The Orange Rhino Challenge

I have really let this blog go dormant.  this is fine with me.  My life has had some trials and so I keep my journaling to myself in a private hand written journal.  I don't write this here to get attention or for people to ask "what's up"  just stating facts.  The reason I decided to start writing here is because I have decided to take the "Orange Rhino Challenge".  See the icon on the right?  This challenge is to help me stop yelling.  I am going to try to stop yelling for 365 days, and hopefully forever!

I am not a monster.  I don't constantly yell at my kids.  But there are times when I do and it makes me and them feel terrible.  I don't want to do that anymore.  So hopefully this challenge will help me. Here are the rules of the challenge.

My kids deserve to be spoken to with kindness, even if I am having a bad day.  I get to choose how I react to any given situation, and now I am choosing not to yell anymore!

Wish me luck!!

I will use this blog to document how things go.  It may just be a number, or it may be a rant, or a success story.  This is all for me, but if you choose to follow, that's fine too!  Here's to day 1...

Crocheted creations

I have been crocheting for as long as I can remember.  I remember making barbie clothes when I was still in primary!  I love doing it.  It is relaxing to me.

Right now I have really been into making hats.  I started posting pictures of my kids in their hats on facebook and my friends started asking me to make hats for them and their kids.

Some of my friends aren't on facebook (get on facebook you silly people!!).  So for those of you who aren't here ya go!

Here is a link to one of my photo albums.    I will take orders until Dec. 1.  I will still take orders after that date, but the price will increase.  If you don't live nearby, I will gladly mail them to you if you pay shipping.  Just contact me in the comments if you'd like me to make something for you.  If you show me a picture of something else, I can usually figure it out and can quote you a price.

if you'd like something for winter, and not for a  Christmas gift, wait until after Christmas to tell me and it will be the original price.

It doesn't matter what other people think of you

I read this in an article about dating, but it applies to everyone, not just those who are dating.

You think what other people think of you matters. It doesn’t. You are the same you no matter what anyone else thinks. Their opinions can’t change you or diminish you in any way, unless you let them. You must not give this destructive fear any power over you anymore.

I just wanted to remember it, so I thought I would put it here for future reference.  The article was a good one, again, not just for people dating, but for people who just have to be around other people!  You are read it here.

Time Flies

To My Sweet Baby on His Second Birthday,

I cannot believe that two years have already passed since you were born.  I am so glad you finally joined our family.  I am so happy to be your mom.

I just wanted to write you this letter so we can remember all the great things you can do.  I love watching you learn new things and figure out the world around you.

You are finally starting to talk more.  The things you choose to say make everyone around you laugh!  Here are some of your words:

Neva. Neva, eva.  (Never, never ever) you says this instead of no now.  Cracks me up every single time.

Holla! (when I am in a parking lot looking for a spot, I tell the kids to hollar when they see one.  So now every time we are in a parking lot, you says this!)

Mama, Daddy (Dad dee), Anna, Tristan (sorta), Conno, Grampa

Come on (with hand motions)

UP! (when you wants to be carried)

One more? (when you want more)

Two (anything that is more than one)

There are many more other words you say of course, but these are my favorites.  You have been using signs for a long time and are very good to say "more" "out" "milk" "thank you" "bath"

You know lots of animal sounds and get very excited when you see (or hear!) an animal or even a picture of an animal.  Usually you will say the noise they make and then wave at it!

Your favorite TV show is "Curious George".  You will point to the TV and make a monkey sound.

You love reading books.  You like Curious George, Little Critter, Arthur and Dr. Seuss books the best.

Your favorite (and almost only) food: Bean and Bacon soup, Macaroni and Cheese, most fruits.  You also like string cheese and saltines with butter.  You would probably eat a whole stick of butter if I would let you.  You still won't even try meat. Even if I make it a very small piece and I hide it, you find it.  You also don't like bread of any kind.  You used to eat peanut butter toast, but now you won't.  Hopefully you will be brave and try more kinds of food soon!

You are a very happy baby.  You love to be around your siblings.  You love riding your wiggle car, jumping on the trampoline, and chasing the cat.  You love your Mommy and Daddy so much!  You have been going to Nursery at church for 6 months now and you really like it.  There were a few weeks when you would cry, but now you are such a big boy and have so much fun!

Your brothers and your sister just started back to school this week and I know that you will miss them, but I am so happy to be able to spend time with just you.  This will be a big year for you.  You will learn so much!  You are going to be speaking in complete sentences soon.  You will learn letters and numbers.  You will learn more about colors.  Maybe even learn how to use the potty!  I am so happy to be your mom and experience all of this with you.

I hope you know how much you are loved.  I cant imagine my life without you.

Love,
Mommy

Who can resist this face?

Eli got out of the tub the other day and his hair was all curly and sticking out.  I thought he looked like a kwipie doll so I got the camera out.  I was trying to make him do the "o" with his mouth, but he did this instead!  What a ham.

Ya take the good, you take the bad, ya take them both and now you have....

It's been so long since I've written on this blog, the whole setup has changed.  Hopefully I can figure it out!

I really don't have anything major to post, but I just wanted to post an update.  Hopefully my few readers will see that I'm not dead!

It has been a beautiful weekend.  Seriously perfect weather.  On Friday I went for a walk and a bike ride. Eli loves to ride the bike and signs "bike" whenever he sees the bike.

On Saturday I got the lawn all mowed.  It is mostly weeds and dandelions.  I dream of having a lush green lawn and trees and flowers and interesting landscaping.  I just need to keep telling myself that it will happen if I keep working at it, but it won't happen overnight.  I can't help but envy a few of my neighbor's yards though.  My biggest pet peeve about my yard is my neighbor's trees.  They are planted right next to the fence.  While they do provide great shade in the summer, the roots are really close to the surface and are all over my back yard.  They have grown through the sprinklers and stick up all over the place.  New trees are sprouting too.  Walking through there is a dangerous adventure!  And the leaves don't fall until December so we don't even rake them up until spring. Also they really need to be pruned.  Every time it is windy, the branches fall all over the yard.  I don't see them doing anything about it, so I guess I need to figure out what to do and just live with it.

We still have quite a few projects on the house to finish.  We did so much work before we moved in, then finished the basement.  But we still have lists and lists of finishing work to do.  I guess we don't have to worry about being bored!   Our basement is pretty small, but it has a nice size bedroom for Tristan with a built in bookcase.  The best part is my craft room, or as we call it, "The Mom Cave".  It has cabinets and a huge table against two walls and the corner for me to work on my projects.  I love that I can have a place to work on crafty things and if I don't finish I can leave them out and close the doors to keep the curious baby away!

Speaking of the baby, he is doing so great!  He goes to nursery now and really seems to like it.  He is almost 20 months (tomorrow!), and is so dang cute!  He doesn't really say too much, but he does do a few signs.  He is sleeping much better lately.  He has a very specific routine for bedtime.  We have prayers, hugs, eat a vitamin, brush teeth, read books, wave goodnight to all the robot pictures on the wall, look outside and wave to the cars and airplanes (we live near the freeway and the airport so these are always around).  Then we turn out the light, give big hugs, lay down, hug the big bear.  Then I cover him up and tell him I love him and he nods to tell me he is all good, and he goes to sleep.  It's so great considering how horrible he slept for the first year or so of his life!  He almost always sleeps all night too.

I can't believe everything that I haven't blogged about.  We went on a vacation to California and Disneyland.  I like the time we spent at the ocean best of all.  In fact, I would go back in a heartbeat.  I can't believe it took me so long to go to California.  That's right!  I had never ever been there.  Also, Eli had his first birthday, the kids started 4th, 7th and 10th grade.  Chris started a full time job and isn't selg employed anymore.    We celebrated Easter with my side of the family which was really fun.  And lots of other stuff that I can't even remember!  I have noticed though, that even if I don't blog about it, stuff still happens!

Well enough of this rambling.  I hope to be better, but I am definitely not making any promises!