Friday, November 13, 2009

Gratitude Day #13


Friday, November 13

1. I am grateful for bedtime. It is past midnight and the house smells of warm chocolate. I have two cake orders for tomorrow and have spent the last few hours baking one cake and making white chocolate mousse. I am tired and anxious to climb into my already warm bed. I love that moment when you put down your book, turn off the light, slide under the covers and relax your entire body.

2. I am grateful for a low-key field trip to the Mall of America with five children today (5 months, 24 months, 3, 3, and 5). We played at the Lego store, had a picnic on a bench and threw pennies into the mouth of the crocodile. The kids were well behaved - most of the time - and I was able to chat with Kelly for a bit while the kids played.

3. I am grateful for bookstores. The kids and I went to their school fundraiser at Barnes and Noble tonight. We browsed the books, heard storied read by Red Pine teachers and had our faces painted. Calvin found a book about nightmares (he calls them bad dreams) and the ever popular Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Sophie found a new series about a mermaid. I asked advice from an actual knowledgeable staff member on age-appropriate science fiction for Maxwell. He has graduated from the kids selections and wants to read adult science fiction books. A couple of months ago I let him buy some used science fiction books and later found one of them was naughty - very naughty. Actually, I did not find out it was naughty, the babysitter did when Max showed her a particularly steamy passage. Nice. We had a little conversation about appropriate books and got rid of the naughty one. So, helpful readers - do you have any science fiction or fantasy authors you could recommend for Max? Please keep in mind he is 9 years old. Does anyone know if the 5 million Star Wars and Star Trek novels are clean?

4. I am grateful for discount stores. They are a bit like yard sales except with higher prices - and yet still pretty cheap. Savers may help me get through the Minnesota winter this year. We stopped in at Savers tonight (same idea as Goodwill or Deseret Industries) and I found a great heavy wood organizer thingy that I am going to put on my computer table (when I finally move the computer) in the basement. I have been trying to figure out a way to better use the wall space down there, and this will help. It was $6.99 and I plan on giving it a smart coat of paint tomorrow . . . as long as the cakes are done. I'll try and get a photo tomorrow.

5. I am grateful for my funny 5 year old. He can be such a drama queen! The other night (when he was overly tired) I asked him to help Sophie unload the dishwasher and he burst into tears. "I'm too tiiiiired to do that . . . Your words are giving me a headache Mom . . . Every time you say that it makes my head hurt mooooore . . . If I help Sophie I will have a heart attack . . . I will have three five hundred headaches and I will diiiiieeeee!" Deb was at my house and I could not even look him in the face - I was trying very hard not to laugh out loud while my poor boy had tears streaming down his face! Oh Calvin, you make my life so very happy - even when you cry.

4 comments:

  1. I don't know if his books fall into the sci. fi. realm, but my husband loves Orson Scott Card books. Good luck!

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  2. I am going to borrow from you and write down 5 things to be grateful for daily. I am grateful for books, book stores, libraries and all the avid readers in the world. I've heard from a very reliable source that you make the world's best homemade chocolate and raspberry cake. That must be a pretty potent chocolate you use to get that kind of review. I was raised by a single LDS mom. Single moms in the church R.O.C.K.

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  3. Jacob is the same way these days. He bursts into tears at the slightest provocation. If he's really upset he will shout "I'm not having a very good day!" It is an accusation - not a statement. Jason.

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  4. Max - read the Robert Jordan Wheel of Time series, fantasy, not science fiction, but super fun and addicting. Also Orson Scott Card has some excellent science fiction and fantasy. You must read the Ender's Game books if you haven't already. Come to my house and visit - I've got them all! You just have to unpack the study to get to them!!

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