Being a Blessing to our Police Officers

We have been discussing the current events going on in our country with the girls.  They were very saddened when hearing about some of the peoples reactions to our police force.  We talked about how some officers have lost their lives.  Bekah wanted to do something. . . to make a difference in our world.  After lots of talking she decided she wanted to show support and care for the police officers of Sonoma County.  For weeks she has been working on posters for the men in blue.  

We had fun shopping for yummy treats to fill the boxes we created for the police men and women.

Jessie, Bekah and Hannah went to the Santa Rosa Police Department to drop off the goodies for the officers, toys for hurting children and posters to encourage them.

Lieutenant John Cregan was so kind.  He took us into the briefing room and we got to say hi to all the  officers.  The girls were so nervous but had the courage to say thank-you for all they do for us.  It was a special time!  The girls got lots of hugs and thanks.  Then we all get a tour of the station.

Then our family drove to Sebastopol to show honor and respect to the officers there.

A very sweet police woman gave us a tour of their station.  The girls got to say thanks to the sergeant and another officer.  The Sergeant said that their words was the best thing he had heard all week.

They got to try out the cells and the cement beds.  They are sure they would not like to spend any permanent time there.

This was such a great experience for my kids and my niece.  Bekah was able to make a difference today and saw how much it meant to others.  I pray that my girls will keep trying to be a blessing to others as they grow up.

We support all those that serve our communities, risk their lives and protect us. 

Kids Say the Darndest Things

Bekah’s Questions When She was 8 Years Old 

 Hannah’s Questions When She was 6 Years Old

Questions about Daddy

1. What is something dad always says to you?

Hannah: I love you

Bekah: I’m a tom boy.

2. What makes dad happy? Hannah: When I say I love you.  Bekah:  Sticking out his tongue and burping at the table.

3. What makes daddy sad? Hannah: When I disobey.  Bekah:  When someone dies.

4. How does your daddy make you laugh? Hannah:  When I do something silly.  Bekah:He tickles me, makes faces at me and burps at the table.

5. What was your dad like as a child? Hannah:  Joyful.  Bekah:  Kind

6. How old is your daddy? Hannah:  I don’t know. . . 42.  Bekah:  44

7. How tall is your daddy? Hannah: Over the 6  Bekah: Two yard sticks.

8. What is his favorite thing to do? Hannah: Keeps a secret to go out to places.  Bekah:  Singing

9. What does your dad do when you're not around? Hannah:  Watches TV.  Bekah:  He works, plays on his iPad.

10. If your dad becomes famous, what will it be for? Hannah:  Being a doctor (giggles)  Bekah:  Singing and playing the drums.

11. What is your daddy really good at? Hannah:  I can’t think of anything that daddy is not good at, except going on walks.  You never go on walks.  Bekah:  Working for Papa Karl.

12. What is your dad not very good at? Hannah:  Going on walks.  Bekah:Walks

13. What does your dad do for a job? Hannah:  Goes to the office.  Bekah:  Works for Papa Karl and gets phone calls.

14.What is your dad’s favorite food? Hannah:  I have to say Ice cream.  Bekah:  Meat- tri-tip , pork chops

15.What makes you proud of your daddy?  Hannah: I’m out of ideas.  Bekah:  He gets money to pay for our school and he is very kind.

16. If your dad were a character, who would he be?  Hannah:   Mr. Banks in Mary Poppins   Bekah:  He would make a good Pooh Bear.

17. What do you and your dad do together?   Hannah:  Watch Movies.  Bekah:  Wrestle, spend time together.

18. How are you and your dad the same?  Hannah:  No idea.  Bekah:  We like to wrestle and burp at the table out loud.

19. How are you and your dad different? Hannah:  He has a mustache and I don’t.  Bekah:  He is stronger than I am.

20. How do you know your dad loves you? Hannah: You say you love me.  Bekah:  If I hit my sister, he makes me deal with it-doesn’t just let it go.

21. What does your dad like most about your mom? Hannah:  I can’t answer that.  Too creepy.   (In disgust) You kiss each other.  Bekah:  Mom is solemn and stern.

22. Where is your dad’s favorite place to go? Hannah:  Bodin. Bekah:  Coldstone.

23. How old was your Dad when you were born? Hannah: 24 years old.  Bekah:  30.

Questions about Mommy

1. What is something mom always says to you?

Hannah: I love you  Bekah: I love you

2. What makes mom happy? Hannah: When I obey and when I say I love you.   Bekah:  When I obey and when I help you clean the house.

3. What makes mom sad? Hannah: When I disobey.  Bekah:  When I disobey and we can’t go to a fun place because of that.

4. How does your mom make you laugh? Hannah:  When she does something silly like make faces.   Bekah:   When she plays fun games with me and tickles me.

5. What was your mom like as a child? Hannah:  I don’t know.  Bekah:  Playful, fun and kind.

6. How old is your mom? Hannah:  I don’t know. . . 40’s.  Bekah:   32

7. How tall is your mom? Hannah:  (Looks at height chart) 6 foot  Bekah:  A yard stick and a foot.

8. What is her favorite thing to do? Hannah: Take pictures  Bekah: Spend time with me.

9. What does your mom do when you're not around? Hannah:  Clean the house   Bekah: Sleeping, but when you aren’t sleeping, you clean and go shopping.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? Hannah:  To help people and take care of them.  You would be a good nurse to be a super hero.  Bekah:  For making GF cookies.

11. What is your mom really good at? Hannah:  Being silly.  Bekah:  Baking

12. What is your mom not very good at? Hannah:  Being mad.  You don’t get mad a lot.  Bekah:  Singing and sneezing, cause you sneeze really loud.  Hatchooie!

13. What does your mom do for a job? Hannah:  Take care of people.  Babies.   Bekah:  Works nights shift taking care of babies.

14.What is your mom's favorite food? Hannah:  Mashed Potatoes and the long green things (asparagus)   Bekah:  Cheese puffs, tritip, artichokes, carrots, asparagus.

15.What makes you proud of your mom? Hannah:  When you take care of me.  You are such a good mom.   Bekah:  She takes good care of us.  When we do something wrong she doesn’t ignore it, she take care of it.  

16. If your mom were a character, who would she be? Hannah:  Mary Poppins  Bekah:  You would make a good rabbit.  Like the one in Winnie the Pooh.  Because his house is clean and that is like mom’s house.  And Mary Poppins too, since she can snap her fingers and clean a room. That is just like you.

17. What do you and your mom do together? Hannah:  Go to the park.   Bekah:  Go out to ice cream, go out to the park and just play together.

18. How are you and your mom the same? Hannah:  We like to take walks together.   Bekah:  We like to sort things and have things in its spot.

19. How are you and your mom different? Hannah:  You are taller than me. Bekah:  I don’t keep my room clean and you do.

20. How do you know your mom loves you? Hannah: You say you love me.  Bekah:  When I get hurt you are there to help me.  You help feed me, have a bed to sleep in and give me clothes.

21. What does your mom like most about your dad? IHannah: That he sleeps with you.   Bekah: That he is inappropriate.   He burps at the table.

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? Hannah: On a walk to the park.  Bekah:  To work because you have lots of friends there, the beach and the park to be with us.

23. How old was your Mom when you were born?  Hannah: 24 years old.  Bekah: 32

Turning a Disappointment into a Beautiful Gift

 Today Hannah and I drove to the library.  This is a special time for her.  She gets new books and CDs to listen to.  She gets to play big girl games on the library computer.  

 However, today we arrived and found out that the library is closed the whole weekend because of the holiday on Monday.  My little girls head dropped and tears were gathering in her eyes.  Her whole body reflected her disappointment. 

 At that moment I decided to turn this sorrow into a beautiful memory for both of us. 

So we went on a pretty leaf hunt.  

The sun was shining, the smell of autumn was in the air and there were leaves making a path for our shoes-crunching under our feet.  Hannah was in heaven finding handfuls of leaves. 

 I kept remembering a phrase that Anne Voskamp often writes-the Hurry Hurts the  Kids.  So instead of hurrying on our walk, I slowed down and just enjoyed the moment.  So many times I almost told her to hurry.  I almost refused to smell each and every flower that we past.  But I didn't.  I kept my mouth shut and a smile on my face and I was blessed with a beautiful time with my daughter.

Hannah worked on reading the sign.  She did a pretty good job too.

For you mommy!!

Take the time today to just be with your kids.  Don't hurry them.  Don't think about all that you have to get done today.  Just be there 100% with them.  Smell those flowers and accept the gifts and smile and laugh and hug and love them.

Hannah's 5 Years Old

My sweet, darling Hannah, 

I so love you.  You are my little cuddle bug.

  Every day you bring a smile to my face and joy to my heart. 

 When I come home from work, you run into my arms screaming, "Mommy!  Mommy!  I missed you!"  You cover me with kisses and hug me till I can't breathe. 

 I am so fortunate to have you in my life. 

 The last five years of my life would not have been nearly as wonderful and exciting without you here by my side.  

Today you celebrated with all the heart that you have. 

 Daddy took you out for donuts and you got to pick two of them.  After playing your new game of Hissss with daddy and playing on the IPad, mommy and you got to make dollies with your new craft.  Then we went to the dollar store and you picked out color changing froggies and salamanders, a loud horn and bubbles.  After a lunch of crackers and cream cheese and fruit, we danced in the sunshine and blew bubbles.  We took a nap and snuggled.  After nap time daddy and you got to read in the hammock, you and Bekah painted with side walk chalk and we had dinner.  

Dinner was grilled cheese, jello and yogurt.  Hannah's request.

The favorite part of her day was opening her presents.  I loved how every present she opened was super exciting.  She would hug it to her chest and tell me how much she loved it.

Hannah loved her new sheets.  They look so cute on her bed.  Night, night-my darling girl!!

Getting the Kids Involved

My girls are four and six years old.  They are big enough to be a great help to me with the house work. The problem is that one of my little ones doesn't much like helping.  Hannah, my youngest, loves to help out in any way imaginable.  She changes over the laundry and folds the towels, scrubs the toilets and the sinks, sets the table, unloads the dishwasher, makes her bed, picks up her toys and helps me all the time.  She has such a servants heart and this comes naturally to her.

However, not so for Bekah.   She does all those things, but it is not easy for her.  She would much rather be playing or coloring.  Who wouldn't?  However, I am her momma and I will train her to run a house hold and take care of her family.  That is my job as a mommy.

I didn't like all of the housework as a girl.  One time I remember thinking that when I was a mom, I would never make my kids work like slaves in the house.  I would just let them play and have fun each and every day, since that is what kids are supposed to do.  My mom didn't believe in that.  She taught my sister and I to cook and clean and manage our money.  We learned very quickly to be independent and take care of our selves.  I hated it at the time, but am so grateful today.  Running a house hold isn't that big of a deal since I had already been trained.

So advance 20 years: Now I am the mom and I am training my little ones on how to cook and clean it is a whole new world.  We recently gave the girls their own chores to do each day.  Bekah thought about it for a bit and then told me, "I don't think that this is a good idea.  I just don't think so.  I don't want to have to set the table and empty the dishwasher. "  She was not pleased that I would ask her to do such things.  We talked about it for a bit and I explained why I was doing it.  She didn't really get it until last night though.

Bekah was picking on Hannah like most kids do.  So I decided to pull Bekah into the kitchen to help me and Hannah went out back to play.  Dinner took twice as long to cook with her helping, but it was so fun.  I read off the ingredients and Bekah found them by herself.  It's great now that she is learning to read.  We prepped the chicken and the fried rice.  She had such fun measuring out all the ingredients and cooking with very little help from me.

 Hannah came in and started to help wash the dishes.  I began setting the table since  Bekah was cooking the rice. Bekah began talking about how she couldn't set the table since it was so much work  cooking.  I had a great conversation discussing how when one is cooking and working so hard, it is difficult to set the table and do other things.  She finally got why I am asking them to help out around the kitchen.  She is starting to understand that when everyone helps out around the house, life is better.  When we all do our part, then no one is burdened with the entire job.

And look at the joy on her face as she helps out.  

Serving others blesses you and blesses others.