April 15th- April 21st 2012

Our girls.

I was trying to take a picture of Ellie on Sunday after church. Steph gave Ellie the dress she is wearing. I think she looks so cute. 

Of course, Kailee wanted to be in the picture too.

 

The girls had a sleepover with Grandma Colleen on Saturday. Ryan had planned an early birthday Celebration for me that included going to the City Creek Center for dinner and then staying at a hotel nearby. At the last minute I decided it would be fun to go hang out at City Creek and also go to dinner but I didn't want to spend the money to stay at a hotel. 

We dropped the girls off at Grandmas at 7pm not knowing if we really dared to leave them overnight.

We went to the Cheesecake Factory to get a slice of Cheesecake to-go and then went to Kneaders for dinner. By the time we finished eating the stores were closing so we just hung out at the fountains for a little bit and then left. On our way home we called Grandma to see how the girls were doing. She said they were a little nervous about staying the night and didn't want to get in bed. She reassured us that they would be fine, so we left them there and went home. 

It was nice to have an evening to ourselves, but it was also really hard to have the girls gone. That was their first sleepover. Kailee stayed with Grandma Colleen when Ellie was born, but that's it and she was only 17 months old. 

They did seem to have a good time with Grandma. They ate popsicles, played on the swing outside and Kailee even showed Grandma her dance!

April 8th- April 14th 2012

Happy Easter 2012!!!

Our Easter Sunday pictures

Our Easter Bunny brought us treats while we were at church. 

(Our church is at 9am this year so we didn't want to be distracted with the goodies to make us late)

The girls each got a book, a sippy cup, gold fish and a little bit of candy.

Ryan got a wallet, a tie, a drink, gum and a chocolate bunny

I got PJ's, a running vest and sports gum

Ellie - so excited about her picture that she colored in Nursery and her Easter Basket

Kailee has found a new love for putting towels on her head. She wanted a picture taken of her picture from class too.

Ryan set up a small egg hunt in the backyard for the girls. It didn't take them long at all to find all the eggs. 

Of course, we had to take some time to play on the swing set. Yay for good weather!

Later in the evening we stopped by Steph's to say hi and to give my Mom her Easter Basket. We gave her kitchen towels and a cute little bird decoration. 

After Stephs we went to Tawnie's for dinner and an egg hunt. Good fun with good family!

Ellie had her 18 month old check up with Dr. Fruin on Monday. She is growing tall, tall, tall, fast, fast, fast!

She now weighs 23lbs, 4oz (40%), is 35.75" (80%) Tall and her head is 18.25cm (40%). She is right on track with her milestones and learns something new every single day.

On Tuesday we rode FrontRunner and Trax to the new City Creek Center with my mom, Steph, Conner and Kloe. We got on the train in Layton and they picked it up in Farmington. The kids always think it is so fun riding the train. When we got to the mall, we had lunch at Kneaders and then spent a couple hours looking through the shops and playing at the fountains. When we were finished at the mall, we walked over to Temple Square to walk the grounds and to try to get some pictures by the Temple. Now that was a ridiculous idea! Who thought we would be able to get the kids to sit still for pictures after spending a couple hours in a stroller walking around the mall?! I love our pictures. They show our real life! Crazy and crazy!

I felt bad after taking this picture of the girls by the train. We got to the station a little early and were able to see the north bound train go by. I walked away from the girls so I could get a picture of them with the train. When I turned around, they both looked scared to death. Silly me didn't realize they would be frightened by the gigantic train rushing passed them. DUH! Sorry girls. I know see why that would be so darn scary! I promise next time I will stand next to you when the train is so close by.)

April 1st- April 7th 2012

Sometimes I get brave and get in the shower during the day while the girls play. When I got out of the shower on Monday this is what I found. They had pulled every single book off of their book shelf and lined them up from Kailee's room to my room. Sometimes it is so frustrating to clean up messes like that, but I chose to be grateful they kept themselves busy and safe while I was not watching them. Plus, how could I not think that was cute? They are so creative!

Kailee's poor eye is infected again. It has been swollen and red for the last couple days. She is so good and doesn't complain about it. We called her Ophthalmologist and had him prescribe an antibiotic to help clear it up. We are hoping it doesn't get as bad as it was last October.

After getting ready for the day Wednesday morning, this is what I found. Ellie is absolutely in LOVE with totally emptying her dresser. I hope this phase passes quickly. I can only fold and re-fold all of her clothes so many times in one day. But, she is still a cute girl!

Kailee asked me to take a picture of her too. So I did.

Our neighborhood had an Easter Party/Lunch/Egg Hunt at the park on Thursday. It was so fun to watch the girls run and try to get their eggs. Of course as soon as they were done they had to open each egg to see what they got. After the Egg Hunt, the girls played on the playground for a little bit. Ellie enjoys the slides and only the slides. Kailee is getting so brave and is starting to try new things.

After the Egg Hunt, the girls played on the playground for a little bit. Ellie enjoys the slides and only the slides. Kailee is getting so brave and is starting to try new things. She went down the bar slide and climbed high on the ropes. Love my girls!

Saturday morning we colored our Easter Eggs at home. I have no idea why I didn't get a picture of the finished eggs. Darn it. Next year. The girls (with help from Dad) did a good job and seemed to really enjoy it. Yay for Easter. We are ready for the Easter bunny.

March 25th- March 31st 2012

This is how the girls fell asleep for their nap on Sunday. Looks comfortable right?!

These two LOVE to use kitchen towels as capes, skirts and dresses. They ask me all day long to pin them on them. I love their imaginations!

I have been reading the book 5 Spiritual Solutions for Everyday Parenting Challenges by Richard and Linda Eyre. I checked the book out from the library so I wasn't able to highlight and mark it up. Eventually I will have to buy the book so I can refer to it when I need a little parenting help. It was a good book to read with good ideas and tips.

Obviously, there were a lot of things that stood out to me....

pg. 6
Perhaps one of the most remarkable and distinctive beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is that God has revealed information and insight that was lost about His plan for mankind, and about the family centered purpose of this mortal existence.

We believe that all of us once lived with our heavenly parents in a pre-mortal life before this world was. There, as God's spirit children, we developed and progressed until we were ready to enter this laboratory school of physical life. He knew us as individuals and sent us each into mortal circumstances where our challenges and opportunities would maximize our potential for growth. We understood, as spirits before coming here, that mortality would be full of risk and that pain and difficulty would be as much a part of it as the moments of fulfillment and joy.

This mortal sojourn on a physical planet where we could learn by our experience and our agency was a key part of Gods plan for His family, and at its core was our opportunity to have and to live in families of our own where we could develop new levels of love, commitment, and sacrifice.

Thus we recognize babies who are born into this world as our spiritual siblings who come from our common home with God and who all already have distinctive personalities and characters developed during the course of their pre-earth existence. As our literal spirit brothers and sisters, children are worthy of our respect and diligent care, and parents are their stewards rather than their creators- who should do their best to discover who and what their children already are and to raise them accordingly. In this context, prayer for help in understanding and raising our children is a direct appeal to the real Parent, who knows them (and us) perfectly.

The goal in simple terms, is to return with our families to Gods family and to be, upon that return, resurrected beings who are a little more like Him through the mortal experiences we have had and the choices we have made.

Since we believe that all mankind are literally brothers and sisters, searching out our ancestors and filling in and linking up our family trees is like doing the research and making the contacts for a massive family reunion.

pg. 12
Our parenting issues and challenges sometimes feel so overwhelming and so unique to us that we wonder if anyone else has ever faced them, and we get so caught up in the worlds solutions that we sometimes forget to turn to the Lord for solutions as fully as we should.

pg. 14
One night the captain of a tanker saw a light dead ahead. He directed his signalman to flash a signal to the light, which went: "Change course 10 degrees south."

The replay was quickly flashed back: "You change course 10 degrees north."

The captain was a little annoyed at this reply and sent a further message: "I am a captain. Change course 10 degrees south."

Back came the reply: " I am an able seaman. Change course 10 degrees north."

The captain was outraged at this reply and sent a message, "I am a 240,000-ton tanker. Change course 10 degrees south!"

Back came the reply: "I am a lighthouse! Change course 10 degrees north!"

Perspective is everything. When we see things accurately, and within the bigger picture, when we "get it" and understand what is really happening and why, we can then figure things out and make good choices.

pg. 31

The DAT formula

D stands for decibels. Just turn down your volume a little, speak a little more softly, a little more calmly.
A stands for agency. When we give children no choices or input on things, we disrespect them as spirits. Giving them as many choices as we can, as early as we can, is not only a great teaching method, but a simple and direct way of respecting them.
T is for tone. even when our decibels are OK, we often use a tone that is condescending or sarcastic or even mean or arbitrary- a tone we would never use with a friend or other person we respect.

Lets Start Over.
The best way to break a had habit is to set up a simple system that allows them to instantly correct themselves.

Pg. 35
The Five Facet Review
set aside one evening a month to go to dinner someplace-have a date- and talk exclusively about your children. Go through the five facets of each of your kids; physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual. You know more than you think you do, and your spouse knows more than you think he or she does about each child. it just takes a discussion and some questions to pull out things you didn't even know you knew.

Pg. 57
Follow the Heavenly Parent Rather Than the Earthly one.

1. God grants us complete, unconditional love.
2. God sees (and treats) each child as a unique and eternal individual.
3. God gives clear, simple laws with well-announced consequences, rewards, and punishments.
4. God allows his children the chance to repent.
5. God taught us and trained us and held us close throughout the premortal life, and then He gave us choices and let us go.
6. God trusts His children and is completely trustworthy for His children.
7. God gives us stewardships.
8. God has a plan of happiness for His children.
9. God gives us written advice in the form of scripture.
10. God allows us constant availablity to Him through prayer and suggest regular communication.
11. God sent His eldest son to help and save us.
12. God sends angels.
13. God finds joy in His children and in His relationship with them.
14. God gives us specific opportunities for service.
15. God makes family central to all and the core of His purpose.

1. Try to follow Gods example of complete, unconditional love.
2. See and think of each child as unique and eternal.
3. Establish clear laws, rewards, and punishments.
4. Allow children the chance to repent.
5. Teach and hold close, then let go.
6. Trust and be trustworthy/ Give covenants.
an honesty pact
a respect pact
a loyalty pact
a "no offense" pact ( for grown children)
7. Allow for stewardships. (responsibilities)
8. Create a plan of happiness for your children.
9. Give written advice- notes and letters, written bits of advice.
10. Have regular communication times (and constant availability for calls)
11. Allow older sons for daughters to help their younger siblings.
12. Enlist the help of angels. (friends, family, etc.)
13. Find joy in your kids and in your relationship with them.
14. GIve kids more opportunities to servce and to give.
15. Acknowledge family as the center of all, as the core of our purpose.

Pg. 126
The age of accountability
age 8 to twelve window in your children's growing years. During this unique phase of life, our children are highly conceptual and open to learning.   This short span between 8 and 12 will never come again. That is when children are still sweet and naiive and impressionable, yet they are also conceptual, curious, and flattered by responsibility. And they still think you know what you are talking about.

Pg. 160
Solution #1- Remember your children's true identity- apply what we know about where our children came from and discover their unique eternal personalities.
Solution #2- Remember Gods parenting patterns- follow the supreme example of how god parents us
Solution #3- Remember your direct channel to father- understand that we are mere mortal babysitters who can appeal directly to the real parent.
Solution #4- Remember the churchs "scaffolding"- take full advantage of all the help, support, and guidance the church and its programs offer
Solution #5- Remember the Saviors power- use his spirit to guide, his atonement to save, and his priesthood to bless our children.


I love all this info. I love the explanation of our beliefs and our purpose here, I love the explanation of perception, the DAT formula, Lets Start Over, The Five Faucet Review, Following the perfect example of our Heavenly Parent, and the solutions. Such great info. Good things to remember and to do. LOVE IT.