Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Gardening is over

I finished pulling up the garden this past weekend.  It was a long process, but I'm glad it's done.  The kids helped me, mostly by picking the tomatoes off of the plants beforehand.  What I love is how willing and eager they are to help!  I know it won't be like that forever, but that's certainly a good thing about this age.

Every age I think has certain positives and negatives.  For instance, newborn babies are WAY too fragile.  Negative.  But their cry is so small and cute, it doesn't make you want to hit things.  Positive.  Konner is still in diapers right now.  Negative.  But he's hilarious to watch.  Even when he's just walking somewhere, he does it with a certain awkwardness and style that is just funny.  Instant entertainment. Positive.

The girls are especially positive now, because they are becoming real people.  They can help set the dinner table, take out the trash, do the laundry and the dishes...pretty much everything at this point.  They're like actual productive members of the family.  Last weekend they did all the laundry, clearned up the backyard, and helped me peel apples for freezing.  They watch their brother when he's downstairs, they pick up dog poop - and they can talk and understand things that are a little above a 5 year old.

Not too long ago Keith was playing with his mashed potatoes at the dinner table, swirling and plumping them and whispering strange things to himself.  All I had to do was give a glance to Kassy and we both just kindof smirked and raised our eyebrows.  We didn't have to say anything - it was all understood.  He's weird.  And it's nice to have that connection with my kids.

I wonder what the positives and negatives at my age would be?  They'd probably say "surly and tired - negative."  But, "loves his kids - positive."