A lesson in Forgiveness

For Christmas L got a DSI. 

He has since purchased his own games (other than the one he got as well) and has loved playing Pokemon Heartgold.

He has worked so hard to progress in this game. 

He was on the 2nd last Gymleader. 

(What that means I don't really know but I know it's taken him and his brother B a LONG time to get here!) 

They have always been very careful with where they put the DSI so their little sister M would not get it. 

Well yesterday they made the mistake and put it down and walked away. 

Sure enough, little miss M got it.

And she deleted all their hard work.

When L figured it out, there was tears, the crocodile kind. 

He was mad, he was upset, he was bawling. 

M walked into the room and I asked her if she got into his DSI.

She admitted she had.

She could see how mad/sad/upset L was.

She started to cry.

"Mom, I don't want L to be mad at me."

The following is a moment in my life that I will never forget.

L gets down on her level, looks her in the eyes and says,"M, I am upset you got into my DSI and never asked. I am mad that you deleted all my hard work, but I love you and I forgive you."

I love that little 9 year old man who melts my heart and helps to teach me on a daily basis.

Good mom/bad mom

K so this will kinda be a mish/mash post. Thoughts on my mind and a question. 

(This is how I feel about the kitchen)

I am trying to get more creative with cooking in the kitchen. I loathe the kitchen to say the least. I love different foods but because I am not good at cooking I don't like to cook it. But I found a blog I LOVE. Check it out here! So I have tried a few different to us meals. Usually I get an upturned nose and protests. My rule is if I make a meal, that is what is for supper. I will not make several meals, I will not negotiate, that is what is served so I expect my family to eat it. (Unless it really turns out so totally disgusting and then there is always spaghetti!) 

Question

Am I the only "mean mom" out there. (that's what my kids refer to me as! That's ok, I own it.) 

On a totally different topic, we were driving into the city today. There were quite a few areas that had flooding and one road was closed and residents definitely had the risk of water  flooding into their houses. It was like last year all over again. It's kind of scary to think about. Just hoping we are prepared enough. As we were commenting about house sad and scary this must be for those who are living there, my 7 year old piped up. This humbled me.

"Mom, this is not as bad as Japan, we are blessed to not have a tsunami"

Wow! How humbling to have my 7 year old remind me how blessed we are, that we are safe and didn't have our house washed away. I am grateful for his wisdom. 

On another totally different side note, I don't think I should have to wrestle my 7 year old, yep, that 7 year old, for 15 minutes just to give him a kiss. I hate this phase.

Jokes

I love a good clean joke. 

I love it even more when my kids come home from school with "the funniest joke around that you have never heard before mom!"

Me "oh really"

B "Mom, can you spell "UP""

Me "U-P"

B laughs like you have never heard.

B "Mom, can you spell "I CUP"

Me "I C-U-P"

B laughs again like there is no tomorrow!

So today we were out sitting in the car waiting for my Mr. 

I said to B "B, can you say "can" and spell "up""

B does it of course. 

And then we laughed. 

Holy man we laughed like there was no tomorrow.

(At this point I really DID have to pee and it made the joke telling harder but the kids were having a blast and I seriously loved hearing them laugh like no tomorrow! NO, I did not pee my pants)

So I posted something on my Facebook about it and my Auntie K said something about liking a good clean joke and wanting to start a clean joke revolution! 

Auntie K also came up with spell "pig" backwards! 

Good thing I didn't have to pee when I read that. 

Yep, my kids LOVED it. 

Guaranteed that will be the first thing they say to their friends at school on Monday!

So here is my question to you,

"What is YOUR favorite RETRO CLEAN joke?" 

Meaning kid friendly. 

If I can figure out my sidebar then I will collect them and put them on the sidebar.

I seriously love the good old clean jokes!

I know, what is clean when you are talking about PEE! 

I'm dreaming of.....

CANNING!!!

Last year I got barely anything done. 

Chokecherry jelly and syrup (Which if you have never had it you are missing out!)

Peaches

Apple juice

Last year was such a wet year and our garden took forever to get in and we lost so many things. We had a few beets come up and a few green beans. It was so depressing to look out at it and see nothing. 

But this year, I am determined to do better. I really want a steam juicer! I have been blessed to use a friends for the past few years, but I always feel bad using it. So I am determined to buy one this year with some of our tax return. Even if it has to be new, it is an investment. I will look for a second hand one until the time comes. If you have never used one, you are missing out. It makes your life so easy. 

I have also been thinking of other things my garden can do for me. I have been trying to drink green smoothies. So I have been thinking of ways I can prepare for the winter so I won't have to buy spinach the whole winter. I have a cousin who makes spinach cubes and freezes them. I was thinking since spinach grows so quick I would plant enough to be able to make a lot of spinach cubes for some of the winter. Also dehydrate the spinach. That way I can slip some in the meals I am making and my kids will never know! (Although the like veggies, spinach is not one of them.) 

And beets. I am determined to use the whole beet this year. Can the beet and make cubes of the tops. They are so healthy for you!

I am looking for really cool blogs/sites where you may get inspiration for canning. Not just the "fun stuff" (peaches, pears) but the things you have canned that have really added to your food storage so your storage is not so boring like mine. 

Thank-you in advance and happy planning of canning season! I am so excited!

guest blogging

Guest blogging today

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Thank-you J for letting me do this! I so appreciate it.

Hope your day is filled with sunshine!