Thankful for Family
Thankful For Family
By Allan Olson published 11-24-10 Cass Lake Times
Eat until I can’t eat anymore is the plan for me this Thursday. This is likely the case for many others as well. The food that will be prepared is just one of many things to be thankful for this week.
I can honestly say I’m thankful for a lot of things in my life. I’m especially thankful for my beautiful little family. Do I always feel overwhelmed with joy while dealing with the everyday tasks of working and raising four children?
I would be lying if I said yes. My children are great kids. They are great at making me smile with their questions and antics.
However, they are also great at driving me up a wall.
Asking them to help clean a room sometimes and it’s like you put them in a torture chamber by daring to ask for a little help cleaning up the mess they made.
Other times they are willing, eager partners ready to help with whatever task you need them to.
Of course, there are also those times when they are too willing and end up making a simple task turn into a monumental event.
Also involved with the request for some help are the common delay tactics. You know, the ... “I gotta go potty.” Funny. A minute ago they were fine. Then, when you ask them to clear the table or clean their room, it’s an automatic potty break.
Despite the frustration involved in getting their assistance, or getting them ready for school, or finding their outdoor clothes after they were playing with them in the house ... I still love them.
For without my children, life would be boring and uncomplicated.
Perhaps raising children is a little stressful at times, but it’s all worth it when they wrap their little arms around you for a simple little hug.
Unless of course the hug is a delay tactic, used when they are supposed to be picking up toys or going to bed.
Sometimes I wonder who taught them those tricks. Is it God planting those seeds while they are just an infant or do the grandparents take them aside and whisper these things to them when the parents aren’t around?
Or is it as my oldest son Nikolai used to say, “I learned it myself.”
Regardless, the tactics are sometimes amusing and other times quick to flare up my level of frustration. Other times I just shake my head and walk away knowing that perhaps it’s best if they just stay out of the way and I do it myself.
Of course this is usually when they are most eager to help.
I have many other things to be thankful for in life as well. I’m thankful for my wife, who puts up with my own sometimes over complicated ideas of doing things. I’m thankful for her talent in the kitchen. Even though that talent has perhaps led to a size increase or two.
I’m thankful for my parents, who’ve taught me how to provide for my family by hard work and determination.
I’m thankful for my grandparents who taught my parents the same skills.
Of course, I’m thankful for our readers and advertisers who help me make a living to provide for my family.
I’m thankful for another fun and, more importantly, a safe hunting season.
As a wrap-up for my hunting season, it took me until the last morning of the season to get a button buck and then I came home to be with my family.
As for my daughter Abigail’s hunting adventures, she was happy I got a deer. Her squeals of delight over the phone could be heard in the neighboring two counties.
However, as I put her down for a nap Sunday afternoon, she said, rather seriously, “I wish we could go bear hunting. There are bears in the woods.”
I left the room quickly to avoid having to reply to her.
There are so many things to be thankful for in life and I wish all our readers and their family and friends a very happy Thanksgiving.
We appreciate your comments and feedback along with your photos, so drop us a line at cltimes1@arvig.net.
By Allan Olson published 11-24-10 Cass Lake Times
Eat until I can’t eat anymore is the plan for me this Thursday. This is likely the case for many others as well. The food that will be prepared is just one of many things to be thankful for this week.
I can honestly say I’m thankful for a lot of things in my life. I’m especially thankful for my beautiful little family. Do I always feel overwhelmed with joy while dealing with the everyday tasks of working and raising four children?
I would be lying if I said yes. My children are great kids. They are great at making me smile with their questions and antics.
However, they are also great at driving me up a wall.
Asking them to help clean a room sometimes and it’s like you put them in a torture chamber by daring to ask for a little help cleaning up the mess they made.
Other times they are willing, eager partners ready to help with whatever task you need them to.
Of course, there are also those times when they are too willing and end up making a simple task turn into a monumental event.
Also involved with the request for some help are the common delay tactics. You know, the ... “I gotta go potty.” Funny. A minute ago they were fine. Then, when you ask them to clear the table or clean their room, it’s an automatic potty break.
Despite the frustration involved in getting their assistance, or getting them ready for school, or finding their outdoor clothes after they were playing with them in the house ... I still love them.
For without my children, life would be boring and uncomplicated.
Perhaps raising children is a little stressful at times, but it’s all worth it when they wrap their little arms around you for a simple little hug.
Unless of course the hug is a delay tactic, used when they are supposed to be picking up toys or going to bed.
Sometimes I wonder who taught them those tricks. Is it God planting those seeds while they are just an infant or do the grandparents take them aside and whisper these things to them when the parents aren’t around?
Or is it as my oldest son Nikolai used to say, “I learned it myself.”
Regardless, the tactics are sometimes amusing and other times quick to flare up my level of frustration. Other times I just shake my head and walk away knowing that perhaps it’s best if they just stay out of the way and I do it myself.
Of course this is usually when they are most eager to help.
I have many other things to be thankful for in life as well. I’m thankful for my wife, who puts up with my own sometimes over complicated ideas of doing things. I’m thankful for her talent in the kitchen. Even though that talent has perhaps led to a size increase or two.
I’m thankful for my parents, who’ve taught me how to provide for my family by hard work and determination.
I’m thankful for my grandparents who taught my parents the same skills.
Of course, I’m thankful for our readers and advertisers who help me make a living to provide for my family.
I’m thankful for another fun and, more importantly, a safe hunting season.
As a wrap-up for my hunting season, it took me until the last morning of the season to get a button buck and then I came home to be with my family.
As for my daughter Abigail’s hunting adventures, she was happy I got a deer. Her squeals of delight over the phone could be heard in the neighboring two counties.
However, as I put her down for a nap Sunday afternoon, she said, rather seriously, “I wish we could go bear hunting. There are bears in the woods.”
I left the room quickly to avoid having to reply to her.
There are so many things to be thankful for in life and I wish all our readers and their family and friends a very happy Thanksgiving.
We appreciate your comments and feedback along with your photos, so drop us a line at cltimes1@arvig.net.
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