Follow Up

The sticker chart worked great at home. Luke and I had a really good week last week as I tried to focus on the positive and he worked hard to earn his stickers. As for nursery, he wouldn't go in last week. That is the first time in a very long time that he would not go into nursery. He has completed his chart and earned his garbage truck toy. We will see how this Sunday goes and if I need to start another chart!

Whatever Works!

Katelyn is 10 months old today! She is so much fun and is finally starting to move around on her own. In this picture she looks like she is going to crawl, but no, I guess my kids don't crawl. Instead she has figured out how to scoot on her bum, just like her older brother did at the same age. My brother thinks that my kids don't like to get their hands dirty so scooting on their bums is a better option. Katelyn is still trying to master it but she can move herself around most of the family room. Her speed has not kicked in yet, but I am okay with that. I wish I could figure out how to put a video on here, than you could actually see this amazing feat. :)

My Bully

Do you think "bully" when you look at this sweet, innocent face? I don't, but it seems that looks can be deceiving. As I was peeking in the nursery door (Yes, he is still in nursery. He is by far the biggest one in there. That's what happens when you have a Jan. birthday.) to pick Luke up, I see him pushing another kid and getting ready to hit. I was able to tell him to stop in a stern voice before the hitting happened and than asked his nursery teacher if this happens a lot. She said, "He can be pretty aggressive." (I guess that was a nice way of saying, "Yes, he can be a real bully.") It always makes me sad to hear that my kid is not doing what he is supposed to be doing.

So I was pretty upset the rest of Sunday and talked to him a lot about how we are supposed to treat others and to listen to his teacher.

I than realized that I am always telling Luke what he shouldn't be doing and telling him "NO" instead of focusing on the positive. So I made a chart with several columns and each time he does something nice, dosen't argue, helps me, plays nicely with Katelyn, etc., he earns a sticker. (It is a lot harder than I thought to constantly be looking for positive things, but it is helping me to not be such a bully. :) ) He earns small rewards along the way and than he can choose something bigger (like a toy) if he completes the whole chart. This has been a much better week for Luke and I and he has been trying really hard. I am proud of him. I am hoping that he can earn several stickers this Sunday by behaving in nursery. Can he do it? Will he be the nice kid and not the bully? I will let you know in a couple of days.

These two...

make it almost impossible to get a good picture of them together. Luke has a hard time looking at the camera and smiling at the same time. Katelyn gets so distracted by Luke, especially when he has shoes on and she just wants to pull his shoestrings. This was one of six that actually has them both kind of smiling and sort of looking in the same direction. I think this was after I stood on my head, spun around, and made funny sounds. Okay, the funny sounds was about all I did, and it kind of worked.

100 Things You May or May not Know

Okay, okay I will be a blogger. I guess it is about time. I have loved reading everyone else's blogs and I will try my best at this. I thought I would start this off with my 100 list. It has been so fun to learn about everyone else through their 100 lists so here goes mine...

1. I was born in Glendale, AZ
2. I am the oldest in my family
3. I have five younger brothers, that are all much taller than me
4. I lived with my family in the Middle East for seven years
5. We lived in Iran, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia
6. I was baptized in a swimming pool in Saudi Arabia
7. I have also lived in Texas (too little to remember it),California, Virginia, and Utah
8. Spent the most years in Virginia
9. Played soccer and basketball in high school
10. love to play sports but don't do it much anymore
11. play the piano
12. played the clarinet for a couple of years, don't remember how anymore
13. got the math award my senior year of high school but than got a D in my first year of college math, hmmmmm
    
14. went to BYU and loved it!
15. most years I had a cousin for one of my roommates
16. graduated from BYU with an early childhood education degree
    
17. went on a Spanish speaking mission to McAllen, TX
18. I had three companions over the age of 60
    
19. don't use my spanish enough so I am losing it
20. took 4 or 5(can't remember) semesters of american sign language
21. don't use it enough, so I am also losing it
22. I think I am losing my memory also :)
    
23. I met my husband in a singles ward
24. I married into a great family
    
25. taught 1st grade for 3 years
26. I don't think I will ever go back to public teaching
27. I would love to have a preschool in my home when my kids are older
28. I have two kids, a boy and a girl (3 yrs. old and almost 10 months old)
    
29. I want more kids, most days :)
30. I love to read
31. I am sensitive, sometimes too sensitive
32. I love baked goods
    
33. I don't always like to cook dinner
34. I love chocolate.....too much!
35. I have psoriasis
36. I hate it, but things could be worse
37. I am not comfortable wearing short sleeve shirts because of it
38. I care what other people think
39. I wish I didn't care what other people think
40. I love most country music
41. I love music with a good beat
42. I love dancing but don't do it much
43. I have always wanted to be a great dancer and perform
44. this is hard, I may need to stop at 50
45. I love to decorate
46. I always have decorating ideas going around in my head but executing them is another story
47. I like being crafty
48. I wish I had more time to be crafty
49. I am grateful for the blessings the gospel brings into my life
50. I know the gospel is true
51. I love reading the scriptures, when I do it
52. I need to make a better effort
53. I love running errands with my husband
54. I don't think he loves it as much as I do but he is always a good sport
55. I have a hard time making decisions
56. I have a hard time spending big amounts of money
57. It usually makes me sick to my stomach
58. However, I don't have a problem spending money at Walmart and Target
59. I like reality TV shows
60. I am not an animal lover, but I would never be mean to one
    
61. I don't really ever want a pet, but I will probably do it someday for my kids
62. I do like watching shows about animals or seeing animals at the zoo or Sea World
    
63. I love watching Planet Earth
64. I enjoy scrapbooking when I actually sit down and do it
65. I love my son's creativity and the words he uses
66. I love my daughter's laugh and smile
67. I love my husband's patience and hard work ethic
68. I wish I had more patience
69. My mom is one of my best friends
70. My parents are so supportive of their children and are always willing to help out
    
71. I love having a clean house (however, it is hard for me to keep a clean one)
72. I love taking naps
    
73. I wish I could take one everyday
74. I enjoy working out once I get started
75. I like how I feel after I am done working out
    
76. It's making the effort and finding the time that are hard
77. I am a worrier
78. I worry about raising my kids in this crazy world
79. I love babies
80. My favorite color right now is red, especially for decorating
81. I like the feeling of being organized
82. I wish I was more organized
83. I like making lists and crossing things off
84. I love going on trips, just getting away from everyday life
85. I always overpack but I am usually prepared for almost anything :)
86. I can usually only watch a movie once, much to my husband's dismay
87. There are a few exceptions, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Runaway Bride, I know there are a couple more, but I can't think of them right now.
    
88. Only 12 more to go. AAAAHHHH, this is harder than I thought.
89. I love to play church music in my house on Sundays
90. I love the feeling it brings into our home
91. I am not very good at playing cars, trains, superheroes, airplanes, etc. with my son
92. I don't make the right sounds or know how to get into character
    
93. However, I do like putting together puzzles, coloring, painting, doing play doh, playing games, with my 3 year old
94. I do not like confrontation (sp?)
    
95. I am usually quiet in groups
96. I have opinions but have a hard time expressing them for fear of confrontation (it goes back to #31)
    
97. I love children's books.
98. I have a ton of them from teaching and love to read to my kids
99. My calling at church is not my favorite (cub scout committee chair) but I am trying to have a better attitude
    
100. I am happy with my life!
     

Phew! I am done and that was a lot harder than I thought. However, it was fun to think about all the things that make me who I am.