May 1

In an effort to increase how much the girls drink, I was looking at various box juices and discovered a gem of an item. Ella’s Kitchen smoothies are fruit, veggies, and water. Unfortunately, Amy doesn’t like them. Sarah, on the other hand, helped herself to 4 of them yesterday morning before I realized what had happened. I think she was just so excited to drink something from a box shaped like the boxes Horizon milks come in, which she used to have when she was much younger. And they are tasty! Today I told Sarah she could just have one. When she finished it she got up and put it in the trash independently and with no prompting. I don’t often remember to ask the girls to throw away their trash so that is extra awesome that she did it. She also went to put something in the recycling today, also with no prompt or request issued.

Earlier in the week Sarah discovered part of her iphone (my old one that we thought we disabled as a phone) and found a semi-hidden texting function. She proceeded to send several texts of gibberish to one of my friends. All I can say is thank goodness it was to a friend! We have now made that impossible (which we thought we had already done).

At one point it was awfully quiet in the family room and I wish I had investigated sooner. Amy took a pair of scissors to the flap of the play tent. Argh!!!!!! She also snipped a bit off a costume ribbon and scarf. She claims she didn’t know she wasn’t supposed to. I then tried to name every cloth item possible to tell her she is not allowed to cut them. Scissors are back to being allowed only under adult supervision.  (Before this moment they only used them in the dining room at the art table on paper, which is now the absolute rule going forward.)

There are days that I didn’t have much time for constructive rest or that I only did 5 minutes a couple of times. The days that were less busy and that I had more time to rest and actively let go I felt like I was also more of the parent I aspire to be. I think I don’t have time to not do my constructive rest. I can feel ridiculous and indulgent with how often I lie down, but it really is a gift to everyone around me if I do it! I am a much nicer person and parent. I think the same goes for making time to see clients, which I have always known was important for me for myself, but now I see that it feeds into me being more loving overall. As does receiving thoughtful, attentive bodywork. It is important to have such moments of experiencing each action as filled with loving intention and purpose. I am then refreshed in my intention to live my other moments with love and thoughtful purpose.

And now it is obviously time to lie down.