Extreme Multitasking!

A few days ago, I came across an offer for a free ebook on a blog that I had "liked" on facebook. It was called 100 Indoor Activities for Kids (TV not included) and was full of suggestions for things to do on those really wintery days when it's too cold for the kids to go outside. Now, we haven't had many of those cold days this year, but there was one suggestion that really caught my attention and caused me to not want to wait for a cold day. Activity number eighty was to pour "a little" water on the kitchen floor, add in some dish soap, and let the kids get in their swimsuits and I would find myself with "kids who not only think mom is cool, but a sparkling kitchen floor too!" It was simply too much to resist!

Those of you who know me, know that I am an all or nothing type person, so it probably won't surprise you that I didn't stop at "a little" water...or soap. I did have the forethought to put towels at the edge of the kitchen floor to protect the carpet, and the kids suggested adding towels around the bottom of the refridgerator, oven, and dishwasher. Thank God for kids. After moving the table and chairs into the livingroom, I told the kids to get their bathing suits on for the slip and slide. The looks on their faces were priceless as they watched me dump a small bucket of warm water on the floor and ask Grace to add a squirt of our lavendar dish soap. My husband made a few comments about it being dangerous and then put headphones on and didn't look our way again til it was over.Whenever the water got too cold, we'd just add another bucket of warm water and a few more squirts of soap. The kids were having a blast and looked like little penguins zooming across the floor in all directions. The sliding looked like so much fun, so I decided to try it. It didn't work in sweats and a t-shirt. That's all I'm gonna say, and I hope Megan doesn't post that video anywhere.

[I tried. I really did try, but the video wouldn't upload. I'll try putting it on Facebook because it's worth seeing. I have to settle for some pictures for now, though. -Megan]

So, I promtly put on my swimsuit and joined in the fun! I don't regret it--even with the reminders in the form of scabs on my elbows from the "rug burn" I got from sliding across the entire length of the kitchen floor on my tummy so much. I want to say, "you should've been there" but I'm really glad you weren't. I will suggest that if activity number 80 catches your attention as it did mine, go ahead and go all out. There are numerous reasons to do so. First, your children will think you are awesome...even if your husband thinks you're crazy. Second, you will get some good exercise without even realizing it (I was sore for days). Third, you will get to be a kid again for awhile and not be worried the whole time about making a mess, which brings me to my next reason. You will have a sparkling floor when it's all over! I couldn't believe it. Everytime I walked into my kitchen with my socked feet (once we had gathered up all the towels in the house and soaked up all the water), I exclaimed, "Wow! My floor has never been this clean-not even when it was brand new!" I could barely stand up because my socks just slid around unhindered by the usual sticky spots. That's four good reasons-I highly recommend this form of extreme multitasking! [She forgot to mention the 5th reason: It's a bath for all!]

If you do take my advice, I have several suggestions to offer:
1) Be sure to put plenty of towls around bottom of appliances.
2) Be extra sure to cover air conditioner vents with plenty of towels (and maybe plastic wrap first).
3) Be sure to sweep very well and alternate positions (sitting, on your knees, on your tummy, etc) to prevent "rug burn".
4) Wear swimsuits or other material that is conducive to slipping and sliding. Like I said, it doesn't work in sweats and a t-shirt. ;)

-Kristi

After the kids got tired of it, I joined Kristi & had a blast. I learned that sliding down from a standing position was not a great tactic; it was much better to sit & push off of the wall with your feet. I slid so fast, I slammed against the dishwasher. Several times. I am the only one who did not get "rug burn" as Kristi called it even though their was no rug. Then we even had fun scrubbing the walls & cabinets & baseboards. I don't think I'll ever clean mine another way. :)

In other news, I got my fingerprinting done, and now am just waiting for it to go through along with my substituting license. Then I'll be put on the list. I also just got back from a Made to Crave (There's a short video that gives a more details.) meeting which is hard to describe because "health program" & "Bible study" have so many different connotations that just don't fit with it. I went with Kristi, & the  lady gave me the book to read (3 chapters a week) as we go through the 6 weeks of meetings. Even though I don't struggle a lot with diet & exercise, the content still helps me channel my cravings (for anything wether it's comfort & peace or joy and significance) into loving God & learning about Him & spending time with Him. That's definitely something I struggle with...spiritual eating disorder. It's very encouraging & insightful. I've gone to some of the meetings when my sister led it, & I've watched some of the videos with my mom. It really makes you think of practical ways to make yourself a better person. So I'm very excited.

I've also begun a YOLO (You Only Live Once) journal of quotes that I love as I come across them. And now that I've got a new job, that means a new address just in time for all those Valentines & then birthday cards 2 weeks later. To assist you in preparing to bombard me with mail, I'm giving you my new address about 3 weeks early. :) You're welcome.

Megan Starbuck
Nature's Classroom
679 County Road 614
Mentone, AL 35984

Love Bugs

A few years ago, my grandma and I were talking to Megan and our Aunt Nancy about whether we liked writing or not. I said, "not really" and Grandma laughed and said, "Oh yes she does! I got a letter from her a few weeks ago about her trip to the beach. It was a long one. She must enjoy writing." Her comment made me realize that I do love to write...as long as it's on a subject of my choosing and as long as I don't feel rushed to finish. :) I recently found this letter at her house after she passed away. I loved how it said "SAVE" on the envelope. It was so much fun reading about the details of our trip which I'd long since forgotten--especially the shower scene! I am so glad she saved it, and it makes me want to write more to preserve these precious (although hectic) years with my children.

-Kristi Kritter

Share Your Love of Writing

A journal entry from my sister:

I love looking back at old journal entries! This one is particularly appropriate for this blog, I think, because it is an example of how other people have encouraged me to write. I'd like to thank my sister for, on numerous occasions, reminding me to write in my journal and for always replying to my letters, my mom for telling me to "write it down" when I shared with her a cute story about one of my five children, and my grandma for starting my letter-writing obsession early. To those reading this blog, I encourage you to share your love of writing with others and inspire a young person in your life to write by sending them letters and always replying to theirs!

-Kristi Kritter

Dear Mama

 When I showed my blog to my mom, she rummaged around until she came across this one from my sister when she was almost 16.

Mama doesn't remember calling her lazy. She felt so bad when she saw that. :)

Dear Grandpa

I'm so glad to be able to share a little bit of my sister & her awesomeness each week. She has so much experience to share from raising her 5 children from about age 10 to age 5 (twin five-year-olds, at that). She also has a lot of wisdom because she's always searching for ways & tips & ideas to be a better wife & mother & person. I'm so blessed to be one of the avenues that she uses to pass on all she's learned. -MCS

I think it is so important to let the people in our lives know how much we appreciate them. After my grandpa died, I couldn't remember ever letting him know how much he meant to me. As I shared at his funeral how much he'd influenced my life, I thought how sad it was that I didn't share those words with him while he was still with us. A couple of years later, after my grandma passed away, I found this letter among the ones they had saved from my sister and me. It brought such a feeling of warmth and love as I realized I had thanked him and as I re-lived those memories once again.
-Kristi Kritter

Through the Eyes of My Children

I first watched the Keira Knightly version of Pride & Prejudice with my only sister. She is eight years older than me, and, because she already had two little brothers, before I was born, she had her bags packed to run away if I was also a boy. Thankfully I wasn't, & now we've both experienced the joy of having a sister for 23 years! Anyway, here's the clip from the movie where I got the title for my sister's section of the blog.

We love to encourage sisterly affection (said with a British accent). :) We've even adapted a version of this phrase to sign our letters. I'm sure that in the future, one of them will be posted to this blog.

For now, though, we have a journal entry from the lovely Kristi (childhood nickname Kritter) who, in the midst of raising & homeschooling 5 adorable children, still makes time for writing plenty of letters (& even a few journal entries). :) I have received more letters from her than from anyone else. For this reason, & just because I love her so much & she's amazing (she's also attending college part-time & has been a loving wife for 11 years), I am so pleased to present a post from my most dear sister each week beginning now. :) -Megan

Written August 14, 2007

  One of my favorite things about motherhood is that I get to see the world through the eyes of my children. I get to re-live the excitement and wonder of being a child and seeing everything as "new" and fun! Flowers are much more beautiful, the sky bluer, the trees taller, and the grass just waiting for someone with bare feet to run through it! So often, I am in such a hurry and I am so concerned about what I should be teaching my children or what I should be feeding them or just trying really hard not to "mess up" as a mom. In this journal entry, I was so worried about what to tell the kids and thinking of those "poor people who have to clean up that mess", but Grace was just thinking, "Wow! What a cool birthday party!" When I slow down and really take time to be with and listen to my kids, they remind me to not take life so seriously and to stop and smell the roses...or to stop and enjoy the really cool toilet papered yard.
 
I'm so thankful that I have so many cute stories from when my kids were little written down in journals. The kids love for me to read them aloud to them, and I love being able to remember all the funny things they did! I would encourage any of you with children to "write it down" as my mom always said! 

-Kristi Kritter