Coolest Mom & Dad's the Brick!

Before reading - "Warning" a wee-bit of a babbling post. When I was watching over the boiling beets and making sure the fettuccine alfredo noodles weren't sticking to the pot I starting thinking about my parenting, my life. I'm constantly supervising my cooking, and I'm 100% supervising my children. Then as I'm adding flour to the roast gravy, and laying fifteen plates down while asking my children to come in from outside AND explaining they're getting their hair cut as soon as they finish this magnificent meal; I reconfirmed on how multi-tasking and organization is a huge piece of my daily life being a parent. During preparation for dinner I could hear my husband outside with his drill building our daughter's wheelchair ramp. My husband is building this ramp for multiple use to include skateboarding, bikes and for our children to run up and down because he knows this will happen! Our parenting involves not only a high profile of organization, routines, structure and multitasking, it involves preventative future thinking. We are constantly thinking ahead for safety, and for preventative measures. It's like turning down the heat on the stove to "4" in order for the beets not to boil over. Whenever we build something new, go on a new adventure or step outside of our routine, we have to think ahead. Our parenting is what I call  "always a step ahead" Not only did I make lunch today, a made lunch for tomorrow. Not only did I make dinner tonight, I have dinner planned for tomorrow. Hair cuts were promptly after dinner followed by our children's baths with fair warning! This afternoon I slipped out to a friends, I was able to sit down for an hour and a half before leaving for my taxi-cab servicing. (I have multiple jobs like any other parent) My days not only consist of all of this, but it's full of appointments from doctors, specialists and therapists mixed with homeschooling, public school, sports, horse riding, swimming and piano. We have a dedicated full time parenting life. An interesting comment was made today at my friends...."We all have different lives and our lives are what we're used too" That's simply the answer on the how question. It's like transitioning after having a baby, or adopting a sibling group of five, life adapts and moves accordingly day by day. We become who we are, we continue to do what we're used too and that's what makes our world go around. That's what makes ours! Our parenting might be completely different then yours. Our life probably is but it's our path, it's our interests and our strengths. I know I write and post about getting outdoors, experiencing life, and that you can do anything. I believe that we all can do anything if we put our minds to it, but only if you're interested in directing your energy that way. My blog is merely only a peek into our life, I write in hopes to inspire, and/or to give a different perspective or enlightenment. I write to share our challenges with our triumphs. We are a unique family with unique parenting. We are very dedicated parents. I want to add a fact that I think works; especially when you have teenagers and young adults. This isn't for every parent but I do think this works for us. I have all the skills to run a household for twenty people with several needs and all ages. I am completely organized, routined, structured, (patient most of the time) I bake, cook, clean and believe in experiencing life, our outdoors and (like all of us) in education. Although I am down to earth. Easy going. I can bite my tongue while picking and choosing my battles. I make decisions for our family regardless what anyone else thinks. I am a "cool" parent. I have my rules and semi-expectations but I also try and understand the challenging situations that arise. My children and I have a child and parent relationship BUT my older teenagers and young adult children have announced, "I'm the coolest mom and dad's the brick" Meaning my husband can tackle and solve anything with not much notice. He's definitely a hero to our adult children and for me, maybe it's because I'm a tattoed cooking machine! lol Any how, if you've made it this far reading.....and you're now wondering why I'm rambling, it's because while supervising my dinner tonight, watching my children play outside, finishing the haircuts and the baths, I was thinking about what we all do differently. Why my life is the way it is. Why yours is so different then mine. The how!? My conclusion, all our different journeys head where our strengths are and strengths can be enhanced with dedication and change over time - ours is with children. Lots of children. I often wonder if my path will ever change direction (not from my family) but to enhance myself from what I'm doing now. I love embracing change, so we will see.

 Daily Meals

 Laundry night (we all fold and put away laundry together)