Roses & Thorns

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"Roses & Thorns" is a game I read about in one of my Mom's many magazines while recovering from surgery last summer.  I think it may have even been in an article about how America's first family, The Obama's, keep it real since they have moved in the White House.  No matter where it came from it is now one of our (well, at least one of mine) favorite parts of the day.  I have come to cherish the answers I hear from everyone and love how Braydon and Rhett can make us laugh with their perspective on things. 

Here's how it works..

Anytime your family is together, for us it's at dinner time, you go around the room sharing your roses, which are the things that made your day better, and your thorns, the things that you wish didn't happen that day.  Real simple..right? You would think so, but honestly I realized really quickly how negative I am throughout about my days, especially my workdays.  Now when something positive happens I try to hold on to that all day long until I can get home and share it as a rose.

Garett isn't the biggest fan, I know, but I do think he gets a kick out of hearing the boys and deep down I know he will cherish the memories, even if I force him to participate.

The kids don't seem to have a problem coming up with roses, as a matter of fact they have many days where they can't share a thorn because they have none.  What a great problem to have!  Nothing makes me happier than to know that my children are seeing the positive points of their days. Here are some of the cutest recent "roses and thorns" from our table & I hope someone that reads this will try it, enjoy it as much as I do,  and pass it on as well :)

Rhett:  Rhett didn't participate for the longest time, mainly because he wasn't talking much.  Now he expects his turn and the running joke at the moment is that he grins and lists

"babies" as his rose and "babies" as his thorn.  He goes to our sitter, Ms. Vicki, everyday and I guess the younger kids there really entertain him, but at the same time tire him.  We all laugh, but we will be shocked when he finally decides to tell us what really makes him happy each day.

Braydon's Roses -

"I got a new train"

"I didn't get in trouble at school today"

"Everyone is home safe"

"I get to see my _______ (fill in the blank with Aunt KK, Nana, or any of his other favorite people)

"I was able to go to __________birthday party!" (He loves birthdays)

Braydon's Thorns-

"My friend got his squirrel moved today."

"I didn't get a new train today"

"It was raining and I didn't get to go outside and play today"

My absolute favorite...."I don't have any thorns!"



Eating with the boys is one of my favorite parts of my day!