Here’s a

Thought For

The Day

 

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagination.  It is our light more than our darkness which scares us. 

We ask ourselves- who are we to be brilliant, beautiful, talented, and fabulous.  But honestly, who are you to not be so?

You are a child of God, small games do not work in this world.  For those around us to feel peace, it is not example to make ourselves small.  We were born to express the glory of God that lives in us.  It is not in some of us, it is in all of us.  While we allow our light to shine, we unconsciously give permission for others to do the same.  When we liberate ourselves from our own fears, simply our presence may liberate others.”

--Marianne Williamson in Return to Love:  Reflections on a Course in Miracles--

Do You

Have A

Backup Plan?

Do I have a backup plan? 

Well yes… yes I do.

My whole computer is now backed up, including all videos and pictures… (which I might add)… are many.  It took longer than I thought it would, to back everything up, but now I am at peace and no longer have to worry, what if... 

Check it out.  www.mozy.com

$4.95 a month

--any new pictures or videos added to my computer, automatically gets backed up.--

Me and Dagen

Ah Best

Friends 

Forevah 

That is what Kallie said to me yesterday afternoon, while she and Dagen were eating lunch together. 

Melted my heart.

This morning I heard Kallie saying it again, ‘cause I did their hair the same, and Dagen repeated, “Bes fen evah” with a huge smile on her face.

I Wanted a

Pool In My

Backyard…

But This

Was Not

What I Had In

Mind.

 

It’s supposed to rain all day today, tomorrow, and Saturday… non stop.  Arizona is looking like a big lake everywhere you look.  And the roads are CRAZY.  Arizona’s roads, flood like crazy TOO and is not equipped for drainage.  So I guess I’ll be staying indoors.  MAJOR FLOOD WATCH GOING ON.

 

I wasn’t planning on going anywhere anyway, since this sinus infection will not go away!  My head has been pounding!  It’s been a week already… rain rain go away and sinus infection go away too!

Computer Fun

for Kids

And even the little ones

Here are a few fun websites my kiddos like to go to, when they get their 15 minute computer time a day.  Even Dagen joins in on the fun, when it’s her turn. 

Dagen’s favorites: 

www.kneebouncers.com

(All the games work with the touch of any key.)

www.fisherprice.com

(click games and activities tab at top, then online games) (infant ones)

Kallie’s favs: 

www.boowakwala.com/kids/boowakwala-games.html

www.fisherprice.com (click on games and activities tab at the top, then online games)

www.pollypocket.everythinggirl.com

www.pbskids.org

www.barbie.com

Isaac’s favs: 

www.webkinz.com

www.free-coloring-pages.com (especially the create funny faces one at the bottom)

Jaidyn’s favs:

www.disney.go.com/fairies/

www.webkinz.com

And here are a few more I found that I’m sure my kids would just love:

www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/  (this one’s a riot.  Who comes up with these games.. really???!?)

www.poissonrouge.com

www.juliasrainbowcorner.com (click on fun and games)

www.scholastic.com/ispy/ (click online games)

www.sesamestreet.org  

Scared of

Monsters

My kids have always been scared to go upstairs by themselves. 

Now they are afraid to go to sleep.  Kallie and Dagen aren’t too bad, but surprisingly my BIG Jaidyn, who would be very embarrassed that I am sharing this… is afraid.  She covers every inch of herself except her nose when she sleeps.  She is sweating bullets under her covers, I’m sure, and I feel so bad, I’m trying everything. 

They are all scared of monsters in their closets and under their bed.  

(I was too as a kid and I think everyone can relate).

Isaac has gone from bad to worse.  He screams like he’s really getting attacked by monsters (literally), if he’s left in any room by himself in the dark.  He loses it! 

Jaidyn and Isaac were in my bathroom putting some lotion on the other night before bed and Jaidyn was done and walked out turning the light off and left Isaac finishing up sitting on the counter.  I know… mean.  She unconsciously turned the light off from habit and walked away.  Isaac screamed and cried, but the “I’m in a haunted house, all by myself” scream.  It scared Jaidyn and made her scream.

Here’s the explanation for their fear becoming worse than it already was:

They watched A Christmas Carol Movie, that came out recently, and the part where the two kids under the last ghost’s gown scared them to death.  Jaidyn thinks the girl and boy are hiding in her closet.

They watched Gremlins on our last trip to California.

Someone shared with Jaidyn in school, the Bloody Mary Story, and I think any and all versions of this story, myself, is terrifying. 

I looked online to find ways to help kids who are afraid of monsters or the dark. 

"Do not belittle your child's fear of the dark or force him to stay in a darkened room just because he's 'too old' to be afraid," adds Dr. Garber. Instead:

• Ask your child what he feels when he's alone in the dark. Even if his apprehension seems ridiculous to you, reassure him with concrete information. For example, say, "You're right that the house makes funny sounds at night. Let's listen to them together, and I'll tell you what each one is."
• Teach your child to calm him or herself by saying, "I'm safe in the dark; my mom and dad are nearby" or "That sound was just the heat coming on."
• Gradually decrease the light in the room, starting with a lower-watt bulb in his lamp, then leaving a light on only in the hallway. Offer praise each time he or she goes to sleep with less light.
• Help your child avoid scary TV shows and movies, since nighttime fears can be greatly intensified by what a child is exposed to during the day.
• Telling a child, "there is no such thing as a monster" sends a message that their fear is not valid and therefore even more scary because the child feels alone.

  For nightmares:

  Reassure your child
  Holding them and saying nothing but, "I am here" works. Sometimes parents have a tendency to talk too much, trying to rationalize and may create more problems. Talking it out, may backfire. It is much better to be quiet and focus on hugging your child, enveloping them with feelings of safety. Encourage them to 'throw away the bad thoughts'.

  Evaluate their fear
  Is there a particular object in the room scaring them? Remove it. We once received an email from a mom whose daughter was scared of a red eye monster. We suggested that mom lay in her bed and see her room from her daughter's bedtime perspective. The red eye monster turned out to be a nanny cam.

  If your child brings up the monster fear, at any other time than bedtime,ask them to describe what it looks like, maybe drawing a picture. Many people believe this reinforces/validates their fear. The reality is...the fear is already there, it is real to your child and you cannot help unless you ascertain its origin and attributes. Pictures can speak a thousand words here.

  And the last one:

  Empower your child.

  Fear arises from a feeling of lack of control so do what you can to empower your child with the tools to deal with their issues. Monster Go Away! spray evolved from this premise. Of course, you can always stick with plain water... but the scent is an overt sign that something is combating the monster. After all, monsters hate stuff that smells good, right?

  Active imaginations are at work and children who are empowered with targeted strategies are more equipped to overcome their fears.

  So I got the Monster Go Away Spray. (www.monstergoaway.com)  My kids are very excited and anxious for it’s arrival in the mail.  You can also make your own. 

  You’ll need:  1 bottle

  Ingredients

  • 6-8 ounces water
  • 3-4 drops lavender oil

1  Let child pick out a"magical" spray bottle.

2  Fill bottle with water.

3  Add essential oil.

4  Shake well.

5  Spray in corners, under beds, in closets, etc.

6  Child may chant"monsters, monsters, stay away" or any other powerful words.

7  Shake before each use to make the magic strong

Add this onto the back

And this to the front with a big X over it

So now EVERY NIGHT, when tucking the kids in bed, either Mike or I, will look in their closets and under their beds for monsters, (with the lights off).  It has helped a little. 

Jaidyn still looks like a mummy hidden under her covers with her eye mask on, and a pillow on either side of her head, but it’s been better.  Jaidyn also puts her scriptures, open, on the end of her bed every night.

We are still waiting for the monster spray to get here, but when it does… I’ll let you know.

Bedtime

Prayer

Kallie offered the bedtime prayer last night and in the middle, said this: 

“Please help us to have good NIGHTMARES.”

(We all snickered quietly.)

Dagen’s

Gagging

Reflex

… is getting out of hand.

This girl now lives only on:

-cereal (preferably the ones with    marshmallows)

-crackers

-toast with jam

-maybe a P.B.J.

-oatmeal

-sometimes yogurt

-an occasional banana

She looks at something and decides before even tasting it, that…

“is yucky!”

“no like it.”

“no want it.”

“aw done.”

or does her dreadful fake cry.

If I can get her to taste it or can somehow trick her into putting some in her mouth, it’s out again in seconds, but with a mouthful of puke.  What’s with this kid?  Her gag reflex is crazy!  She is so weird with textures. 

I’ve tried holding back the snacks all day and giving her nothing but the main meals, but still… no progress.  She wants the list above and that’s that. 

I tried taking her and putting her in time-out for not eating and then bringing her back to the table to start, and nope… that didn’t work either.

I tried prying her mouth open.  No really, I did.  Once.  And then I remembered counsel from, I don’t know who, saying how you should never force feed your child and that it could worsen the eating problem.  So I stepped back and rethunk this situation.

I tried bribing her with the list above, IF she would eat her given meal first.  Nope, didn’t work either.

Any suggestions? 

I know she won’t die if she continues to eat those few favorites of hers, and Jaidyn went through the same thing and ate only yogurt and bologna for a time, but do I really have to go through this again? 

There’s No

Turning Back

Now!

What have I gotten myself into?  I just had a little meeting with a team of 12 ladies to talk and plan our upcoming race. 

Have you heard of the Ragnar Relay Race?  I hadn’t. 

Not until about a month ago when my sis in law asked me if we should do it.  We signed the waiver, turned in our $115, and now I’m in.  I am an official member of the team. 

HELLLLP!!!

So here is what I’m looking forward to.

It’s a 202.1 mile race, from Prescott to Mesa,  12 teammates, trying to do it faster than 36 hours or it’s DISQUALIFICATION, 2 vans, it’s all done overnight, nonstop.  Each person gets 3 legs of the race.  I’m runner 2.  Which means, my 1st leg: is (uphill) 3.6 miles long, 2nd leg:  4.6 miles (level), and 3rd leg:  4.2 miles (again, uphill).  Did I mention a lot of this is done in the dark? 

KILL ME NOW!!!

WHO THINKS I CAN DO THIS???

Work Work

Work

(I wrote this post months and months ago, when the kids had started their new school.  Just never posted it.)

This charter school is kicking my kids’ butt, when it comes to loading the kids down with homework.  I can’t believe how much work they have everyday!  Sometimes, I feel overwhelmed MYSELF with all the work, ‘cause most of it has to have me involved in some way, whether it’s putting timers while Jaidyn does math, or sitting with Isaac while he reads, or giving spelling tests and phonogram tests to each of them each day, helping them memorize their poems, working on their book reports, etc. 

And then Kallie and Dagen are asking for things at the same time and I feel like one of me, is just not enough.  Jaidyn and Isaac both had book reports due this last week that involved an outline, a rough draft, and a final draft along with a poster picture of their favorite part in their books.  Whew! 

They literally have at least an hour and half, many times 2 hours of homework, no breaks involved.  There is a spelling test and phonogram test every week as well.  Jaidyn has homework from 6 different subjects EVERYDAY along with 15 min reading from the book she has to do a book report on.  The other night she had worked on her homework on her way home from school, then right when she walked through the door she sat down at the counter and worked some more while eating her snack, then on her way to gymnastics, some more homework on her way home from gymnastics, and worked on it the minute she got home until it was time for bed.  And she STILL had her spelling test to study for, that she had to do in the morning before school.  She is not a dawdler either.  She focuses 100 percent.

I am missing the easiness that came with the homework they used to get in their public school.  It’s also hard to have them come home so late since their school is a distance away and they don’t get home ‘til 3:45-3:55pm.  They go straight to homework without me even asking and some of it was even done on their way home in the car.  And then they don’t get done with their homework until 5:30-6pm!  So straight from homework to dinner to playtime for an hour to showers then bedtime.  This schedule the past while, has been a rough one to get used to.  Throw in 2 hours of gymnastics a week for Jaidyn, and one hour of break dancing for Isaac, an hour of gymnastics for Kallie and an hour for Isaac and you can guess how crazy that is.

I’m still weighing out the benefits to public school vs.. charter school, but so far, my kids say they like it.  The kids cry many  tears of exhaustion and frustration many of the days, though. 

The teaching methods in this charter school are nothing I’ve ever experienced growing up and so it is difficult for me to help them.  Jaidyn just came home Friday ecstatic about learning Latin.  She taught me how to say-- My name is and how male names end in u and female names end in a?  Anyway, it was very interesting and I loved her enthusiasm about it all.  At first, Jaidyn was bringing home some pretty rough grades, which through me off a little, ‘cause Jaidyn has always had B’s and A’s or straight A’s.  She was feeling frustrated and confused everyday and I was close to pulling her out in the defense that my kid is an excellent student and shouldn’t be getting grades below average.  Something was not right.  Well, time has passed, and I have figured out a few things to help her and she has brought those grades back up.

I want my kids to have time to be kids though.  Is that only going to be in the summer times now?  There used to be time for friends to come over for an hour or two and time to sit and watch a show on tv.  No more of that!  It is strictly work with this charter school.  No crazy hair day, no pajama day at school… points taken away if your shirt is not tucked in, if you do not have your belt on for the day, if your homework planner is not signed after it is done… even if your homework is ALL done.  It’s a lot to take in. 

But Jaidyn and Isaac are hard workers and great students and have new friends and new teachers, and hopefully I’ll come to a surety of what is best for these babies of mine.

A Few Quick Reasons Why I Switched My Kids Over To Charter:

1.  Their cousins were all going to go and we could all carpool and have the kids see more of each other.

2.  Less students, smaller classes, so more individual time with teacher.

3.  Be more likely surrounded by wholesome, good-natured kids, because parents have to be so much more involved and have to sacrifice so much of their time to have them go to charter, so you’d think these parents would be raising good kids.

4.  They can continue on to a charter high school where it is more strict and kids have less a chance of getting involved in the crazy things kids are getting involved in.  The thought of my kids going to these public high schools in the area haunt me.  And they will be in uniforms which that alone eases a lot of my concerns with how these kids dress these days in high school and what they get away with.

5.  The bus situation was not working.  Too many NOT GOOD conversations happening while on the bus.  Crazy inappropriate music blaring the whole way home, with my kids singing the tunes and saying the words to these songs as they get home and walk through the door.  The long bus ride is and probably never will be supervised enough to make it ok for little ones to be riding with all the older kids on the bus. 

6.The junior high kids were mingled in on the same bus that the elementary kids rode.  So they would have to make a stop at the junior high before dropping off my kids.

7.  Uniforms.  Easier.  The kids are in school mode as soon as those uniforms go on.  No taunting or judging from any other students about what you’re wearing or what you don’t have.  Everyone goes in looking equal.

8.  The first reason I considered it, was ‘cause the school borders were being re-drawn and my kids were going to be sent to a new school anyway and my sis in laws brought up the idea of charter school and having all the cousins in the same school.

----UPDATE----

-----a lot has changed-----

--01-15-10--

So registration forms were given.  I filled mine out for the kids and checked the box that said:  unsure whether my child will be returning.

Report cards arrived yesterday.  The kids did really well.  I was very very proud of them.  This school is 10 times harder than their last one, so their good grades mean that much more.

My kids still do NOT like wearing uniforms, but they have learned to get used to them and complain less and less.

Carpool is nice, but this fall, Kallie will be starting kindergarten and Jameson will be starting preschool.  2 more kids to fit in an already over crowded car.  It won’t work out.

Jaidyn is speaking more Latin.

Isaac knows all 70 phonograms, received an award, and is continuing on with more.

Mike and I met with the teachers for parent teacher conferences 2 months ago and explained all of our concerns and stresses and things have been much better.  The kids have an hour of homework, Jaidyn sometimes a little more than that.  Still more though, than they had had in their other school.

Fewer tears from the kids about their homework.

The kids are now out of gymnastics and there is more free time for my kids to be kids.   :)

Leaning towards public school.

Funny Kallie

Out of nowhere, this was a conversation Kallie started with me, while Dagen was napping, and Jaidyn and Isaac were gone at school.

Kallie:  “First I’m gonna be a teenager, then a mom, right?”

Me:  “Yeah.”

Kallie:  “Soon, when I’m a mom, your going to be my neighbor, right?”

Me:  “Yeah, I’d like that.  You want me to live by you and your babies?”

Kallie:  “Yeah, and I’m gonna miss you when I’m big, ‘cause I’ll member when I was a kid.”

Enough Is

Enough

…It Is

Time To

Simplify!

It seems, the more kids you have, the more crazy and complicated things CAN get. 

(AND OF ‘COURSE… the more joy and love and fun you have.) 

Did not want to sound so negative.  ‘Cause, don’t get me wrong… there are MANY MANY joyous, unforgettable, amazing moments in our family.

But what I’m talking about is how you can get yourself caught up in getting your kids involved in too many extracurricular activities and before you know it, the kids are NEVER HOME.  You are driving or sitting and waiting in the car or sitting and waiting at the activity, and before you know it, it is time for dinner when you get home and then time for bed. 

My kids have had a rough schedule to keep up with for awhile now.  Somehow, you justify it all and say how good it is to have your kids in things they are really good at… like gymnastics and break dancing, for instance.  You see them exceeding and progressing and you don’t want to pull them out. 

MY KIDS did NOT want me to pull them out. 

Coaches are praising you after the class and saying how good your kid is and how they want them to move up another level and change from one class a week to two because they are now in a more ADVANCED class. 

You get others saying, “What a good mom, you are, for supporting your kids in so many activities and being “taxi mom” driving them around everywhere. 

And then there’s the thought of what if you pull them out and only put them in activities during the summer… will they ever excel in that activity if they aren’t sticking with it longer than a summer?  Etc, etc, etc. 

It was affecting my family NOT SO MUCH in a positive way.  My kids were more tired, I was pushing them to get their homework done before leaving, or to get it done in the car before getting there.  I was rushing them to get in the car, rushing MYSELF, out the door. 

It was more rushing and pushing then I liked. 

And my kids needed me to step in and slow things down a bit.  Not only were they coming home later than last year, because this new school ends at 3:15 and it takes awhile to get home (so they would get home close to 4), but they also have way more homework than they’ve ever had, now being in a charter school. 

It was TOO MUCH and ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH. 

It got to the point where I was taking the kids to 5 hours of extracurricular activities each week.  And I couldn’t work it so that the kids’ classes were all done at once, but they were all at different times.  Kallie and Isaac had their classes at 4 on Thursdays, and Jaidyn’s at 6 that same day, so from 5 to 6, the kids would be doing homework in the car.  The coach stopped me after Isaac’s class and said how amazed he was at how good Isaac was at gymnastics  (and so was I when watching) and he wanted to advance him into a “2 days a week” harder class, Jaidyn had her 2nd gymnastics class on Saturdays, and Isaacs had his break dancing class on Tuesdays, and then activity days would fall the first and third Tuesdays of the month, so I would be throwing that in with Isaac’s break dancing class, along with the many other things that just fall right into your busy schedule and soon you’re juggling and dropping balls. 

Seriously.  Do you ever get to that point?  Or are you there now? 

… Then simplify your life!

Anyway, life for the kids and I will be a lot easier and simpler, and there will be more relax time, play time, fun time. 

Isaac will be staying in break dancing ‘cause he REALLY REALLY REALLY wants to.  We’ll see how long that works out.  But as for the 4 hours of gymnastics, that was going to turn into 5… no more.  We are done.

I want to start piano lessons for these guys, maybe get a little use out of the piano that sits upstairs collecting dust? 

So goodbye to gymnastics, we loved you while we had you, but we are moving on to easier schedules.  We may see you again in the summers. 

Windows Live

Writer

If ya’ll are all still using blogger to blog, then WAKE UP PEOPLE!  There is a WAYYYY easier and funner (ok, more fun) way to blogging.  Do it!  Start blogging more and creating these awesome journals for your babies and family. 

Google search:  windows live writer, download the free program and WAH LAH!   You’ve got yourself a way better program.

The minute you click on the picture you want… it’s on there.  There is no longer a limit of 5 pictures and a 10 or so minute wait for those 5 pictures to pop up.  There is absolutely NO PROBLEM with rearranging your pictures, there are way fun fonts, you can crop, rotate, change your pictures to black in white, sepia, etc, you can add watermarks to the pics, you can size them, download a video in seconds, etc.  The options are endless!  I LOVE IT SOOOOOOO MUCH MORE THAN THE OLD WAY I WAS BLOGGING. 

I know you guys all probably think I sit at my computer ALL DAY LONG! 

NOT THE CASE. 

It takes no time at all to blog and THAT IS WHY, I blog all the time.  I only blog an hour AT THE MOST, whenever I can find the time.

(Usually in the morning while the kids are playing or Kallie is at preschool, or during naptime, or late at night when kids are down.  Find the time and DO IT!)  

Want to know my most favorite part about it?  There is an undo and redo button, I use ALL THE TIME.  If I accidently erase a picture, or mess up somewhere, just click undo and it’s back on.  It’s amazing.  I’m sure there are tons of other programs out there that I don’t know anything about.  Who knows… there may be something I’d like better, but for now this works and I wanted to share this valuable information with you.

Oh… and if you do it and it helps… let me know.  I love comments.  :)

Blurb.com

 

Ok.  So this is how it’s done, ladies.  My first book took me FOREVER to do.  But once I figured out what I was doing, it came easier, but still takes time. 

First go to www.blurb.com and click on download blurb booksmart to begin.

You can find pricing, sizing, and everything on their site.  Once you followed through their steps to get your blog into their format, then you can begin editing it and placing and sizing your pictures where you want them.  There are several different page layouts to choose from.  You can also make your own by editing the boxes to the right sizes you’d like and then saving them.  You’ll see once your in.

You’ll notice that there is a yellow image icon in almost everyone of your pages.  This is what confused me a ton and made me NOT want to continue creating the book, cause I thought the pictures would all have to be downsized to nothing.  Well, what you need to do is find the main source where you keep your pictures, drag the original picture right onto your blurb pages, to replace the one that is there. 

It IS time-consuming, but once you’ve figured it out, it comes pretty easy and quick.  I’ve mastered it now.  I found that once all my blog is in their pages, then I change out the pictures, then I create the layouts I want for my pictures and start changing font sizes and fonts for my journaling.  Make sense?  If not call me.  I don’t mind AT ALL to walk you guys through it.  I totally wish someone had done the same for me. 

Now… a friend of mine has a faster, much easier program that costs about $1 a page.  I guess there is a way to format your blog into a pdf file for $7.95?, which would be very useful.  You could then print out your entire blog from your printer, as is.  For that, go to www.thecutestblogontheblock.com and click the icon that looks like this:

So that may be the route to take if your book isn’t too big.  With mine, I am using all possible pages allowed into one book (440pgs) on blurb.com and I don’t want to be paying over $400 for my book, instead of the $100 it has cost me.  (My second book cost me $75, ‘cause they had some deal going on at the time.)

Customer service has been great.  My first book was delivered in a nice package, but looked like it had been dropped and the corner was dented in a little, so I emailed them a picture and the next day they sent me a new book free of charge!  So I had two 440 pg volume 1 books. 

Good luck.  Seriously give me a call if you have trouble!

This Year’s

School

Pictures

3rd grade

1st grade

Life Is Good

Volume 2

…Volume 3 soon on the way

Finally…

with a little help from Mommy.

Isaac has had two loose front teeth FOREVER now.  They began to stick out like the Easter Bunny.  Spaces had formed on either side and all you noticed when Isaac talked was his two front teeth.  So I finally asked him 2 nights ago after tucking the other kids in, if he wanted me to try and pull them out for him.  His premanent tooth was coming in behind one of them, and I knew there would be no more waiting.  I had to get that baby tooth out!

So we worked at it.  I told him I was going to push the one back and forth, hard, for 20 times.  (It was holding on pretty tight to those roots still, so it was taking some serious work.)

I did it 9 more times trying to get to 10 and Isaac said it was starting to hurt, so I ran to grab the camera, hoping it would come out. 

When I got back, Isaac had been forcing it back and forth, himself, and by the 5th time, he had pulled it out HIMSELF!  He looked at it shocked and then lost it.  He was crying and saying it hurt. 

 HE DID IT!!!

So now my kid went from looking like the Easter Bunny… to looking just like Nanny McPhee.

Can you see his permanent tooth trying to come in? 

The tooth fairy came and Isaac was one happy boy!

Passing The

Candle

This is a fun New Years tradition we’ve done with our kids for sometime now.  Even Dagen participated.

The candle is lit.  The lights get turned off.  Everyone gets a goblet full of sparkling cider (but since we did not have any at the time, we used lemonade instead). 

We begin by saying one thing we were grateful for in the year 2009.  Each person gets their turn one at a time to say their thought and whoever’s turn it is, has the candle and no one else is to speak until they get the candle passed to them.  Once it goes around and each person has stated one thing they were grateful for, then you go around one more time with a 2nd grateful thing. 

Then it starts again, going around one person at a time with one new year’s resolution.  Something you want to do better at (is what we told our kids), this new year of 2010.  And then one more time around with your 2nd goal or resolution. 

The kids were so funny and yes, there were spills and it was not a quiet passing of the candle, like Mike and I try to make it every year, but it was perfect.  We laughed, we shhh-d, we giggled, we applauded, and we even got a little choked up at times. 

This all ends with everyone getting a turn to hold their goblet higher than everyone elses’ and that person gets to make a toast, starting with Daddy and ending with Mommy.  After EACH toast, you tap glasses with everyone, and then take a drink… leaving enough to last for the other toasts.

 

Before starting though, we all like to do some shadows puppets over the candle, looking up at the ceiling.

Here were some of the things said:

Mike:  “I’m thankful that we were able to make our goal of making it to the temple every month.  Never missed.”

Jaidyn- “I’m thankful for… being baptized this year.”

Isaac:  “I’m thankful for the world and my Mom and Dad.”

Kallie:  “I’m tank you for broders and sisters”

Dagen:  (with a little help from Mommy and Daddy) “I dadu por my pamily.” (family)

Me:  “I’m thankful for celebrating our 11th anniversary and that Daddy and I love each other and now have 4 beautiful babies who I love soo soo much.”

Mike:  “I’m thankful for having a good job.”

Jaidyn:  “I’m thankful for my cousins being close and for my baby sister, Dagen.”

Isaac:  “I’m thankful for baseball.”

Kallie:  “I’m tank you for sharing my room and for bunk beds, but now we don’t have dem anymore, but I like my bed down now ‘cause you can tuck me in better and I’m tank you for Dagen being in my room with me.”

Dagen:  (Mommy whispering in her ear) “I…      dadu…  por…  doppers (diapers).”

Me:  “I’m thankful for a temple soon to built right down the street from us.  That way it’ll be easier to visit every month with Daddy.”

-----Now for the goals----

Mike:  “My new years resolution is to finish through the Book of Mormon and then read it through once again before the year is over.”

Jaidyn:  “I want to finish the Book of Mormon.  I’m already in the middle of Alma, so I just need to read some more and I’ll be done.  Then I can tell the home teachers when they come over and ask me again.”

Isaac:  “I want to try to do better… in stop whining… and stop teasing.

Kallie:  “I… want to… stop screaming.  Oh, and start liking my brother and sisters better.”

Dagen:  (Me helping Dagen again) I’m going to be potty trained next week.

Me:  “My new years resolution is to do 15 min. scripture reading everyday without fail.  There’s no excuse.”

Mike:  “My new years resolution is to give more of my time and service to others.”

Jaidyn:  “I am going to try and get all my reading for school done this 3rd quarter, ‘cause I was supposed to read 1000 pages by Wednesday, but I only read 700 pgs.  Now we have to read 2000 pgs. next quarter.  Oh, and also get better at drawing.”

Isaac:  “I want to get better at gymnastics… and… piano.”

Kallie:  “I would get better…… what are we doing again?

Mike:  “We’re saying what we want to do better at this year.”

Kallie:  (giggle giggle) “Oh yeah.  I tink we’ll all get better at making beds… even Mommy and Daddy. 

(Dagen was about to talk next, then Kallie remembered a few more things.)

Kallie:  “AND.. I want to get better getting stars in preschool and mat (math).  Andddd…  I want to get better at not yelling at my prends… like I did last time.”

Dagen:  (Me) I am going to stop screaming.

(Dagen is trying to repeat everything I say while staring hypnotically into the fire.)

Me:  “My new goal is to… eat and cook healthier things.”

----Now for the toasts----

Mike:  “I would like to make a toast… to… everyone working harder to do their chores and helping out around the house.  I also want to toast that…. I will work hard enough to take everyone to Disneyland!”

(cheers from everyone!!!!)  (Everyone takes a sip of their lemonade)

Kallie:  “I can’t drink the whole ting, I’ll  pee da bed.”

Jaidyn:  “I would like to make a toast… that… everybody is going to try and find a mermaid at the beach!”

(another drink)

Isaac:  “… and a merman!!”

Kallie:  (all sassy) “Dats the same ting, Isaac.  A boy mermaid and a girl mermaid.  Hellllloooo.”

Isaac:  “Nooo, a boy mermaid and a girl mermaid are NOT THE SAME!!!”

(voices begin to escalate between the two of them.)

Me:  “Guys, no one talks except for the person making the toast… ok?  Stop yelling at each other.  It doesn’t matter.  Good one, Jaidyn.”

(Jaidyn looking very proud of herself)

Mike:  “Isaac, can you make a toast, please, man of the house?”

(everything gets quiet and all you hear is Dagen slurping her drink)

Isaac:  (annoyed and still giving Kallie the evil eye)  “I don’t know how.”

Mike:  “Just say something you want to do or that we all can do and hold your glass high, higher than everyone.  Like the Statue of Liberty or He Man, Isaac.”

Isaac:  “I toast… that… we all……. learn piano.”

Kallie:  “Can we do our favorite color?”

Mike:  (laughing) “Nooo, Kallie.  This is a toast.  Focus.”

(more slurping from Dagen.  She is spilling all down her dress)

(And you know what?  I’m not sure if Kallie, Dagen, and I ever got to our toast or not.  I really can’t remember, ‘cause I think that was the time Isaac or Dagen spilled their drink and I was cleaning up my pants, and we decided that was good for toasts.) 

Anyhoo, you get the gist of it all.  We had a WONDERFUL passing the candle program.  And I wouldn’t have changed anything about it, even the accidental spill.