“Sometimes,’ said Pooh, ‘the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” A.A. Milne
“What day is it?”
It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
My favorite day,” said Pooh.” A.A. Milne
A.A. Milne, the author of our beloved Winnie the Pooh stories, knew how to think and write with the honest beauty of an innocent child. We love his books, I think, for this reason.
Milne is a favorite, however my house is also scattered all over with Mother Goose nursery rhyme books. If you find yourself in one of those “I just can’t do this any more” moods, read them Mother Goose like my mother did for her children, and my grandmother did for her children. You’ll be uplifted in no time when you are singing all ten verses of London Bridge, and reading silly, surprising little poems that the books are full of, like:
There once were two cats of Kilkenny,
Each thought there was one cat too many;
So they fought and they fit,
And they scratched and they bit,
Till, excepting their nails
And the tips of their tails
Instead of two cats, there weren’t any.
Some of the rhymes are like proverbs, presenting childhood wisdom in a light and fun way.
An apple a day
Sends the doctor away.
Apple in the morning,
Doctor’s warning.
Roast apple at night,
Starves the doctor outright.
Eat an apple going to bed,
Knock the doctor on the head.
Three each day, seven days a week,
Ruddy apple, ruddy cheek.
In the spirit of A.A. Milne, and Mother Goose I would like to share a few little pieces of our own.
They are the words of my two youngest children (they spoke them to me without knowing they were poetry, and I wrote them down.)
“The richest child sits on a poor mother’s lap”, Jacob Simmon Kever (1854-1922)
Seth’s Lap Poem, by Seth
Mother
I want to stay on your lap
Forever
Until the day is over
Until I am grown up
Until I am growned up
When I can read.
Seth’s Mother Goose rhyme, by Seth aged 5
Mother, Mother?
Are you rich?
Do you have
Many money?
Sarah’s Onion Poem, by Sarah aged 3
Mom?
Is this corn?
No. It’s an onion.
An onion! You can tell me the truth you know, is it really corn?
No. It’s an onion.
What is this?
That is it’s skin.
And where are it’s eyes?
Aren’t they fantastic? If you listen closely, I bet the children in your life communicate in poetry, too!
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In other news,
We went sledding.
We had pancakes on Saturday morning.
Seth fell asleep (my favorite picture from the weekend). Baby face.
We have a new washing machine.
Jacob had a headache.
So I made him brown sugar meatloaf.
My husband took three naps yesterday.
I have to catch up on the laundry today (new washer!) My first one with a drawer underneath. What should I keep in it?
Blessings, peace, and grace to you all my friends.
Shanda (an old woman, who lives in a shoe)
Be always like the lamb so mild
A kind, and sweet, and gentle child.
Sleep, baby, sleep.
I keep unmatched socks in mine until its mate come through. You have a warm happy day. Polly
What a great idea!
I’ll be interested to know how you like your new washer ~ I think we will soon be in the market for one too ~ 🙂
Just popping in to wish you a good week!
Thank you, This. Hope you have a good week, as well! (Do you have a blog anymore?) How are the kids?
Shanda, I do have a blog, it’s private, but you’re more than welcome. Email me at Thia7278 at yahoo.
Our space under the washer holds the clean rags 🙂 fun pictures!!!
Oh Dear dear Sarah, “Mommy, I need to go to the bathroom…Let’s go quick.”
I love houses that have sledding hills…we used to have a great one in Ohio when I was in 4th grade…our whole backyard was a sledding hill…
The kids love sledding on the hill here (our house sits on a nice hill for sledding). In the video, Sarah is going down on a pizza box right onto the ice on the pond. She and Seth loved it!
I often refer to myself as living in a shoe, haha! And I find when I just am not up to reading a story at bedtime I’ll sit and recite nursery rhymes with the boys. They always laugh. Sometimes I change the words to make them laugh or see if they notice.
And someday I bet your boys will do with same with their own children, nursery rhymes at bedtime. You’re a good mama, Beth. 🙂
When I found out I was pregnant with our last baby, I shared the news with my older brother. He quietly said, “Well, Sis, don’t buy any houses shaped like a shoe.” HA! 🙂 Loved this post. I think my favorite part was the sledding video. SO cute! 🙂 Thanks for sharing. I love peeking into your family home and activities. So beautiful. 🙂
We loved those poems! What a great idea. Bob looked over my shoulder. You are much more fun than opening bills on his lap 🙂 The boys all look so much alike in that picture in the kitchen!
Thank you Jenny and Bob! xo
Love the video!!!
“Let’s go quick!” 😉