Fires, puzzles and marbles

Elizabeth was able to go to the fire station with some of her cousins and their playschool group. She sure does enjoy spending time with cousins. She has been practicing her STOP, DROP and ROLL and how she would get out of the house if the fire alarms went off. She was enthralled with the fireman putting on his suit. It was so cute to watch the fear in the kids after he put on his mask and started talking with the oxygen going. Soon, they all warmed back up to him and realized he didn't magically turn into a monster.


Elizabeth has been so into puzzles lately... she concentrates super hard on them. She can sit there and do them for hours! In this picture, I couldn't even get her to look up!



If any of you know Elizabeth, she is so stubborn! I have really struggled this year with the terrible 3's. I felt like I had tried everything (positive attention, negative attention, a reward system, etc. etc.) She was really starting to drive me crazy because I just could not get her to do anything that I wanted her to do! This is really a new thing for me because my other 2 kids just listen to me. Well, I call it inspiration because I didn't think about it until I was on my knees about it one morning. Rewarding her with MARBLES? Silly me, this idea that has been around forever and I've never tried it (In fact Christian's teacher uses it in their classroom). We found this really cute snowman jar and told her that we would let her put in a marble every time she quickly obeyed us or did something nice without being told to. It has been a week and I tell you what, it has been the ticket to better behavior for this stubborn girl. Last night she said, "I'm going to just keep doing good things until the jar is all full!" I then said, "then we'll get another jar!" I have had so much more fun with her! I sure do love my Lizzy Lou!

New Family Pictures!

My brother is married to the photographer in our family. She does a really great job! We needed a family picture bad and really appreciate Lindsay making us look good. We sure do have sweet kids.

The Kids from a couple of years ago...

So, I don't have any good pictures to post so I thought I'd post some from about this time of year a couple of years ago. It really makes me want to keep them young and tiny. I am trying to go with the flow and allow the change to come. It is a different phase of my life not having a baby. I'm trying to adjust, but am not doing too well with it so far. I miss babies!

Family Home Evening!

Sometimes we struggle with ideas and preparation for our Family Home Evenings. Many times it is a last minute throw it together FHE. Today, I was searching for some good ideas for a family home evening for tonight. Well, I came across one that I thought was amazing! http://fheplanner.blogspot.com/2008/08/obedience-to-parents-lesson-plans.html

Opposition in all things!

My vehicle was in the shop to get some minor things fixed this weekend. I knew that I could handle walking the kids to school and walking to go pick them up in the afternoon too. No big deal! Well, on the way to school and back, my 3 year old complained to the point that it was getting super irritating. I've been really trying to relate to her because I don't want to give her negative attention (which sometimes, I think she likes). So, I had a talk with her about the pioneers and how in the those days, they didn't have cars and they had to walk for miles and miles! I told her that they suffered many hardships and that they really appreciated the less difficult times. I wasn't sure whether she understood everything, but it seemed to sidetrack her enough that she didn't complain a whole lot more. Well, Monday afternoon was pouring down rain as well as being fairly windy. I bundled her up and put her in a stroller so I didn't have to hear the complaints this time. She had an umbrella too... so she was set. After a little while, I started making a couple comments, like, "wow, it's really windy" and "oh no, my umbrella is going inside out!". Then, Lizzy says, "Mom, are you suffering?" What a cute little gal she is. I love how her mind works like a sponge. She is such a blessing to me from day to day. I wanted to remember this experience because it was a great lesson to me of opposition and the trials of motherhood. This scripture about Adam and Eve comes to mind, "And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin" (2 Nephi 2:23).

Election Day!

My nine-year-old boy read my sample ballot last night and gave his opinion on some of the propositions and has been asking a lot of questions lately. This morning he said, "Why is it that I can't vote? The kids are going to need to say how they feel about all this." This really touched me and confused me! I wish he could vote... and it is so true, this election does affect our children! If only they could be a bigger voice in the decisions that will affect their futures.

We have been pretty involved with proposition 8 supporting Traditional Marriage between a man and a women. Christian and Meliah have been a huge part of the election and our hope that Prop 8 passes. They have done last minute putting flyers on doors (rain or sunshine). We could not have done it without them! They have been so helpful! I hope and pray today that God will guide those that vote today! Kids need us to make good decisions for them!

Halloween 2008

Aaron makes one good-looking scarecrow!

The Tin Man

The Cowardly Lion not wanting a picture!

Meliah made the perfect Dorothy... she even cried when she lost Toto.

I found that kids really are terrified by witches... I don't like scaring kids... and I did!

The kids invited some friends for the Truck-or-Treat and had a blast together.