To Do Lists

This one is not going to be the most entertaining post of all, but some things are easier once their are written somewhere, at least for me.

Maybe a post now and then with lists is a healing thing to do, as if it helped me focus on important things (to me) that are really nagging me at this point. And that is what the whole blog is about, sharing things that feel important. So for today, my listing exercise/ze:

Be so much more peaceful with my children, which entails:

-patience,

-sleeping more

-playing with them

-reading to them more

-focusing on the positive things

-be more generous with my time

-admiring them for what they are

A friend who is now in her third year of 'family management' course was reflecting to me yesterday how some things that seem 'laughable' at first, like approving and admiring and encouraging in a very 'non-french' and 'overenthusiastic' way have become automatic responses after a while and are now so natural to her that her relationship and behaviour with her children has totally changed and improved...

Getting ready for our trip abroad at Christmas:

- Meeting teachers to have a homework plan because the children are going to miss school.

- Planning their backpacks for the 24-hour plane trip.

- Planning their suitcases with stuff for summer whilst we are watching the first snowflakes settle down on the streets. (I know, let's not complain here...)

- Make sure all the bills and taxes have been paid. ('All' not being the adequate word, they are never ALL paid)

- Tidy up garage to fit in both cars whilst we are away. (We have a bet going with Jérôme, he says they won't fit, I say they will...)

- Change sheets before leaving. (and wash and dry and fold them of course... mmmhmmm not sure about this one..)

- Finish planning and buying Christmas gifts, take pictures of the ones we are not taking with us. (Doll stroller, snow boots, things that might be a bit bulky AND useless on this trip?)

- Send 20 Christmas cards (can't possibly do more this year!)

- Lose 10kg (yeah, well... not sure about this one either..)

- Sort through the 20km of electrical wires (phone battery charger, laptop battery charger, camera battery charger, Ipod battery charger, energy battery charger for me???)

- Make a list of safety things to check before leaving (HA! Another list coming up!)

- NOT BE STRESSED OUT, yeah right.

- Update my blog a bit more often, I miss it.

Photos are a bit scarce these days, my camera is dying and I am hoping to find a new one in my birthday gifts on the plane, as we are leaving on the day I turn 4XXXXXXXXXXX!