Setting the Tone - One of Woman's Greatest Legacies

"A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: . . ." 

Proverbs 15:13

Being a mom and a day care provider has its challenges. One of the challenges for me, but more specifically for my boys, is the morning. By the time my boys wake up in the morning, three girls have been in my home for at least 20 minutes, and my boys wake up needing to share mom. This is a little easier for them toward the end of the week, in contrast to right after the weekend.

Now, I could choose to get them up before the girls arrive, but my goal is to get lunches packed and the hubby and myself fed by 6:30, which then allows me time to read my Bible and sip some coffee for a little over 30 minutes. That plan is what gets me through the day. I'm pretty happy with that plan. However, that does make me very aware of the impact that has on my own children since mom is already busy with children when they wake up.

Currently the boys love the girls, and the girls love them, so the transition is pretty easy. I have noticed though, that my response to them then, and on the weekends, can either make or break the morning. If I drop everything to greet the boys (and girls, actually) with a joyful greeting and a hug, then they get a good dose of mommy love that will get them through the harried morning. If I stay involved with what I'm involved in when they come downstairs, then they have a much harder morning. Of course this is much easier to do on the weekends, but has even greater impact during the week.

Setting the tone of your home (early in the morning!) is one of a mother's (or woman's!!) greatest legacies. This isn't my own idea though, God's second greatest commandments was to love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31)! This is one way that I choose (because some days it's a choice not feeling!) to love my boys (and husband) as myself. I greet them in the morning exactly how I'd want to be greeted.


This weekend I was with it enough to greet my boys with some really light and fluffy pumpkin pancakes! I thought I'd share this yummy recipe, which comes from a wonderful breakfast cookbook a friend generously gave me!

Pumpkin Pancakes

(From Margaret S. Fox's, Morning Food)

1 c. flour 

(I doubled this recipe and used 1/2 white and 1/2 whole wheat, and couldn't tell at all.)

1/4 tsp salt 

(I decided to not put this in because of salt in the butter)

2 Tbsp brown sugar 

(slightly healthier than white, and organic sugars, which are certain to be non-genetically modified, can be found near the regular sugar at Fred Meyer)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

1 large egg, beaten

1/4 c. plain yogurt 

(the secret ingredient in my opinion!)

3/4 c. milk

3/4 c. pumpkin pureé 

(I'd recommend trying to make your own! You could can it, or freeze it, if using a large pumpkin.)

2 Tbsp melted butter

Mix all ingredients and use real maple syrup if your kids will eat it! Real maple syrup has less impact on your blood sugar levels than other syrups.