A Day of Love

I love the "smaller" holidays like Valentine's Day.  Thanksgiving and Christmas can get so overwhelming and I feel like we can *enjoy* the day of love.

I was awoken at the crack of dawn by my three beauties with breakfast in bed (soggy cereal and a smooshed banana).  They were fired up about giving their pals at school their Valentines and for their class party.

After I volunteered in the classroom for my regular Monday time, I headed back with Georgia later in the day, to help with the party.  Wow....there were 27 excited kids!  It was so wonderful to see them play the love games, do the Valentine's craft, and chomp down more treats!

We did all of our various after-school activities, then headed home for a family night.  We had a "heart attack" where everyone had to write on a heart what they loved about each other.  Each person in the family got their own kitchen cupboard to hang their hearts on.  I love that they had to think and write in their own words why they love their family members!

Georgia giving Carter a big hug after he wrote her a heart

Then we ended our love night by decorating heart sugar cookies.  Tomorrow is a sugar detox day!

Not now

I have lots to write about.

But I am tired.

I am pleased as punch that I got to run up the canyon yesterday and soak in all it's beauty.

I'm nervous that I got the longest leg in the Ragnar Relay (21 miles).  Somehow, I need to show these folks they have made a mistake. 

I will be cooking 200 baked taters for the Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet. 

I'm grateful that I got to celebrate 12 years of marital bliss with my bestest friend.

Speaking of bestest buds, Peachy asked me the other day if I would be her lunch friend.  I joyfully accepted her invitation.  I love having an officialy lunch friend.

Consequences

A little boy in our family has been pushing the line. Making trouble. Being unkind. And mom and dad have been racking their brains to make a point that it is NOT acceptable.

If the kids are good during church on Sunday, they can get 3 scoops of ice cream. We always ask the kids if they earned their scoops and expect them to be honest.

**On a side note, one Sunday over dinner, we asked Abby if she had earned her scoops. She replied yes. Then started to cry and bawl and become hysterical. We couldn't understand her mumbling. After awhile, we were able to get her to calm down. She told us that she had lied and wasn't good during her Primary class. Nothing better than a good conscience!**

I'm grateful that our kids can feel like they can tell us things and know we won't freak out. Carter told us had been talking out of turn and that he lost his scoops. We were going to visit Grandma and Papa and they have *really* good ice cream. Though Carter had been really good the rest of the day, his scoops were still lost. It is hard to see a child pay a consequence for their action.

Last week, when I picked the kids up from school, Carter told me that he had been unkind to a boy in his class (a wimpy kid, mind you) and everyone laughed at the boy. I really wanted to ring my son's neck....honestly! But before I could say anything, Carter said he was really sorry for being mean and what would his punishment be. Thankfully, Tim and I have been consistent with punishments and the kids know we will follow through. His very favorite BYU sweatshirt was taken away. He wears it every day and every night.

I have to figure out a way to get this little boy to "GET IT". Sometimes I think he just doesn't THINK! It is a good thing that we love him and he is trying!

Just so I don't sound like I am a total grump....I want to remember how tall Carter is right now. I had to buy him another pair of shoes and jeans. Because the ones I bought him in AUGUST are too small. He ate 5 pieces of french toast the other night for "brinner" (breakfast for dinner). When he was bored the other day, he vacuum out all my kitchen drawers and the van. Big brownie points for that Bud!

Milestones

Every parent praises their children for reaching certain milestones - learning how to walk, how to eat with a spoon, going potty on the toilet.

We reached another big milestone in this house.  But let me share a few of my favorite milestones:

1.  Learning how to put on our shoes...by ourselves.  When the day came and I didn't have to put on anybodies shoes....it was a miracle!

2.  Buckling up carseats....by ourselves.  It would always take us forever to get ready to go somewhere....getting on the shoes and getting into the car.  It was a beautiful moment, when they did it themselves.

3.  Our newest milestone....taking a shower....by ourselves.  When the trio were little it would take us 2 hours to bath and feed everyone at night.  It was a daunting task at times.  Bath time has always taken a long time.  But last night, I told the kids to go take a shower....AND THEY DID!  Wow....it was so wonderful to have these clean smelling, wet haired, teeth brushed kids come out of the bathroom.

We are growing up!

These are a few of my favorite things....

1.  My new dishwasher.  I've been hand washing dishes for awhile and I've come to appreciate that new stainless steel beauty even more.  The night after we got the dishwasher, our sweet Abby came into our room in the middle of the night proclaiming that the new dishwasher gave her the coughs.  Sweet!

2.  Stinky Hot dog!  Every time Georgia and I go to Costco, we always get lunch.  Georgia always gets the hot dog.  But those doggies STINK, so we call her the "stinky hot dog" all day....she just laughs!

3.  Ward temple night.  We had ward temple night last week - our very own private session!  It was incredible to sit with my very dear neighbors and friends and worship.  A small taste of what heaven will be like!

4.  Antibotics.  I had another major sinus infection and the flu.  Those body aches, fever, chills kept me in bed for a day.  Hooray for the drugs that make life better!

No Hillbillies for us.....

We lost a front tooth folks and it ain't pretty!  This girl has been rolling in the dollars from the tooth fairy.  She needs to save those dollars to help pay for braces!  You are so beautiful Annie (lets just get those teeth to grow back in)!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow we have parent/teacher conferences.  Hmmmm....I knew this day was coming and it I've been thinking about it.

A lot.

I have to make a recommendation to the teacher in regards to keeping the big kids together or putting them in separate classes for 2nd grade.

It is so much easier said than done.

Thus far, they have been in the same class.  Which is SO convenient for me!  I'm dealing with one teacher, one set of homework, volunteering in one class, and etc.

But I knew the day would come, when they would each need their own space.  Where they wouldn't be compared (or at least not as bad).  Where they could flourish and grow....alone.  But that means I would have multiple teachers, multiple classes to volunteer in and different homework.

They each have their own set of friends in class.  They always sit at lunch apart and play with different classmates at recess.  So do they really need to be separated RIGHT now....or can it wait?


I'm at a stand still as to what I am going to do....but I need to decide something quick.