What my parents don't know...

There is something only a handful of people know and not even my parents. It is my earliest childhood memory. Last night as our children wrapped up their trick or treating (which should really be replaced with yelling or running, the actions of choice of our children between houses) it made me think back....waaaaay back in time to my first memory.

Although I don't have the care bear picture, this is me at 3:)

   I was 3 years old and it was Halloween. My family was carving pumpkins on our back patio and I was dressed in a little light pink carebear costume. I remember fiddling with the strap on my head to get my mask to stay on and anxiously awaiting the moment to comb the neighborhood. I don't remember how many houses we went to that night or how much candy was in my pillowcase (which is what we used instead of buckets to collect treats), but I remember my family....together.

 Every moment of the day, I try to remind myself a memory is being created for our children that will shape their future. I think of myself as a kid again and ask"What kind of memory do I want them to walk away with right now?". Are they going to learn what grace is? Will they learn impatience or patience...anger or love? Is this the opportunity for a lesson or on the contrary am I being taught a lesson?

  There is a quote on our little' "mom's ultimate planning calendar" that hangs next to our fridge  and for October it said "There is no such thing as a perfect mom, but a MILLION ways to be a great one".

This past weekend there are probably all sorts of things we could have worked on around the house, but we put it aside and carved pumpkins, put up slimy sticky Halloween decor and had ice cream in the middle of the day...just because. Later that night our middle daughter looked up at me, grabbed my hand and kissed it, then muttered "Thank you mommy for a fun day, I love you". Rest assured every night doesn't end like this and we have our share of grouchy kiddos, but that night did and I am so grateful.

 Here is to a happy Friday and hopefully a weekend full of fun memory making!

The Thorne Halloween Re-cap

Weekend workout:
  This is not for the faint at heart, but if you are up for a challenge, enjoy from the Spartan racing team:


Warmup:

Run/walk 400m with weight (sandbag preferred)

Main set: 30 seconds each exercise

Deadlift w/sandbag
Decline pushups
Axe chops (each side w/sandbag)
Squat w/sandbag
Clean w/sandbag
Overhead Press w/sandbag
Side Plank (each side)
V-up
Rest one minute

Cool down with a walk and a good stretch

Your Mrs. Great Plains International 2014,
Maggi