Its easy for me to get caught up in bad days like this one and most recently this.
It's easy for me to get discouraged and frustrated, to focus on the parts of the day that go poorly and test my patience.
It's easy for me write in detail all the things that aren't going well...how the kids have been sick since Sunday....how its been 11 days since Buddy slept through the night....how the only time the boys aren't fighting is when they are staring at the tv.
Instead, I'm going to focus on the cookies we made...how on Monday, when everyone including Chris was home sick, I gathered everybody in the kitchen to make cookies from scratch instead of moping on the couch all day. How the boys waiting patiently for their turn to pour ingredients into the bowl. How they laughed when I enlisted them to be chocolate chip taste testers before we poured the whole bag into the bowl. How Buster inhaled the spoonful of cookie dough I gave him in one mouthful, while Buddy licked it slowly, savoring every bite. How they sat calmly on stools at the counter waiting for the cookies to come out of the oven. How carefully they ate their warm-from-the-oven cookies off my "fancy" dessert plates usually designated "For Adults Only". How for those 25 minutes, no one whined or cried or hit his brother. How for that short moment in time, we had so much fun we could have been filming a freaking N*stle T*ll House Cookie commercial.
Things haven't been easy, but there have been bright spots. That, along with homemade cookies, is enough.
I love that you did this - and I think your kids will remember it very, very fondly for years and years to come. You rock for taking a bad situation and turning it into an incredibly sweet memory.
ReplyDeleteICLW #12
It's much easier to remember the bad times sometimes, but it is much healthier to focus on the good times....however rare they are. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you are feeling better about things. Chocolate chip cookies rock!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for the bad stuff, but I LOVE that you found a way to turn things around.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute story. And frankly, you could have been describing my two guys with the brother stuff! But for some reason, bringing food into the mix always does the trick. And Spike would have eaten the whole spoonful and then whined for more!!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great story about your cookies. I am sorry to hear that you were all sick though- I hope you are back to feeling better!
ReplyDeleteOh... bright spots and homemade cookies! I love it!
ReplyDeleteIt's hard when the kids are sick or not sleeping...really hard. The bright spots help out a whole lot.
ReplyDeleteI love that you chose that time to make cookies with them. I bet that's a memory that will stick with them forever.
~ICLW #18
This post is SO SWEET! I love the chocolate chip testing, and the "adult only" plates. This is a very BRIGHT bright spot, and you brought it together.
ReplyDeleteCookies are amazing aren't they?
ReplyDeleteICLW #49
Oh I can relate this week. Doyle had an ear infection and was really whiny. When we went to cut his hair he was out of control. (This was before I knew he was sick.) He threw the biggest fit & we left without a haircut. We ended up playing at a park so we both could settle down. (I did tell him no DVDs, TV for awhile.) I'm trying to save that for the sitter who he now throws a fit about!! Celeste
ReplyDeletealways try and look for the bright spots in life, they make the dark parts so much easier to handle!
ReplyDeleteI love the image of everyone in your kitchen making cookies!!
Happy ICLW
#100
I think baking is one of those lovely activities that all families should share. The sense of creating something delicious, and having the (almost) instant gratification of enjoying wht you have made, it ALWAYS brightens a day in our house :)
ReplyDeleteI love baking and testing the chocolate chips is an important job. I'm glad you were able to spend the afternoon doing something like this with your kids.
ReplyDeleteICLW