November 13, 2008 | Mama Smith

Learning to Rest

Still learning to rest. Even though life is currently demanding more.

Yesterday we made gingerbread boys together. The boys “helped” by mixing together all the spices I never use in their own bowls – crushed bay leaves, fennel, coriander seeds. I started a baking box just for them, in which I scoop all their spices, sugar, etc… from our recent baking adventure back into empty spice containers which they can reuse next time. They’re happy and our baked goods are free from broken egg shells and random fennel seeds they might try to add.

Our attempt at this “outing fast” for the week has had it’s fair share of ups and downs. I haven’t missed keeping two toddlers entertained in a shopping cart, but I have found that it’s hard to pass 10 hours at home. I have spurts of energy, then just want to pop in some DVDs so I can not answer questions, not prepare snacks and not have to clean up yet another mess…

Yesterday Brighton yelled to me from the bathroom, “Uum, Mom. There’s water on the floor”. To which I responded, “Well Brighton, get a towel and wipe it up” while I continued hanging up clothes in my closet. Again, “MOM, water is all on the floor!”. I stomped angrily into the bathroom, annoyed at being interrupted, to find the sink overflowing all over the bathroom floor. Yes, there definitely was water on the floor, thank you Brighton. They’d somehow managed to plug the drain with an army man, a foam ball and their toothbrushes. Levi was just laughing and holding his hands out as the water spilled over on him, while Brighton looked a little more nervous, knowing the wrath of a stressed out mom a little better than his younger brother.

At least they were entertained for a full half hour without once fighting or calling for me before this happened. That was worth a laundry load of wet, smelly towels.

R