Truth be told... I
struggle in my thinking about this little blog. In feeling like it is an
acceptable use of my time, my focus. I seem to come around to the thinking that
all is well with it, but none the less worry about it too.
Yesterday I heard and loved
this talk from Sister Rosemary Wixom as part of General Conference. She spoke at one point about a
study that was done in observation of a child trying to get his Dad's
attention while he was on his phone. At one point the Dad did finally turn his phone off and play with the child, but then later picked up the phone
again and engaged his kid in a video on the phone while they waited for Mom. When the technology was involved, scientists observed a
lessening of the child's "light."
This really struck me! I do not want to be glued to my laptop (or, along the same line, even my craft table) anywhere even nearly as much as I'm glued to my boys. While I feel a desire to really press PLAY when it comes to this blog, I hope that it will also reflect more and more my time spent with them too.
Along that line, I read late last week at
Mama's Got it Together about a fun
Pinterest Challenge and really liked the concept: determine 14 pinned projects to
complete before 2014.
With nine months, including this one, I figured this was totally
doable. I had started to look through my
Crafty Goodness board for what things I'd really like to accomplish. But when I got back to working on this post, I was thinking about Conference and about my
boys and about my inner
struggle concerning this blog.
So I've
re-adjusted my focus for this challenge. I want to accomplish 14 pins by 2014, but for me they will be things I want to
engage in with my boys. Not do or make for them, but enjoy
with them. I see lots of things that I'd love to create for them, but in the long run, those things only take more of my time
away from actually playing with them, which is what they love the
most. They need me to be focused
entirely on them, not sitting at the sewing machine or behind my laptop. If I can do that and take a few pictures in the process, then this blogging struggle becomes
less of one for sure...
So here are the things I've chosen as of now...
No doubt they will change some over time, but here it is for now! I've linked the source blogs below,
but these ideas can be found on Pinterest on either my
Boys Rule Board or my Sum.Sum.Summertime Board :)
Outdoor Sunflower Fort from Lasso the Moon
Coolest. Idea. Ever! I sure hope we can make this works
because I know the boys would love a little secret hideout of their own outside.
I've tried many times to create blanket forts for them outside and our wind makes it really tough.
Pour Paint Vases from Growing a Jeweled Rose
Looks like a huge mess and it surely will be, but Cooper's already seen this post over my shoulder
and thought it looked awesome! It will surely be fun and the end result is beautiful!
Big Mess= Big Fun in this Boy's World!
Footprint Art from Project Balancing Act
Coop and Ry love when I paint their feet and I love the idea of making art with it!
Shower Curtain Liner Roads to Color as pinned HERE (link blocked)
The best part: they get to color on it too!
Cheetos Shaving Cream Game from parents.com
Pure silliness that I know the boys will love!
Snack Necklaces from Blondie and Brownies
Ice Excavation from Counting Coconuts
They'll use salt, water and hammers to get stuff out of the ice block-
no doubt this will be right up their alley!
Tie Dye Fun as seen at favecrafts.com
We did this last year, but with only minimal success.
The boys all loved it though, so it's a must to make happen again!
Duct Tape Bracelets as pinned HERE (post no longer exists)
DIY Color Flame Pine Cones from Bird and Blooms
We bought some color flame powder last year, but I know
the boys would really like making their own pine cones to get the effect too!
Sidewalk Chalk RAK from Delia Creates
The boys may have to draw little pictures next to me doing the writing,
but they'll get the point and the good feeling of this none the less :)
Shaving Cream Slide from Growing a Jeweled Rose
What kid wouldn't totally love this?! Looks so fun!
This last one is less a one time activity, more a revived goal.
Family Home Evening- just having it. Consistently. Period. I need to do better at this.
We do have FHE a fair amount, but not every week.
I often think of it but feel like it's not until too late to matter.
From now on, I'll be using this great site:
So, will you join me in choosing 14 pins you want to actually do by the time this year is over?!
I'd love to hear about it if you do!
What struggle do you have that Pinterest could maybe actually help you with?
Click over to Mama's Got it Together to link up too!
