Potty Training

I am really loosing patience with Capri. 

A couple weeks ago she started taking her diaper off and telling me she needs to go potty. Then she would go sit on the little potty for a few seconds, declare she's done (she's not), I tell her it's time to put her diaper back on and she throws a tantrum and screams "I need to go potty!!!". This repeats for at least 10 minutes each time. I wasn't (still not) ready to start potty training her, it has been all her decision. Which should make it easier, right? Not with this one. She has her own ideas of how it's supposed to work. Her's are very bad ideas people! And I need help!! It's been weeks of this! She hasn't once gone potty in the toilet, and the only time I can get her to keep her diaper on is if she's in a onesie. Otherwise, she tears it off and pees or poops on the FLOOR! Then she comes and brags to me about it, like I'm supposed to be proud of her?!

When I was 18 I got this cute little puppy for my birthday. She did the same thing. Just about only pooped inside on the floor. After a couple years of no change, I got tired of cleaning up her messes and unofficially gave her to my mom. My mom probably thought I would take Carly back someday, but I knew I never would. Not if she was still pooping on the floor. I feel like I have a new puppy right now, and it's not fun.

I have no idea what to do with Capri. We let her pick out her own underwear, hoping that would help, but she just takes those off too then goes on the floor. I've told her I'll give her a treat if she goes in the potty, but she'll just sit there for a second and tell me she went and then gets mad when I don't give her a treat since she didn't actually go. I don't think the whole naked method would work since I already have a hard time getting her to keep her pants on.

Any ideas out there?

Evertaster

So happy our favorite author finally came to Mesa for a book signing! So fun to see him! #adamglendonsidwell #evertaster

If you haven't read this book yet, go get it!! It's so much fun! Especially to read with your kids! Calin LOVES these books, and I'm sure he will love reading them on his own when he's bigger!

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Bike Riding & ABC's

Capri is always surprising me! She picks things up so quickly and already talks so much! And she LOVES music! She knows the words to so many children's hymns and kid songs and even sings them on key. She loves love loves to sing. So when it came to learning the ABC's it's no wonder she's picking it up pretty fast. The day before I took this video I didn't know she even knew half of the alphabet. She did that with counting also. Before I knew she could count to 5 she could already count to 14. Seriously. She is always surprising me!

This video was taken a few weeks ago at my mom's house. She sings it even better now. At the end of this video she says "I did it", but usually she ends with "now I know my ABC's, next time won't you sing with me" I love her deep raspy voice. It's so funny and cute!

Calin is a pretty good bike rider! And he has no fear when it comes to riding down big hills. It's hard to tell just how big this hill is on video, but I assure you it's BIG! I was walking with my s.i.l. Jenna and she was very worried about Calin when he started heading down it. You can kind of get an idea of how steep it is by how small he is at the bottom.

We usually push Capri down hills in the stroller, but there was no way I would make it back up that steep hill with that stoller!

Mom's Visit

My mom was here for 2 weeks, but she sprained both her ankles on day 2. She was carrying down a huge roll of fabric for me and didn't see the last step. It was pretty bad and she was couldn't walk at all for the first couple days. We did go bowling the night before she fell though. That was about the only thing we did while she was here :)

Jordan insisted it was crazy hair day that night. 

The rest of the days we relaxed, and once she was feeling a little better we made it out to a couple stores and did some shopping while she rode around in those little carts. The kids enjoyed the rides :)

This is my mom the night of the fall. Jordan borrowed a walker and crutches from school to help her get around.

Oh, and we did make it to Krispy Kreme for free donut day :)

My mom is a BIG Jib Jab fan so of course we had a Jib Jab night creating all kinds of videos for the kids to watch. They loved dancing along to them, it was so cute to watch them!

California Trip Part II

Jordan had to head home for school, but the kids and I weren't ready to leave yet. It had been quite a while since we spent time in California, and since Jordan had finals coming up we decided to stick around.

We spent most of our time up in Sonora with my dad. He and Brenda worked during the day so the kids and I spent a lot of quiet time together and took some little trips to the parks, Pinecrest, and Columbia. It was relaxing up there, and I got lots of much needed rest! My dad was home from work around 3 each day so the kids still had plenty of time to play with Papa before dinner and bed time.

 It was too cold to swim most days we were there, but my dad did get in the with kids once for about 15 minutes :)

 Capri dips EVERYTHING she can! Here she is dipping her chips in her yogurt. She ate the whole cup of yogurt that way.

 This is at a park in Twain Harte

Capri loves swinging! She will swing for hours if I have the patience to push her that long.

 I posted a picture from Pinecrest earlier, but here is another one. I love this lake! It's so beautiful! We went here a lot growing up, and it has always been one of my favorite places! 

Columbia is always a hit. Calin really loved it this time! And it is home to another favorite place of mine . . . Nelson's Candy Kitchen. Yumm!! I let the kids pick out their own bag of candy that day. They picked out frogs, fish, sharks, worms, penguins . . . you know, the usual stuff :)

We also had dinner at my grandparents that week. The kids always have so much fun at Nana & Papa's house!

Memorial Day weekend we went up to Chico to visit my aunt and uncle. It was so much fun spending time with them! I spent a lot of time up there when I was younger, but it's been years since I've been up there, and years since I've seen my cousins who I adore! But my cousin Erica is in London at school, and Alicia just started a new job with Elle Magazine in New York so neither of them were able to make it for the party. Someday soon we will all get together again though! Still, it was wonderful seeing my Aunt Beth and Uncle Dave! Last year they finished building their new house on the gold course, and it is breathtakingly beautiful! 

It's a long drive to Chico, so this is how Capri entertained herself :)

On Saturday, while my dad and uncle were golfing my aunt took us to Caper Acres. Such a fun playground for the kids! It was huge! And I don't think Calin stopped running from one play structure to the other the entire time we were there. 

Calin is up in the pink tunnel looking out. Can you spot him?

On Memorial Day the kids and I headed down to my mom's house for a family BBQ. It was quite the family gathering, with lots of us from out of town! And I finally got to meet my cousin Gabe's little boy who is such a cute little guy!!

Of course the BBQ was full of music and the Giants game also :)

I spent the rest of the week visiting with family and friends. Being in Turlock was definitly busier than it was in Sonora, but still fun. One night I had my mom (and Dom and Jenna too) watch my kids while I met up with some friends in Modesto at The Ice Cream Company. I don't know the last time we were all together, and it was SO much fun seeing them and catching up with everyone! Hopefully we will be able to do it again soon!

Once my mom finished school, we made the long drive back to Phoenix and she stay with us for 2 weeks :)

60 Years

Mid May we took a trip to California to celebrate with my grandparents their 60th wedding anniversary. Isn't that wonderful! I feel so blessed to have two sets of amazing grandparents who are both so happily married and both are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversaries this year. They are inspiring, and so loving! We are so happy we were able to celebrate with them! Congratulations Nana and Papa! We sure love you!

We left on a Thursday night after Jordan's classes and drove through the night. We arrived at my dad's house around 6:30am and we were all pretty exhausted so we slept most all of Friday. Saturday Jordan went golfing with my dad, Uncle Dave, and Papa. Then that evening we went to my grandparents favorite little restaurant in downtown Sonora, Talulah's. It was a small gathering of close friends and family, and it was wonderful! The food was fantastic and it seemed to never end! Here are some pictures from the evening.

My brother Dom and sister-in-law Jenna

All 4 of my grandparents :) My mom's parents will be celebrating their 60th anniversary in August

My dad and Brenda

I love this sweet picture of these two cousins!!

My grandparents with all their great grandkids (and me and Jordan too)

Calin was super sick that night and was begging us to take him home so he could go to bed, so Jordan took the kids home even before we stated eating. What a great husband huh?!

Me and my sisters-in-law. It was so fun to see them so much while in California! I miss them while we are away!!

My super cool little nephew Troy :)

My Nana with her 3 sisters

My brother Alan with my sister-in-law Stephanie and their little boy Troy

Me and my brothers with my grandparents. I wish my cousins could have made it! We all miss them So much!!! 

My dad with his brother Dave

Me and my brothers

Me and Jenna

My grandparents with their two boys and lovely ladies

We had so much fun in California! Jordan headed home the day after the party, but I stuck around for 2 more weeks! So I'll post more from my trip later.

Flat Tire

My sweet brothers tried to change my flat tire tonight. I think Alan was thinking "Is this tire even made for the right side of the car?" After at least 45min of working hard, and still not able to take off the flat, I told them I had a friend who lived near by who could do it and asked if I should check with him. Dom asked "Well, how far away does he live?" I said maybe 1-2 miles. Alan stood up and said "WHAT? Yeah! What are we even doing out here?" And they headed inside. Lol. I'm still thankful they were willing to try. I love my brothers! And it was some good humorous sibling time we got. And we're all thankful for Weston who actually changed the flat so we can drive safely home to AZ tomorrow :)

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