well crap

I got my cards today. Upon further inspection I failed to remove the date stamp on my pics before I uploaded them and now they are in all the little pics on my cards. Crap.

Oh well, can't win them all.

red, white and blue

I am sending out a summer card to all our friends and family, but had to put up a couple pics for now. I wish I was a better photographer and knew all the tricks to make the pic better, but I had good raw material to work with.

garden update 3

Our corn is more than knee high and its not even the 4th of July!

We have love the broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, and tomatoes. Austin and Hunter go out and eat them right off the plants. Savannah doesn't like tomotoes, or so she says.

Our corn is coming in nicely, as is the pumpkins, cantalope, and peppers.

Good things to come

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nczw6xHJ0I

Thanks Jolene, I needed to hear this. More importantly, I need to share it.

calling my bluff

At 10am, I told the kids that we would be going to the pool today. They looked at me, then back to the Wii. At 11:15am, "I said let's get ready to go. Austin, go get your suit on, Savannah go up and get towels and I will check on Hunter." She promptly walked straight into Hunter's room and woke him up while Austin continued to sit on the couch and play Wii. I thought to myself, "Self, they aren't listening to a word you are saying."

I called to them and said, "if you don't listen we aren't going."

Savannah was still in Hunter's room and Austin's eyes left the TV long enough to make contact with mine and if they could speak would have said whatever mom.

That's when I said it. Never mind, we aren't going to the pool and took Hunter and went outside. They were stunned. What!!!! She really meant it, we really aren't going???? They looked at each other like deer in the headlights. Holy cow!!! What's going on here????

They called my bluff and I laid it out, Full house. I win.

Then I told them they all the fun things we do are privileges and we didn't have to do any of them. If they want to do fun things like the pool, horseback riding lessons, going to the library, play dates, etc... they were going to earn them by listening and helping out.

If they wanted to earn horseback riding lessons this afternoon, they each had 3 jobs to do. I walked each through their responsibilities and told them if they weren't completed exactly as I said, then they would lose their beloved lesson today.

Then I got to work doing my jobs for the day. They asked questions when they had them, but they did the work. We talked about choices and consequences. Bad choices would always equal bad consequences. Good choices would always equal good consequences. It was a good lesson, one I am sure will be repeated countless times over the months and years ahead. As I sit here, I feel like I had a good mothering experience, took advantage of a good teaching moment, shared my testimony of agency, made my point, and I bet they will think twice about calling my bluff next time.

Now, off to horseback riding lessons.

A pain in the neck

This is what I will be wearing for the next six months to help improve my posture and hopefully rid myself of all the pain in my neck. Looks like fun right? Listen to your mom when she says stand up straight.

temple day

Today is the first time we have been able to leave the kids at home and attend the temple together since we were sealed last summer. What a great experience.

I will admit that the first hour or so in the car, there were a couple of awkward silences as we realized that we didn't have much to say. I can't remember the last time we were together, alone. It's been far to long I'm afraid.

It was so wonderful to see him on the other side of the endowment room. I tried to picture him sitting there so many times before and just couldn't see it. That's because I was trying to picture who he was, not who he would become. To see him across the room, dressed all in white, eagerly waiting to be taught, I saw him in a way I've never seen him before and feel a little deeper in love.

We left feeling peaceful about so many things and pondering others. All in all, it was a wonderful day and I can't wait to do it again.

Giddy Up!!

The kiddos had their second horseback riding lessons today and are even more in love with it than before. Chelsea, the teacher, is amazing and the kids really respond to her and her style of hands on learning. They spend some time focusing on safety and the basics, like posture and balance. Today they got to put some of those basics to use as they were out of the ring and able to trot. They loved it!

I am so glad to have found such a great place for them to have this experience. If you want Chelsea's number I will gladly share!!

cMoe

I took the kids to the children's museum today. I think they had a good time. We packed a picnic lunch to eat there. Then we headed in for the fun. Everything is very hands on. We were there from 11-2:30.

Wii intensity

Wii have been having some serious competition in our house. The boys have been bike riding, the girls are speed slicing and its getting pretty crazy in here. Wii are having a wonderful visit with Alex and Ellie and Wii are so glad they came to visit. Wii love them!

Where should a daddy be?

"Where should a Dad be? I love this picture because if you look close R is the one standing behind the fence coaching L on how to hit off the T. It made me stop and think how many kids in the world don't have a Father standing behind them coaching them in this game we call life. I am glad that my kids have a wonderful Father who is always supportive of all they do. He gives up all of his extra time to be with them. One day S commented on the fact her Dad never goes and does things with friends or things that he may want to do. I asked her if that was bad. She said no I like that he is always at everything we do. Many of my friends don't have that.

It seems like in the world today to many parents are putting themselves, there careers, and there hobbies before their kids.
There are many times that R has not been able to be at the kids things. I know that he is missed by the phone call after the event. He is just as excited to hear what happened as they are to tell about it.
I am thankful for my Dad. For the love and support he gives me while standing behind the fence coaching me on in my life."

I copied this post from a friends blog. I think the message is so wonderful and so worthnoting. How grateful I am for the wonderful dad's I know.

Hunter's one year appt

He's definately no Austin, that's for sure.

Today he weighed in at a whopping 20'10" and was measured at 30.5 inches, head circumfrence was 18.5 inches.

He weighed 19'3" at his 9 month appt. The dr suggested I keep him on formula for another 3 months but instead of mixing it with water, I should see if he will drink it mixed with whole milk. That way he is getting the fats and the extra calories. He didn't seem worried, he just wants me to bring him in at 15 months for another weight check.

I can't believe I have a boy who isn't off the chart in weight. Oh, wait, I married a tall, thin boy. Wonder where he gets it?

One...big cupcake Part 1

One big cupcake for one big one year old

One...big cupcake Part 2

Happy Birthday Hunter! What a wonderful little boy you are becoming. Here's a few of your favorite things-

-you love to snuggle with your blankie. When you do, you make this "mmmmmm" sound with your paci in your mouth. I think its the sound of contentment. Thanks Jaime for picking out such a soft, silky, wonderful blanket.

-you love to lay in your crib and talk yourself to sleep. You rarely go straight to sleep and I stand outside your door sometimes and listen to you babble happily.

-your favorite word to say is OUT. You say it thousands of times a day and are over the moon happy when we go outside.

-you love to see your bro and sis and whenever they walk into a room, you smile from ear to ear.

-You have the fastest crawl in the world. You don't crawl on your knees however, you crawl on your feet and hands and everyone at church either calls you spiderboy or Mowgli.

-you love to have a warm glass of formula after you wake up. 18 seconds, 3 scoops and you love it to the last drop.

Mudbath

The kids were out playing in the water when I looked out and saw they had created a huge mudbath in the garden. I made them rinse off, but had to get some pics first.

Hunter's BFF

On Hunter's birthday he got to have a special boys only play date with his best buddy, Asher. The played in the hose for more than an hour and then came in for a snack. Their clothes were all wet, so I stripped them down to the diaper and let them play.

trials of faith

I have been preparing the spiritual thought for our presidency meeting tonight and my thoughts keep going to trials. My trials, your trials, the trials of the sisters in our ward, the trials of the great men who lead their families, the trials of the youth of the church.

I have found some wonderful quotes that I wanted to share.

"As we daily confront a world full of negativity, doubt, fear, and even dread can creep into our hearts. President Thomas S. Monson has counseled us that, "faith and doubt cannont exist int he same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other." This is from a talk given by Elder Steven E. Snow in April 2009 in General Conference.

"The next time you're tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable." This is from Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin in the October 2008 General Conference.

They are both wonderful talks. You can read them in full in the following links.

LDS.org - Ensign Article - Come What May, and Love It

LDS.org - Liahona Article - Get On with Our Lives