Today was a great day. There was no drama. The kids found cardboard boxes and made a fort, after school. They are working together to make their “dream home.”

It is peaceful. No video games tonight. We have excitement and cooperation. It is such an enjoyable experience to see them figure out how to build their fort.

The knew they had to use duct tape, because they could not find the hot glue gun. They are amused at how much room they have. I hear one child say “Echo, Echo, Echo.”

They did not beg me to take them somewhere or to watch a video. It all happened organically. Maybe not. They see me trying to do things one at a time. Making the house clutter free this year, to donate unwanted items, has made our home more simple to run.

There is power in simplicity.

There is no greater love that I have ever experienced than that of loving my children. There are people who seem to think that it is okay to deride their children, when they misbehave.

I do not fight fire with fire, when the children are misbehaving. What happens, is I stop and think about how grateful that they are a part of my life. I don’t want to keep pointing out the negative.

There are moments when they tell me how much they love me. It seems as if it is out of the blue. All I can do is love them. There are people who don’t have their kids for various reasons.

I fought hard to bring them into the world. I tried everything, I thought I could do, to have them. Acupuncture was something I tried. My Chiropractor help too. There was such a longing for them to come into the world. I had already loved them before they were born. It was a great joy to have them.

There are times when they test me. However, they need to see love. Hopefully the will feel the love and know how to love with all their hearts.

Tonight we gathered around the table, and the kids wrinkled their noses. They said, “I don’t want this.” I encouraged them to try the dish that I put together.

“Try it,” I said. When they tried it, they actually liked it. I wanted to say, ” I told you so.” A little patience, is all that is needed. Remaining calm, is what I did.

Sitting together for one meal a week is a major accomplishment. It is necessary to sit down together. They get to unwind a little. I get to see their smiling faces.

Making sure they have time away from their screens is also important. My kids helped set the table. Some days I let them cook. When they feel like they are a  part of something bigger than themselves, they feel accomplished.

Mealtime is just one way we can connect as a family. Even if it is something that I came up with last minute. At least it was not take out.

Painting furniture, getting rid of clutter, and fixing up my home. I did it all today. I feel good that I am preparing for the new year. I want a fresh and beautiful home.

Having a beautiful home, does not mean you have to have an expensive home. I work with what we have. My husband helped me. I would not have been able to get it done by myself.

I have goals to accomplish before the end of the year. It took a little creativity and coordination. The night is still young. This is not just for me. It is for my children. I want them to be in a relaxing and organized environment.

Our home is a safe place for my children and their friends despite a few fumes from the paint. I hope my children see what I want to accomplish and will appreciate what I do, when they are older. I hope they understand that I can’t always spend as much time with them, as they want me to.

All of the Christmas boxes are in the basement. They are red and green. The Halloween decorations are in a orange tubs. Searching for the ornaments for the tree, was difficult. I had to search in several boxes.

The ornaments were forgotten about, since last year. I don’t remember which box went where and what was in the box closest to the door in the basement closet.

We keep the same ornaments. I try not to buy new ones every year. They have beautiful eye catching ornaments in a variety of colors and styles. It is a lot of fun for someone who loves color and shiny objects.

You put all the ornaments together and they make a beautiful masterpiece on the tree. The kids get to work together to put the tree together, including putting up the ornaments.

“Somebody broke the mingos,” my daughter quips. She meant flamingos. Each kid got to pick out some ornaments to put on the tree.

They are super excited about decorating. Some people do not have ornaments or a tree. I am counting our blessings and grateful that we have a home to put a tree in with beautiful ornaments.

Watching them decorate the tree is like an ornament on the tree of life. My children are growing up and making memories on the tree of life. Hopefully they can pick their memories in years to come, like ornaments on the tree – dangling there beautiful and sparkly.

I am trying to keep an attitude of gratitude. I know there is a lot going on in the world. It is easy to get overwhelmed. Especially at this time of year, there is so much to do.

We must not forget to be thankful for what we have, all around the year. Imagine not having anything. Some people do not have a warm home to be in or a hot meal or money to buy what they need.

I am grateful that I have a job and money in the back. I am grateful that I have food to eat. I am thankful that I have a family to help me get through the hard times.

Being alive is something to be grateful for. I try not to fall into the whoa is me attitude. My kids can pick up on that negativity. We can all forget to be grateful for what we have at times. It is a challenge to keep a running list every day of things that we are grateful for. The benefits are astounding.

I am thankful for my kids.

I am thankful for my family.

I am thankful for my friends.

I am thankful that I have a job.

I am thankful that I have a home.

I am thankful that I have vision.

I am thankful that I have pets.

I am thankful that I have ideas.

I am thankful that I have mentors.

I am thankful that I have food in the fridge.

I am thankful that I can walk.

I am thankful that I can read.

I am thankful that I have money in my bank account.

I am thankful that I have a car.

I am thankful that I can speak.

I am thankful that I have heat in the house.

I am thankful that I have warm clothes.

I am thankful that I have good health.

I am thankful for technology.

I am thankful for books.

I am thankful for the people that are in my life.

I am thankful for the people who have helped me.

I am thankful for the teachers I have had.

I am thankful for the help I get around the house.

I am thankful for the help I get with the kids.

I am thankful that my kids are healthy.

I am thankful that I get to travel.

I am thankful that I have help in all areas of my life.

I am thankful that prayers work.

I am thankful for formal and informal teachers, coaches, and mentors.

Someone asked me what my super power is. It took me a while to come up with an answer. I know what my personality is. There are traits, that make me who I am.

There are traits that I wish I had. In reality when I reflected on who I am, I was able to pinpoint what my super powers are.

I have the ability to focus on one task at a time and really get into it. There are tasks that I really enjoy. I am so focused that I neglect everything else. Being a parent this is sometimes not a great trait. I am often pulled in several directions at once.

Another super power I have is a great deal of empathy. When someone I know is hurting, I hurt too. I am sensitive and often take in their hurt and get down in the pit with them.

I am also a great administrator. This comes in handy when you are a parent. You often have to handle multiple issues. So, I focus on them one at a time until it’s done, while letting my kids know how much they mean to me.

To my kids I am a super hero. We are all capable of more. We need to dig deep inside us and find our super powers and let others see our best.

Did you ever have a day where everything went well? You knew what you had to do, and you accomplished it and then some. Today was one of those days for me.

It took extreme focus on one task at a time. I allotted only so much time, to complete each task. Then it flows from one task to another. More was accomplished. There is no such thing as multi-tasking.

My brain was fried at the end of the day. I could not wait to get home. Then I realized that I had more to do, when I got home. More ideas popped into my head, as if it was streaming.

I realized that I had more to create. More to write. More to do. In a good way, the thoughts started flowing. At the same time, I felt as if I worked hard and can have a peaceful nights rest, dreaming of being on a boat perhaps.

Before you know it, the end of the year will be here. I have a propensity for stating the obvious. Thanksgiving is around the corner and I am reflecting on all of the goals, that I want to achieve.

The holidays are no fun for some. There are people who are alone and don’t have anyone to turn to. A friend of mine said she was going to do good in the world. I won’t go into details. We swapped stories of going good.

It felt good to do some good in the world. Go out and do some good in the world. Follow those little impulses, that tell you to stop and say hello or that tell you to do something. Make the rest of the year a good one.

Don’t forget to stop and do something good for someone, in the midst of all the frenzy. You will reap the rewards for years to come. Let your children see you do something good. There will be a ripple effect for years to come.