2.27.15 Mornings

Mornings are so relative around here. Some days they start at 2:30 a.m. sometimes 4:30 a.m. sometimes later but they are early and never allow enough time in bed. One morning I got up to this. Alivia got paints for her birthday, it was a spur of the moment request. It turned out good though. She and Reed had a great time and it bought me an hour of sleep.

Another morning it was this. I was snuggling with Afton and was drug into action witnessing this

Yes those are 5 foot dowels and paint sticks. They are sword fighting! These episodes last until somebody gets whopped on the wrist. Livy broke her dowel on Reed and I got up. They were having a ball and I guess it's the beauty of siblings. "Oh what a beautiful morning."

A quick story. The school had a talent show. A first. Each student got to sign up for their talent. Harold and John signed up for sword fighting. Addie signed up for gymnastics. She does not participate in a gym club. She had decided she was going to do a cartwheel. I asked her demonstrate. It was not straight legged, nor did she land standing up. It was a cartwheel of a first grader. I suggested she practice and my stomach sank.
Days passed and I had her practice some more. Same type of cartwheel. I remembered a conversation with m sister in law about her son playing piano. How his performance wasn't spectacular, but he was proud of himself and that was what mattered.
So fast forward to performance day. There was singing, piano playing, art, and pie baking (more on that in a minute) even some really cool hula-hooping.
Then Addie got up and did her cartwheel on the stage. Just one  cartwheel. She went to the judges and claimed her candy prize. We all clapped and that was that. She is a spunky can-do girl. Man I love her outlook on life. She was not to be outdone by her other siblings performing, she did what she could and how she could and I think she inspired her classmates.
See after the gym cleared and there wasn't a big audience her class stayed behind and had an impromptu talent show. I think Addie showed you don't have to be big and accomplished to have talent. She is constantly teaching me to be more than I am.
Harold and John got vetoed by the principal no weapons at school- even wooden ones. And the pie baking well that was Aliza. She was the only girl not singing on stage in her class. She sings really well even on-key.

But I suggested she share her pie baking skills. And she is skilled. However Wednesday night was crazy. Decorating cakes, baking cakes, missing my two big kids to mutual. It was not a great night of mothering. Aliza was wanting help- she had done this projects at least 10 times. She should have had it down. It ended with her in tears and 3 pies where there should have been 2. They were not good pies for our house.
I apologized and hugged her before bed so it wound up okay. But today the judges were most excited to taste her pie and were reluctant to leave their tasting. I think she got a best in show award.
 I love that talents are so multi-faceted. From hula-hoops to art work, to jokes and pie there are many varieties in life. Not to mention those that are kind, smart, thoughtful, encouraging, great at teaching or leading all hard things to show on a stage but are very necessary to life.