McG family rules

Well, a friend of mine made a family rules canvas for her home. I was so smitten with the idea, I wanted to make one of my very own!

Ours, which hangs above our bed, isn't perfect but doesn't look as bad in person as it appears in these photos. I guess you'll have to take my word for it since most folks aren't allowed into the inner sanctum commonly referred to as the master bedroom.

1. Always be kind

2. Encourage your brothers and share in their joy

3. Use nice words and ignore bad ones

4. Eat together and clean up after yourself

5. Be thankful for what you have

6. Always tell the truth

7. Use your manners...yes, please and no, thank you

8. Think of others first

9. Have fun, be good, ask first, no fussing, no whining

10. Be optimistic at all times

11. Always be grateful for this family

12. LOVE ONE ANOTHER

We have some trouble with a few, the bad words one comes to mind (for Harry!) but mostly, these are already how we try to live our lives. We might whine a bit and not always look on the bright side - but we're working on it. In the mean time, we will continue loving one another as fiercely as we can!

Not always sunshine and roses

You know, it can't always be rainbows and lollipops, right? There have to be some bad times sprinkled in too.

While I'm usually out there scoping out the sunshine and writing notes of what I'm thankful for on scraps of paper - days creep up that don't look so good. Sometimes, those days turn into the better part of a week.

I'm here to say, that I fully think it's okay. And, even better than that, it helps me embrace the good. The life, the blue skies and the laughter...oh yes, the laughter.

Last week I was having a string of craptastic days. The ones where all I want to do is grumble under my breath and call people names. The ones where I feel like all I do all day long is scream and I finally breathe a sigh of relief when the boys are in bed. There were so many contributing factors to my string of LOOONG days, but the biggest ones? 4 people under the age of 10 who lives in this house.

{Campbell enjoys dawdling while doing homework, arguing, antagonizing his brothers and whining}

{Sawyer whines. And whines. And complains.}

{Oh harrison. What DON'T you do? You say bad words. SO many times you say hate, poopy and all kinds of other insults. You make more messes, you get more things out, you NEVER listen. }

{Holly Golightly, you chew. Inappropriate things. Loveys and handlebars to scooters. You run around and run away. You refuse to go to bed. All kinds of puppy things}

Seriously look at those cute faces though and tell me this could go on for more than a day or two? Right, I didn't think so. Because at the end of a few days of torment and figurative grey skies there are rainbows and rejoicing. All because of this life we get to live together. I will try and make the most of what I've got to work with, most of the time!

Fabulous Friday

It's great day. It's a fabulous Friday! You know why? Simply because IT IS. I'm alive, it's sunny and I've got a million and one things to be grateful for. Like...

...a whole extra day off this weekend. We get Andy all to ourselves for one whole extra day. Amazing.

...Harry Potter legos. I was just disappointed the other day that we'd never collected these and now the prices are sky high. Alas, they are being reintroduced. I can't wait to get my hands on the castle and hogwarts express!

...Harrison James enjoying his first ever gymnastics class. It took some coaxing (read, threatening) to get him to participate but I knew the jumping would be just his thing. BONUS! There are 2 kids in the class and he's one of them!

...lots of crafts that my hands have been completing lately. I've scrapped about a million pages (okay, maybe around 40), made a mini album and am in the process of completing a large decoupaged canvas. Hooray! THIS is the stuff that makes my heart feel alive!

...it's September. September means all kinds of GREAT things, but mostly Campbell's birthday. It'll be his *9th*. That's halfway there, baby. But, I insist we're going to suck the marrow out of every moment we've got. We're good like that.

...naptime. Those quiet moments sandwiched into every day are just bliss.

...MOCKINGJAY! I've still got loads of pages ahead of me and a compelling story to see through to the end. I love having a good book in my grasp waiting to spin me a tale.

...our health. Sometimes it's taken for granted but we are all completely healthy and have nothing that is threatening those we love. It's probably the thing we should recognize and be thankful for most, but it's often overlooked. So happy to have so many people in our hearts that are living life - hopefully - to the fullest.

Now, I've got to go out there and experience and create more! Adventure is out there...