Family Life

I was able to see a glimpse these past couple weeks of what our family life could be and what it should be and it has been amazing. We just got back from a three week vacation in Idaho and we all came back refreshed. Well maybe just me. It made Joel very homesick for Idaho. I have never seen him get that way any other time we have left Idaho. But we all made an effort after we got to our new home here in Cali to be united as a family. The relationship between Joel and I has been very good--mostly because Joel refuses to let me fight with him. He has been a master diffuser and very appreciative of anything I do. He has been a peacemaker in our home--which really should be my job. One of my goals is to let Joel be the head of the home and try to be the heart of the home.
Peace was the topic of our family home evening tonight at dinner and we talked about what it meant to have peace in the home and why it was important. I feel like the kids really are getting some of what we are teaching them but more importantly I have realized that they are picking up what we are DOING more. Which makes it imperative that I shape up and act like an adult at all times. I can't expect my kids not to throw temper tantrums if I can't control my own.
My kids teach me so much and the situations I find myself in teach me about myself and my strengths and weaknesses. Being a mother to me truly is a refiners fire and if I make it through I might turn out pretty good.

My Family

I have a family here on earth
They are so Good to me
I want to share my life with them through all eternity

Family Night Hike

This was at Stough Canyon Nature Center on their family night hike. We made it to the top! Which is only a 1 1/2 miles but with London it felt like 4. She is such a girly girl. But we will keep on trying! Sawyer seems to really enjoy hiking. Coen is just chill as usual. I don't think God makes them any more chill than Coen. He is the perfect third child.

Boy Robots

Sawyer requested a giant robot today while we were drawing on the sidewalk and after I drew the main frame of the robot they were adding stuff to it (like an antennae at the top, eyes, a belt, a heart, etc.) London drew something in between its legs and said "a wiener!" Totally made my day.

DAT

D- Decibels
A- Agency
T- Tone

A new strategy I am trying to implement when talking with my children. 5 Spiritual Solutions for Everyday Parenting Challenges, Richard and Lynda Eyre

Parenting

So I feel like I just go through the motions most days as a parent (feed, clean, yell, feed, clean, yell, hug, clean, yell, kiss, feed, clean, yell, hug, kiss, play, yell, feed, clean, bed) and I feel like I run into the same problems everyday. So I've decided to write them down to help me brainstorm about them and try to come up with solutions. I read a quote this morning that said "Challenge is cental to helping people think critically," (Developing Critical Thinkers, Stephen D Brookfield) So I am going to try to be proactive and become a critical thinker. One of my biggest dilemmas is discipline, how to do it positively. And when to do it. After thinking about what I have learned from parenting books and my religious background, I came up with three responsibilities that we have as parents-in no particular order of importance.
1. To keep them safe
2. To teach them right from wrong
3. To provide for opportunities for growth

I try to keep this in mind when I am choosing my battles for the day.

Joel's Home!

After a 6 month job on Transformers and crazy insane hours away from the family. Joel is back. And the kids are so happy to have their Daddy home. They are watching Blackbeard's Ghost (Soy picked it out). His favorite thing is watching a movie with his Dad. (I wonder why?)

Family Night Goal

So I am excited to start being consistent and hold family night once a week with our young but growing family....Tonight was very short and sweet. We talked about how important our family was and what we could do for one another to show love. When I asked what we could do for Coen, Sawyer said "Sing to him", their answers for everyone else was "hug and kiss them!" It was adorable and very true. Then we had toast and homemade pear and blackberry jam for our treat. Delicious.

I'm an Ogre! Arrgh!

So you know that scene from Shrek 2 where Shrek is yelling at Fiona and says "I am an ogre!" and then Donkey says "I'm an Ogre! Arrrghh!" mocking him.
Well that pretty much sums up my parenting skills lately. Thank goodness my kids are so cute!

Is London hurt?

So we were in the bathroom today and London and Sawyer were both trying to go (Soy on the big potty and London on her little potty) and London is pointing at Sawyer's wiener and saying "ewe" and so I told her what it was and then Sawyer bent over and looked in between London's legs and said "is London hurt?"
So I told him that girls don't have wieners they have vaginas. And he said "they have pajamas?" And then we all laughed.

The other day Sawyer was at the table and he said "Mom, do you know I love you? But I have a problem with you. When Coen was crying I was trying to tell you that he just wanted you to read him a book and you wouldn't listen. But I forgive you."
He then went on to say how sometimes I don't listen to Dad and London too. He's too observant sometimes.

Today he said "Mom, will you stop complaining about me!" I guess I was nagging him to much.

A Visit from the Family

Triple the Trouble, Triple the Fun

Angry Soy

Sawyer is having a hard time with all the changes going on--Coen, Joel's new job, trip to Idaho, preschool starting, and soon me going back to work. He is so angry most of the time which is not like my happy outgoing Sawyer. He has been hitting, acting out, and mostly crying uncontrollably. It has been really hard to know how to deal with him in a positive way. But I had a good talk with my friend tonight and she gave me some encouragement and talked about similar phases with her kids. It's so great to have great friends. I can't imagine what I would do without them! Especially here in California.

Dark Spots of Christmas Vacation

*Chihuahua twins--all over me all time, licking, pawing, and shedding. Sorry mom. Not a fan yet. Maybe I'll understand when I older
*Icy roads, cold--really it's fun and okay for two weeks but for 5-6 of the year? Is it really worth it?
*Leaving family and having to say goodbyes
*Flat tire on the way home, no not flat, shredded
*Worst traffic imaginable and hour and a half away from home- 3 1/2 hours to go 20 miles.

Christmas Vacation

We spent two weeks in Idaho over Christmas and New Years. Some highlights-
*Plane ride there with three kids by myself....but not really because an angel named Andrea came to my rescue and helped me entertain and herd the kids around during the whole ordeal. She lives in Burley and was from a small town outside of Idaho Falls. She was a mother too and she could see I was in dire need of some help. London at one point was throwing a fit and threw herself down in the isle of the plane as everyone was getting off and wouldn't get up. She proceeded to repeat the tantrum several times as we tried to get off the plane and to baggage claim. Thank goodness for double strollers and restraints.
*Helping my mom in her candy shop. I got to make fudge (and eat fudge--making sure the customers didn't see me lick my fingers....I washed my hands!) I got to dip stuff in caramel and chocolate. And a huge bonus was that I only had to take Coen with me and my brothers watched the other two. It was a lot of fun. And I got rewarded with goodies from the store. And that iced hot chocolate! And the cupcakes! I am pretty sure I had at least one a day.....so good. I miss them....the cupcakes. No I really miss my family. It was so much fun being with them and working together as a family at the shop. My parents are so brilliant when it comes to retail.
*Christmas Eve and Christmas. Prime Rib, shrimp cocktail, brie, risotto, strawberry spinach salad, french bread, Grandma's punch for Christmas Eve dinner. Can it get better? Grandma and Grandpa Schwendiman joined us for dinner at my parents house and we all got new PJ's. Soy and London looked so cute....And Soy was so much fun to watch this year. London had fun too but Soy was really starting to get the hang of it. After opening presents at my parents house we went over to Joel's parents house and his whole family was there besides Jeff and Heather. It's so nice to have Jared back! He is such a great guy. His whole family is just great.
*Spending time with Madalyn and Dawson. Dawson and Coen are pretty much the same size except their heads-- Coen's is bigger. Dawson is so cute! He is such a perfect mix of Blake and Madie. She is such a sweet momma.
*Van-hot red mama van with smoking hot wheels! Thanks Norm!
*Coen's Blessing. We had it at Archer church on Wednesday, December 29. It was so nice. I loved having it with just the family there--it made it very intimate and sweet. Joel gave an amazing blessing as always. Coen was an angel and didn't make a fuss. He looked so cute in his sweater and hurley dress pants (Thanks Lori!)
*Richards Reunion. All the Richards stayed in a hotel in Rexburg and hung out for the yearly bash after Christmas. We went out for Chinese at New Fongs --- old time favorite --- and had our gift exchange, the theme was scripture related gifts. They are so clever.
*Schwendiman Party--Party at Melanies house.....really bad weather, bad roads, my mom was driving.....bad combo. But we made it and got to see everyone and it was great. Then we got together later in the week with just my cousins and their spouses at a pizza place. It was so much fun to see what everyone is doing with their lives.
*New Years Progressive Dinner Party. I planned this party with Joel's family much to Joel and Norman's chagrin (fear of lack of participation). It turned out good despite it all and everyone had a good time except Heather who was quarantined in her room with the flu. It was fun to see all of Norman's brothers and sisters and of course Grampie.
*Tangled. We always go to a movie together while we are there. And Tangled was it this year--loved it!
*Monopoly with Lee. Got to have a game night with my favorite uncle Lee and his wife Sarah.
*Baby Shower for best friend from school. Good luck with your little boy Kelli! So great to see so many good friends and see where they are at. And so many cute babies! Amanda, Jovani, and Lindsay all had their babies there.
*Snow and clear starry skies! I miss them both.