Little hands and feet

While the sun was out, she wanted to do something about the falling leaves, "Mommy, you use the big rake, I use the small one!".

Yes, of course! Never say no to a child who asks to help! ;)

I enjoyed those precious moments watching her being so cheerful -- as we went about raking and bagging the leaves.

And so free-spirited -- diving into the small heap (and bigger ones since) more than once, and her happy little feet doing the "crunch, crunch" on all that brown, dried up foliage!

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful..."

- Proverbs 15:13

Here's something I read that also encourages me to check my own attitude. So often I am playing catchup on housework, and kept on my feet (and toes) with the children and their everyday and growing needs and still basic things we struggle with. I forget it's myself I have to straighten out first, and it's about taking control of my own emotions that is what will help me be an effective parent -- and whatever it is I set my heart and mind on.

"... The kids can be running around like a bunch of hooligans

through a house that appears to be at the bottom of a toaster,

and yet, if organization and order can still be found in my attitude,

we are doing well. But if my attitude falters, even in the midst of

external order, so does everything else."

- Rachel Jankovic, in "Loving the Little Years"

Another day, I was glad to spend a morning with my youngest's class -- and to paint and wash their feet for the "ghost" footprints the teacher thought she could use a little hand with to make.

What I could use: those extra giggles!!! It was ticklish for many of the little ones when I brushed the white paint on their soles. I was tickled also by how Meimei draped herself on my back almost the whole time I was bent over doing that. Oh, my silly little gal ;p.

With that also came the whisper to be faithful in the little things. It may not be volunteering bigtime in my children's schools, but in little ways like this. And there's always other stuff not to wait till I'm on top of my work (read: wait forever ;p) or have raked through our clutter to give a hand or ear to, to do with a cheerful heart :).

Autumn Mix

The colours are here! And I am catching them on the go...

On errands, schoolruns, and also while out knocking on doors with the children over the weekend -- to try and sell popcorn for one son's scout troop and another son's cubscout pack!

Take five... taking in the lovely hues during the busyness of the day; look how the golds pop!

For how quickly seasons, and seasons of our lives, come and go, I'm reminded also to savour and appreciate what is in front of us!

"O taste and see that the LORD is good:

blessed is the man that trusts in him."

- Psalm 34:8

Taste the goodness

That's our autumn-coloured salad (haha!) -- before tossing it with an asiany sauce...

And fried rice, with meat I'd cooked ahead...

as time was tight. Had to whip these up quickly -- after getting the children home from one afterschool activity to get them homework-ed and fed (a snack in this case, other times dinner) to head back out again.

The salad and rice were what we brought to that fall potluck, where Jon moved a little bit up the foodchain in Scout-dom, and also earned a few more merit badges.

Enjoy yourself, I told him; he has a third campout since school started (one with the school, and other two with the troop)! :)

Such one-pot meals, and slowcooked soups and stews, are what I'm making/making ahead for our dinner more and more, not just on these busier schoolnights of hurrying with the kids from one thing to another. But also to help me be less frazzled and hopefully more organized.


Also telling myself, no matter how "mixed up" (not-on-top-of-things) our days may be, to taste God's goodness and bask in His grace. That is not about what we do or try to do.

HAPPY FALL!

Best foot forward

On your marks...


Look how they're getting ready to lunge forward...

It's FIERCE, I tell you!

And fiercer than last year, with many more runners trying to outdo one another at the zonal level -- to qualify for the All-City Cross-Country Meet!

Watching from the sidelines, that's my eldest (his hand) helping me to rein the youngest in -- so she doesn't get in the way. Or be trampled on!


That was last week. This afternoon, Meimei and I will be there again to cheer her two brothers on in a second zonal meet. It's hardly sunny today though. Both times driving out just now, I worked the wipers hard while at the same time wishing, praying for the rain, rain to go away and come again another day! Sure hope the field isn't too soaked or the forest ground too muddy. And um, just thinking maybe I should not be saying, Break a leg! -- to be taken so literally ;p