2-52

This picture was hard to capture. I was kissing Moe and she was laughing, it was so cute that I tried to capture a photo. Way to hard to make her laugh and take the picture with one hand. They all came out fuzzy. I had to call in the big guns (Mike) so we could get a photo of Mom and Maggie.

She is so squeezy and yummy that I find her irresistible.

A Little Help Here

I would really like to know how you do it? I am having a very hard time trying to figure out the fine line between teaching my children to take care of their things and at the very same time teaching them that things aren't important. Should I just be concentrating on one of these principles and then focus on another when their older? What to do?

Charlie is in to destroying things which is maybe just part of being a boy but it sure does get frustrating.

I would say that my sister Debi did this well. (I guess you need to comment here Deb) Her children are so respectful but certainly don't place a high value on their "stuff".

Is anything specifically working for you out there? Am I trying to accomplish too much at too young of an age? Do I just keep going with what I've got and they'll figure it out when their older? Seriously help.

Torture

I don't advocate torturing little children but it's apparent that I don't prevent it either. I found these photos on my camera. Sadly I have no idea when Charlie and Jane got to her.

Project 52

I'm joining the ranks of project 52. I can honestly say that there are very few pictures of me on our computer. I'm always the one running to get the camera. Therefore I am in one of every 100 shots, maybe.

Here's how it works. You take a picture a week of yourself doing something with one or all of your children. So by the end of the year, (I'm getting a late start) you have at least 52 pictures of yourself. I encourage all of you to do it. This can only be a good thing. Here's my first one.

We're trying to make funny faces but I was concentrating more on the camera. I think that this was our fifth try to fit me in and get it right. I'll have to work harder at honing my skills here.

Thanks Shannon and Amberly for the inspiration. Truly all should consider this. Even if you don't blog. Take more pictures of yourself!

Bromance for my B-Day

Kimber is the greatest! She arranged a trip for me to hang out with my buddies; Jer, Matt, and Paul. She totally surprised me. She called up Dave and Debi, so we could stay in their cabin in Star Valley, Wyoming. Needless to say it was a total party.
Here we are playing with some roman candles, and of course we never held them when they were firing flaming balls. Safety is always our first concern. We are all Eagle Scouts after all.

One of the greatest things about Star Valley, is all of the fine dining. Below is a picture from the Elk Lodge. This was our favorite place for breakfast. I think it is under new management, and I'm not sure but they might be LDS. I do think that President Monson would fully endorse the breakfast special.

When we weren't in town tormenting the locals, we were up in the hills tormenting the wild life. We found a nice little spot on top of the mountain that no one else wanted to snowmobile in, so we had it all to ourselves. It was absolutely amazing. We couldn't have asked for a better place to be cold. From left to right that is Paul, Mike, and Jeremy.

Of course no snowmobile trip would be complete without one really stuck sled. In Paul's defense, we had very bad lighting that day. I'm sure if he would have seen the five foot drop into a wall of snow, he wouldn't have gone that way. It was just another really good opportunity for the boys to bond together. Thinking about this now, I'm wondering if Paul didn't do it on purpose. He brought two different shovels, and we hadn't used them up until this point. So maybe there was some foul play after all. Paul????


I decided to include this picture, because it pretty much sums up the whole trip. The weekend was absolute joy. I'm pretty sure that most of the fun we had is outlawed in 23 states. Thanks again Kimber. I love you!

Why Me?

How do you teach your children not to say poopie every second when Dad walks in the room and immediately says "Janie your a poopie".

I give up.

Still Standing

• Spent some time taking care of two sweet brothers.
• Each day a different one of my children have gotten sick and none of them have kicked it yet.
• Mike left for a much deserved guy trip.

All of these things made for a non accomplishing week, but yet, I have been so busy. My children have green goop seeping from their eyes and noses. Jane's been treated for an ear infection. Charlie had to get a chest x-ray to see if he had pneumonia. (He's in the clear.) Maggie's crib has been jimmy rigged to give her an incline and keep her from rolling. We've purchased two extra humidifiers. We've spent a lot of time in front of the t.v., lying on the couch, reading books and doing puzzles.

I'm working on little sleep but I'm really feeling quite good. Mike gave each of my children a blessing before leaving and then I politely said, "uh, I think I'm going to need one too". I 'm quite certain that's why I'm doing so well.

I'm grateful for the Priesthood and the power it has to bless lives.

Conversation

Charlie: Mom, you got such big elbows.

Mom: Those aren't elbows.

Perfect Punishment

A while ago I read a book called Parenting with Love and Logic. Interesting read and they had some good points, but like all parenting books it was about fixing myself. (I don't like that part) The main idea in the book is that you have consequences for your kids that fit the crime. For instance, if you have a child that always storms off in a huff and slams their bedroom door. Then one day they come home from school and their door has been removed. All of it is to be done without anger. The hardest part for me is being creative enough to know what the right consequence should be.
Yesterday Charlie and Jane were at each others throats. Yelling, kicking, hitting. They had been on time out throughout the day. It wasn't working. I had spent most of the day raising my voice and making threats that I really wasn't ready to back up.
Then I'd had enough.
The inspiration came.
I put them both in the dining room and made them stand there and hug each other.
Ha! It was awesome! Neither of them were happy. Mom was.
This time I think I got it right.

But A Fleeting Moment

All of the sweetness has gone....................Janey just fed Moe her poop. That's right, I said poop. I decided not to post a picture.

Gotta Document It

More sweetness.
I have to blog when my children do something sweet because it carries me through the not so great other times.

Last week Charlie fell asleep in the middle of our family room. I watched Jane walk into the kitchen, open the drawer, grab a hand towel and head over to Charlie.

"What are you doing Jane?"

"Charlie spit Mom.."

Then she proceeded to wipe the drool off of his face.

Yesterday she was holding one of her babies and proceeded to tell me that it was time for her baby to go to bed. So I said good night to the baby. Usually at this point she walks up the stairs and puts her doll in Moe's crib. This time she had a detour. Instead of heading up the stairs she walked over to our ottoman. (This is where we kneel and have our family prayers.) She knelt down, folded her dolls arms and said a sweet little prayer blessing each of our family members. Then she took her baby upstairs to bed.

It was a good payoff moment.