Andy is a very special kid. I am proud of him and so happy to have him as part of our family. Life is never dull with Andy around!
His motorcycle cake that my sister helped me make
Fun at Big Bounce
February 27, 2010
February 17, 2010
Super Mom
The planets and stars must have aligned just right, because last night for about an hour I was a Super Mom.
After dinner I orchestrated the following:
Andy did his reading, half with me, half on his own. He also unloaded the dishwasher.
Janessa did her reading with me, and cleaned her room.
Brennen practiced his piano.
Cameron and I worked on his Speech and he unloaded the silverware.
And it took place with minimal nagging and no yelling or whining. Actual peace. Amazing.
I did go to bed with a dirty kitchen, as I never loaded the dishwasher after it was unloaded (or had the assigned child do it). But that worked out fine too because Scott cleaned it this morning before breakfast.
After dinner I orchestrated the following:
Andy did his reading, half with me, half on his own. He also unloaded the dishwasher.
Janessa did her reading with me, and cleaned her room.
Brennen practiced his piano.
Cameron and I worked on his Speech and he unloaded the silverware.
And it took place with minimal nagging and no yelling or whining. Actual peace. Amazing.
I did go to bed with a dirty kitchen, as I never loaded the dishwasher after it was unloaded (or had the assigned child do it). But that worked out fine too because Scott cleaned it this morning before breakfast.
February 15, 2010
Let's Make a Deal
Here is the type of conversation my hubby and I have now:
"If you stay up to pick up the teenager at the region dance at 11:30, I will get up with the little kids at 7:00."
We were warned about times like these--"Once you aren't getting up with babies, you will be waiting up for teenagers." And yes, some kids are capable of entertaining themselves on Sunday mornings while the parents sleep, but at our house, we have a very energetic 7 year-old and you never know what kind of 'entertainment' he is going to find.
"If you stay up to pick up the teenager at the region dance at 11:30, I will get up with the little kids at 7:00."
We were warned about times like these--"Once you aren't getting up with babies, you will be waiting up for teenagers." And yes, some kids are capable of entertaining themselves on Sunday mornings while the parents sleep, but at our house, we have a very energetic 7 year-old and you never know what kind of 'entertainment' he is going to find.
February 12, 2010
If You Love 'Em, Tell 'Em
When I was a kid, the church had ads on TV called "If You Love 'Em, Tell 'Em", like the current ones out now "Family: It's About Time."
My favorite was the one where a teenager calls his (or her--can't remember) dad at work and says "I just called to tell you the I love you." The Dad gets a confused look on his face and asks "Who is this?"
A week or so ago, I read the talk by Elder Bednar in the Ensign from October Conference . He urged us to be "more diligent and concerned at home" as found in D&C 93:50. It was great and really got me thinking about how important it is to express our love and testimonies to each other.
We need to express love and show it. Tell our kids and spouses that we love them. This isn't hard for me to do. Sometimes hard to remember, especially with teenagers. I mean it is more natural for me to tell my 3 year old I love him when I am cuddling with him and when he constantly says "I wuv vu", then it is with big boys whom I don't cuddle with anymore. But I do say it and give occasional hugs and shoulder squeezes. I can always do better, but expressing my love is not hard for me.
However, the second thing Elder Bednar suggested is hard for me: bear your testimony often to your family. I struggle with this. I guess because I have a hard time expressing personal feelings. I don't know. I have been thinking about this often lately, and watching for oppotunities to bear testimony about the things I know to be true. But it is harder than I thought it would be. Not finding opportunities necessarily, but actually bearing testimony. Even after scripture reading I do not add a testimony. I realize that it will become easier and easier as I do it more. Finally yesterday morning I did tell the family that I know the Holy Ghost is my constant companion and guides me daily. (it is even hard to blog this...) It felt good. Now that the ice is broken, I need to keep on keepin' on.
Elder Bednar said that we all know we need to do these things, but what we know is not always reflected in what we do.
Just some food for thought . . .
My favorite was the one where a teenager calls his (or her--can't remember) dad at work and says "I just called to tell you the I love you." The Dad gets a confused look on his face and asks "Who is this?"
A week or so ago, I read the talk by Elder Bednar in the Ensign from October Conference . He urged us to be "more diligent and concerned at home" as found in D&C 93:50. It was great and really got me thinking about how important it is to express our love and testimonies to each other.
We need to express love and show it. Tell our kids and spouses that we love them. This isn't hard for me to do. Sometimes hard to remember, especially with teenagers. I mean it is more natural for me to tell my 3 year old I love him when I am cuddling with him and when he constantly says "I wuv vu", then it is with big boys whom I don't cuddle with anymore. But I do say it and give occasional hugs and shoulder squeezes. I can always do better, but expressing my love is not hard for me.
However, the second thing Elder Bednar suggested is hard for me: bear your testimony often to your family. I struggle with this. I guess because I have a hard time expressing personal feelings. I don't know. I have been thinking about this often lately, and watching for oppotunities to bear testimony about the things I know to be true. But it is harder than I thought it would be. Not finding opportunities necessarily, but actually bearing testimony. Even after scripture reading I do not add a testimony. I realize that it will become easier and easier as I do it more. Finally yesterday morning I did tell the family that I know the Holy Ghost is my constant companion and guides me daily. (it is even hard to blog this...) It felt good. Now that the ice is broken, I need to keep on keepin' on.
Elder Bednar said that we all know we need to do these things, but what we know is not always reflected in what we do.
Just some food for thought . . .
February 2, 2010
Flexibility
I am not organized much at all. In some areas, maybe slightly. My husband is an accountant and very systematic and organized. Me, not so much. But sometimes I really try. Like yesterday I wrote out a list of stuff to get done. On the list was putting dinner in the crockpot in the morning. You know so it would be done by dinner time? There were other things, like ironing shirts which have been sitting on my dresser waiting to be ironed for at least a week.
So I was doing my list, slow going but getting a few things done. However, I had neglected to actually get dressed and ready for the day. I got a call from the elementary school nurse about 10:00. Janessa had fallen on ice the night before and hurt her arm. I had been up with her in the night and had been giving her Motrin, but when she left for school she felt fine, she said. But her arm was hurting at school. I suppose I should get it x-rayed. So I had to hastily get me and Cameron dressed and pick her up and find a place to take our insurance that we just changed to. (I realize I should do stuff like find doctors before you actually need them...) A little over two hours later we came out of the urgent care without a bright pink cast, thank goodness. In fact, it was so obviously not broken the doctor didn't even bother to x-ray it. I am glad that I don't have much experience with broken bones, but I would like to be able to notice an obviously not broken bone. The advice he gave: give her Tylenol and Motrin.
Then we went to Pizza Hut for lunch because I figured that now was a good time to redeem her free personal pan from her Book It award. But we were slow getting seated and even slower getting our order taken. All I wanted was two itty bitty pizzas! Come on.
Next we stopped by the grocery store and I picked up a few things (because I had been out with these two children for three hours now, most of in a doctor's office and I just did not feel up to full-out grocery shopping with kids. And besides I didn't have my shopping list with me. Why would I plan ahead like that?)
We got home and then I got a call from the school nurse at the Middle School saying my child was sick and needed to come home. My husband retrieved him and I prepared for the after school tutoring I do.
We had hot dogs and tater tots for dinner and the shirts are still seating on my dresser. I made it to the grocery store after tutoring because it turned out to be a short session. (and no, I didn't have my list, but I winged it).
The moral of the story? Maybe some Moms can be organized, but even then, they have to be flexible. You never know what time of day that curve ball will be thrown at you. So just expect it everyday and be prepared to be flexible.
So I was doing my list, slow going but getting a few things done. However, I had neglected to actually get dressed and ready for the day. I got a call from the elementary school nurse about 10:00. Janessa had fallen on ice the night before and hurt her arm. I had been up with her in the night and had been giving her Motrin, but when she left for school she felt fine, she said. But her arm was hurting at school. I suppose I should get it x-rayed. So I had to hastily get me and Cameron dressed and pick her up and find a place to take our insurance that we just changed to. (I realize I should do stuff like find doctors before you actually need them...) A little over two hours later we came out of the urgent care without a bright pink cast, thank goodness. In fact, it was so obviously not broken the doctor didn't even bother to x-ray it. I am glad that I don't have much experience with broken bones, but I would like to be able to notice an obviously not broken bone. The advice he gave: give her Tylenol and Motrin.
Then we went to Pizza Hut for lunch because I figured that now was a good time to redeem her free personal pan from her Book It award. But we were slow getting seated and even slower getting our order taken. All I wanted was two itty bitty pizzas! Come on.
Next we stopped by the grocery store and I picked up a few things (because I had been out with these two children for three hours now, most of in a doctor's office and I just did not feel up to full-out grocery shopping with kids. And besides I didn't have my shopping list with me. Why would I plan ahead like that?)
We got home and then I got a call from the school nurse at the Middle School saying my child was sick and needed to come home. My husband retrieved him and I prepared for the after school tutoring I do.
We had hot dogs and tater tots for dinner and the shirts are still seating on my dresser. I made it to the grocery store after tutoring because it turned out to be a short session. (and no, I didn't have my list, but I winged it).
The moral of the story? Maybe some Moms can be organized, but even then, they have to be flexible. You never know what time of day that curve ball will be thrown at you. So just expect it everyday and be prepared to be flexible.
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