I don't like that especially.)


         *VEGETABLES

I don't love most vegetables, but a good way to choke down a serving of carrots is by smothering them in hummus or ranch.
Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, you name it. (I tried putting carrots directly into my eyes once...and despite what people said, it didn't help my vision.)

         *FRUIT

Fruit can either be the best one or the worst one.
I love, like, all fruit, so usually as long as we have grapes, apples, oranges, peach slices, or pineapple, this one is easy.
Also berries are a spectacular addition to your lunch.
(very healthy, too!) 

           *STARCH

Although starch isn't technically one of the main food groups, who can survive a lunch without a good old piece of bread or some chips? Put the crUNCH  in your lunch!


             *SWEETS

The best for last, as anyone who likes sweets and isn't..um..crazy might say! I love those occasions where my mom says, "Pack a cookie if you want one." Uh, yes please.



 

          

How I'm Going to Arizona (by Caroline)

     
HOW I"M GOING TO ARIZONA

first i'm caroline.
next i'm doing extra chores.they are when you've done all of your chores. and you do another chore.
then i'm geting all of the money i earned.

and i'm saving up to 100 dollars and mommy and daddy are going to help me. and so are you. right?
i bet so. right now i have 16,17 or 18 dollars.
and i'm going all by my self.

i like how the rabbites hop.and the bunnys hide behind the cactieses.
i like the pretty flowers on the cactieses.miriam said that. but i do to.
one time i saw a wolf. it was cool to see!

this is my favroite song it is called i will be what i beleve:
living in this world with change all around but with the prophets words i'll stand on solid ground even thogh it's still hard 
with questjens that arise evry day i will say i have  faith as brother josof and stranth as the 
pieiners and faith as the stripling waryars and like neefie persuver and stuff like that .

you migh want to hear the rest. but i will sing it to you when it's st patriks day.
i can't wait to see you!
i will swim im grandpas pool. and play in jojo and fafa franks house.
and see bowbow and jajas.
is that her name? i doun't know her name. well hu ever jazys name is.sone i will know.
this is a picher right look down for more

good bye

oh, my girls

Caroline: I'm seven. Jonah is eleven. 7 and 11 rhyme!
Me: They also rhyme with "heaven."
Caroline: So we should die and go to heaven at 7 and 11.
Me: Oh no, I'm not ready for that yet. You should live until 107 and 111.
Caroline: Well, I don't want to get wrinkly. So maybe I'll only live until 97 and Jonah can be 90...11?

-----

Miriam, after telling me all about her plan to marry a family friend: I asked him if he wanted to marry me and be very rich. He nodded his head like this. That means yes. Oh, and will you text his mom and tell her that the youngest age we can get married is 18?

-----

Caroline: I don't have any boyfriends anymore. I just can't take care of four boyfriends. That's way too many.

(later that week)

But I might make Ike my boyfriend. He is very nice to me, but he's also kind of gross. He picks his eyebrows and eats dirt, which makes me kind of disgustingly out of a boyfriend.