To Read on the Journey

Thursday, June 23, 2011

proactive

a couple of years ago i read the following words on a favorite blog, 
and i have never. forgotten. them.

"if i'm not proactive
i'm reactive
and that can be very unattractive." 

can i just get a resounding "amen!' on that one. 

i've memorized these words and recited them to myself in countless situations...
and ESPECIALLY
when it comes to motherhood.

something that always brings out my reactive and unattractive self is 
the  summer "i'm boreds"
i have spent too many summers with the "i'm boreds"
lingering around here, pestering me. 
frankly, i have little tolerance for them, 
and zero tolerance for the me that surfaces at their arrival. 

creating the summer fun list was me being PROACTIVE! 
and it has 100%
90% helped alleviate 
the "i'm boreds."

YEAH!!!!!

my kids have commented a number of times that they are having a "fun summer!!"

this makes me SO. HAPPY! 

let's be honest the saying 
"when mama's happy everybody's  happy." 
 goes both ways...
because
"when everybody's {i.e. the kids} happy, mama's happy!" 

here's a bit of what's been checked off our list thus far

Camp-In
2 nights of tents in the living room, s'more popcorn, and movies. 
{2 days of mrs. o.c.d. practicing "letting go" while living with a camp-site in the house}
PVC Pipe Sprinklers
 less than $20 for pvc pipe and attachment pieces 
providing HOURS of creating and recreating 
sprinkler mazes!!
this was $ well spent.
Croquet

1000 piece puzzle with Root Beer Floats at it's completion
{they finished the puzzle in 2 days... 2 days of peace and quiet for me}.





Photography Lessons

Sewing



How are you proactive, so your not reactive, and then very unattractive?

17 comments:

Suzanne said...

I really enjoyed your post! I've noticed this with how I respond to my spouse when we fight! I just keep praying that I would show more grace!

Loved that pvc sprinkler idea! :)

Charissa Steyn said...

Ohhh this looks like so much fun! Great ideas!!! I wanna come and hang out with y'all ;)

{cuppakim} said...

so much fun going on over there. s'mores popcorn? brilllllliant. you are feeding my s'mores obsession!

Linda Z said...

That was my quote, silly! :)

I loooooove all the fun things you are doing with your kids!! They are so incredibly blessed to have you for their mommy!! Everything looks soooo fun! I wish I was feeling well enough to do so many fun things, but I'm trying to do as much as I can this summer. The sprinklers are hilarious! Can you take 'em apart and redo them in all different ways??

Thea Nelson said...

Ooh, this is a good one. You're speaking to me, girl!

Jennifer said...

This is a great post. What fun ideas!

I'm not a popcorn person, but I might make an exception for the s'mores popcorn!

denise said...

This is a great post. I love your summer list idea. Seriously. It never occurred to me to make that kind of list. Weird, I know - since I love me some lists and all.

Anyway, I realized just tonight that I've been stuck in a reactive rut with this new baby. Or, as we affectionately call it, 'survival mode'. When I was tucking my 5-yr-old into bed, she sweetly held out her arms for a hug. "Will you snuggle me?" Of course! I pulled her close and heard her sigh wistfully. "Mommy, I miss sitting on your lap. But I understand because the baby needs to be there now." Oh, my heart broke just a little. And I realized I need to be proactive about just loving on my little girl.

Simply Sara said...

i love you.
i love you list.
i love your kids.

and i will give you a GINORMOUS AMEN!!!
i adore that quote :)

Jessica Johnson said...

LOVE LOVE LOOOOOOVE that saying. i can get unattractive in 2.6 seconds. also love the sprinklers. and that popcorn? send me some. or i will get unattractive.

Alana said...

I should have done this, the I'm bored's have been driving me nuts!! Looks like you are having a VERY fun summer! How are you?

stacey said...

I need to take some lessons from you. I'm SO not a list person. And I should be. Trying to be more intentional!

These are all SO great, Denise. I want to try them all!! Keep them coming!!

Jennifer {Studio JRU} said...

Love that quote! Looks like you guys are having a *great* summer! That is wonderful! The camp in looks like so much fun Photography lessons are such a neat idea. What a camera you have! :)

Janelle said...

Doing this today! Have been wayyyyy toooooo reactive. And it's not attractive.

But it changes.

Now.

Unknown said...

somehow, I'm thinking your reactive is still incredibly loving .
what a home you have created... a haven, fun and safe and creative and warm.
like you?

Gina said...

Love the puzzle idea...better go pick one of those up...now! and can you please come teach us to sew? I think that would be a great summer addition!

Anonymous said...

i love this post! and p.s. all those things you do with your kiddos look soo fun! what an incredible momma you are :)

Unknown said...

What a fun summer! My mom did stuff like this for us when I was little and I hope to do the same with my kids...when we have 'em!

I will definitely keep these ideas in mind!