Like many people, I look forward to Christmas time more than any other time of year. I love decorating the house, sitting by the Christmas tree lights, buying gifts for loved ones, and yes, even wrapping those gifts! I can’t wait until everyone is home so I can cook our favorite traditional meals, including the annual rolling out dough, cutting out cookies, making the frosting to decorate said cookies, and assembling gingerbread houses---which can all be summed up to say, “Making a mess!”
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But I love it! This year I had an extra helper when it came to the cookies! Quinn is 2 ½ and was way more into the fun than last year. She couldn’t resist playing in the flour, as you can see in this picture!
Our cookie tradition takes place on Christmas Eve morning. When my own two kids were little, baking and decorating cookies gave us something to do because Jim, their dad, almost always had to work on that day.The kids were so excited about Christmas Eve and presents that I had to come up with something to keep them occupied for a while! We kept this tradition up when Jake and Micki went to college, and continue it today with our three awesome grandkids!
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As it happens, the cookie tradition is pretty much the beginning of all of the cooking--and cleaning--that takes place over the holidays! I don’t mind that the bulk of the cooking and cleaning falls to me because I know the family looks forward to this time of year as much as I do.
So this year, after all of the cookies and gingerbread houses were finally transformed into masterpieces of architecture, I started cleaning up the kitchen so I could cook our Christmas Eve meal: prime rib! As I swept the floor, I couldn’t help but notice (and smile at) the pile of dirt and other stuff on my floor.
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The leaf was brought in by one of the kids (on a boot) after making snow angels and a funky snowman in the cold. Sugar and flour and dog hair made up a good portion of the dirt pile! And of course...sprinkles! The kids always go overboard with the sprinkles and naturally, some ends up on the floor! This sparkling pile of dirt was created with love--even if it was messy!
A lot of things worth doing in life are messy! If you have ever remodeled or even repainted a room, you know this to be true. Training for a marathon isn't pretty either, but competing in one can be worse. Success is messy too-- there is no straight line to success. Rather, the path is squiggly and hilly. The same can be said about learning (and teaching). Read @gcouros blog post about that here!
Walk into a classroom of engaged students and you should see and hear “messy!” Students might be working together, working alone, lying on the floor, standing up, talking, bouncing or even simply reading, but you will know they are learning when you see the “mess!”
Walk into a classroom of engaged students and you should see and hear “messy!” Students might be working together, working alone, lying on the floor, standing up, talking, bouncing or even simply reading, but you will know they are learning when you see the “mess!”
One of my favorite videos shows the excitement and messy journey of a young kid who finally got his Rube Goldberg device to work--on the FOURTH TRY! Audri exemplifies the concept that things worth doing take time and can be messy, and success is never a straight line path!
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Happy New Year! I hope yours is messy and full of love and wonder!