Tuesday, January 02, 2007

And All the Roads We Have to Walk Are Winding

Thank you for all the wonderful comments and support on both sites yesterday (crap, I now have two sites).

This is the first time in my life I've ever felt scared of starting a new year, the first time I've ever felt the newness of a new calendar year.

I'm not much for resolutions, mainly because I'm a lazy ass and a fantabulous failure. Resolutions and I just don't seem to get along.

But this year I'm working on a new attitude, enjoying the process. I wrote about it last week and yesterday, but apparently I need to continue to drill it into my head. Enjoy the process, it is okay and everything is fine.

Just call me Stuart Smalley, I'm becoming full of daily affirmations.


I have a whole fabulous list of things today. Basic stuff like laundry, dishes and plan dinner (Beef Hash with Super Mashed Potatoes, I think it may be the next dish on my recipe site; expect about one recipe a week), and a few odd jobs like dust the boys' bedroom ceiling (old houses are fun), take lights off tree and take tree down. I also have my Motivated Moms planner to help me keep on top of the housework (I had it last year and it did help, even though I didn't follow it religiously; I'm working on following it better this year).

But all that is going to have to wait, we have a playdate this afternoon. (See? Enjoying the process.)

In the meantime...


Anyone have some good art project suggestions for all those wrapping paper rolls that would discourage the boys from beating each other with them? Anyone?

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

You could treat them like PVC pipes and make a fort with Construction paper walls or a teepee or something. Then they'll just fight over who gets to hang out in it. :)

God bless daily affermations otherwise I'd forget to be the bright and sunny person that I am. (Ha!)

Angelina said...

But if they're beating each other with them then they aren't beating you, right?

But if it's violence you're trying to discourage, you could do what Max likes to do with absolutely everything: glue them all together and call it a space ship.

Ali said...

Marble runs. Good news is they won't be thwacking one another, bad news is you get to appreciate those tubes festooning your living room.

I could use one of those motivated Moms thingummies. I tried fly-lady, but gave up in the end. Now I just live in semi-squalor.

Anonymous said...

I didn't get to tell you yesterday that the new site looks great! New ventures are always a little nerve-wracking.

Tube idea: cut them in half lengthwise, then into various lengths, paint them and make them into a mobile (tying them from the middle of the curve, not from the edges). And voila, you will have a nice big mess to clean up.

Anonymous said...

I was going to say light sabers... but maybe I'm going down the wrong path...

my kids call them life savers... bless them.

LLA said...

love the new attitude ('tho - I loved the old one too...)

give the boys a roll of making tape and tell 'em to build something with the tubes. I also like hte marble run idea...

Anonymous said...

Christmas Crackers! Be ready for next year!

Anonymous said...

We like to shoot hot wheels down the tubes or blow up a couple of balloons and let them hit that around. Or cut them in half and wrap your christmas lights around them. Looking forward to the recipe site!

Kim -today's creative blog said...

What's wrong with beating each other?

You could glue cardboard panels to one side of two of them to make walls. Then they would have a barricade to hide behind when beating each other. :)

Anonymous said...

dust ceilings (if I can reach them) AND walls -- i'm right there with ya, sister!!! it's the love/hate thing.

Anonymous said...

Hey Why not use the tubes to dust your boys ceiling. Put a sock on the end of it and let the boys go crazy hitting their ceilings with it-lol. Seriously it might work. Joking aside, my kids use them to make ramps for their little hotwheel cars and marbles.

Anonymous said...

congrats on the new site!
the other night i was using them to blow gross-warm-spit-breath into husband's face and ears. babybug caught on fast and we both had tons of fun. the more irritated he got the better is was :)

Anonymous said...

Hey, I was going to suggest marble runs. You could also add a paper cone and fins to make rockets, drop in beans and seal the ends to make shakers, turn them into binoculars or pirate spyglasses.

Um, can you tell I teach preschool?

Affirmations, eh? Whatever floats your boat, my dear. But yes, oddly enough, life does seem to be a process oriented undertaking. Heh.

Anonymous said...

i like the marble-run idea - we saved a couple to make turrets for a cardboard box castle we'll attempt (today?).

the new site is fun - will definitely be checking back in!

Anonymous said...

OK, I LOVE wrapping paper roll projects. http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/forteens/l/blcbrolltrt.htm
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/tproll/

You can also make a teepee from them.

Glad you are feeling better! Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

We just beat each other with them., but we have used a few to make a teepee with masking tape and a sheet. Glad you are feeling better about all of your craziness of late.