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It was MINUS TWELVE when I dropped Noah off at school today. MINUS TWELVE is cold on a level that we don't usually see around here, especially during daylight hours. During times of unusual cold I try to compensate with comfort foods like soups, homemade bread, warm cookies, hot chocolate, lattes. I try to enjoy a chance to wear my super warm boots and a thick stocking hat and long gloves and a long wool coat. When I was living in Portland, Oregon someone gave me the advice to just gear up for the rain (or wetness!) and it would be okay. And mostly, it was. I find the same is true of the cold. I think I've already covered that I'm not fashionable, so you'll believe me when I tell you that I have a stash of (old) comfort clothing reserved just for weather like this.
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There's been such a good amount of cold around here this winter, that I'm a little worried about our bamboo. In this most recent round of cold, it has flopped itself over on the deck like it's defeated. Usually, it stays green all winter; this winter, it's gone brown. Hmm. Instead of getting upset that it's dead, I'm going to take the opportunity to point out that this, THIS, is the reason why bamboo is not invasive in Colorado. I hope. I think. We'll see.
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Lately, I've begun actively attempting to indoctrinate the children with MY VERSION OF REALITY. Among the common mantras in the household:
- Oh! Your lego design is MUCH cooler than anything in those lego books!
- Homemade food is so much yummier than that stuff you buy in boxes at the store. That stuff from the store has SAWDUST in it. (Over the past year, I've lately been attempting to buy only things that are One Ingredient at the store. We're having a lot of homemade goods, including yogurt and bread. I haven't gotten rid of my favorite Simply Organic Salad Dressing, because it's addictive.)
I do believe that if you say/think/do/imagine enough, it starts to become reality. Within certain parameters, of course.
9 comments:
Sorry it's so cold up there! I complain when it's 12, so I can't imagine negative temps. I like their lego boat. It certainly looks seaworthy to me.
"Seaworthy!" Love it. ;-)
Funny that you call it indoctrination - I would call it: teach them our values...and that's what I do as well. My kids are older, and you know what? They complain when we suggest to go to a fast food place (like during a trip) and want me to cook 'real food' every day. There are some struggles about consuming/buying certain things, pretty much the same I had with my mother, but in the end I believe young adults come back to what they grew up with - more or less.
Love the boat!
I guess I call it "indoctrination" because at this point, I don't really expect them to question what I'm telling them. (And they pretty much don't, they either simply disagree or agree.)
I hope, however, that someday they DO question my stance on things, that would be critical thinking. And that's what I want from my kids. Although I'm sure I'll feel weary when they start pushing back...
Oh! Yes! Because I think this is sort of an interesting distinction: for many years, I think that we've been conveying values to our kids with actions. Modeling, modeling, modeling. That continues today. But as they get older, I do find we use more words to talk about our values. And it's not that we aren't still modeling. It's just that we've passed a point where modeling is sufficient in and of itself. The talking seems to me to more "indoctrination." At least relative to before.
Oh man, I hope your bamboo makes it. My herbs like rosemary and thyme are usually still fine for cutting this time of year and they also turned brown. I'm curious with all this snow we've had if I'll notice any difference in this summer's growing season.
ps. my take on skinny jeans is that they had to be invented for the high boot fashion craze - which, personally, does nothing for me. ;)
Oh, and LOVE the boat! :)
Skinny jeans for high boots....Hmmm. Good theory, I think you're onto something!
Just yesterday I purchased skinny jeans by mistake (thought they were boot cut). In my attempt to try them on at home I fell over laughing. They'll be returned to the store tomorrow, but I'm thankful for the laugh.
Our school closed when the temps went below zero. Too many children walk to school and they didn't want to expose them all to such cold.
Love the Lego creation!
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